BLUE BONNET TRIP APRIL 2017

Places you've been to. Things you've seen.
Share your riding and gathering Vids here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Suzuki Johnny
Joined a 1200cc Club
Posts: 32820
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:25 am
My Bike: 2020 Tri Glide Ultra Harley
Location: GODS COUNTRY

BLUE BONNET TRIP APRIL 2017

Post by Suzuki Johnny »

PART I

I'm back and no less for the wear and tear of 1,365 miles in four days would bring........It was for me a great trip...one that I haven't made in a while....been on a few overnighters but no multiple days on the road trip...
18 folks and 14 bikes....12 Harleys ( one trike) and 2 Goldwings...not a hint of trouble from any of the bikes..
DAY ONE 400 MILES
DAY TWO 315 MILES
DAY THREE 335 MILES
DAY FOUR AND HOME 315 MILES
341 MILES PER DAY

AVERAGE PRICE OF FUEL....$2.49.9

I used 31.62 gallons of fuel which averaged out to 43.1 mpg
For some odd reason I was getting better gas mileage in the hills than I do on flat country
It was explained to me that we ride much faster on flat ground then in the hilly stuff [emoji106]



........I've learned several lessons from this trip
1. 400 miles the first day sort of pooped me out for the next three days riding....getting old sucks...I was the eldest of the group at 73 and it showed.......along with my blood sugar levels looking like a roller coaster ride ( every time I interrupt my normal eating habits ) and leg cramps that would stop a kangaroo in a heartbeat made for a somewhat difficult four days for me...like I said this old shit is for the birds .........But I did hang with the rest of 'em.....and didn't complain or whine [emoji106]
In the future I will take this into consideration...
I was invited on this ride so I either hung with the group or dropped out.....That was the first order of business that the group discussed before we made one mile...other than bike trouble there wasn't going to be any slowing down for slower riders...and we didn't :rock:

2. Early April in the Hill Country is still quite a bit chilly in the first few hours of daylight.....the sun shone for two and a half days..Thursday and Friday and half a day Sunday afternoon were really nice (except the low 50 temps in the am ) Saturday was overcast and cool throughout the day with temps not getting out of the high 60's .....and the wind was atrocious....we woke up every morning with 25 mph winds coming out of the west / southwest.....and wind gusts in the 35 to 40 mph range........it was a battle to keep the bike upright in the flat areas and the hill tops were horrible.....My neck suffered the most damage and although I went without a helmet a few times it still didn't help out all that much.....

3. Ride organizer blocked so many rooms each night so the choice of where we would be staying was decided before hand,,, the rooms were a tad bit expensive but I have to admit all three of the rooms were excellent and the beds were really comfortable..my old back was appreciative of that for sure.....Usually I'm taking some sort of pain medication on extended bike trips but this time not so much.....and that was a blessing..

4. I rode tail gunner for the entire ride...since I knew all the roads that we were going to travel and I like it back there.....no chance of being run into or over ... except for cagers...and for the most part they didn't tail gate us very much which was another blessing.. Laying back about 100 yards off the main group I could set my cruise control on the agreed upon speeds ( which was the posted speed limit plus 5 mph ) ...I'd catch up and then fall back but only every once and a while I'd have to disconnect my cruise....

One rider .. dropped her bike in a parking lot when her Street Glide died in 3rd gear..rider error...

I was run off the road way on hwy 337 in the twisties...woman came out of an inside turn (outside for me ) and was hogging half of my lane...lucky for me I had an exit unto the narrow shoulder laced with shell and dust......experience kicked in and I glided to a stop but wondered if I would have to throw away my underwear that night :lmao:

Another rider ( Harley Trike ) almost ran into another woman at an intersection when she abruptly took a left turn right in front of him..close call ...matter of inches between his right rear bumper and her left rear bumper...thought for sure he was done for.


