Hill Country TX 2016

Another three day trip with my cousin Larry, this was a great ride. Unfortunately, we didn't take as many photos as we normally do, but riding the three sisters is a must for anyone who enjoys loud pipes and scenic views.

We did this ride in late October and the temperature in central Texas was perfect. Unfortunately for us, living in north Texas it takes an entire day to get down to the "good riding" of the hill country, so we spent the first several hours skirting the back roads out of Dallas just to get to Kerville for the first night. After a nice steak dinner we retired for the evening in anticipation for the next days ride.

After leaving the Inn of the Hills in Kerrville on October 29th, we headed down to Bandera, TX for breakfast at the ever popular Old Spanish Trail diner which is quite the spot. Very old and rustic, it has no shortage of old west flare and great food. Bandera is a pretty cool little town too, and it's not uncommon to see horses tied up outside local shops in downtown or real cowboys riding horses down the road. It's about as "old west" as you get in Texas, and it's a nice little town.

We headed west on highway 16 towards Medina to pick up the first leg of the three sisters. They call it the three sisters for three roads that make a fantastic ride through hill country, and parts of it look very similar to the canyons of Colorado. These three roads are 335, 336 & 337. Starting in Medina, 337 takes us west to Vanderpool, TX where we take our second break at Lost Maples Country Store and take in a little more history on the area. Continuing on west to Leakey, we pass 336 and continue on to Camp Wood, TX where we take a quick break and top off with fuel. This ride is amazing, with lots of switchbacks, sharp turns and changes in elevation. The only real complaint I have is that there is really no place to pull over and take in the sites. Not even a place to pull off the road in case of accident or anything. In Colorado, you can pull off almost anywhere and take in the scenic views. That, along with Axis Deer (spotted deer) being literally everywhere in this area, this is a particularly dangerous ride. No kidding, the smell of dead animal and/or rotting carcass on the road is constant. We met a guy at the store in Vanderpool that had a deer whistle installed on his harley because he hit a deer a couple of years earlier and had to be care flighted to the hospital. Hey, but at least he loves to ride and was back on two wheels very quickly.

We continued north out of Camp Wood picking up 335 north for more nice riding until we got to FM 41. This took us back east but due to time constraints and having to be in Austin that afternoon, we missed out on the 336 leg of the ride. Next time.

All in all, this was a very good ride, and I recommend it with caution. It's not for the novice but well worth the trip if you're an experienced rider. I look forward to going back in the spring of 2018.