Staying at churches turns out to be a very fine experience.  Tonight we have been hosted by the Kirbyville Methodist Church here in Kirbyville TX.

We slept well at the Back Bow RV park, so much so that it was almost 6:45 this morning when we stirred.  There was heavy dew on everything this morning as the skies had remained clear and we were not under a canopy.  So the tent's were packed dripping wet and by about 7:45 we were back out on the road for the 5 mile ride into Deridder.   We rode into the town center, seeking a local restaurant for breakfast.   Initially we rode by Daylight Donuts, hoping for something more that a sugary treat, but a woman trimming hedges nearby assured us that they served breakfast sandwiches, so in we went.  I was in line first and got a breakfast biscuit, but noticed that the donuts did look good.  So I treated myself to a simple glazed cake donut, hoping that Barb would let my simple indulgence slide with out comment.  When she joined me at the table she, too, had gotten a biscuit, but there in that second sack was an apple fritter the size of my fist.  Shoulda, coulda, woulda.

We were about 5 miles west of Deridder when the first west-bound touring cyclist appeared as we both crested a long rise.  Soren, a Danish cyclist,  crossed the road to greet us.  Soren started in San Diego shortly after we left St. Augustine,  but has been tearing across the country in huge chunks.  His original plan was to ride coast-to-coast in 25 days, and meet his Danish girlfriend who was flying into Orlando.  But his bike was delayed a day in airline baggage so he only has 24 days to complete his ride.   He'd ridden 150 miles yesterday and was trying to do another 150 today,  but was facing a pretty brisk headwind.  He didn't have much time to exchange anything but pleasantries and a quick photo and he was back on the road, head down and cranking.

We, on the other hand, continued a pleasant tailwind-aided ride with a quick break at the next convenience store, and then stopped at Stu's Grill in Merryville LA for a lunch of burgers and chatting with the locals.  We even ran into a North Carolina State grad in forestry who had just relocated to LA in the last three weeks.

Shortly after leaving Merryville,  we crossed the Sabine River and were at last in Texas.  We stopped shortly for photos, but fire ants were there to greet us and soon we were back on our bikes.

During lunch, Barb made contact with the Kirbyville Methodist Church, who have announced lodging for touring cyclists in the Adventure Cycling maps.  "Yes, they would be happy to host us. What time would we be arriving?"  We suggested about 2, but with an abundance of lunch at Stu's, and a later afternoon stop to cool off in the shade on a bench in an old school, we didn't make it to Kirbyville until 2:30.

We were greeted at the church by the minister Bart, who showed us the church facilities which included a beautiful shower, towels, and a room to sleep in.  We assured him that cots were not necessary and that we'd be fine on our sleeping mats and the floor.   Bart left us to attend to his duties and we turned our attention to hanging wet tent's out to dry, showering and doing a load of laundry in the sink.

About  5:00, Jim Strickland arrived to greet us and see how we were doing.  Jim initiated the church's contact with Adventure Cycling, and as a touring cyclist himself appreciates the needs of the road.  He graciously invited us to supper at a nearby café,  and we had a wonderful few hours to talk about previous tours, local Texas history, and what lies ahead of us.

We've returned to the church and are settling down for the evening, grateful for the kindness and hospitality we've been extended.

Tomorrow will probably be another shorter day into Kountze, with a longer day following.