I got to go meet up with my good friend @elmachuca this weekend near mile 1000 on his 3000+ mile bicycle trek around the perimeter of Texas, happening right now. Here is a thread of what I saw and learned https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇" title="Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten" aria-label="Emoji: Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten"> https://twitter.com/TexasMonthly/status/1307379959095328772">https://twitter.com/TexasMont...

. @elmachuca is still working on this trip. In addition to writing the story of his journey on the road, he& #39;s also covering many parts of his regular gig at @TexasMonthly. This requires a lot of focus, some extra stops to check email, and several battery packs.

He is carrying in his gear a tent and sleeping bag, and has camped several nights along the way, stayed one night in a cycling hostel in Avery, TX, and spends some nights in hotels, which requires bringing the bike up and down stairs, fully loaded with gear.

These daily rides require getting started early in the morning to beat the heat and traffic. Many miles of nothing, but at times, lots of passing traffic. The smoke from wildfires out west is making its way east and creates some eerily beautiful skies at sunrise and sunset.

Although he didn& #39;t specifically mention it, the road ahead has got to still seem endless even with all the miles behind. He& #39;s was almost directly north of his Brownsville, TX starting point, but still 2/3 of his long journey left to go. The Panhandle and Far West TX lie ahead.

One @elmachuca & #39;s side projects is @AustinBeerGuide, so it& #39;s no surprise that he& #39;s also checking out as many breweries - and often the lack of - along the fringes of the Texas border. A good beer goes a long way for morale.

I met up with @elmachuca in Sherman, TX just north of Dallas, and our option for the local brewery was @903Brewers. Great taproom staff, good Lager and IPA, plenty of distanced outdoor seating, and a pretty good bacon cheeseburger too.

I& #39;m really proud of the endurance, dedication, and lust for the road that @elmachuca had shown in this and earlier quests. Not many people could spend this much time alone, much less ride so far every day, and as far as anyone knows, he& #39;s the first to attempt this loop of TX https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="💪" title="Angespannter Bizeps" aria-label="Emoji: Angespannter Bizeps">

And finally, no matter how hard he& #39;s working to keep his mind on this trip and all of the logistics it takes to make it happen, @elmachuca is still the funny guy I& #39;ve always known, and never forgets to call home on the https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🍌" title="Banane" aria-label="Emoji: Banane">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="📱" title="Mobiltelefon" aria-label="Emoji: Mobiltelefon"> - possibly a sign of the long miles taking a toll https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😂" title="Gesicht mit Freudentränen" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Freudentränen">