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May 12th 2012
Published: May 13th 2012
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Day 35 05/05/2012

We left Floresville Texas after breakfast, and headed toward Bandera, an 80 mile or so ride that would take us through San Antonio. Now this city is fairly large and we certainly do not want to get tangled up getting through it, with that said the satnav would guide us no problem which it did, but I must say that whoever designed the road system there must have been barking mad, I have never seen so many flyovers, underpasses, loops, curls, banks, and bridges in my life. Had it not been for the satnav we would still be there. Bandera was a small town that had been recommended to us by the kind folks in Galveston, they said it was the Cowboy capital of the world, and a haven for bikes and horses alike. Well they were not wrong, it is a fantastic little town nestled the Hill country region of Texas, there were more bikes and cowboys than you could shake a stick at. We arrived just before lunch, and found a small motel that although full, being the weekend, said we could rent the owners daughters small cottage which was great. After getting unpacked and sorted we went into the town, there were small bars, a few restaurants, bikes everywhere, and the sound of country music coming from all directions. We found a nice place that was in out of the blistering heat, where a few local musicians had gathered for their weekly jam session, and most enjoyable it was too, Lynne even got to dance with a real life gin-u-wine cowboy, and he had quite story to tell. Around 40 years ago he and 17 of his cowboy mates, set off on horseback from Bandera, to wait for it……..Canada, now that’s a hell of a way from here, only three made it apparently, and there is even a book about his journey, wow that’s a ride. We had dinner in the main street diner, and sat on real horse saddles up at the counter, needless to say Lynne’s feet did not reach the ground, but then when do they ever.

Day 36 06/05/2012

Well there was a storm last night that was beyond belief, thunder and lightning that shook the house and lasted for hours, according to Lynne. I did get up around 2am to move my bike off the grass in
Been in worse placesBeen in worse placesBeen in worse places

Not sure why I just liked it here
case the side stand sunk in and it fell over, I got absolutely soaked, but within five minutes I was back inside, dry and snoring my head off, apparently. By morning it was almost dry, and so due to Lynne’s sleepless night we decided to stay here again today and chill. We walked a fair way, and then sat in the little biker bar at the end of our street, listening to the band playing, and basically just watched the world go by, more and more people turned up in their Sunday best, I assume after church. Looking across the garden area of the bar there was just a sea of Stetsons and check shirts, outside bikers where parking up, roaring off and everyone else just chatting and enjoying the afternoon sunshine, it was a great relaxing day even without any riding.

Day 37……07/05/2012

Another recommendation we had received, from whom I forget now, was to visit the town of Fredericksburg at just a little over fifty miles away, so that’s where we headed for today. It was just a little cooler again today, but after the stifling heat of the past few days it was very welcome.
Lonesome cowboyLonesome cowboyLonesome cowboy

Can't take her anywhere
The ride to Fredericksburg was lovely, we rode through the Texas hill country on wide smooth sweeping roads, past ranch gates with the ranch itself probably miles away over the rolling hills in the distance. Within the hour we had arrived in the town, and the temperature had risen again quite considerably, so the first order was to find a room, which we did in the form of a very nice hotel on Main St in the centre of town. The town of Fredericksburg has a very strong German influence, which is very evident by the number of Gasthof’s, beer Keller’s and restaurants. I really should have twigged this straight away when we walked from our accommodation, by the number of towels on the hotels pool loungers, no really I am not kidding, it’s not just in Spain. Within fifty or so miles our surroundings had undergone a complete cultural change, from the Wild West to Bavarian architecture and German street names, the dulcet tones of country music being replaced by the sound of Teutonic oompah, and accordion. We spent the rest of the day perusing the gift shops and keeping out of the sun. We did hear one shop
Don't drink and rideDon't drink and rideDon't drink and ride

These were just tied up on the way home from work and then the owners went in for a beer,
owner speak of rain to come, but dismissed this as fantasy looking up at a clear blue sky. I shall never again ignore the warnings of a wise old German- American woman, and also precisely as predicted by the weather channel on TV, because at around 5pm it came crashing through, the rain on the tin roof of the hotels veranda was deafening, and it looked as if a stray Messerschmitt ME 109 was strafing the pool as the marble sized hail stones hit it. But also as predicted it passed within the hour, but the TV did warn of more to come. We ate out that evening at a local Deutsche micro-brewery and bistro, where we ran into some English Crystal Palace fans, fancy that. After our meal we all walked to a little watering hole they knew, and left at around 2am.

