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RED KNIGHTS MOTORCYCLE CLUB

JACKSONVILLE, FL TO FREDERICKSBURG, TX

MAY 7-15  2011

Saturday ---- Day  1

The excitement surrounding this trip has been building for months and we all couldn’t wait for the big day.  It probably was not a good omen, but I chose the starting point which was Cracker Barrel at Chaffee Rd and everyone was there at 7 AM for breakfast except me.  I went to the Cracker Barrel on US 17 out of habit I suppose and there I sat wondering, where was everyone else?  The worst part was when I realized my mistake, I had to call them and admit it and I knew there would be lots of ribbing ahead for me.  Just 2 days prior to our trip, my bike broke down and I could not get it repaired by today, so the good folks at Adamec Harley Davidson on Baymeadows offered me a reduced rental rate on a Roadglide Ultra.  Although I wanted to ride my own bike, this scoot was more than up to the task.  When we assembled at the Cracker Barrel finally, we had 6 bikes on the ground, and our chase car had one in the trailer.  Thanks to Brian for driving his truck and  watching our backs.  Two of our group left a week ago for Texas and would make stops in Pensacola, Houston, and San Antonio to visit friends and would meet us in Fredericksburg. My wife would not be sitting behind me on this part of the ride, as she decided to fly to San Antonio where we would pick her up on our way through on Monday. The weather could not be better and it was kick stands up at 8:15 AM.  The ride out I-10 is one that most of us have made but it always looks different on the bike.  After a morning of interstate and pine trees, we stopped for lunch at Sonny’s BBQ in Marianna, Fl.  The afternoon went just as smooth and we roared into Daphne, Alabama and checked into the Best Western about 3:30 PM.  After some kick back time and the ever-present afternoon coffee, we rode to California Dreaming for dinner.  A good first day with no problems.  We sat around and talked about today’s ride and past trips and soon it was off to bed for tomorrow was going to be a long day.

  Miles today  339

Sunday --- Day 2

Today started off pretty normal.  We wiped down the bikes and had breakfast at the hotel.  The rooms were great and so was the meal.  We were going to leave at 8 AM but everyone was up and eager to get on the road so we pulled out at 7:30.  The weather was cool and cloudy with no chance of rain.  We headed into Mobile in just a little while and went under the Mobile Bay Tunnel.  Yvette didn’t know that we went under water and we didn’t tell her till later in the day.  It didn’t take long to glide through Alabama and Mississippi was soon in our sights.  As we neared Biloxi, we pulled off I-10 and turned south toward the coast and US 90.  We ran along the coast from Biloxi to Gulfport because I wanted everyone to see what has been done since the hurricane devastated the area some years ago.  The beaches have been rebuilt and the white sand and new sidewalk and benches looked beautiful in the Sunday morning sun.  Many homes and businesses had been rebuilt, but there were still tons of clean concrete slabs where homes once stood.  We turned north and once again picked up I-10.  This herd of Harleys continued west and a cloudy day made riding easier.  Soon we were in Louisiana and heading for Slidell where we would pick up I-12 to take us north around New Orleans.  Gas and rest stops came about every 130 miles or so and the gas prices remained stable.  After Baton Rouge we enjoyed the 18 mile long Bay Bayou Bridge over the wetlands.  We all looked for gators and I think Paul saw the most.  After the bridge, we stopped in Breaux Bridge, La for lunch at Wendy’s and talked about the morning and all the places we saw so far.  After lunch, it was back on the road and on to Texas.  We stopped at the Texas welcome station for pictures of the group under the giant star.  Yvette got a fellow tourist to take our picture and it was exciting to know that we were now in Texas.  Today has been a long day in the saddle but we were almost there.  At about 5 PM, we rolled into Baytown, Texas and our stop for the night at the LaQuinta Inn.  Houston was about 20 miles or so away and we hope to get through the city traffic early in the morning.  After checking in and unloading, we had dinner at the Outback. Later we gathered at the pool for drinks and stories about the day.  Tomorrow I will pick up Debbie at the airport in San Antonio.  Off to bed for some much needed rest

