On the Run in the Hot South

The day started out cool enough in Austin.  Motel was right next to the freeway we wanted so exiting the city was easy.
A little way out of town we found ourselves on a tollroad. No tollbooth.  We found out later that they just bill the registered owner.  Thanks Jack.

Toll sign

The toll pays for this I guess

That is 136kph.  Everything bigger in Texas.

So the tollroad and the highway run parallel.  Highway speed limit is 65 and for a bit of money, you can jump on the tollroad and go 20mph faster.  Typically American.
We were headed south and the tollroad would eventually go to San Antonio.  But as they were parallel we decided to have a go.  After all, Jack is paying.  Low on fuel, we left the highway and topped up then took the next two entrances on to the highway and then the tollroad.
Naturally, the two separated before the next possible exit and we were headed into the unknown on a very fast road that our GPS knew nothing about.
Ah well,  off at the next possible exit, several miles away and let it navigate us back on track on roads that it knew.

Nice Mural in Luling, proud of their watermelons

Luckily the GPS can make heads or tails from these

Through a couple of small towns, we were looking for a diner.  Nothing doing.  So on through the cornfields looking for another town.

A bi-plane crop duster

In a town called Yoakum, we were determined to find something and so did lappies of the "CBD" looking.  Charleen spotted a bakery/cafe in one direction whilst I almost had a head-on with a very bewildered gentleman in a ute.

We made our way back and parked up with some locals for a very nice breakfast of eggs n bacon on pancakes with maple syrup. (Don't knock it - its great - but only in USA)

The one-make locals.  All very shiny.

 We were headed for the Gulf Coast, just to say we've been there.  What we did find was the final stop for all that oil we've been seeing the last couple of days.  Tankers and refineries abound in this area just south-west of Houston.

 We turned left at the coast and followed it along for a while.  There are some great sand-spits along here which must be at least semi-permanent as there are lots of holiday houses built on them.
In Qld, we generally build houses high-set to allow the air to circulate under.
Here, it is for a whole different reason.  Tidal surges.

Room for water under?

Right on the coast

Colours reminded us of a paint-shop display

On the Gulf Coast at Galveston

We needed to do a ferry ride to get back inland and found there is a free service from Galveston.  There are half a dozen or so boats working, but even so, the signs indicate the wait queue can be up to a mile long.
Fortunately for us, we only had to wait half an hour or so, but we still sweltered in the hot parking lot, not able to disrobe our riding gear as we weren't sure when our line would be boarding.

Waiting it out in the hot hot sun.

One of the ferries like ours

Then it was another fifty miles or so to head back north-east, on our way to Natchez, to pick up the Trace, but more of that tomorrow.

Last bridge of the day was a doozey

Our motel is very nice tonight, right next to a large pool and a good reminder that we are very near Bayou Country.

No S**t Sherlock

A note from Jack was, "Don't worry about the tolls - I've reported the bike as stolen."

He's a kidder that Jack.

Jack?