Tag Archives: Texas Hill Country

Texas Hill Country Wildflower Motorcycle Day Ride April 2010

 

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Texas Hill Country Wildflower Motorcycle Day Ride

Janet and I needed to get away, so last Monday we went riding in the hill country to see all the wildflowers. The wildflowers are really pretty this year because of the wet and cold winter we have had. It was nice to finally get out with Janet on the new Goldwing. Janet likes it better than the old bike because it is a lot more comfortable (i.e. nice big cushy seat and backrest). I’m hoping Janet will be a little more willing to ride more often and further on this bike. We have talked about riding to Arizona sometimes. I was hoping that we could ride to Mount Rushmore this September. Janet didn’t get to go on that ride and it was a fun ride and she really wished that she could have gone. We will see. Below are some pictures from our ride last Monday ride.

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Hill Country Wildflowers

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Yucca on cliff at LBJ Lake

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Hill Country Wildflowers

 

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Janet in the Bluebonnets at Buchanan Lake. Ain’t she cute?

We enjoyed that ride so much that we are going on a three-day trip Monday thru Wednesday. The ride will be about 570 mile thru some really scenic hill country roads and again the wild flowers should be really good again. It will be the first time we have traveled over night on the new bike.

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Bluebonnets at Buchanan Lake

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Yuccas by the road

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Above LBJ Lake

If you like this post you may like the 3 day ride we took a few days later. It was a great ride with more wildflowers. Click here to see.

Ride safe.

 

 

Texas Hill Country Fall Foliage Motorcycle Ride November 2012

Texas Hill Country

Ingram on the river

Texas Hill Country

Ride map – 270 miles

Texas Hill Country Fall Foliage Motorcycle Ride. 

In Central Texas we don’t get the fall foliage displays like they have in some places. Most of our trees are evergreen. Live Oak and Cedar trees are the most prevalent. There are pockets of deciduous trees throughout the area.” Lost Maples State Park” is the best known for its fall colors. The fall foliage displays here can be hit or miss depending on the weather during the year. The drier and colder the weather the better it will be.

On our ride we saw some good colors but not as bright as in the past. The trees with leaves were still green or have not completely turned. The weather has not been cold enough for some of the trees. The Red Oaks and the Lacy Oaks were starting to change some. The ride along the Medina, Guadalupe and the Sabinal Rivers, had beautiful golden brown Sycamores, and copper-colored Cypress trees.

This was a spur of the moment ride. The weather the day before was perfect riding weather with clear sunny skies with temperatures in the 50’s and 60’s. I thought we had better take advantage of our good weather and ride while we can. As it turned out today was overcast. I assumed the clouds would burn off as it did the day before… but I was wrong. There were short burst of sunshine earlier in the day but it remained overcast for most of the day. Being overcast made it a bit chilly riding.

Texas Hill Country

Stonehenge II in Ingram

Our ride took us from Georgetown to Llano via Hwy 29. We then headed south on Hwy 16 to FM 965 past Enchanted Rock to Fredericksburg. From there we picked up Hwy 16 again heading south to Kerrville. We stopped for gas and got a hot cup of coffee to warm up a bit. From there we headed west on Hwy 27 to Ingram. In Ingram we stopped to see the new home of Stonehenge II. Stonehenge II was moved from its original home just outside Hunt to Ingram.  The land of its original site was sold and the buyers did not want Stonehenge II. We were glad that it was saved and preserved here in Ingram.

Texas Hill Country

Picnic Area on Guadalupe River off Hwy 39 outside Hunt

From Ingram we picked up Hwy 39 to a picnic area on the Guadalupe River. The picnic area is just outside Hunt. Because of a special diet we are on we packed a lunch. The picnic area is a beautiful spot with the river, waterfalls and cypress trees that had turned to a beautiful copper brown.

Texas Hill Country

Guadalupe River off Hwy 39

Texas Hill Country

Lunch at Picnic Area

After lunch we continued down Hwy 39 to Hwy 187. We always enjoy the ride down Hwy 39. It is always scenic as it follows and criss-crosses the Guadalupe River. The fall colors were good all along the way. Hwy 187 takes us past “Lost Maples State Park”. 187 had nice views of the hill country and the changing colors of the trees. Just past “Lost Maples” we turned east onto RR 337 to Medina. RR 337 is one of the “Three Sisters” or “Twisted Sisters” (RR 335, 336 & 337) as some refer to them. At Medina we turned onto Hwy 16 again and headed north back to Kerrville and Fredericksburg. In Fredericksburg we picked up Hwy 290 east to Johnson City (named for President Johnson). At Johnson City we turned north onto Hwy 183 to Burnet. In Burnet we headed east on Hwy 29 to home.

