Austin, TX

Ryan, Greg, Cole and I are at Mellow Johnny's in Austin. The Rapha Continental summer tour begins. We started the morning with an easy ride around the West Lake Hills with Louie, our host, and Christopher, our driver, just to shake off the travel. The hills are steep and the narrow roads are lined with grackles and trees. We pant and sweat and finish with a visit to Barton Springs.

Packing the Van up in the Mellow Johnny’s parking lot takes hours and three parking spaces. Stacks and piles of various colorful things surround and cover the van. In the sun for an afternoon we fasten, tighten and pack a multitude of straps, tools, bags to the roof, under the seats, on the back, up the ladder and into the nooks and crannies of our new traveling home. The scene is classic but the scale is impressive, we are packing for a two month road trip.

In the van on the drive to Kerrville we discuss the week ahead. The sun goes down and the countryside is bleak and shadowy. We arrive at the Kerrville Shiner Campground two cabins, two bunk beds and a plastic fold-up table await us.