It's Monday morning, 11:00. We are in a van driven by Joy Lewis. Joy is the owner of the Cactus Motel where we stayed last night. Joy is 74 years old, retired from teaching elementary school three years ago and is the former mayor of Balmorhea. She borrowed a flatbed trailer to take us to a town 72 miles from here.
Let me back up a day before I go on. Easter Sunday was the most unusual Easter any of us had ever had. No church service could be found so we set out on our bikes after a package of instant oatmeal, as usual. The morning was prfect in temperature and wind speed. Each time we stopped for a butt break someone had received an Easter message from a family member that was shared with the rest. We talked about how we would've been spending Easter if we were home.
About five miles from our final destination, Balmorhea, Bob and I had our first flat tire. A wire from a steel belted truck tire punctured the back. Those pieces of wire are so small but everywhere. They can't be seen so impossible to avoid. Ron helped Bob with the change and off we went - so we thought! It was then that the winds had picked up to 65 mph. It was like pedaling against a wall. We pushed with all our strength and couldn't make the bikes go faster than 3 mph. At times the wind caught us from the side and was nearly impossible to hold the bike erect. We arrived in Balmorhea starving. We were told that there was a restaurant but naturally it was not open. We found a small hamburger stand. The guys had a hamburger and I a grilled cheese sandwich, my first grilled cheese in years! Yummy Easter dinner! We were going to need more food so hit the only "grocery store" in town. We found a can of retried beans, a can of sun fired tomatoes (they turned out to be delicious) and a can of sweet potatoes. We emptied shelves with our purchase. Added a six pack of Mexican beer and it totaled over $25.00!
We checked into the Cactus motel and was warmly welcomed by Joy. She sat on the "patio" with us while we cooked our dinner of beans. She brought us some shredded cheese for our bean toppings and some corn bread muffins she had baked. She told us stories of the area and of her experience of teaching. Her class size never was more than 14.
She said that the area was known for drug trafficking but no crime. She said that if there would be little crime that that would bring police into the area and no one wanted that.
As we prepared our "dinner" in the outside microwave the flies were everywhere. Joy brought us a piece of blue netting that she said she uses to cover food out there. The netting was a piece of her bridesmaid dress! That was a first and definitely added to the unique spirit of the Easter dinner. As we enjoyed our beans, bats swooped at us. Ron joked that they might get in his hair. He's bald! Joy said that she usually sits out there with her shop vac and sucks them up as they get near. But when she put on the Christmas lights they stopped bothering us.
This morning the town had an emergency disaster meeting. The fires are spreading in the neRby mountains and the 65 mph winds continue to make them spread. A million acres are burning with many homes destroyed. The town is under watch for mandatory evacuation. It was decided that they could hold out for today so Joy attached the flatbed trailer to her van. We loaded the bikes and panniers and are paying Joy to drive us to Van Horn, Texas. We'll see what the fire situation is there but it sounds like we may have to spend two days there because of the winds. Texas has never been this hot or this dry! The winds are almost hurricane strength! As we drive, the van is having a hard time withstanding the wind. Trees are bent over and dust and sand is blowing everywhere. Smoke and fire can be seen on several of the mountains. The grasses that are not burning are totally brown. But how amazing, periodically there will be a brilliant wildflower in bloom. Along this road, and we have gone several miles by now, there are NO homes, no signs of life at all. If we were out here on the bikes we would be at the mercy of the elements.
Before we left the Cactus motel we stripped our beds, put on clean sheets and cleaned the bathrooms. Since Joy was taking the day to drive us we wanted to do her work for her. Not that there would likely be anyone staying there tonight! Who would ever seek a motel in Balmorhea?
What a town! What an Easter experience!
