Ride to Eat

Cypress Creek Road on the way into Comfort

March 27/17  Weather has been perfect for riding.  Hovering around 80 everyday and 55 +  at night.  We have been out riding everyday.  Those wheels are turning!  Seems most days the guys say "Where are we eating today?"

Billy walking into Luckenbach - Post Office, General Store, and Bar

now there is a chair at the bar for you in Bandera ,,, or should I say saddle

Closed Sign in the quilt shop in Bandera, "Headin' Out"

 So here is the list of small towns in the last week - Luckenbach, Welfare, Waring,  Bandera, Comfort, Boerne, Leakey, Hunt, Ingram and right here in Kerrville.    Now the name Welfare for a town, just has to peak your curiousity????

German word Wohlfarht, translated as "pleasant trip"

Some of the days have been almost 200 miles and other days only 50 miles.  This 'Hill Country' area is just a great area for exploring.  Motorcycles, Antique Hunters, Jewellery, Cowboy stuff, Thrift shops, Foodies, Hand Crafts, Wild Exotic Animals, Hunting, Spring Wildflowers, Wineries,,,,,,,   the list goes on and on.  If you have an interest you will likely find it here. 

riding along the hills in Kerrville

The Hangar

March 17/17  Weather today bright and sunny, 80 and low of 60
Today we were on our way to Fredericksburg to check out the airport.   We took the back way which means a scenic route on the bike, and yes it is.   Most of the way is through ranches and we are loving these old barns which seem to be melting back into the land.

the barn roofs are showing their age

look at that old ranch

Every time we take White Oak road we see deer running into the road.   So you have to be on the watch.  Again today.   We slowed down to a crawl since you are not sure which way they will run and jump.   You know the saying "a deer in headlights".

then the deer decide to cross back and forth,,, yikes

We haven't found these setups in Canada but in the U.S. we find these really neat diners at small town airports.  We heard there is a hotel and 1940's style rail car diner at the Fredericksburg airport.  So we have to go.  Sure enough there is a really cool diner which looks out over the runway.  While we were walking in an old red bi-plane took off.   The pilot had the old leather aviator helmet on with goggles!!!    After we walked into the lounge in the hotel, it was beautiful.  This is pretty cool.

entrance into the airport - hotel and diner are by the tower

Airport diner

old bi-plane taking off

Dangerous Curves Ahead

Sign at the local motorcycle shop

March 15/17  Weather 77, night low of 55 - the day starts cloudy then breaking into sunshine.  Seems everyday is cloudy in the morning then the sun comes out and it's great.   So we mosey on out about 10:30 or 11:00.  One thing about Texans they love Texas.  Every ranch gate has a Texas Star or Flag.  Same with the stores and diners. 

Texas Flag outside The Core in Medina

One of our favourite rides is hwy 16 from Kerrville to Medina.  The road had a few switchbacks throughout the rocky hills and drops into canyon areas that run along the rivers and creeks.  We stopped for coffee in Medina and went to The Core this time.  We heard that's where the locals gather.  It was packed.  Food smelled wonderful.

Beautiful quilted wall hanging in the ladies restroom

Billy got the coffees and came back with a huge warmed up cinnamon bun to share!   Oh Yeah.... that's my man.

our bike parked in Medina, all the buildings are the Texas Limestone

Texas Landman

 

Riding the Sisters

Guadalupe River Road - beautiful sandstone canyon walls

March 10 & 14/17  Weather high 70's, nights 50's.  The mornings have been starting out with clouds and breaking into sun.   Most of the riders are leaving around 10:30 which makes it a couple hours ride to lunch and a few hours back.  We are getting some miles on those tires!

Came in the empty parking lot and it was full when we left

Sign in Leakey at Bent Rim Grill

Named the best motorcycle ride in Texas is "The Twisted Sisters".  We rode The Twisted Sisters on 2  different days.  Up and down and back and forth; elevation is not over 2000 feet.  The sweeping hills are so great for riding, not that challenging we find (we have been on so many motorcycle rides now!!!) but we can really enjoy and take in the views.   Hwys 337, 336, 335.  A couple hundred miles will make the loop from the RV Park.