Miles  today  467

Monday--- Day 3

We woke up this morning to partly cloudy skies and windy conditions. We don’t have as far to go today so I let everyone sleep in a little. Some went to the Cracker Barrel next door for breakfast and some ate at the hotel.  After cleaning the bikes a little and loading up, we topped off the tanks at the station nearby and it was kick stands up at 9AM.  The wind would stay with us all day today and sometimes the gusts would almost make you change lanes.  Still no rain in the forecast.  By leaving a little later, we hit Houston after the morning rush was pretty much over.  We sailed through town in the fast lane and left the worry of Houston traffic in the rear view mirror.  We were starting to see more and more oil wells pumping and open cattle ranches and we knew we were in Texas.  Brian asked when we would start seeing the Hill Country and I told him to start watching after we passed San Antonio.  We took the Anderson Loop around San Antonio and dropped off on 281 where I left the group at a great little place called Willie’s for lunch while I made a short run to the airport to pick up Debbie.  She was waiting for me at the Arriving flights area and after swapping tennis shoes for riding boots and getting her helmet out, we were heading back to pick up the rest of the group.  As they finished lunch and had a reunion of sorts, we got back on the Loop which would take us back to I-10 and our next stop.  As promised, the landscape was starting to change.  We could now see mountains in the distance, rocky cliffs, and canyons all around.  At US 87, we exited I-10 and headed the 22 miles to Fredericksburg where we would spend the next 4 nights.  We were now getting into the beautiful Hill Country and this was just the beginning.  We eased into Fredericksburg at 4:30 PM and checked into the Sunday House Inn where Linda and Warren were waiting for us.  They told us that their trip so far has been the best ever and we all looked forward to the next few days riding in the area.  We got an additional surprise as Judy with the Sunday House had arranged a meeting room for us to gather in which was joined to several of the rooms and she also provided several snack trays and a cake for us to enjoy.  A big sign in the room said,”Welcome to Fredericksburg”. Each room had a welcome gift with our name on it.  Boy, these folks really know how to make you feel at home.  After everyone unloaded and relaxed a little, we set out for dinner at the Auslander German Restaurant.  Fredericksburg has a deep German heritage and you want to be sure to try one of the many German eating places.  We all got together in our gathering room to reflect on the trip so far.  Tomorrow we ride the legendary Three Sisters or the Twisted Sisters, known also as RR 335, RR 336, and RR 337, so it’s off to bed and dreams of twisty roads and great landscape.

Miles today --- 309

Tuesday --- Day 4

The breakfast at Sunday House was great and they even had home- made Kolaches.  This is a favorite breakfast pastry of this area and are filled with lots of choices.  Some have sausage and cheese, some have different kinds of fruit fillings and all were good.  After topping off the tanks, it was time to test our skills against The Three Sisters.  We headed south out of Fredericksburg on 16 which would take us to Kerrville.  The clouds were starting to gather but that wouldn’t stop us today.  From Kerrville, we headed West on 27 through Ingram and on to Hunt where we turned south on 39 heading for US 83.  The road twisted and turned carrying us back and forth across the Guadalupe River up and down like a roller coaster. As we turned south on US 83 and headed for Leakey which would be our starting point for the Sisters run, the rain which this dry area needed so badly started to fall.  It was a light rain and we continued to Leakey where we stopped to top off tanks as there is almost no gas or cell reception where we’re going today.  I thought about aborting the ride but then Brian helped get our mind right.  He said,” we rode all the way to Texas to ride these roads, a little bit of rain ain’t gonna stop us.”  As we prepared to head out, the rain stopped and the skies cleared and we knew this was our day.  We would ride the 100 mile loop which started out on RR 337 to Camp Wood where we turned north on RR 335 to 41.  This route takes you along the Frio River and more canyons, mountains, and lots of dips and turns. We noticed that many of the ranches on our route today had beautiful entrances with stone walls and ornate metalwork and fences, many with the ranch name overhead.  At 41, we turned East for a while where we hit RR 336 and headed south again.  These roads were not for the faint of heart.  Rough edges and a lack of guardrails really kept us on our toes. As if the beautiful canyons and landscape where not enough, we saw all kinds of wildlife along the way including a zoo of sorts filled with animals I could not even identify.  Our morning ride ended back at Leakey where we stopped for gas and lunch. As we ate lunch and talked about the ride, it seemed everyone saw something different.  The next part of the ride would take us farther on RR 337 to Vanderpool, then to Medina and on to Bandera.  Signs warn us that a dozen people have lost their lives in motorcycle accidents on this stretch in the past several years.  These roads were just as beautiful and they were dangerous with sheer walls of rock and steep drop-offs and really exciting dips and hills with plenty of curves to satisfy every rider.  At the end of the day, we decided to head to the Harley Shop in Boerne since we were in the area.  After our Harley stop, we jumped up on I-10 and headed back to the hotel.  Tonight, the group split up for dinner, some went out and some ordered pizza and hung out in the gathering room.