First days ride was 400 miles to Fredericksburg, Texas and we covered that in 9 hours averaging 44 mph ....several fuel stops and lunch in Conroe, Texas at the Kountry Katfish Kitchen....75 to 115 miles per leg... Going through Austin texas we thought we would run into heavy traffic but for just a couple of accidents along the way we zipped right through


Lunch in Conroe
Image

Image

Second days ride was a mixture of fuel stops and visits..One particular visit one was to a Catholic church in Marble Falls..
St. Paul the Apostle church overlooking the Colorado River.....( 116 Dalton Cir, Horseshoe Bay, TX, 78657 if you want to google it )

Morning prayer before Friday's ride... and going over the route for that day
Image

Image

Image

WILLOW CITY LOOP....Plenty of Blue Bonnets and real nice country side setting for 27 miles....
Image

Image

Image
Only warm bloodied animal encountered for 27 miles [emoji106]
Image

Image

Image

St Paul the Apostle Catholic church..Horseshoe Bay, marble Falls, Texas
Most Views are from inside the church
Image

Image


Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Inside the church
Image

Image

The group at the church...why am I not in the pics LOL
]
Image

Lunch Friday...this place really serves some excellent food......the Blue Bonnet cafe was over flowing so we passed and found this place instead...

Image

Later on that day we stopped at a nursery...flowers everywhere I remember seeing this place many years ago when it was a small Mom and Pop operation... it's grown into a really prosperous business in the last 12 years...

Image

Image

Image

Image
I finally made the big time....
Image

Image
Yours Truly texting Mama back home.....
Image

Luckenbach...couldn't pass up at least one cool one [emoji106] :cheers:
Image

resident feline......she owned the place.....and she fell for my charm..she actually climbed up on my shoulders ..several people took some pics of her there...gave them my email addy but haven't received them yet..
Image

INN OF THE HILLS MOTEL KERRVILLE TEXAS FRIDAY EVENING

Image

There was a Rolls Royce and Bentley gathering in Kerrville...some really classic auto's there...
We were surrounded by millions of bucks [emoji106]
Image


Part Two to follow tonight some time ...but first I have some honey do's to catch up on before.. [emoji106]
duc, sequere, aut de via decede
"frapper fort, frapper vite, frappée souvent-- Adm William "Bull" Halsey
“We’re not going to just shoot the sons-of-bitches, we’re going to rip out their living Goddamned guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks.”--Gen George Patton
"Our Liberty is insured by four "Boxes", the Ballot box, the Jury box, the Soap box and the Cartridge box"

Spitfire
Joined a 850cc Club
Posts: 1378
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:15 pm

Re: BLUE BONNET TRIP APRIL 2017

Post by Spitfire »

Nice write up, great pics :bow: [space] :cheers:

Forge
Joined a 250cc Club
Posts: 610
Joined: Mon May 08, 2017 8:16 pm
My Bike: 99 Valkyrie Interstate- 05 S83
Location: Griffithville, Arkansas

Re: BLUE BONNET TRIP APRIL 2017

Post by Forge »

Nice pics. I have been wanting to see and cruise the Willow City Loop.
Arthritis sucks!

User avatar
MadCow
Site Admin
Posts: 6281
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2014 1:36 pm
My Bike: 2023 Pan America Special

Re: BLUE BONNET TRIP APRIL 2017

Post by MadCow »

Looks like good times had by all! :rock: :rock:

Thank you for sharing...
-DBTO

User avatar
Suzuki Johnny
Joined a 1200cc Club
Posts: 32820
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:25 am
My Bike: 2020 Tri Glide Ultra Harley
Location: GODS COUNTRY

Re: BLUE BONNET TRIP APRIL 2017

Post by Suzuki Johnny »

Forge wrote:Nice pics. I have been wanting to see and cruise the Willow City Loop.