Texas Hill Country

Hwy 39 Outside Hunt

Texas Hill Country

Guadalupe River

It was a good ride except it was a bit cool. We should have worn an extra layer to help with the cold. Normally we carry extra clothing just for such things, but I misjudged the weather. I won’t do that again.

We hope to see you down the road somewhere. Ride safe…

If you like this post you may like “Hill Country Fall Foliage Ride November 2010”

Our Favorite Motorcycle Roads In Texas

Texas is large and has many nice motorcycle roads of all kinds with varying types of scenery. We haven’t ridden all the places in Texas but have ridden many of them. The list below does not cover all the motorcycle roads but are our favorite motorcycle roads in Texas.

If you have a favorite road, please feel free to leave a comment telling us where it is and why you like it.

We will update this list as time goes by so check back from time to time to see what’s new.

RR 337 – 

 

View from RR 337

RR 337 is one of the three “Twisted Sisters” (some call them the “Three Sisters”) and is my personal favorite.  337 has many tight twisty curves with shear drop offs with nice changes in elevations. There are very scenic panoramic views of the Texas Hill Country. This road is not for beginner riders. There are signs that show the number of motorcycle riders killed on the road. Take it easy and enjoy the ride and views. The road is best in the spring when the wildflowers are in bloom or during the fall when the leaves are turning. For a short detour and break stop by the “Lone Star Motorcycle Museum” 3 miles north on RR 187. The museum has a collection of motorcycles from around the world dating from 1910’s to modern.  Come hungry and eat at the ACE CAFE in the Museum. Try one of their famous Aussie Meat Pies. I like them…

SH 39 –

Boots on a fence on TX Hwy 39

SH 39 is Janet’s personal favorite. The ride goes from Ingram through Hunt on to U.S. Highway 83. The ride has many curves with low water crossings and crosses the South Fork of the Guadalupe River many times. SH 39 is very scenic and tree-shaded with nice homes on much of the ride. Take is slow and easy so you can enjoy the scenery. Otherwise you will miss something the fence lined with boots.

Willow City Loop –

Bluebonnets on the Willow City Loop during the Wildflower season

 

12 miles northeast of Fredericksburg just off SH 16 is “The Willow City Loop”. It is a 20 mile stretch of beautiful Texas Hill Country back road that any motorcyclist will love. Janet and I usually take this little detour when we are heading down SH 16. If you haven’t ridden the loop, then it is time to plan a trip. and experience what the Willow City Loop has to offer.

The narrow road winds up, down and around scenic hills. In the spring the loop is highlighted with wildflowers including bluebonnet , Indian paintbrush and more. There are many cattle guards, farm gates and low water crossing so observe the speed limit. The loop is enjoyed best at a leisurely pace and do watch for cattle and people on the road. Also be aware that there will be lots of car and bicycle traffic on the loop during the wildflower season. We prefer riding the loop during the week to avoid the traffic. There are lots of photo opportunities so plan on stopping to get good shots. The property is private along the loop so please be respectful and stay on the road way.

The ride is short and takes about 30 minutes to complete but it is well worth the trip. You will not be disappointed.

SH 17 –

SH 17 from Fort Davis to Balmorhea is one of my personal favorite roads in the Big Bend Area. The scenery is a must see if you are in the area. At times you think you are not in West Texas.

Leaving Fort Davis you travel through scenic Limpia Canyon in the Davis Mountains. There is a maximum speed limit of 55 mph. In Limpia Canyon, the road is narrow and has many nice motorcycle curves, with speeds as low as 40 mph. There are also several picnic tables in the canyon where you can stop and take in the wonderful scenery. There is one large picnic area just before reaching Wild Rose Pass. About 1.8 miles past the pass, the road widens and the speed limit increases to 70 mph from there into Balmorhea.

SH 118 –

TX Hwy 118 with Alpine in background.

