Must Ride Roads in Texas - Three Twisted Sisters

Inside the Frio Canyon Motorcycle Stop restaurant 

 

The second full day of riding on our trip to the Texas Hill Country included the famous Ranch to Market (RM) roads 335, 336 and 337 aka The Three Twisted Sisters (sisters because of the consecutive numbers) and after lunch Texas 39 which runs along side a good amount of the North Fork Guadalupe River.

 

This post and the VIDEO is about the Three Twisted Sister.  The geography of this area makes for great riding and pretty scenery.  

 

Getting to the "sisters" was a nice scenic ride in it's own right, albeit not very curvy.  We passed several ranches and while on TX 41 we saw a herd of bison and in the herd was a "white buffalo!"  Once we turned south on US 83 we could tell we were at a higher elevation than where we were heading.  The views of the valleys were very scenic.

 

Once we arrived in Leakey, Texas we gassed up at the Stripes Convenient Store and gas station. It's a clean station with a good parking lot and 12 gas pumps!  After our fuel stop we headed to RM 336.  I had never ridden the sisters counter-clockwise so this time we did.

 

RM 336 reportedly has 133 curves in 27 miles (Leakey to Hwy 41 intersection).  I cannot confirm or deny the number of curves because I was too busy enjoying the ride to count curves.  The elevation slowly got higher, although it's not a big change it is noticeable.  If one is inclined to do so there are some good places to stop for photos of the surrounding area.

 

RM 335

 

Once at the Hwy 41 intersection we turned west (left) and rode for 13.5 miles and turned south (left) on RM 335.  We grabbed some throttle and enjoyed the 32 miles and reportedly 134 curves as we descended to Barksdale and TX 55.  During previous rides on RM 335 I have seen two giraffes at a specific ranch (I make note of the ranch on the VIDEO), but this time they were not seen.  Turning south (left) we traveled 4.5 miles to Camp Wood and the intersection of RM 337 aka East 4th Street.

 

RM 337 gains elevation from Camp Wood and then descends into Leakey and Frio Canyon Motorcycle Stop were we had lunch.  RM 337 continues to Medina for a total of 57 miles and a reported 235.  We had ridden RM 337 east of Leakey the day before so we hit 20 miles of RM 337 this day for a total of 185 miles with 94 miles being the route for the Three Twisted Sisters.  

 

Waiting for our lunches

We stopped for lunch, t-shirts etc at the Frio Canyon Motorcycle Stop.  A good crowd of motorcyclists gathered for lunch, drinks and more.  It's a good place to stop when in Leakey.

 

Outside seating at the Frio Canyon Motorcycle Stop 

Here is a video that will give you a small taste of the Three Twisted Sisters.  If you get to the Hill Country you will enjoy the riding; however, I do not recommend going July - September as the temperatures and humidity can make it uncomfortable.  June can even be hot so check you weather apps.

Ride carefully and prayerfully!    

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"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 

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Awesome Roads in Texas Hill Country - Day 1

 

Texas is a big state and has a lot of different topology, climates and geographical regions.  One of my favorite regions to ride in is the Texas Hill Country.  The Edwards plateau, limestone hills, changing elevation (500 to 2400+ feet), numerous rivers, big ranches, little ranches and a lot of ranches raising exotic mammals are just part of what makes the region unique.  

Three of us from Tennessee met six of my Texas friends for 3 days of riding and two days at the MotoGP races in Austin.  For me this was my second time to attend the races as a spectator instead of a volunteer track marshal as I had six times over the past 11 years. 

We converged on a Tuesday for lunch at the Blue Bonnet Cafe in Marble Falls, TX, one of the best restaurants in Texas (I can't believe I haven't posted about the Blue Bonnet Cafe, yet).  After lunch we enjoyed a scenic ride on the east side of Inks Lake and headed to Llano.  After a fuel stop we continued south on Texas 16 towards Fredericksburg.  Prior to getting to Fredericksburg we detoured west and rode the Willow City Loop.  The loop is a county road and has a few cattle guard crossings and free-range cattle could be crossing the road, although they weren't close that day.  The views of the canyon along the loop are picturesque.  Around dusk or dawn it is very likely deer would be seen on or near the road, but we were there mid-afternoon. 

On Wednesday, day 1 of all riding together, we head south and west on some great roads and I had my action camera ready to capture parts of the ride.  (See Video)

 

After getting through and out of Kerrville we experienced very little traffic.  TX 16 is in great shape and has plenty of sweepers and elevation changes.  At Medina we turned west on Ranch Road 337.  Whenever we saw the tall fences we would look for exotics, bison or other non domesticated animals of which we saw numerous over the days of riding.

I made a mistake and turned left at the intersection with Ranch Road 187 and ended up in Utopia long before we should arrive so we stop for a break.  We heading back to Vanderpool and then continuing west on Ranch Road 337 which has nice elevation and scenic views of the surrounding area. 

