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Friday, March 29, 2024

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SEVEN DEAD PUPPIES

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Under the Chinaberry Tree

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Monday, March 25
Margie Hart Clairemont Outhouse
Tuesday, March 26
Tony Tribalski Harlingen Winter Texan
Wednesday, March 27
MA Perryman Athens History
Thursday, March 28
Greg Brooks Big Spring Disc Golf
Friday, March 29
Gerry Locke Purmela Red Hats
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In Print: On News Stands Now

A SHORT BICYCLE VACATION

by Tumbleweed Smith

My son Kevin lives in Dallas and works in professional sports television. When you watch a Rangers, Stars or Mavericks game he is the technical director who puts the picture on the screen. Sometimes he mans the 60-yard Jumbotron in Cowboys Stadium. I've had the pleasure of watching him do a game. I must say watching the broadcast crew do its thing is more exciting than watching the game.

Kevin has produced some outstanding videos. Some are thoughtful, artistic pieces on Dallas Cowboy football players. He had a big part in putting together the highlight video of the Atlanta Olympics. He is a Yoga master and recently did a video titled ADVENTURES OF A PART TIME YOGI.

Kevin rides his bicycle. He doesn't just take pleasure rides. Sometimes he'll leave the house and be gone for hours. He occasionally takes 60-mile bicycle rides around the Metroplex. For years he has wanted to ride the 77-mile loop around Fort Davis. He did it last month. It involved the whole family and was a wonderful experience.

Kevin, his wife Jill and their 9-year old son Caleb joined Susan and me for the trek to the mountains. On the way we stopped at Balmorhea and went swimming in the big natural pool. We had a sumptuous picnic under shade trees that set a nice tone for the whole trip. We continued on to Fort Davis and found our way to Indian Lodge. It had been years since we had stayed there and I had forgotten what a restful and relaxing place it is. A light afternoon shower was falling when we arrived and it made the mountains look extremely appealing.

That night we went to McDonald Observatory. We were afraid that we wouldn't get to see anything because of the clouds and rain. But around 10 o'clock the skies cleared and we got to see dozens of galaxies and billions of stars.

The next morning Kevin started his ride at 6:30. Jill and I left two hours later to film his journey. We finally caught up to him past the Point of Rocks rest area. He had made 30 miles in two hours. He was in good spirits and after a short visit, some fruit and a long drink of water, he pedaled on. Jill was taking still photos, I was taking movies. We'd go miles ahead and set up the tripod so we could film him passing us. Kevin didn't sound or feel tired even at the 60-mile mark. When we arrived at the 70-mile mark, highway crews were putting down fresh tar and gravel in Kevin's lane. That was hard to handle and at a short break, Kevin said he didn't have anything left. He was tired. But somehow he rallied and made it back to Indian Lodge. He finished the ride in six and a half hours. We went to town and met Susan and Caleb, who had toured the Fort. After a snack at the drug store we went for a swim in the Indian Lodge pool. Kevin suffered no ill effects.

I'm so glad Kevin wanted to make that ride. It gave us an excuse to go to Fort Davis for three days and enjoy some of the activities the city offers. It is a fun place.

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