Update #12 - March 11th, 2003
Fredericksburg, TX - 2,166.3 miles (3,466.0 kms.)

After an extra day of the road amongst the white-tailed deer and the jack rabbits while staying with friends, I'm ready to hit the road for what could be the hardest part of the trip across the country. The towns in West Texas are getting farther apart. Today, was a short ride to Fredericksburg passed the L.B.J. National Historical Park (President Lyndon Johnson's Ranch).

It should take me at least fourteen cycling days between Fredericksburg and El Paso. I've figuered out a route that would let me stop in a town every night. From Fredericksburg, I'll be traveling more or less westerly but with a slight northernly jog to Brady and then on to Fort Stockton before striking across the West Texas desert to El Paso. Here is a tentative point to points log for each day.

Fredericksburg to Mason
Mason to Brady
Brady to Menard
Mernard to Eldorado
Eldorado to Sonora
Sonora to Ozona
Ozona to Sheffield
Sheffield to Fort Stockton
Fort Stockton to Balmorea
Balmorea to Kent
Kent to Van Horn
Van Horn to Sierra Blanca
Sierra Blanca to Tenillo
Tenillo to El Paso

This route is tentative. Once I start riding on the shoulder alongside I-10 starting around Sorona, I might see if I could get a few rides westwards. This is because I'm a little worried about the dust storms that due occur this time of year and also the prevailing winds from the west. It is better to be safe than to be sorry.

From El Paso, I'll have a short ride along the Mexican Border to Las Cruces, New Mexico where I might stay a night or two with friends that I haven't seen in around six years. My arrival in Las Cruces might coincide with the tenth anniversary of my ministry.

Eventually, I'll be making my way along the Southern part of the country from Las Cruces, N.M. to San Diego, California. I figuere that it would take me at least seventeen days to ride to San Diego from Las Cruces. I'll post these day's point to point stops later on. I might decide to maybe take a Greyhound bus the rest of the way to San Diego. We will have to see.

I'll try to post an update as often as I can.