From Kent to Study Butte, Hwy 118 has it all. There are over 150 miles of riding fun with great motorcycle curves and amazing desert scenery. To the north Hwy 118 runs through scenic, alpine of the Davis Mountains with tight twisting and smooth curves. The McDonald Observatory, sits at 6800 ft and is a must see in the area. Ft. Davis was originally a military outpost to protect settlers from area Indians. The fort is being restored and is a state historic site. Of all the forts we have visited in Texas and elsewhere it is hands down our favorite and another must see. Just outside Alpine are the semi-desert Del Norte Mountains. Further south you drop into the desert plains of the Chihuahua Desert, where you can see the distant mountain scenery of the Christmas and Chisos Mountains. Chisos Mountains are much more rustic and colorful as you approach Study Butte and Big Bend National Park. The desert mountain area is filled with unusual lava landscapes, rustic mountain scenery, smooth, fast sweeping curves. There are many wonderful vistas and spectacular panorama views around each curve.

SH 16 –

The best section of this very long highway is south of Kerrville to Bandera. It has some very tight curves with scenic views of the surrounding Texas Hill Country.

SH 170 –

TX Hwy 170 the “River Road” going west toward Presidio

Highway 170 is known to bikers as the “River Road.” Highway 170 extends from Study Butte to Presidio. From Study Butte heading west you will travel through the mining town of Terlingua, now a ghost town with a population 25. Terlingua is the home of the “International Championship Chili Cook-off”. From Lajitas is your ride down “one of the prettiest roads in America.” About 9.5 miles from Lajitas, on your left, is the old movie set Contrabando. Several movies were made there and is worth a look.

The River Road is a spectacular ride through lush, twisting river valleys through red and purple rock rising to 1000 feet above the Rio Grande River. The road is an excellent motorcycle road; twisting and dropping to the canyon floors along the Rio Grande river. You ride through the Bofecillos Mountains formed by two ancient lava flows to the “Big Hill.” At a 15% grade it is the steepest of any regularly traveled Texas highway. Just outside Presidio, take time to visit Fort Leaton State Historic Site, one of Texas’ most unusual historic sites. Fort Leaton is a massive adobe fortress built in 1848 immediately after the Mexican War.

RR 335 –

RR 335 (A Twisted Sister) to Camp Wood from TX Hwy 41

RR 335 is one of the roads that make up what bikers call the “Three Sisters”, some refer to them as the “Twisted Sisters”. RR-335 is one of our favorite roads. It follows along the west bank of the Nueces River and has some really great views. In the spring, when wild flowers are blooming, Verbena is the most prevalent wildflower on this road. Some of the fields and pastures looked like a sea of purple and the smell hangs in the air for miles and miles. Along the way is a ranch that raise all sorts of wild animals. Near the road were kangaroos with little Joeys, giraffes and further down we saw camels. RR-335 is a twisty roller coaster of a ride but doesn’t have sharp turns so it wasn’t so bad. We rode nice and easy to enjoy the scenery.

RR 336 –

RR 336 is one of the “Twisted Sisters” or “Three Sisters”. There was a sign warning that 10 motorcyclist were killed on 336 since 2006. It was twisty but not that bad. I’m sure most, if not all,  killed were on sports bikes and riding way too fast for an unfamiliar road. I like the other two sisters better but RR 336 is a fun scenic ride.

RR 1050 –

RR 1050 runs from Utopia to U.S. 83. It has nice curves riding through scenic hills of the Texas Hill Country with several changes in elevations. You will need to stop at Garner State Park. It has scenic camping and hiking trails.

RR 965 –

 

RR 965 from TX Hwy 16 to Fredericksburg past Enchanted Rock

This ride runs from SH 16 to Fredericksburg past Enchanted Rock. It has panoramic scenic views with nice curves and elevation changes. Take the time to stop and hike up Enchanted Rock for even more panoramic views of the Texas Hill Country.

Loop 166 –

Loop 166 is in far West Texas near Fort Davis. From Fort Davis take Texas 118 and turn left onto Texas 166. 166 passes Mt. Livermore and Sawtooth Mountain, then gradually descends, with panoramic views  to the south of the Sierra Viejo Mountains along the Rio Grande River. As you return again to  Fort Davis, you have views of the Puertacita Mountains and Miter Peak. Loop 166 reaches about 6700 feet on the loop which makes it the highest public highway in Texas. It take about 1.5 hours to ride. We try to plane the ride so we are back to Fort Davis before lunch before heading out to our next destination.

SH 54 –

TX Hwy 54 from Van Horn to Guadalupe Mountains Nation Park.

SH 54 runs from Van Horn to Gaudalupe Mountains National Park. It’s just a nice scenic road with panoramic views of the mountains in the distance. Not a lot of curves and the curves are very gentle.

