After shipping Kurtis off to Mobile AL, with Nana (Bud's mom), Bud and I packed up a small bag with a change of clothes, basic toiletries, flashlight and map, that got strapped to the back of my Triumph before hitting the road for Bandera, TX - the Cowboy Capital of the world. Four stops, and six and a half hours later, we made it into town. Bud's dad and his wife were kind enough to let us stay at their 'country cabin', in a secluded spot close to the Medina River. You cannot help but be in awe at God's creation in such a beautiful and tranquil place.
Our early mornings were spent drinking coffee on the deck as we watched the deer and axis roam around the countryside close to the river, and listened to the hummingbirds fly past our noses to catch a drop of the sweet nectar in the feeder hanging nearby. We would plan our rides and leave early while the heat index was below triple digits. (As a hardened biker chick of many years, who has seen enough spills to make me always obey ATGATT - all the gear, all the time - it was a few days before I gave in to the heat and ditched the jacket for a long sleeved t-shirt to keep the sun off. I even ditched the lid (helmet) on a couple of short rides out to an eatery of an evening. My old biker friends in ol' Blighty would marvel at this kind of Texas biking liberation!).
We enjoyed some great rides, including the best of the "Three Sisters", Ranch Road 337. 335 and 336 make up the three, which we are saving for another day. We stopped at the Frio Canyon Motorcycle Stop in Leakey, where they display pieces of bashed up motorcycle parts from wrecks in the area, placed appropriately above the eatery known as the Bent Rim Grill. A couple of t-shirts, some good food washed down with ice-cold sodas, and we were back on the road.
Another trip took us to the Stonehenge replica that is just outside Kerrville. We pondered the stones, took snaps with the Easter Island head replicas that are also there, and once again, shot off around the winding Hill Country roads on our trusty metal steeds.
At this point, I have to share a little of what goes through one's mind while traversing these remote parts. A motorcycle ride in this neck of the woods is an adventure in itself, with the breathtaking views and long windy roads. What makes it more interesting are the signs that are dotted all over the place, such as, "Falling Rocks" (agghhh), "Steep Incline" (weeee), "Sharp Bends" (wooaaahh). Then there is, "Earth Slides" (wut?). There really is a whole bunch that goes through the mind, on top of the gleeful grin and humble thanks to God for providing the experience as you motor through the countryside on two wheels.
A highlight to the week was a visit to the Lone Star Motorcycle Museum in Vanderpool, a.k.a. the middle of nowhere. This day brought an adventure of it's own. We had started out early and had not travelled too far when Bud pulled over to the side of the road. His seat bracket had snapped! We had just passed an establishment called Biker Paradise, so cautiously turned around and headed there to see if some kind of help was available. No one was around, but the bike park provided much needed shelter from the already intense heat. Bud was able to secure the seat with some wire from his tool bag, and we continued to the museum with a prayer that the owner might have a welder.
Entering the museum was a sight for sore eyes seeing row after row of beautiful, and many British, classic bikes. The owner, Allan Johncock, originally from Australia, immediately made us feel welcome. We joined many others who were also at the museum to oooh and ahhh over the bikes, before enjoying some tasty morsels at Allan's Ace Cafe, and drooling some more as we took a closer look at the bike collection.
Back to the broken seat bracket... Bud had noticed the fabulous looking workshop at the back of the museum and explained his predicament to Allan, asking if he might be able to help so that we could at least get safely back to Bandera. Without hesitation, and with a visible determination to help out a fellow biker, Allan took the two bracket pieces and soon returned with the pieces welded back together. Allan explained that it took a couple of attempts to get it straight, and even almost apologized for the lack of cosmetic perfection, but that did not matter because he had fixed it! Not only did that welded bracket get Bud's bike back to Bandera, but all the way back to Houston. Allan did not want compensation for his kindness, and seemed satisfied at just being able to help. Thank you, Allan. We are truly grateful.
Bud and I enjoyed hearing stories from Allan's racing days, including the time he rode his Vincent Black Shadow at the Isle of Man TT. The Black Shadow was in the museum, along with other bikes from Vincent, Triumph, Norton, Matchless, Indian, HD. You name it, I think it was there. I asked about an Arial Square Four... Allan pointed to a bike just behind me - there it was! Incredible. I regret that I did not take my dad to this museum while he was here earlier this year. He would have been like a kid in a sweet shop - just as Bud and I were. :)
I cannot emphasize enough how much of a great place the Lone Star Motorcycle Museum is to visit. If you like bikes, you'll love this place. Go visit and tell Allan Johncock that Bud and his Brit wife sent you. An experience and hospitality that is hard to beat.
Our trip home to Houston brought us up to almost 900 miles ridden. A stupendously fun week that was kinda gruelling, but worth every bit of numb bum, road dirt and bugs. Can't wait for the next trip! Enjoy the pics below.
Bud and Lynda.
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