Actually there isn't much to see that's any different from the surrounding area roads.....it's just off the beaten path and it is scenic in a couple of places..........it does make for slower speeds though.....just trying miss the cow pies all over the roadway is a chore in itself..LOL
duc, sequere, aut de via decede
"frapper fort, frapper vite, frappée souvent-- Adm William "Bull" Halsey
“We’re not going to just shoot the sons-of-bitches, we’re going to rip out their living Goddamned guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks.”--Gen George Patton
"Our Liberty is insured by four "Boxes", the Ballot box, the Jury box, the Soap box and the Cartridge box"

Forge
Joined a 250cc Club
Posts: 610
Joined: Mon May 08, 2017 8:16 pm
My Bike: 99 Valkyrie Interstate- 05 S83
Location: Griffithville, Arkansas

Re: BLUE BONNET TRIP APRIL 2017

Post by Forge »

Suzuki Johnny wrote:
Forge wrote:Nice pics. I have been wanting to see and cruise the Willow City Loop.



Actually there isn't much to see that's any different from the surrounding area roads.....it's just off the beaten path and it is scenic in a couple of places..........it does make for slower speeds though.....just trying miss the cow pies all over the roadway is a chore in itself..LOL
I drove it once back in my 20’s with my girlfriend at the time. My hobby was rock hounding and I got some really good specimens of serpentine or soapstone out there. Been wanting to ride those old places now that I’m 50. I used to take my son backpacking at Enchanted Rock when I was late 20’s to early 30’s. Now he’s grown up with his own family. I remarried and now have a 12 and a 13 year old sons, but the back is not as forgiving for the backpacking now. Now the boys take turns riding with me here and there and my 29 year old son rides with us on his VS800.
Arthritis sucks!

User avatar
Suzuki Johnny
Joined a 1200cc Club
Posts: 32820
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:25 am
My Bike: 2020 Tri Glide Ultra Harley
Location: GODS COUNTRY

Re: BLUE BONNET TRIP APRIL 2017

Post by Suzuki Johnny »

Forge wrote:
Suzuki Johnny wrote:
Forge wrote:Nice pics. I have been wanting to see and cruise the Willow City Loop.



Actually there isn't much to see that's any different from the surrounding area roads.....it's just off the beaten path and it is scenic in a couple of places..........it does make for slower speeds though.....just trying miss the cow pies all over the roadway is a chore in itself..LOL
I drove it once back in my 20’s with my girlfriend at the time. My hobby was rock hounding and I got some really good specimens of serpentine or soapstone out there. Been wanting to ride those old places now that I’m 50. I used to take my son backpacking at Enchanted Rock when I was late 20’s to early 30’s. Now he’s grown up with his own family. I remarried and now have a 12 and a 13 year old sons, but the back is not as forgiving for the backpacking now. Now the boys take turns riding with me here and there and my 29 year old son rides with us on his VS800.


Anything you do with your family with motorcycles is great fun for sure...............Oh and I forgot to mention the cattle guards.....some are in dire need of repair..but still ride able....On some of them you have to pick your line of travel carefully...not for a novice rider though....
The folks that were with us that had never rode that stretch of road enjoyed the experience [emoji106]
duc, sequere, aut de via decede
"frapper fort, frapper vite, frappée souvent-- Adm William "Bull" Halsey
“We’re not going to just shoot the sons-of-bitches, we’re going to rip out their living Goddamned guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks.”--Gen George Patton
"Our Liberty is insured by four "Boxes", the Ballot box, the Jury box, the Soap box and the Cartridge box"

Tbeck
Joined a 1200cc Club
Posts: 7607
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2016 10:58 am
My Bike: Concours 1400

Re: BLUE BONNET TRIP APRIL 2017

Post by Tbeck »

Just stumbled across this post, looks like a lot of fun

User avatar
Suzuki Johnny
Joined a 1200cc Club
Posts: 32820
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:25 am
My Bike: 2020 Tri Glide Ultra Harley
Location: GODS COUNTRY

Re: BLUE BONNET TRIP APRIL 2017

Post by Suzuki Johnny »