Hwy 335 - the farthest "sister"

In the little towns of Leakey and Camp Wood you will find hole in the wall places offering burgers and beer.  One of the fellows we ride with says "we ride to eat".  Ha ha, that's right. 

This stretch was a roller coaster

Camp Wood Biker Bar

Camp Wood has some military history.  Once a camp for the Civil War, it was at first held by the Union Soldiers then quickly taken over by the Confederates.  After the Civil War the Texas Rangers used it to protect the settlers coming West from Indian Attacks.  The town has seen better days, it's population is 706.  Many of the buildings seem to be a ghost of the past.

This building on the main street of  Camp Wood appears to be an apartment building???

old ghost sign of Nueces Cafe

More Coffee Please

March 12/17  Daylight Savings......  
It's been over a week and we are still sleeping in late since our 2 hour time change from California.  There is a walking group 3 days a week at 8:30 followed by yoga.  I keep thinking I will get there.  Ha!!!  Barely up by 8:30.  Now the time change.  Yesterday we got up at 9:40.  Love being retired.

Walking the Hills

March 9/17  Weather warm high of 79 today, low of 60.
Getting my walk in this morning I saw the prettiest butterfly.  This one was having breakfast on a flowering bush.

Double Tail Swallowtail

Outside the RV park and down the road I ventured to get a few more steps in.   Cowboys love decorating their fences and gates.

barbed wire rolled with boots on it

   Next door looked like a pasture but then I noticed there was a statue and some grave markers???  Don't think these are people gravemarkers, got the the feeling it was for horses.  There was one for "Glen" and "Billy" and "Dusty".    Ahhhhh!

Glen's spot under the tree

Landmarks

March 12/17  Time change this morning!  Peeked at the clock and it was 8 am.  Did a snooze and woke up at 9 am.   Put the coffee on and realized it was 10 am.  Boy its going to be a really short day if this continues!  Ha ha.  
Weather  very cool and cloudy morning 60 F, a storm went thru in the night and today will be below normal.  Good day to putz around.
When downloading some pictures just now I came across a couple landmarks that are worth putting up on the blog.

Las Cruces Roadrunner

Driving on interstate 10 thru Las Cruces, New Mexico we made a pit stop at the rest area which is up on the plateau before dropping down into the city.  They have a Roadrunner statue which is recycled materials from a local dump.  Roadside America has it listed as a stop and see.... Mr. Roadrunner is 20 feet tall and 40 feet long and standing guard over Las Cruces. 

The Wall between El Paso and Juarez

Continuing east on interstate 10 you will pass thru El Paso, Texas which seems to go on forever.  Billy does not like the road here, he feels it is narrower going thru the city; almost like they made 2 lanes into 3 at one time.  The city is stretched out along the border of Juarez, Mexico.....And that is the landmark picture.   You can see "the wall" from the interstate.   It is 18 feet tall and was erected in 2008.   It also goes on forever.

One of our Favourite Places

Mar 6/17  Weather 70's with intermittent sun, humid (80%), nights at 60.  Not much of a drop in temps at night due to the clouds.  Our bodies are not used to the humidity, being in the desert all winter long.  We noticed it right away.

Hill Country Texas

Hill Country Texas has a great RV park called Buckhorn Lake RV Resort.  We have been here before and love this area for motorcycle riding.  There are so many little ranch roads that meander along creeks and streams and hills.  What is amazing is that the roads are paved.  Many people we meet ask us "Where is Hill Country?"  It is like a hidden gem.

Buckhorn Lake RV Resort

The second day in we met out front at the Windmill for a motorcycle ride.  Groups go out everyday around 10:30 am.  So friendly. We rode for a couple hours zigzagging in the ranches.   Our GPS did not show any of these rancher roads !!!  So fun.  Jimmy (who is 83 years old) led the ride over to Alamo Springs Cafe which is located next to the Old Tunnel State Park.