Texas Hill Country Wildflower Motorcycle Ride April 12 – 13, 2012 (478 Miles)

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Blue Bonnets at Buchanan Lake

Each year we try to do a Texas Hill Country wildflower motorcycle ride while everything is in bloom. Janet and I are lucky that we live at the edge of the Texas Hill Country. Besides Big Bend the Hill Country is the best place to ride in Texas. For the past year and a half we haven’t been able to do much riding due to other pressing things going on in our lives. We are constantly trying to get caught up on things… but sometimes you just have to make time to have some fun. So we took a couple of days to ride the Hill Country and see this year’s crop of wildflowers. We were afraid we had missed the peak of the wildflower season due to it turning warm sooner this year, but actually I think we picked the best time. I wasn’t sure about how the weather was going to be because they had forecasted 20% rain and breezy conditions. As it turned out it was a pretty good ride even though we did get some rain and it did get pretty breezy the last 40 or so miles of the ride.

There are so many good roads to ride in the Texas Hill Country. Every time we go riding in the Hill Country I try to take different routes to change things up a bit. It is amazing the different things you see when riding a road in the opposite direction. It’s as if you are riding a different road at times and I find myself wondering how I managed to miss some of the sites before.

You never know from year to year what the wildflower crop will be and because of the drought I was afraid the flowers would be few and far between. We were pleasantly surprised to find the flower crop was pretty good this year. As far as I am concerned, the only way to truly appreciate the wildflowers is on a bike, motored or otherwise. Seeing them from an air-conditioned car isn’t much better than seeing them on TV. When riding a motorcycle you not only see but smell and feel your surroundings. The smells are incredible as you ride along not just the flowers but nature in general. It has to be experienced to be fully appreciated.

Below are links to each day’s ride. Come follow along and enjoy the ride and scenery of our beautiful Texas Hill Country.

You may also like these rides in our beautiful Texas Hill Country.

 

Hill Country Fall Foliage Motorcycle Ride November 2010

Last April Janet and I took advantage of the good crop of wild flowers we had here in Texas and rode the Hill Country to enjoy the flowers. We enjoyed that so much we decide to go back and do a Hill Country fall foliage motorcycle ride. We did miss the peak of the leaves turning by about a week but it was still good.

Monday November 15th (233 miles)

Hill Country Fall Foliage Motorcycle Ride

Map Day 1

Texas Hill Country Fall Foliage Motorcycle Ride

Enchanted Rock from Hwy 965

Texas Hill Country Fall Foliage Motorcycle Ride

Cross Mountain in Fredericksburg

Texas Hill Country Fall Foliage Motorcycle Ride

Foliage along Hwy 1340

Texas Hill Country Fall Foliage Motorcycle Ride

Sunset in Camp wood

I had a little mishap before we left. When I was getting the bike out of the garage, I failed to get the kickstand down all the way and I dropped it in the driveway. I had to get Steven up to help me pick it up. He was half asleep and hardly remembers much about that. Janet talked to him the following day and he ask Janet… “Mom, did I see you in leathers!?” He had never seen her wearing them before. It was a bit cool that morning so we wore our leathers. We got an early start and rode to Bertram and had breakfast at the Crazy Gal’s Café. “The Crazy Gal’s” is just a small café but the food is good and the waitress was entertaining. The ride to Bertram was a bit cool and it tried to sprinkle a bit but not enough to stop and put on the rain suits.

We had a good breakfast and were back on the road. We rode past Enchanted Rock. Riding into Fredericksburg Janet saw “Cross Mountain Road”. We have been by that way many times but have never seen it before. We decided to turn around and check it out. The early German settlers in the Hill Country town reportedly found an old wooden cross on top of the hill that may have been left by earlier Spanish explorers who passed through the Texas Hill Country. As a result, this area became known as Kreuzberg (Cross Mountain). The original cross has been lost to history, but today a large metal cross stands in its place. We followed the road to its end and walked a short distance up a trail to the cross. The view was spectacular and we could see for miles all around. We took many pictures. After climbing the hill to the cross and down again, we were back on the road again. We made a pit stop in Fredericksburg and then rode on to Kerrville and Hunt. While riding through Kerrville we saw what looked like another Stonehenge replica in a park. We thought that a bit odd because there was also one just down the road outside Hunt. From there we took Hwy 1340 where we planned to stop at the Texas version of Stonehenge but it wasn’t there. The land had been sold and Stonehenge was gone. Apparently the Stonehenge had been moved to the Kerrville park after the land was sold.

