For a variety of reasons we didn’t ride on Sunday. However we did follow part of the route in search of Stonehenge Texas. We new this had been moved from the farm to market road hear the Hunt Store but didn’t know the new location. It’s in Ingram next to the Kerr County Arts Center. For those not familiar with the weird piece of art, here it is.
Note that this is not made of stone. And it’s not to scale – is 90% of the diameter and 60% of the height of the original, which is shown below.
Today we had choices of 31, 49 or 73 mile routes. Most of us took the 49 mile route. Early morning cloud cover was welcome; it was plenty hot (90 degrees) after lunch.
I took a lot of photos of riders amassing for the group start but none of them are worthy of this blog. So the best I have for today is a picture of Brenda and I after lunch on the Brazos River.
The first day’s ride has a remote start in Comfort. Although I’ve cycled in this area for 30 years I’d never been on most of these roads. Here is the route. It was a pretty and pleasant route, although a bit of a challenge for Brenda and me because of mechanical problems.
On Wednesday our gears occasionally “skipped” or “jumped”. On Thursday it was really bad so after the ride we took it to Adam at Hill Country Cycle Works. Adam replaced the chain but today we very quickly determined the problem was not fixed. I noticed that this appeared to occur only when the chain was on the middle chain-ring and sure enough it appears the teeth on this gear are worn. For today’s ride we avoided using the middle chain-ring which of course is the one we use the most. We’re going to attempt to replace it this afternoon. Thanks to Mike Mahoney for the loan of tools and for his considerable mechanical expertise. ‘Just hope it works in the morning!.
We have stopped many times in front of the Waring General Store but I don’t think I’ve ever been inside. Today we took a look and was surprised to learn it was big enough to include a dance hall.
Above, the Waring General Store. Below, the dance hall.
Yesterday, on the way back from lunch, Mike and Susan stop by a pasture. Mike goes up to the fence and lets out a noise which sounds like a donkey. There is a response from the pasture and a donkey runs up to Mike at the fence. “Got anything to eat?” The Mahoney’s have named him “Oxnor”, although the owners say his name is Jack.
Later in the day I practice braying.
Today, we’re again back on Old San Antonio road, although going in the opposite direction. Yesterday’s ride was down hill and down wind so we were riding fast. Today it was uphill and up-wind so we’re riding slow. By the time we get to the donkey’s field, faster riders are already there and so is the donkey. Shucks, I don’t get to see if I can call him. However, not to be denied, I try my donkey bray. Oxnor looks up, raises his snout to the sky and lets out with a long and passionate response. What did he think I said?
Mike brought carrots today to feed Oxnor.
John ad Jack become friends after their conversation.
Down the road Susan sums it up: “We always knew Mike and John were asses; we just didn’t know they are related.”
The Southwest Tandem Rally is this weekend in Kerrville. Several of us from DATES (Dallas Area Tandem EnthusiastS) and HATS (Houston Area Tandem Society) have come a few days early to get in extra miles.
Yesterday (Tuesday) we rode the Willow City Loop. Of course we had ridden this last Wednesday. It’s amazing how the vegetation can change in just 6 days; the flowers are now pretty much history.
Today, we rode a long route to Luckenbach then on the Wildlife Naturalist Area (a.k.a. bat cave) and had lunch at the funky Alamo Springs Café, which was honored by Texas Monthly - ranking their green chile cheeseburger (with grilled onions and avocado) as one of the top burgers in Texas and featured it on the front cover!
Group photo in Lukcnbach. We took pictures of the Harley riders; they took pictures of us.
At the Bat Cave: Is Harry Thompson unaware or a maverick?
At Alamo Springs Café: Roz and Larry from Albuquerque, New Mexico – where everybody is nobody.
One more ride, 50 miles to Austin, and then everyone departs to home. Well, not everyone; a few are staying in Austin for a couple of days. Most participants flew to Austin. Sam even flew his own plane. So the big task of the day is to pack the bikes for the airplane. Most of us have bikes which disassemble and fit in airline legal cases (maximum if 62 inches length, width and height). This way, they fly free on most airlines. Shown below are Margie and Linda packing their bikes.
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Brenda and I drive back to Dallas, arriving at 6:20. We have dinner with grandson Austin at 7:00. And tomorrow we drive back to Fredericksburg for 6 days of tandem riding, including the Southwest Tandem Rally.
For our penultimate ride we’re headed to Johnson City by way of Luckenbach. Standard lunch at the Feed Trough is the pulled pork sandwich with cold slaw, curly fries and cherry limeade. But the drink of the day, primarily by the motorcycle crowd, and at 10:00 am is Shiner Bach.
So far in the first 13 days I’ve had to rescue two people. Both have the last name of Hailey. Hmmmm.
Today we ride to the LBJ State and National Parks to visit the Texas White House. While he was president, Lyndon Johnson spent 1/3 of his presidency conducting the business of the United States from this modest farm house north of Stonewall, Texas.
Trivia question: When President Kennedy was assassinated and Lyndon Johnson became president, who became vice president?
Above, Johnson family cemetery goes back to Lyndon’s grandparents.
Answer to trivia question: nobody. Until the twenty-fifth amendment to the constitution in 1967 no provision existed for filling the Vice Presidency. As a result, the Vice Presidency was left vacant 16 times, sometimes for nearly four years,
Today, Enchanted Rock. I took a video on top of the rock but can’t figure out how to upload it to my computer. So still photos will have to do for now.
