Day 15 - Rest Day! Easter!

Today was our rest day. We got in late last night from our dinner, let me tell you a little more about that. We had dinner with one of Shane's coworkers in laws home. It was about a hour drive from where we are here in Willis. They live on 5 acres, with another 5 acres for the longhorns. I felt like I was on a episode of Dallas! It was a perfect night to sit outside and enjoy the east Texas evening. I didn't even mind the breeze since I was off the bike.

We had smoked brisket, potato salad, cucumber salad and homemade sweet tea. Let me tell you it was all fantastic! As always it was great to talk to people about what we are doing and share stories with each other. Julie and her husband Derrick pulled together a great evening. To top off an incredible dinner, Derrick prepared blueberry and cherry cobler that he cooked in a dutch oven! And you can't have dutch over cobler with out homemade ice cream! Julie even gave us all chocolate Easter bunnies candies because she didn't want us to not have them on Easter morning, very thoughtful. When we were leaving Julie mother-in-law told me that in Texas they give hugs. We all hugged and concluded the evening.

It interesting how we can all live in different parts of the country and just open up our homes and our lives to each other. It makes you think that there is still a lot of good left in people! and for that I am thankful to the these families and the time they shared with us last night.

As I mentioned last night, when I arrived here at the hotel in Willis yesterday I was welcomed with a box from my family. My wife packed me a Easter basket. Here is a picture of what she put together for me, with help from my boys!



Easter was a lot tougher then I thought it would be on me. I really missed my family this morning while I was getting ready and walking to church. My wife sent me pictures of my boys all ready for church in there Easter clothes. I missed the routine that is our Sunday mornings, as crazy as they seem some weeks. I look forward to the day I get to see them again and hug there necks!

We walked over the First Baptist Church of Willis this morning for the 9:30am service. We settled into our seat and enjoyed a good service and a good message from Pastor Charles Smith. The choir sang a number of songs as well as some Easter drama playing out the resurrection of Jesus.  

After church we didn't stick around for to long, we headed to the laundry mat to cross that off our list of things to do. This laundry mat was not as nice as the one we were in Pensacola. Lets just say there was a dude in there with just sweat shorts on and his butt crack hanging out. I am not judging him, but he kept looking at me and it started to freak me out a little. I'm just glad his shirt finally finished in the dryer and he put it on!

During our time at the laundry mat, we had a little scare. I was out at the RV with Les our driver and was getting a couple soft drinks out of one of the bays under the bus. I unlocked one, opened it and then locked the cylinder with the door open so when i got what I needed I could just close the bay door. I gave the keys back to Les and got our drinks and shut the door. After the door was closed Les looked at me and asked me if I had the key? I said, no I just gave it to you. Well as it turns out he sat it next to the cooler in the bay not knowing I already the locked the cylinder. Yep, we locked the keys in the belly of the RV!!! We have another set of keys in our SAG vehicle, but it was in Houston (about an hour away) sending off Aunt Sharon, and picking up Mona (new cook). So Les and I broke the news to Shane and Shannon, not a lot we could do but wait until the SAG returned. Les, not being satisfied with the out came went out and messed with the bay door, and for some reason he was able to open that one door and get the keys out? He said he tried all of them to see if there was a way in and only that bay would open! He said it because we went to Easter service we were able to get in there. Whatever the reason we were all very thankful.

Once the laundry was complete we hunted for food. Again, sticking to our "no chains" rules we had a hard time to find anything open. We finally went to a grocery store and bought a few pizza and talked them into cooking them in there oven in the back! It was well worth the wait. Quick funny story, while we were waiting for our pizza to cook, Shane and I were sitting in a few chairs and a women came in smiling from ear to ear. We said Hi and smiled back, without hesitation we said, "Hi, do you know JJesus?" we both responded "yes ma'am" and she just smiled and kept on shopping. We are diffently in the south, they love there big truck, long horns and Jesus!  

That is pretty much it here in Willis, Texas today. I am resting in the hotel room, trying to stay off my feet and out of the sun. I caught up on another one of my sitcoms i try and watch reguarly - Parks and Rec. As always it made me laugh out loud more then once. We are getting ready for dinner and then I hope to watch a movie on Netflix and call it a day.

Our next run is only 3 days, then we have 2 days off in Comfort, TX. I know what you are thinking because I have thought the same thing. The resaon we have a short week and a 2 day rest is because after Comfort, we get into what the locals call "hill country". We have 3 days of climbing after our 2 day rest. If you cycle you can appreciate the effort it takes to climb 3 days at 4% and higher grade. Our legs will need to be fully rested and even then this will be very challeging. The tempatures are getting warmer everyday, so all those things mean hard days on the bike, and down time when we can get it. I am excited for the challenge, I am sure there will be smiles, tears and everything in between during this point in the ride.

I pray that everyone had a great day and hopefully spent it with the people that mean the most to you.

Have a great week!