And once again, I was on the road.

Just after crossing highway 281, I encountered what the map labeled as “Gravel.” In reality, it was deep, loose-packed sand. My 3/4″ tire was worthless. I fell twice, once into a patch of “Texas Tacks.” I got a lot of punctures, and I don’t mean in my tires. For much of the way, I had to walk. Biting flies and tiny, annoying gnats were everywhere. It took about two hours in the noonday sun to cross the 8-mile gravel stretch.

My stop that Friday was in Hutchinson. I checked into the Astro Hotel. I was in no mood to camp after that gravel stretch.