Silsbee TX, last night in TX

 61 miles, easy, little wind, good riding until a tragedy happened behind us. Beth Ann was riding sweep, riding last and back aways from our group. She unexpectedly encountered five cyclists, a younger couple from Boston and a trio of older cyclists from California, two groups riding the southern tier separately and selfsupported. Just happenstance that the six of them clumped up right there and then, on a section of road where the only shoulder was the rumble strip, forcing them to ride the white line. Beth Ann rode with them only a few minutes and was trying to let them get ahead of her when an apparently impaired driver tried to pass them, saw a truck approaching and swerved into the group, missing Beth Ann but striking the next three at high speed. Beth Ann saw it all happen mere feet in front of her and then she hit a bike pannier knocked lose on the road and fell. She was unhurt, immediately called 911, made sure the injuried stayed down (risk of neck and back injuries), helped by drivers who stopped, and took photos. She also called Donna, an EMT to drive back to help. We were a few miles ahead, saw the police and ambulances roaring by, but continued on, then wondering when we saw Donna drive back at highspeed. Three helicopters were needed to transport the three seriously injuried cyclists: the younger couple, and the wife of one of the older cyclists. One cyclist rode in the van with Donna and Beth Ann to our RV park, along with their bikes, while his uninjured friend went to the hospital to be with his wife. A relative picked up the cyclist and the bikes late this afternoon. No update as yet on the condition of the others.

Very sobering experience; Beth Ann was obviously shaken by it. So we're not exactly celebrating our last night in Texas. But we have entered the flat, wet and piney green part, only 60 miles from the gulf coast. Definitely crossed the "pine tree curtain" into east Texas today.