Industry and highway is how we started the morning and both remained for a good stretch.  But the shoulder was smooth, wide and not as trashed as we had been warned, so the ride was comfortable considering the surroundings.  At seven miles we lost most of the traffic, which was good timing since the shoulder was under construction.  Two miles later we approached the Intracoastal bridge that would take us to the barrier islands.  The climb was steep, but with no wind to fight, it was not bad and the view from the top, rather impressive.The half mile difference from end to end of the bridge was deafeningly quiet.  Surfside Beach looked deserted, so we had the Blue Water Highway all to ourselves.  Vacation homes of all sizeswere scattered along the shore. There was no protective sand dune on the island,so surprised that vehicles were allowed to drive and camp on the beach

By ten this morning, we reached the two mile long bridge to Galveston Island.  It is a two dollar toll, but we were waved through.

Thirty miles into our ride with very little seat break, Jerry spotted a picnic bench in the shade.  We poached an RV’s vacant spot and enjoyed the rest.  Another hour later, as we approached another stretch of fields, we stopped for lunch.  This was only the third food stop in thirty miles, since arriving on the islands, so we grabbed it.  This is a beautiful area with long stretches of homes in every size, shape, and color (a lot more below) and then miles of farms. After 46 miles of biking, we finally came into the retail/commercial/tourist end of Galveston and the seawall.  Galveston has suffered and survived through many a storm.  The seawall was created after the 1900 hurricane and tidal wave, when 6,000 lives were lost; a beautiful sculpture now stands to commemorate the loss of lives from that storm.  The beach, non-exixtanst at the beginning of the seawall grows nicelyas you move further up the island.  There is so much to see, so the rest of the story is below (in photos).  Today was an enjoyable ride, sun was hot (90° in the sun), but only 76° in the shade with a cool breeze off the water.  A perfect finish after 52 miles.