Yes it was a blast......
Although I had a wonderful time some of the organizers were taken back by the laziness of some of the couples being ready to go at the appointed time each day........but that is to be expected with such a large group.
I rode tail gunner for the whole ride because I knew every nook and cranny side road in that area.
We made excellent time going the first day averaging 40+ miles per hour......thought we were going to be held up ( like we usually are in Austin) in Austin, Texas but to our surprise we rode through with no problems...it was a first for me.
duc, sequere, aut de via decede
"frapper fort, frapper vite, frappée souvent-- Adm William "Bull" Halsey
“We’re not going to just shoot the sons-of-bitches, we’re going to rip out their living Goddamned guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks.”--Gen George Patton
"Our Liberty is insured by four "Boxes", the Ballot box, the Jury box, the Soap box and the Cartridge box"

Forge
Joined a 250cc Club
Posts: 610
Joined: Mon May 08, 2017 8:16 pm
My Bike: 99 Valkyrie Interstate- 05 S83
Location: Griffithville, Arkansas

Re: BLUE BONNET TRIP APRIL 2017

Post by Forge »

Suzuki Johnny wrote:Yes it was a blast......
Although I had a wonderful time some of the organizers were taken back by the laziness of some of the couples being ready to go at the appointed time each day........but that is to be expected with such a large group.
I rode tail gunner for the whole ride because I knew every nook and cranny side road in that area.
We made excellent time going the first day averaging 40+ miles per hour......thought we were going to be held up ( like we usually are in Austin) in Austin, Texas but to our surprise we rode through with no problems...it was a first for me.
Yeah, Austin traffic can really suck sometimes.
Arthritis sucks!

User avatar
Suzuki Johnny
Joined a 1200cc Club
Posts: 32820
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:25 am
My Bike: 2020 Tri Glide Ultra Harley
Location: GODS COUNTRY

Re: BLUE BONNET TRIP APRIL 2017

Post by Suzuki Johnny »

Forge wrote:
Suzuki Johnny wrote:Yes it was a blast......
Although I had a wonderful time some of the organizers were taken back by the laziness of some of the couples being ready to go at the appointed time each day........but that is to be expected with such a large group.
I rode tail gunner for the whole ride because I knew every nook and cranny side road in that area.
We made excellent time going the first day averaging 40+ miles per hour......thought we were going to be held up ( like we usually are in Austin) in Austin, Texas but to our surprise we rode through with no problems...it was a first for me.
Yeah, Austin traffic can really suck sometimes.

Yep we were really surprised...we had added another half an hours travel time to our schedule to compensate for that anticipated slow down in Austin
Thank goodness it was minimal......except for the two accidents where we had to slow down because of the congestion we zipped right through without any problems......400 miles for the first days ride was problematic as it was ...taken into consideration the needs of such a large contingent of operators and passengers...again we experienced no difficulties in that aspect.....although several times the slower riders would separate from the main pack and made for slower going for the ones behind them but that was to be expected......a few times I would catch up with them sitting on their bikes on the side of the roadway not knowing which way to go.....
Planners of the ride had made allowances for that with three added pit stops along the route.
duc, sequere, aut de via decede
"frapper fort, frapper vite, frappée souvent-- Adm William "Bull" Halsey
“We’re not going to just shoot the sons-of-bitches, we’re going to rip out their living Goddamned guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks.”--Gen George Patton
"Our Liberty is insured by four "Boxes", the Ballot box, the Jury box, the Soap box and the Cartridge box"

old time rider
Back on the Road
Posts: 3565
Joined: Tue Dec 09, 2014 5:07 pm
My Bike: 650Vstrom

Re: BLUE BONNET TRIP APRIL 2017

Post by old time rider »

Good pics,thanks. [emoji106] Our longer than usual more way below 32 degree days makes us want those kind of days again. Eight this AM.. A second home more south makes being a snow bird in old age look OK. Below Ky. has had the same thing,some even more so! :eek: :putput:

Post Reply