Day 38……08/05/2012

Well the previous days precipitation had returned as predicted during our walk home earlier this morning, and was still with us when we woke, so this pretty much decided the outcome of the day, we were staying. We walked to a local Post office, to send some mail home, got soaked, had coffee and a chocolate covered banana on a stick in one of the many café’s, then back to the room where we caught up with a few episodes of Holby City on Utube, well it cannot be full throttle every day I am not as young as I used to be, and besides Madam had found a good use for the duvet by mid-afternoon anyway.



Day 39……09/05/2012

Well after the pretty non eventful day yesterday, we woke to find sunshine, and while the weather channel on TV was still saying that more rain was on its way we decided to make a run for it, or at least the 150 mile ride to Ozona, the next stop on the list. As this town was to the west, and the bad weather was forecast to be coming from that direction it was a bit of a gamble. We left around nine, and although sunny, it was a lot cooler again. The clouds came and went, and at one time there was not a single one to be seen. In fact we had a great ride even as a lot of it was on the interstate, where there was hardly any traffic, strange. The scenery became quite beautiful, as the more wooded Texan countryside gave way to open shrub and cactus with some rocky outcrops. Just the sort of place that “Big John” would have had his eyes peeled for bandits. We arrived in the small town of Ozona just after 1.30pm, and found a motel that had laundry facilities, which pleased Lynne no end, I’m so glad she is easily pleased, oh and apparently there was even a crease free tumble cycle, woo hoo, what’s that? Getting the evening meal was quite eventful, we had decided on a steak house just up the street, but you had to become a member to buy a drink there, eh?, so erm no thanks. A Mexican restaurant then caught our eye, “do you have to be a member here?” I asked “no senor”, “good, do you sell beer”, “no senor” dohh!! “but you can buy it from the gas station next door and bring it in”. It was at that point that Lynne realised that I am fairly easily pleased too.

Day 40……10/05/2012

Today was pretty much like a Déjà vu from two days ago, a terrific rain storm and jet black skies greeted us through the hotel window this morning. So after breakfast we donned our wet weather gear, and walked to the Post Office, bet you thought we were mad enough to ride today, I think not, no we posted some mail home, then we visited Ozona’s only other attraction, the Davy Crockett museum. I must say that it was quite good actually, well that took care of two hours, a coffee in the local Dairy Queen another half hour, now what, this town had nothing else left to offer, oh well nobody said everyday would be a blast, a couple more episodes of Holby City on Utube it is then.

Day 41……11/05/2012

Still overcast this morning but dry, we will have to move on today, I don’t think either of us want to stay here any longer. Well with fingers crossed we took off west, still through Texas, and heading for a town called Alpine some 170 miles away. The road was fairly quiet and the weather improved no end along the route. We turned south after a hundred or so miles into a wall of blue sky, the flat open plains saw the beginnings of the mountains off in the distance. It took around fifty miles for them to grow to full size, and pretty they were, especially now with the sun on them. We reached Alpine just after lunch, and found a motel, which took a little while due to it being Graduation weekend at the local State University, and most of the rooms were taken by excitable parents, and grandparents. After sorting ourselves out, we walked the mile or so back into the small town to check out the action. We stopped at a few gift type shops, and saw basically all there was which was nice. Then a queue of people caught our eye, it was for the local flicks, and there was a choice of two screenings, The Avengers 3D, or the new Johnny Depp offering Dark Shadows, so we both thought why not. Now this picture house was right out of the past, a small serving window at the front where you bought your ticket, and got it torn in half by the same chap, a tiny lobby where everyone queued again for popcorn, it was a real trip down memory lane, back to the days of Saturday picture club back home. Well we opted for the Depp film, which was a Tim Burton offering about a vampire, or something. What is weird is that he last time I went to the cinema was in the States six years ago, and I saw Pirates of the Caribbean nine, with yes…. Mr Depp. After the movie, the evening was finished off in the local subway,… no mucky minds not like it was after Saturday picture club when we were young, the corporate food chain “Subway”.


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13th May 2012

loving reading your blog
14th May 2012

Alcohol
Hello Lynne & Steve, Glad to see that nightly food consumption is dictated by the sale of alcohol. I like the bar with riding saddles, do they throw you off when you are drunk? Weather here is also bad but not quite up to your standard. Ride safe & enjoy. Dave

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