52 | SUNRAYS JANUARY 2014
ONLINE:
SCTXCA.ORG
I
magine what two long-distance bicy-
clists might discuss when it comes to
planning their next cycling trip. Sun
City Texas Cyclists Bill McMillan and Ted
Koziell wanted to go on a bike ride across
Texas and they hoped all their friends,
new and old, would join them. Well, Texas
is a big state and this idea was just too
big a commitment for most; however, when
they began outlining a proposed route and
timing for an eight-day ride across part
of Texas, there was an enthusiastic re-
sponse from 41 people. They decided to
begin the ride in Brackettville on Octo-
ber 10, 2013. The remainder of the ride,
planned for back roads and maximum
safety, would take these bike enthusiasts
through Utopia, Kerrville, Blanco, Lock-
hart, LaGrange, and Navasota, ending
the trip in Crockett on October 18, 2013.
Soon, the Sun City Texas Cyclists’ Ride
Across Texas became the RAT ride. Here’s
a brief look at their experience, as told by
resident Judy Phillips.
OCTOBER 9: SUN CITY TO
BRACKETTVILLE
The takeoff point for the RAT Ride was
Brackettville, a small town that had
escaped my notice on Texas maps until
this year. We gathered at the parking
lot at the Social Center at 8 a.m., trust-
ing that Ted Koziell and Bill McMillan
had calculated correctly, and that all of
our duffles, bikes, extra tires, pumps
and a big water container would fit in
the trailer. The logistics were perfect,
and we took off for Brackettville, feeling
very much like kids getting bussed to
summer camp.
OCTOBER 10: BRACKETTVILLE TO
UTOPIA (86 MILES)
The skies were still dark as riders made
ready for the first day’s 86-mile ride to
Utopia. Our gathering point that morn-
ing was at a Subway restuarant, the only
place in Brackettville open for breakfast
at 6 a.m. We started off just after dawn
on the wide shoulder of US 90 into a
moderate headwind, soon realizing that
this chip seal shoulder was more like
boulder seal. During those 40 jarring
miles, Jan Woolheater and I had been
Cyclists Ride Across Texas
By Judy Phillips
Above, left to right, are Ted Koziell, Bill mcmillan, Jim Fiedler, Walter Juncker and Alan Jones at a historic convenience
store between the original Baylor University and Washington-on-the-Brazos. The old gas pumps were operational!
PHOTO BY JUDY PHILLIPS
