Going to throw an idea out there. I think a Texas Meet and Greet located in the Twisted Sisters area would be fun to do. I know @Cliffieg goes almost ever year, I've gone that past two years, @bevo1981 lives close, @graybeard can get there easily, @blackadder is in Katy and many others are close. It would have to be done in the spring due to heat. I'm not asking for a commitment but just checking interest. We could do something like a two day meet. There are several places to stay that both @Cliffieg and I have stayed. It's not expensive and great riding. So if you are even remotely interested please post any ideas on dates that work for you. Come on, let's do this.
I'm interested. I've been impatient to get back down there and always looking for a chance to meet everyone. Lots of stuff down there I did not have time to do before.
bummer. video unavailabubble. I bought a go pro hero-something but rarely use it since discovering that attaching it to the bike makes such a shaky video it gives me a headache. I'm also a tad worried about the stick on helmet attachments. Figure it will blow off and I won't notice. Need to figure that out before this trip.
Suggestions: the Leakey Inn has quite a few rooms and a pavilion, and I believe a grill or two, available to guests. The Inn is right in the heart of Leakey, which is the main meeting point for the Three Sisters (RRs 335, 336, 337). I've never actually stayed at the Inn, although it promotes itself as motorcycle friendly and from what I hear has a good reputation. With friends and family, I've stayed MANY times at River Haven cabins just a couple miles outside of Leakey. The cabins are super nice--porches, full kitchens, view of the Rio Frio from a small bluff--and they are quite affordable in the "off-season," which is Oct-April...about $120 a night, which is steal considering how nice they are. I think there are about 12-14 cabins right there together. Very motorcycle friendly.
I've also stayed in Bandera quite at bit at the River Front Motel. These are a series of 10-12 cabins in a semi-circle near the Medina river. Bandera is a fun place. Several very friendly honky-tonks (Arkey Blues, 11th Street Cowboy bar...if you are so inclined) and restaurants right there by the motel. OST restaurant is an obligation for breakfast. Whole town is very motorcycle friendly. RR 337 is within about 20 miles or so of Bandera.
Big Bend is certainly a more spectacular place but for options and convenience, you can't beat the Three Sisters in the Hill Country, IMO. I haven't traveled that widely on my bike...YET...but all things considered it's the best place to ride that I've been so far.
I've stayed at the Leakey Inn and it would work very well for a meet and great. It's an older property but very clean and motorcycle friendly. Rooms are under $100 a night. It has a large covered patio with grills. Most rooms are small cabins that are actually pretty big, see picture below. Seems like we have enough interest to go to step 2. We need a date. I would strongly recommend April to beat the heat. I've been in March and can get pretty cold. Everyone check your schedule and see which dates would work for you. I think an agenda that we arrive Sunday, ride and socialize Monday and Tuesday with a Wednesday departure. Comments?
1. April, May, or June works for me. Late June through early Sept is on the warm side. April is usually bluebonnet time, I think.
2. I'm retired, so whatever days are best for those who have schedules will work for me. Make it easy on yourself. I imagine that there would be considerably less traffic on weekdays.
3. I've stayed at the Leakey Inn. I liked it. Very relaxed. I'd also be game for something on a river, too. I'm easy to please.
youtube must have blocked it because of the music i had on the clip. youtube as a stabilization feature to even out your video when you upload. works really well
I would like this thread to stay active. Those who have posted interest, check you calendar with your significant other. My wife, Carla, will want to come. There are not only great roads and scenery but many wineries along with shopping in the area. Carla and I spent half a day in Borne last time we went and enjoyed it. Google the area to find out more. After I get back from the Meet and Greet in North Carolina maybe I'll have a few more ideas on activities we can do.
Here is a video of the entirety of RR335, taken a couple of yrs ago by me. It’s my favorite of the three sisters. Mute it. Lotsa wind noise, no Yamaha-Pat-quality music production. Sena camera, screwed to the side of my half helmet. Most curves are taken at 15 mph above the posted recommendation...usually an appropriate speed in Tejas.
Sounds great. After I get back from my North Carolina trip I'll put together some details we can all vote on. Remember y'all, we always do thinks bigger and better in Texas, so let's make this happen.
