The Alamo

Todays mission is to get from Austin through to Houston (just over 300 miles) with one major stop along the way. This stop is going to be in San Antonio - home of The Alamo. Remember The Alamo??

Originally named Misión San Antonio de Valero, the Alamo served as home to missionaries and their Indian converts for nearly seventy years in an area that was then Mexican territory. Large numbers of 'American' immigrants moving in to the area and the responses of Mexican President General Antonio López de Santa Anna created increasing tensions and this led to violent conflicts between the two groups. Ultimately, leading to the battle we all think of as 'The Alamo'.

On the immigrants side - holed up inside the Alamo - were just less than 200 people. Among the Alamo's garrison were Jim Bowie, renowned knife fighter, and David Crockett, famed frontiersman and former congressman from Tennessee. Also choosing to stand against the Mexican forces were men from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales as well as from other areas across Europe. Everyone had a chance to leave before the Mexican troops arrived and all bar one chose to stay and fight.

The 200 'strong' Alamo force was to face an on coming Mexican force of just over 6000. Pretty tough odds i'd say.

The Mexican approach was to lay seige to The Alamo. The seige lasted 13 days with the final assault coming before daybreak on the morning of March 6, 1836. Despite fighting off the assault twice, the third attack saw the walls breached and almost all of those inside killed.

As it turned out, it was the end of that battle but far from the end of the story. But from me its the end of the History lesson. If you want to know more, you can find lots more information here ... The Alamo - More Information

From San Antonio I was heading through to Houston. Unfortunately, i'd spent longer than expected at San Antonio and so it was around 5:30pm when I hit the city freeway around Houston. RUSH HOUR! 6 lanes of crazy traffic, bumper to bumper, switching lanes at will without signals. Not the best place to be on a Motorcycle. After far too long dodging traffic I saw an exit signed for Galveston ( a small island some 50 miles south of Houston) and made my escape heading for the sea.