This may be the final blog for this trip. Apparently I left the charger for my camera battery at a previous lodging and the battery doesn’t have power left.
At happy hour last night someone commented, and others agreed, that Texas auto drivers are very courteous to bicyclists. This is the third tour on which non-Texas residents made similar comments.
Linda, Margie, Barb, John and Brenda at the beginning of Willow City Loop.
The bluebonnets are pretty much gone, but several types of yellow flowers are still in abundance as are cactus.
Today was a short day for the riders, 35 miles from Kerrville to Fredericksburg. But it was a long day for Brenda and I because we had to organize and deliver everyone’s luggage to 5 different guest houses. I didn’t take any pictures today; these are from John Hailey, one of which features him.
We leave Utopia on the River with the destination of Inn of the Hills in Kerrville. This is today's route. You’ll note the big hill at mile 18; cyclists call this the “Whimpering Hill.”
Lunch is at the Hunt Store where you can get almost anything and you want,
Tonight at happy hour we feature Texas cheese and Texas wine.
About half of us eat Mexican food at Mamacitas.
Utopia on the River is a nature preserve (lots of deer) on the Sabinal River.
It’s raining again this morning and the forecast includes the possibility of strong showers. Since it’s a day we don’t have to ride, most don’t. Some of us are going in the van to the Lone Star Motorcycle Museum, north of Vanderpool.
Our group photo at Utopia on the River:
Today's ride, from Silver Spur Ranch to Utopia on the River, begins under a threatening sky. Six riders decide to take a short-cut but this included 5.7 miles of unpaved road. If they experience rain on that unpaved road, they’ll be sorry. They managed ok and, in fact, all of us only experienced a few minor showers the entire day.
Almost everyone stopped at the Lost Maples Café in Utopia and a few tried my recommendation, buttermilk pie.
The “official” route was 47 miles; the short-cut route was 31 miles. But everyone had to climb a hill that cyclists have named “sparrows nest”. It’s less that 1/3 of a mile but features a 15%.
Dinner tonight is at the Laurel Tree. Be sure to click on this link to the left and look at the photos below.
First, welcome to Carey McIntosh, a viewer of this blog from Zambia!
Today, we’re supposed to ride horses. But it’s raining and not a good day for horses or bicycles. My personal experience with horses is BAD. On four or five experiences over my life-time, the horse has always won. I’m afraid of ‘em. Some Texan, huh? Well since I don’t wear cowboy boots or cowboy hats, don’t have a pick-up, don’t believe in gun ownership, and don’t vote republican, I’m somewhat a radical Texan.
But Barb is ready with her new boots. We love transferring this California wealth to the Texas economy. And she’s not finished shopping yet – looking for a cowgirl hat.
Today’s optional ride, should anyone take it, is to the Camp Verde Store (see below). Camp Verde was established as a US military experiment in using camels for supply transport and other military purposes. Thirty three camels and their Egyptian handlers arrived in 1857.
The horse ride goes on in spite of the rain. Actually, it’s now not much more than a drizzle. The ranch hands are characters:
How do you spend your time if you can’t ride?
We ride from Boerne to the Silver Spur Guest Ranch, passing through Bandera – the Cowboy Capital of the World. Wonder where the Cowgirl Capital is? A few light showers this morning but it is a pleasant day, primarily because of the cloud cover. Most riders took the longer and more beautiful 54 mile route. Everyone is happy.
Today's ride, from Wimberley to Boerne is the day with the most climbing on the tour. Of course I didn’t tell anyone this fact ahead of time. But even the slowest rider made the whole ride.
The day was not without problems. Although it was almost impossible to miss a turn or get lost, at least three riders did. And then there was John Hailey. Poor fellow. He had five flat tires (three on the front and two on the rear).
Brenda and Barbara on the way to Boerne.
Boerne grew from a village laid out in 1849 and was established by German
Happy Hour at Y
On Wednesday, we have an optional 43 mile loop ride from Boerne. Most people opt out and spend a leisurely day recovering from yesterday. Tomorrow: The Cowboy Capital of the World.
Todays ride is from Austin to Wimberley. See the route here. Navigation out of Austin is a challenge; there are 25 turns in the first 10 miles. But no one has a problem and most are in Wimberley by noon.
Most riders have lunch at Ino’z Brew and Chew on the banks
Wimberley was established in 1848, 12 years after Texas’ independence. The village is primarily a resort and retirement area entranced by cool, shady pools beneath towering cypress trees, frothy cascades on the Blanco River and the aforementioned creek. Our lodging is the Wimberley Inn.
Brenda and I are in Austin to meet our tour group, 22 members of the Bicycle Adventure Club (BAC). They come from California (10), Texas (4 including us), Washington (3), Georgia (2), Massachusetts (2), New Mexico (1), Ohio (1) and Pennsylvania (1).
Over the years we have led three different Texas Hill Country Tours for BAC; an 8 day fixed base tour in Fredericksburg, a 10-day tour which started and ended in Boerne and the 14-day “Whole Enchilada” which begins and ends in Austin. The 14-day tour is the only one we’ll consider in the future; it’s a great bike tour with good roads, diverse terrain, and much better than expected accommodations and meals.
For more information on the Texas Hill Country follow this link.
