Texas Cabin Fever

Laugh if you must, but even in Texas we get cabin fever. The fact that we get it in summer and in winter makes it doubly amusing to you blue bloods in the north. Too bad. I'm cold, restless, and tired of the highlight of day being reading the morning newspaper.

The internet promises some nice weather, I'm not too busy in the next coupla, so I decide to get on the bike.



I'm not sure where I'm going, but outta here I must. The bike is packed with all the camping gear. With lows in the 50's F, my summer weight sleeping bag should be good enough, no?



Tent, sleeping bag, pad, Kermit chair, some clothes, a Gerbings heated jacket liner (my version of Trust, but Verify), a motorcycle mag, and some South Beach diet bars. What else does man need?

To places northwest we go. Through San Antonio and into the Hill Country. Boerne (pronounced Bernie here - dumbass Texans) seems a reasonable exit.



I nearly wreck into a silly looking, wanna be cowboy wearing his black felt Stetson while driving his BMW M6. Nothing against western hats, but it literally didn't fit on that guy's head in that car. Besides, real cowboys drive Cadillacs, not BMW's.

I mean, exactly how long am I expected to sit at that stuck red light? I'm on vacation, by God.

Finally, Farm to Market bliss. I find FM 1376 and slowly cruise towards Fredericksburg. Nah, it's not the twistiest, nor the hilliest. But for pure calming scenery, 1376 does not suck.











The weather is cooler than what I'd expect from the weather report. Then an aha moment: it's not called the Hill Country for nothing. It's cooler at 2000 feet than at the 500 feet of San Antonio.

I'm gonna freeze my ass.

So, camping at $9 a night at the Lady Bird Johnson State Park, or a cheap but clean motel at $44 + tax?





Duh! I pull in and turn on the heater.

What else do I need? I've got my laptop so I can surf the interweb, a MadMap of good Texas roads, a classic book (no symbolism there - that's what I was reading before I left) and a patent or two that I needed to read for my current consulting project.



The next morning, the trip starts with a drive into Mason.



Single lane bridges over the north and south Llano (you'd better pronounce it right, gringo) river, with abundant proof that I'm in the country.



Finally, the Three Sisters, sometimes called the Twisty Sisters. But around here, the Threes is good enough. If you're from Texas, you've ridden them. If you're from out of state, you want to ride them. There are better elsewhere, but these are as good as any. And today, they're mine.







Nothing but hills, curves, and scenery.











You can ride like the devil through them, buy why? Memories of sportbikes and Harley's lying on the limestone while ambulances take their latest trophies to the local hospitals are fresh in my mind.

It's 81 F, and I'm riding in the Texas Hill Country. Life doesn't suck.

Hi Lobby ,

nice RR and thanks for posting. We're pretty much snowed in these days, so a RR with balmy temps in the 80ies does real good. Any thoughts of joining our European meeting this year - the American element is still missing. Ilmostro was a decent rep of the American way of riding some time ago but he was the last of the Mohicans. I could provide you with a nice and reliable 1100 GS or an HP2 - how's that sound to you?

Great ride! Rode some of that stuff heading into Mexico a few years ago.

No tripping up here in Eastern Ontario.

I was watching the boys ice race yesterday at about -20C (-4F) and woke up to -23C (-9F) this morning....

Thanks!

Unless, a particular consulting gig I'm working on requires it, there are no trips to Europe planned for the foreseeable future.

I miss Europe, too. Last trip was in May of 2007. A little Deutschland, and some Paris.

I wonder when I'll get to go again?

BTW, when are you coming back to the states? There's room here in San Antonio, and it makes a great starting point into Mexico.

You too!

Texas anytime soon?

I take exception to the Dumb Ass Texans comment. The dumb asses are the ones who mock us. Texans are the best people on the planet. You may not know that as you are probably not from here....

Born in Corpus Christi, Texas A&M, living in San Antonio, lived here all my life.

I was focusing on pronunciation, not Texans in general. Examples:

- Llano
- Gruene
- Huebner
- Boerne


There are probably other examples.

Enlighten some of us out of touch with our... Texan Sides. How are the above pronounced and supposed to be pronounced?

lanno
green
heebner
burny

Stop it. You're confusing the Yankees.

I have roots in South Texas and you've cornfused me.


Lobby, glad to hear you snuck out for a ride!!
(how's that knee?)

Just about fixed. Still a bit stiff with a tiny bit of swelling. Doc told me not to kneel. So no gardening!!!

Hey Gringo!

How do you pronounce Llano?

Real Texans say LAHnno. Ya got ta say that 'L".

Real Texans don't know how to pronounce shit!

They call Llano, "lah no!

They call Alvarado, "All vah ray doh"

They call Nevada, "Nuh Vay duh"

They call small undulations in the topography, "The Hill Country"

They call Greune, "green"

They call Boerne, "Ber knee"

They call Palestine, "Pal uh steen"

Oh, and I'm sure I'll catch flack for this, but I'm a Texan now, and I'm being reeducated. All Y'all ull see, I'm fixin to git er done right soon.

Houstonians say "San FILL-uh-pee" for San Felipe!

Enough? Les git bahk tu theh riade report

(What's wrong with "Pal uh steen"??)

I hope all my Texas brethren took my comments as being tongue in cheek. This being Advrider, we all type as if we're on margarita #4 from a loud honky tonk.

My apologies if I offended.

I'll be on the bike a bit this weekend. Perhaps a few more pics.