In April we rode 2 of the “Three Sisters” (FM-335 and 337) so I made a point to ride the other “sister” FM-336. There was a sign warning that 10 motorcyclist had been killed on 336 since 2006. It was twisty but not that bad. I’m sure most if not all that were killed were on sports bikes and riding way too fast for an unfamiliar road. From 336 we picked up FM-337 to Camp Wood where we stayed for two nights at the Woodbine Inn again. It’s a good place to stay and the rates are reasonable.

Camp Wood has several restaurants but they are not always open and not all of them take credit cards. One of the restaurants that we ate at last April (B. J’s Café) had closed and the restaurant that was across the street had moved in its place. It was pretty busy and the food was pretty good except, we had to wait a while to get it.

Tuesday November 16th  (203 miles)

Texas Hill Country Fall Foliage Motorcycle Ride

Map Day 2

Texas Hill Country Fall Foliage Motorcycle Ride

Kangaroos FM 335

Texas Hill Country Fall Foliage Motorcycle Ride

Scene along FM 335

Texas Hill Country Fall Foliage Motorcycle Ride

Shadows on Hwy 335

Texas Hill Country Fall Foliage Motorcycle Ride

Sign says “Rust in Peace” FM 337

Today we rode Fm-335 (my second favorite “Sister” of “The Three Sisters”) to Hwy 41 to Hwy 83 to Leakey where we stopped for gas. Just outside Leakey we picked up Hwy 1050 to Utopia. Hwy 1050 is another favorite Hill Country road I enjoy riding. It is also twisty with many great views along the way. Just north of Utopia we picked up Hwy 470 to Bandera. We stopped in Bandera “The Cowboy Capital of the World”. John Hallowell says this about Bandera,“The little town of Bandera has played an enormous role in keeping alive the uniquely American traditions of the Texas cowboy. Perhaps more than any other Hill Country town, Bandera exudes the image of the “Wild, Wild West.” The ruggedly beautiful landscape, the rustic architecture and the enthusiastic presentation of Bandera as the “Cowboy Capital of the World” let visitors know, as soon as they get to town, that this place is unique.”

While in Bandera we had lunch, walked around town and went through the Frontier Times Museum. The Frontier Times Museum was formally opened to the public on May 20, 1933 at a groundbreaking ceremony held on January 1, 1933. Hough LeStourgeon was one of the men who turned stones from pastures into a landmark museum worth treasuring. Today the museum attracts visitors to Bandera interested in the history of the region. Frontier times and customs hold a fascination that endures and the Frontier Times Museum imparts much of that spirit.

From Bandera we rode to Media via Hwy 16 where we picked up FM-337 and headed to Leakey and continued on to Camp Wood. I guess I would say FM-337 is my favorite of the “Three Sisters”, not just because it is twisty but also because it climbs to some of the most spectacular views of valleys and hills. FM-337 should be ridden slowly so that you can enjoy the views but also to keep from being another statistic. There have also been many motorcycle accidents resulting in fatalities on 337.

Just outside Camp Wood is a pasture with many old tractors, pickup trucks and farm equipment just sitting and obviously rusting away. Someone took a lot of time and effort to build a sign from old metal that read, “Rust in Peace”. Janet just had to stop and take a picture (See above).

Wednesday November 17th   (219 miles)

Texas Hill Country Fall Foliage Motorcycle Ride

Map Day 3

Texas Hill Country Fall Foliage Motorcycle Ride

Hwy 55 Scenic overlook

Texas Hill Country Fall Foliage Motorcycle Ride

Hwy 377 to Junction

This was the last day of our ride. We had breakfast at a new restaurant in Camp Wood. I forget the name of the restaurant but it’s something like Donna’s Bakery & ??. It’s off the main road by the two drive thru liquor stores. Two drive thru stores side by side. That doesn’t make sense in a big town much less the one the size of Camp Wood. We ate dinner at Donna’s the night before and really liked it so we decided to try breakfast too.

Then it was on the road back home. We took Hwy 55 to Rocksprings. This was a new road for us and it was a good one to ride. When we got to Rocksprings I got a call from Gary (My brother) he was deer hunting and was back in camp so he gave me a call. I probably would not have heard the phone ring but since we were going slow through Rocksprings I was able to hear it ring. After a short chat we were back on the road to Junction. From Rocksprings on home we have ridden this route before so it was not new but still scenic with the leaves changing. Any ride is a good ride even it you have ridden it before. There are always new things that you missed seeing before.

All in all it was a good three-day ride. We rode some familiar roads and several new ones that we will add to our must ride list. We always look forward to riding the Hill Country.

If you like this post you may like “Fall Foliage Ride November 2012”