Back in the saddle again

Well, I knew it would happen sooner or later, but I was amazed at how much later! 

I got back on the grid today, after a week of visiting with Lisa and Jimmy, and with the forecast in both Dallas and Houston calling for an 80% chance of rain, there was little doubt in my mind this morning when I rolled down the driveway that I was going to get wet. It wasn't a question of when, but one of how much.

The last week has been filled with sight-seeing, historical field trips, local color and restaurants, capped with a real nice dinner at Smoke, a fine dining experience in Dallas, directly down the street from the grassy knoll. (No Jason, it is not owned by Tony Stewert). We had to find our way through quite a rainstorm to get there (1.16 inches yesterday, most of it in a very short interval in the evening).

 A friend of mine from Boise (Lisa J.) who recently moved to the Dallas area to start a new job and is now BFFs with Jimmy and Lisa, had just returned from spending the holiday weekend in Boise. The timing was perfect so we were able to meet for dinner. 

So having concluded my visit in Sachse (Dallas area) I was on the road by roughly 9 a.m. local time.

We had a rainstorm last night that flooded many a street, highway, parking lot and stream. I was real happy that I wasn't caught riding in that one so I figured every dry mile today was just the icing on the cake! I did see a number of flooded side roads from last night's rain. Lisa had told me "if you see wet ground, don't be a clown, turn around, before you drown." 

The sky looked every bit of 80% rain as I got on the President George Bush Parkway, and I had only gone about 10 miles when it began to rain lightly. It lasted for about two minutes and was sufficient to be considered actual rain, even though it managed to only get the vertical portion of my legs wet. I had clearish sailing from that point south, with dry roads but threatening clouds the norm for the next 3 hours.

I used a picture of Sam Houston's statue before, but because I'm taking the same route in the opposite direction I'm using the other side of him.

I really hated to stop but my butt and my gas gauge told me it was the prudent thing to do. After refueling I found a nice spot to stop for lunch. While I sat at the table I texted Lisa to let her know how I was doing. Not knowing that I was in a restaurant she told me I might want to take a break and eat as there was a large storm rolling through north of Houston, my intended target.

I should have stayed put but, when I was done eating, decided to cover at least some of the remaining hour between my present location and my ultimate goal for the day, the tiny town of Webster, Texas. I had barely come to highway speed when the rain started to make itself known. By the time I made it to the next exit I was both officially "wet" and desperately seeking a place to take refuge. There was no mistaking the fact that this storm was not going to blow over.

I found a Chic-Fil-A restaurant (Thank you Sue Scott Day!). I sat at a table with a drink, peering out the window as an (unofficially) estimated half inch of rain fell. I'm afraid Spuddy got pretty wet but, I discovered, he dries quickly in the wind.

I waited not only for the rain to cease but for the streets to have an opportunity to drain. The remaining hour of travel featured only one encore, about 3 or 4 minutes in duration.

I am now tucked away in my motel room for the night (actually I'm at a Waffle House eating my "capped" hash browns at the moment).

You think you're having a bad hair day?

 It is the same motel that hosted me a week ago, the night before I proceeded to Dallas. The plan is to go to NASAs Johnson Space Center in the morning to see if I can catch a ride on the Space Shuttle to add it to my list of transportation means! From there it's on to Port Arthur, Texas to tour a museum that is of great interest to me. More about that later.

Tripometer hit 5,000 miles today, about 1/3 of total mileage expected