Big Bend TX road trip...

[glynnk]

Joy--You've got a writing gift! Enjoyed the read and the pics immensely! Hope to see you and Jeff soon.

Glynnk

 

[Yazz]

Great write up and photos! Thanks for sharing! We lived in Austin - close to Round Rock for 19 years. Drawing a blank to the exact location of Cypress Creek. Plan to be on the road in a few weeks heading that direction, hope to make it to the Hill Country - the wild flowers should be awesome this year!

Our son lives in Austin. Beautiful city. Round Rock has some good ryding if I remember right. Cypress is a small 'burb northwest of Houston.

We always have to go for a ryde when the wildflowers are in bloom. Its better when you nose is in the wind. All the good flower smells...

If you noticed, the pic at the rest stop before The Big Hill has Blue Bonnets sprinkled about. Thats how I knew I was still in Texas.

 

[Yazz]

I can see the pictures now.. Yeah!! and thank you for sharing, what a great trip.

Maybe is was me opening the album?

Or maybe is was pure IFM...

Thanks for catching the pic problem.

 

[Yazz]

Joy--You've got a writing gift! Enjoyed the read and the pics immensely! Hope to see you and Jeff soon.

Glynnk

Thank you very much! I write like I talk. Keeps things from getting confused. Have to give credit to Hubby for taking the pics.

See you soon.

 

[happyspyder2039]

Want to share with ya'll a great ryde Hubby and I did.

First day we rode from Cypress to Fredricksburg through the hill country on Hwy 290. Beautiful rolling hills along the way.

Day two, we dropped down onto I 10. The speed limit is 80 on this four lane highway and we thought we would be able to make good time. We were doing 90 going up a long incline, no cars in sight, methinks now is a good time to see what 110 mph feels like, get to the crest of the hill, I ready myself for a good burst of speed, when, wham! A hard cross wind knocked me into the other lane. Pucker factor kicks in and I meekly decided 85 - 90 is a good speed for me.

The rest of the day we had 30 - 40 mph cross winds. We slowed down to get better control of the bikes. There were 10-15 mile stretches where I was literally sitting on the side of Spydee, hunched down behind her little Phantom windshield. Got knocked into the other lane again that day but it didn't bother me as bad as the first time. Hubby got knocked into another lane too. It would have been a beautiful ryde winding through hills if not for the wind.

The ryde to Fort Stockton was long and grueling. We found a hotel and called it a day. No pics taken that day.

Day 3 and we are heading down Hwy 67 to Alpine. The winds stop about ten miles after we got off I-10. Its a beautiful, refreshing ryde after the yesterday's conditions.

We get to Alpine around noon, check into a neat, friendly hotel, get a rental car and veg for a while. Why did we get a car? Hubby got tickets for the McDonald Observatory to look through one of their big telescopes. We didn't want to be ryding up and down a mountain in the middle of the night. Don't know what critters run around at night up there.

After supper, we drove on 118 up a canyon to Ft. Davis.

From Ft. Davis we went on 6778 up a steep twisty road to the Observatory.

Looking at planets and nebulas was neat. Reminded me how small a part we play in the big picture. They gave us little red LED flashlight to use so our eyes would stay adjusted to the dark. They came in handy on further adventures we had.

It was about mid-night when we got back from the Observatory and figured it was optimum time for trying to see Marfa Lights. They are lights that dance around in a specific area between Marfa and Alpine. Many theories are out there on what they are, so can't really say why they are there. Anyway, armed with our trusty red flashlights, we waited about an hour in the middle of the desert for these light to appear. It was cold, we ran out of Titos', so we went to the hotel with a fist full of memories.

To be continued...

Sounds like alot there was alot of Fun on the Spyder. Thxs for shareing. I have been in Big Bend with a Canoe on a Outwardbound School a long time ago and your trip brings back Awesome times. :yes:

 

[Yazz]

Sounds like alot there was alot of Fun on the Spyder. Thxs for shareing. I have been in Big Bend with a Canoe on a Outwardbound School a long time ago and your trip brings back Awesome times. :yes:

Hubby and I are going back down because we want to do the canoe paddle. Bet the scenery from a canoe is awesome! Lucky you for having done it.:2thumbs:

 

[rnet]

Been wanting to read for awhile and finally got the time and I'm sure glad I did. Awesome read and great pictures. Would love to do it myself one day, maybe after I retire. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Yazz]

Been wanting to read for awhile and finally got the time and I'm sure glad I did. Awesome read and great pictures. Would love to do it myself one day, maybe after I retire. Thanks for sharing.

Glad you enjoyed it.:2thumbs:

 

[Don in E Texas]

Thank you, Joy, for showing off just a small part of our State. Your photo's and story writing are fine... makes me want to get out and clean up Spyder and hit the road.... but it is just Spring here in E Texas as you can see by the photo:

 

[Yazz]

Thank you, Joy, for showing off just a small part of our State. Your photo's and story writing are fine... makes me want to get out and clean up Spyder and hit the road.... but it is just Spring here in E Texas as you can see by the photo:

Oh, man! I thought that snow was reserved for the Panhandle folks. Learn something new every day.

May the warm sun shine on your face, the roads be dry, and a breeze be at your back. Starting next weekend!