Day 1 Amazing start! Galveston to Winnie

54 miles
15.5 avg
3:27 ST

What an amazing start to our trip! We saw God working and blessing us with His favor all day.

 First, we would like to say thank you so much to Gerry's cousin Nancy and Howard for letting us stay at their house last night and feeding us dinner and breakfast this morning.

"OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD.."

 We were awakened in the night by one of the most tremendous thunder and lightning storms I think I have ever seen. It was constant for at least an hour and it rained like crazy. 

 The rain had cleared in Houston by the time we left at 6:40 this morning but we caught up to it as we drove on down to Galveston. There were many people praying during this time for it to clear by the time we got there. 

"HE REIGNS FROM HEAVEN ABOVE..."

 As we parked and got out of the van, blue sky appeared above us and the sun came out and shown on the water! 

                

It took a while to get everything set up and when it was all ready, we took the bike down to the water, as close as we could anyhow. 

    Back tire in the Gulf, feet buried in seaweed.

 We took off for the ferry with Bill and Sandy driving alongside taking pictures.

Then they left us, heading for San Antonio, and we went to the ferry. As they drove away, they prayed that it would rain only while we were on the ferry. 

 The ferry runs every hour and we had no idea what time it was, but were able to just roll the bike on as the last passengers. And the rain was moving in fast!

 It was a downpour for the 20 minutes we were on the ferry. But even in that, we were able to watch dolphins playing in the water alongside us.

 As we reached the Bolivar Penninsula, the rain let up and stopped! As we mounted the bike at 10:07, the sun broke through again. Amazing.

 How can you beat the next 30 miles on flat road, sea level (muchas oxygen), very little traffic and Gulf breezes? 

BOB must not have been as impressed because he threw off his flag and lost a piece of the pole! Little bugger. Temper tantrums won't get him anywhere cuz that flag is going back on tomorrow...with duct tape!

We had our first bagel lunch at High Island then headed north.

 On the high bridge over the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway I saw a VERY sickly little kitty but because we were climbing we were unable to stop. About 50 yards farther, going down, I saw another one!  I still feel badly that we didn't stop, even though I seriously doubt that anything could have been done for them.

"WITH WISDOM, POWER AND LOVE..."

At about mile 42, we took a break as I was feeling fairly spent and a little light-headed (three days sitting in the van, doing nothing, was taking its toll). After about 15 minutes, we took off again only to make another unplanned stop at about mile 44. Flat tire. Really? Oh well. You just fix it and keep riding.

 When we reached Winnie, we found a motel because the clouds were quickly and darkly moving in again. Looking at the weather site, we realized why we were so beat: it was 84 degrees with VERY high humidity. Quite a change from Montana for our bodies.

So, we have cleaned the bike, eaten our pasta/tuna/potato dinner with dark chocolate for dessert and are ready for bed and another day tomorrow.

 If you are looking at the weather for the U.S. at all, you will see that there is a storm system swirling around down in this area. The forecast is for rain and severe thunderstorms again tomorrow and Friday and Saturday where we are riding. Please pray. 

"OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD."

Resting in Him,
P@

I promise that most posts will not be this long.