I thought about it, but didn't want to be too pooped when I got to that long uphill part. I assume that part of the trail wasn't ever a railroad, so it didn't get leveled out like the rest.
I had been out at Lake Mineral Wells State Park before, and drove past the trailhead, but just assumed the trailway itself came through there- didn't realize it was a separate branch trail.
There was a group of boy scouts getting ready to leave the east trailhead when I left. I didn't see them on the way back, and their trailer was still there, so I assume they must have rode into the park on that spur while I was farther west. There was also a group of cub scouts, but I imagine they turned around at that 4 mile mark or prior.
I passed that one lady- she was on a mountain bike, wearing a hat. About 200 or 300 yards in front of her was a guy on a mountain bike wearing a similar hat- so I assumed they were together. Evidently not. When I was about 2 miles from the starting point, I passed that guy again. He was riding back, and had flats on both wheels. He must have found him some cactuses or something.
I saw a few people walking, not too many cyclists, ddin't see any horses, and not much horse poo on the trail. Pretty quiet out there, really, except for the quiet crunching of balloon tires on gravel.
And whoever said they took the road back....they were just "taking the road less graveled."