Miles today – 314

Wednesday --- Day 5

Today the weather was looking great.  Debbie and I went down to a local donut shop and picked up a box of donuts and kolaches for the group and we all ate at the hotel.  Today we would ride the Willow City Loop which is another famous bike ride in the area.  We headed north out of Fredericksburg on 16 for about 13 miles where we turned on RR 1323 which took us to Willow City ( pop. 87) where we turned onto the Loop.   This is a 13 mile ride around a beautiful canyon.  In the Spring, this is a famous area to see the Bluebonnets.  Today, we just enjoyed the slow scenic ride. We saw deer, cows, calves, and the biggest jack rabbit I ever saw.  The road had cattle grates everywhere cause the livestock roamed everywhere. We came out of the Loop back on 16 so we turned north and headed to Llano.  We rolled into what is truly a cowboy town across the Llano River and past the beautiful Court House in the middle of town. Llano has a rich railroad history and their information and welcome center is in, what else, a railroad terminal.  We stopped to visit and had a great time with the folks there.  They made coffee and told us all about the history of the city.  As we got ready to leave, she asked if we had lunch plans and if not, there was a really good BBQ place just a few blocks away.  I wasn’t too impressed at first but when she told us that they have a car which runs back and forth to the airport because people fly in just to eat at this place, we were not about to pass that up.  Just a few blocks north and left, we found COOPERS OLD TIME BBQ.  Just like everything else in Texas, it was big, took up most of the block.  They had 9 smokers outside that were all as long as a church pew and every one was fired up.  When he opened the lid, there was every kind of meat you can think of including a 3 inch thick pork chop.  You just tell him how big a piece you want and he would cut it.  After our meat selection, we all went inside for all the fixins and sat down to some famous Texas BBQ followed by peach cobbler of course. The walls were covered with pictures of famous people who have eaten there.  After lunch we said good-by to Llano and headed south on 16 till we found RR 965 which would take us back to Fredericksburg by way of Enchanted Rock State Park.  Another beautiful ride and the huge granite dome of Enchanted Rock was worth a stop for pictures.  Soon after we got back to the hotel, we got word that a severe storm was heading our way with high winds and hail so we moved the bikes up under cover.  The worst of the storm went north of us over Llano but we did get some good rain.  Some took this opportunity to shop in town and some did laundry and I think some napped.  We snacked for dinner and enjoyed the rain.

