Elm Grove, LA, Carthiage, and Athens Texas

This past week we have had mind blowing experiences at each of our host sites. We rode into Elm Grove, Louisiana to stay at an alum's lake house. The home was just off the Red River and the flooding in Texas has flooded their 300 acre property into a mini island. We were greeted with smoothies and fresh fruit after our easy 53 mile ride and spent the rest of the afternoon swimming in the lake and kayaking. The next morning we were forced to walk our bins and coolers across the flooded area because the water had gotten so deep. We parked the van and trailer on the other side of the water in anticipation of this blockage.

We then rode into Texas and spent the night in Carthiage- at another alum's parents house. Our first night in Texas we were spoiled with brisket, mac and cheese, and peach cobbler. The ride itself was rocky because shoulders in Texas are terrible- but more on that later.

We then rode to Athens, Texas, and along the way we stopped at Alice's house (one of our leaders) for even more bbq. I must admit that I was having a rocky day due partially to a cactus that I leaned on first thing in the morning. We also had taken a wrong turn that led us three miles in the wrong direction. Once we arrived at the church we were given amazing pulled pork sandwiches for dinner and then were sent off to different church member's homes for the night. We stayed the night in a barn loft- with huge beds and horses right downstairs.