Spring Has Sprung in TEXAS

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Spring Has Sprung
2001 Honda ST1100Spring Has Sprung 2007
Adventures of RT and ST
(Two wandering sport touring motorcycles) RT is a 1999 BMW R1100RT Black and ST is a 2001 Honda ST1100 Dark Cherry Red.


Early March in Texas can show you all kinds of weather. We have had 100°F days and hard freezes in North Central Texas near the banks of Village creek in previous springs. This year’s early spring day started clear and cold, high forty’s is cold on a motorcycle so, we waited for some solar heat and started around 9:00am. The temperature was up to sixty by midmorning and clear as a bell.

Our escape from the DFW metro-mess requires a couple of miles of Interstate, then back roads like Oak Grove Road. Oak Grove community is located on FM1187 eight miles south of Fort Worth. In 1866 three brothers, all Confederate veterans from Kentucky, settled the area. The name comes from the large stands of Oak trees in this area.

From FM1187 just west of Crowley we went south on FM2331 overlooking the west banks of Mustang creek. Every flowering tree in Texas is in full bloom or turning green with new leaves. The Red Buds and Bradford Pears are already bloomed and sprouting leaves.

Our first stop of the day for a rest and a can of V-8 occur when we reached Godley. This community was created by R. B. Godley who donated land for a town site and railroad right of way in 1886, when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe and the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe railroads were built.

We continue out of town on FM2331 through more rolling ranch land spotted with drilling rigs, tapping the plentiful gas reserves of this area, and on to Bono is located on FM2331 just a mile west of US 67. All that remains are a few homes and a closed store used for equipment storage.

US 67 south is one of the best Texas two lanes from FM2331 west to FM220. We dropped down in to the Brazos river valley, then cross the Paluxy River, to climb back out of the valley. It has always been a green spot of God’s green earth; the dinosaurs seemed to really like this area.

One of the priorities of the ride is meals so our first attempt was the “Loco Coyote” about a mile north of US67 just west of FM220. We seemed to be about three hours early for their hours of operation, but we’ll have to give them another chance on our next ride in this area.

Twenty miles west at the intersection of US highways 67, 377 and 281 is Stephenville, Texas and the home of Hard Eight Bar B Que. The parking lot is covered with late model Corvettes looking like a car show. We park on the other side of the building from the HOG pen and get in line. We talk to everyone around us, and the ones that live the closest to the restaurant, were at least fifty miles from home. It appears lots of folks from the DFW area take the drive. We had a big lunch of smoked pork chop, brisket, pork ribs, and sausage. This place gets lots of write ups in travel magazines, and I can see why.

After the fuel stop in Stephenville, for us and the motorcycles, we left town on US 67 south. This part of US67 could pass for an Interstate Highway, all the way to Dublin. Founded in 1854 and was probably named for the warning cry at Indian raids, “Double In.” Home of the oldest Dr Pepper bottling plant in World, we sampled a real fountain Dr Pepper, made with Dr Pepper syrup, water and carbonated water mixed in your glass before adding the ice, this is the way they are supposed to taste. Next we took FM 219, which heads southeast out of town through some rough country with a few irrigated pastures.

Carlton, Texas, at the junction of farm roads 219, 1744 and 2823 in northwestern Hamilton County, was settled in 1877 by H.H. Armstrong on land belonging to J .M. Evans and Dr. F. M. Carlton. The town was located on the east-west stage and freight route, helping in the town’s development, and around 1878 a school and churches had been founded. By 1910 the town had a bank and a population of 750. One of the remaining shells appears to be the bank building with the old safe walled-in with the same large limestone that was used to build the walls structure. The safe door was missing and the interior rusting. We think it was the work of Bonnie and Clyde?

We next headed North on FM 1744 where heavy wooded rolling hills support lots of live stock, including goats. We are still trying to find out what they do with all those goats? FM 1744 ends at US 281 just south of Hico. The Koffee Kup Café is well known for their pies, so we were required to sample a piece of coconut cream with three inch high meringue topping.

Since this is the last day in March before daylight savings time, we had to roll on to get home before dark. We headed north on FM 220 to US 67 north to Glen Rose.

Glen Rose, Texas was settled in 1849 by Charles Bernard, who opened a trading post near Comanche Peak. The town is the county seat of Somervell County located on the Paluxy River.

We had arrived at the destination for this ride. Sometimes we have a specific stop other than a restaurant, this time we are inspecting a friends hundred year old craftsman style cottage overlooking the Paluxy River. We were forced to sample some wonderful homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies loaded with Pecans. The cottage is furnished with impressive antiques, period decorations, and a claw foot bathtub with fancy fixtures. The large covered back and side porches were added, but appear original to the house.
This house is a perfect example of efficient use of space with comfort and style.

FM 56 north took us real close to the Comanche Peak Power Plant, and then connects to FM 51 through Grandbury to I-20 at Weatherford. We were running out of daylight but witnessed another beautiful sunset with an orange glow that covered the western sky. We stayed on I-20 east bound for a couple of miles to exit at FM 5. This area named Annetta, Annetta North, and Annetta South is another pretty ride, covered with large oaks and rolling hills. Mr. Fraser established a freight station here in the late 1870’s and named the settlement after his daughter.

South of Aledo, FM 5 connects with FM 1187 and took us through more beautiful ranch land across the head waters of the Dutch Branch Creek.
FM 1187 crosses US 377 at Wheatland community eighteen miles southwest of Fort Worth, established in the late 1890’s. The nearby Benbrook Reservoir supports several liquor stores giving the area the nickname of “Whiskey Flats”.

Our ride was about over when we lost the daylight around 6:45PM and we rode Oak Grove Road again back to I-20 then I-820. After ten hours and about 275 miles of Texas Two lanes we reached the home 20, on the banks of Village Creek. One more great ride to park in our memories, and thank the Good Lord for another safe one.
©hiramgj, March 2007

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