Miles Today --- 95

Thursday --- Day 6

We woke this morning to the threat of rain but it was suppose to pass through quickly.  We decided to run to a local restaurant and have breakfast while the storm passed through.  The folks at Andy’s made us feel right at home. After breakfast and the rain was down to a sprinkle, we rode back to the hotel and most of the group went back to town to finish shopping.  About noon, the sun came out so four of us decided to check out a place suggested by one of the locals during breakfast.  It is called The Old Tunnel Wildlife Management Area.  After the railroad died out, the tracks and wooden bridge trestle were dismantled and all that was left behind was the old tunnel through the mountain.  The tunnel was now home to 3 million Mexican freetail bats which come out each night.  The ride out to this area was just as great as the gentleman said it would be and when we arrived, we found a great exhibit and lots of viewing areas with bleachers.  No bats to be seen during the day but a group of people arrived and were looking at the bikes so a conversation started up.  He asked if we had lunch yet because the very best hamburger in Texas was available just around the corner.  Since we were in the middle of nowhere, we just had to check it out.  Just around the corner, back in the trees on the edge of the canyon where the tunnel opened, we found the Alamo Springs Café.  It was an oasis for certain, with a menu with lots of choices including home-made soups and desserts and according to the Texas Monthly magazine, the very best hamburger to be had in the Lone Star State.  It was a half-pound of Angus surrounded by all the right fixins on a jalapeno bun.  They also boasted a challenge that if anyone could eat their giant burger ( called JEFFE ) in 30 minutes and stay at the table for 15 minutes, you got it for free. Just to give you a hint of the size of this thing, it had 3 pounds of meat on it.  They said 40 people had ordered it but only 6 ever finished it off.  I tip my hat to them.  We enjoyed the ride back to the hotel and found most resting or doing laundry.  Tonight, we had great TEX-MEX at Mamacitas.  Tomorrow, we head home.

Miles Today  -- 32

Friday --- Day 7

I guess this day just had to come.  We would head home today and we all really hated to leave.  We had breakfast at the hotel and afterward, we lined the bikes up in front of the hotel for a picture.  It was kickstands up at 8 AM as we headed for the airport at San Antonio to drop Debbie off for her flight home. She’ll be home tonight while we still have 2 days of travel.  It is a beautiful day and the ride was great.  I left the group at McDonalds on 281 while I said good-by to my wife/navigator/passenger at the airport.  We stopped for gas and rest as needed and scooted though Houston about 1PM and stopped for lunch in Baytown at Chili’s.  Back on the road, we headed for the border. The day was warm so the water and rest stops were welcomed.  We hit some traffic back-up from a wreck near the border but it cleared quickly.  Riding through Texas and into Louisiana, proved that you always see different things going the other way. We pulled into the Holiday Inn Express in Scot, LA about 7 PM and learned that the spillway was to be opened in the morning to relieve the flooding along the Mississippi. This will raise the water level 15 feet in the area so we plan an early departure in the morning.  The group split up for dinner and some welcomed rest.  Long day today

Miles Today – 500

Saturday --- Day 8

Breakfast at the hotel.  We had planned to get on the road early but a few wanted to shop at Cajun Harley Davidson which was right around the corner from the hotel so we were sitting on their doorstep at opening time.  This is a vacation after all so a little shopping is expected.  With all our treasures packed away, we headed out about 9:30AM and did not stop much till we crossed the Mississippi River.  The water was much higher here and also in all the feeder rivers and creeks along the way.  With Houston traffic and the rising water behind us, it was smooth sailing from then on.  We stopped for lunch at Wendy’s somewhere past Mobile.  This time, Yvette knew we were going under water. She thought that was “freaky”.  One bike broke a shift rod but some wire ties saved the day.  Richard and Eb pulled off in Pensacola at the Harley Shop to pick up the needed part.  Our day ended around 5 PM at the Country Inn and Suites in Crestview, FL.  Dinner at Applebee’s next door. Another great day on the bikes.

Miles Today – 364

Sunday --- Day 9

Today would be our last day on the road.  We all had a great time but it will be good to get home.  Breakfast at the hotel and at 8:15AM, the monkey say it was time to go !!  You’ll have to ask Linda about the monkey.  The weather is cool today. We’ve been traveling behind the rain for 2 days and today looks great again.  We stopped for lunch in Madison, FL at McDonalds and this would be our last gas stop as we all could make it home from here.  The last 100 miles gave me a chance to reflect on our ride.  To some of our group, this was a walk in the park.  To others, these 2811 miles was their longest ride ever.  We rode some of the most famous bike roads in Texas.  We saw wildlife of every kind including that HUGE jack rabbit that could have fed a family of 5.  We enjoyed the food in every region including TEX-MEX, BBQ, seafood and lots of Texas hospitality.  9 days on your bike, great friends, and the Texas Hill Country.  It just doesn’t get any better than that.  Till next time, ride safe and ride often.

Miles Today – 330

David Ash