Thinking about the Texas Meet and Greet. Looking at arriving Sunday, April 19 and leaving Wednesday, April 22. This time frame is after spring break so roads should be clear of family travelers but still in the cooler spring weather. The Leakey Inn would be a good place to stay. They have one room cabins starting at $99 a night. Wife and I have stayed there before and while an older property it's clean and very motorcycle friendly. Web site: https://www.friosprings.com/search.aspx?&incmap=1&LeakeyInn=1
Picture of room, rate is total for 3 nights in picture. :
I've thought about a couple of routes. The first one is the Twisted Sisters, this would be a nice ride on Monday, it's not that long but what I've done is ride it one way in the morning, have lunch, then ride it the opposite direction. It's like two totally rides doing it different directions. The 27 minutes on map is just first leg, not the whole ride.
On Tuesday maybe we could something like this. It incorporates a section of Twisted Sisters and a few other nice roads.
All of this is open for suggestions and want some feed back on y'alls thoughts. Please reply with suggestions or comments.
I like the plan, Stan. Riding during the week and after spring break sounds like a winner. Much easier to enjoy the ride with less traffic.
Riding the sisters in both directions sounds pretty neat. I'd do that.
Your second route is a good one, too. That stretch heading east from Leakey and climbing out of the Frio valley was my favorite stretch from the only other time I've been there. There is supposed to be a well known motorcycle museum in Vanderpool which your second route takes us through. I didn't get to stop before. Maybe this time.
The Leakey Inn is fine with me. It was perfect. I stayed in one of the smaller rooms in the original building and really enjoyed it. Don't remember what it cost. There were a couple of nice restaurants in town, too.
There is a FM1120 running south out of Leakey that follows the river. There are two or three low water crossings as it goes back and forth over the Frio. I haven't ridden it. Found it on google maps. Still checking it out.
It is about 2 hours to the Enchanted Rock through Fredericksburg. Beer and schnitzel. Luckenbach is out there, too.
Don't know what the forum is doing to these pasted links, so I hope you can follow them. If not, try right clicking on them and use "open link in new tab" or whatever similar thing your browser might do.
graybeard, thanks for the suggestions. Being in the planning stages we can get input from all and set a suggested ititary, with changes voted on by those attending. Keep looking and if we end up with ten routes, great. We could decide each day which one to ride. Many of the rider are only a few hours long and could do one in the morning and one in the afternoon, Just thinking out loud. Let's keep this thread active to gain more possible attendance.
graybeard, thanks for the suggestions. Being in the planning stages we can get input from all and set a suggested ititary, with changes voted on by those attending. Keep looking and if we end up with ten routes, great. We could decide each day which one to ride. Many of the rider are only a few hours long and could do one in the morning and one in the afternoon, Just thinking out loud. Let's keep this thread active to gain more possible attendance.
You know, the bad thing about living in the Houston area is every road that looks like these photos is 3 hours away. Although, being able to ride 11.5 months out of the year is not bad.
We get those triple digits on occasion also. That frozen. flaky, no 2 are alike crap is better than freezing rain which for some reason we get more than snow. If we get the "S" word as deek likes to call it I do get to have some fun with a snow blower a old neighbor gifted me when he moved into an assisted living facility. I used to do his driveway until my blower blew up. I told him of my situation and he told me when he moved out it would be there for me. Sure enough when I got home from work one day it was there by the garage complete with 2 full gas cans. So I feel obligated to do my driveway and about 6 others around me. Its fun! My sister used to live in Oak Point so I know how hot it gets there!
Just wanted to update this thread. As of current conditions, Carla and I are probably not going on any multi day trips. We were set to go, had dog sitter set up, work vacation time on calendar, etc. We are still planing several day trip and this one for sure:
Let's try a one day ride and meet. We have many forum members in Texas and I have always tried to get us together to meet. If we pick a centralized location where we could ride to, have a lunch together and all ride home in one day would be great. My idea would be to meet in the Belton Lake...
www.starbikeforums.com
Just too many unknowns at this time to plan to far out.
Those still interested in still going just got an email from Leakey Inn, 50% off.
Thanks for the heads up, Les. I may take advantage of the Leaky Inn deal.
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