Alamo Springs Cafe #3 Burger in Texas

 The abandoned railroad tunnel that gives Old Tunnel its name is home to up to 3 million Mexican free-tailed bats.  Not a big fan of bats so we did not enter the tunnel or go near it, guess they come swooping out at night.  Still we know they are in there!!!
The Cafe is definitely a bikers destination as the parking lot was full of motorcycles.  This is what brings us back to Hill Country, the great motorcycle roads.

barnyards have that old patina

riding a ranchers road

Nothing out here for 265 miles

Mar 5/17  Weather 80, low 56. El Paso to Fort Stockton.

Walking Trail at Fort Stockton RV Park - no we did not!

Nothing.
265 miles.
Tumbleweeds.
Dust.
Blustering wind as the morning turns to afternoon.
By 5 pm it is downright windy.
But that's ok.  We have been at the Fort Stockton RV Park since 3 pm and that included a 1 hour time change, so we were off the road by 2 pm our time.
True there is not much out here.
We know there are only a couple of RV parks so we did call the night before and have them save us a spot.  The Fort Stockton RV Park has a cute little diner attached to the office.  Excellent down home cooking.  Chicken Fried Steak, Chicken Fried Chicken, Mesquite BBQ Ribs.  Homemade Biscuits.   So bring your appetite.

No cooking and no dishes tonight

No Room For You

Mar 4/17  Weather 74, breezy but not blustery - traveling from Tucson to Las Cruces.      See that was the plan......  When I checked before we left Tucson there were no sites at the 2 parks we usually stay at in Las Cruces, New Mexico.   Yes, that is a bummer!!!  No worries, about 50 miles down the road is El Paso, Texas.   No need for a reservation there but we did make one just in case.  Ha ha.  El Paso West/Anthony Texas KOA is basically a parking lot.  The sites were huge, and it was actually not too noisy since it is buffered by the Camping World in front. 

flat, big gravel sites... pretty much a parking lot

This KOA has moved locations.  Our GPS was not helpful and even though we had both looked at the directions in the KOA book we followed "Lola" and turned away from the frontage road we should have taken....... Oh Oh.    A few streets later we ended up making a big loop back and found the Frontage Road and went back across the freeway and down the other side.  We could see the Camping World. 
"Bad Lola".
No harm done.
It's funny how we think electronics are perfect even when we know better.
Morale of the story, it's ok to still use your brain!

Tucson and Lemon Picking

March 2, 3/17  Weather warm 80, 50 at night.
Tucson is always a warm spot in the winter so it is also a very busy location for RV's, we actually made a reservation.  We thought we would stop and visit our friends "The Calverley's" for a couple nights. 

our pull thru under the solar panels

The Tucson Lazy Days/KOA is a huge park.  We have not stayed here before;  it is often full and we were not able to get in on previous occasions when passing through.  The park has covered pull thru's which are really neat, they are solar panels and we are under the end one.  Perfect spot for a layover.  Lazy Days RV is just outside the gates so we will wander around the new RV's and see if  there is anything we cannot live without. 
Answer to that statement:   Nope, second day we roamed around the sales yard peaking in everything.  Yeah!  It's much cheaper to still like what we have.  

armful of fresh lemons picked off the tree beside us

the lemons are so big and juicy

 

Gotta Get My Dates

Feb 28/17  Weather  still great, high 70's low 50's at night.
Today we are taking a last ride before we pack up and head East.  Where did the month go?
Dates.  Dates.   Dates.

Medjool Dates

We cannot leave the Cochella Valley without a few pounds of dates and a date shake too!  Just a few miles south towards the Salton Sea there is another big Date Farm that we want to checkout, last time we went to Shields'; this time we are going to Oasis.   The dates are so inexpensive, 2 lbs for $10 and they are the huge Medjool variety.   When you are buying them they have a tasting table of about 10 different kinds, you can get full just taste testing.   Well it looks like a few boxes will make us some date squares, Yum!

Salton Sea State Park

The Salton Sea is always such a bizarre place to see.   All that salt.  It looks so pretty but it is quite stinky when you get down on the beach.   The beach has that pink and white look but it is not sand,,,, it is a million little fish bones from all the dead fish over the decades.   We stopped for a couple of pictures but questioned how anyone could camp here for long.   There were quite a few campers; but not really a place we would want to stay.  Different strokes for different folks!

Camping on the Salton Sea