At Leakey we stopped for a fuel break before taking Ranch Road 1120 to Ranch to Market (RM) Road 1050 east towards Utopia and Lost Maples Cafe.  RM 1050 was 14 miles with sweepers, tighter curves roller coaster elevation change and nice vistas.  

 

In Utopia we pulled into Lost Maples Cafe, which was suggested by my friend Jerry.  When I entered the cafe and before I could ask for a table for eight the host/waitress said "We have your table in the back."  I asked was that for us and she stated she saw us pull up and tried to count how many of us there were and proceeded to prepare for us.  The waitress was quick, friendly and had a good sense of humor.  The food was very good and everyone enjoyed his meal.  If you are in that area it's worth the stop.  Those who had pie for dessert we pleased.

After lunch we took Ranch Road 470 east to Bandera and then north on Ranch Road 689 to the edge of Kerrville where we turned on TX 27 to Comfort.  We rode through Comfort to Ranch Road 473 to Old San Antonio Road aka Old Tunnel State Park Road.  At Grapetown we took Grapetown Road to Luckenbach.

After some time in Luckenbach we headed back to the house in Fredericksburg.  So Day 1 with 220 miles of fun filled, grin inducing riding in the Hill Country was in the books.  If you haven't ridden in that area of Texas put it on your bucket list.

See Day 1 Video and watch for the next post about day 2 and the video of day 2 which included riding the renown Three Twisted Sisters.

Ride carefully and prayerfully!    

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Please visit the following great companies:

THE ESSENTIALS FOR MODERATE SELF-IMPROVEMENT

 

Awesome gear for every rider!

* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 

Feedback on these businesses is appreciated.  You may comment below.

 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 

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First Ride of 2026 and First After Surgery!

 

The sheep in Tennessee country were curious when I stopped by

 

This may be a lot later than most riders in the southern states of North America, but I went on my first motorcycle ride in 2026 and the first after my aortic heart valve replacement.  Wow, it felt great!

In August 2025 my family doctor heard a heart murmur.  No other doctor had every mentioned hearing a murmur so it was new development.  A echocardiogram was ordered.  Two weeks later the doc is telling me I have stenosis in my aortic valve (stenosis is narrowing and stiffening of the valve) which is not good.  

A trip to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee for more tests and consultation took place.  We were told I had a bicuspid valve, which is a birth defect, instead of a normal tricuspid valve and it would eventually fail.  A replacement was needed.

October 22 at 5:30am I checked in for a mini aortic heart valve replacement and later that day I awoke with a new bovine heart valve.  Recovery was slow at first but in the last six weeks I have progressed well and have gained endurance and strength.  So it was time for a ride!

A sunny day and an old country church made for my first 2026 ride photo stop

Fun ahead!  No straight roads on this ride

 

February 2, 2026 was sunny and temperatures rose to the upper 40's.  I geared up for a short ride after the longest period without riding since I first started riding motorcycles in March of 2004.  I headed to a nearby road that I enjoy and I could not stop smiling.  The Indian operated like it should and I enjoyed the curves with confidence.

Although it was a short jaunt, by design, it made me feel good about my recovery and now I am looking forward to more days that are warmer and hopefully dry.  Today has been warmer, but rainy.

Short ride but a good one for the first after heart valve replacement surgery

I plan to get some more miles ridden before the end of March in preperation for a trip to the Texas Hill Country.  Some friends and I will be heading to the Texas Hill Country for four days of riding and then two days attending the MotoGP races at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin.  Of course we will ride the Three Twisted Sisters while in the Hill Country, eat Texas BBQ and some Tex-Mex!

It was great to be back on the motorcycle after 3+ months and I am so blessed the surgery and recovery has been successful.  I am also so blessed to have a wonderful, knowledgeable and caring wife to help me through it all, as well as supportive and prayerful children, family and friends.  Thank you all!

Ride carefully and prayerfully!    

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Connect and follow Biker Oz on the following:

              

 

Please visit the following great companies:

THE ESSENTIALS FOR MODERATE SELF-IMPROVEMENT

 

Awesome gear for every rider!

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Ordinary Biker Oz YouTube Channel has video reviews and more

* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 

Feedback on these businesses is appreciated.  You may comment below.

 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 

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Top Waterfalls to See in Idaho and a Must Ride Scenic Byway

When something is located near a world renown site it can easily get over looked.  That is the case with the Mesa Falls in Idaho.  Just 50 miles southwest from the west entrance to Yellowstone lies two awesome waterfalls, the Upper Mesa Falls and the Lower Mesa Falls.

The Mesa Falls Scenic Byway (ID 47) is a 29 mile road that runs east of US 20 and connects with US 20 at both ends, Ashton, ID on the south end and 9 miles south of Island Park, ID on the north end.  The Mesa Falls Scenic Byway also intersects the Teton Scenic Byway just east of Ashton and both are great roads to ride.

The Henrys Fork River runs through the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and is a tributary to the Snake River. The river cuts through the basalt rock and surrounding landscape to create two eye-popping waterfalls.  The waterfalls are the last notable falls on the Snake River that have not been impacted by manmade influences.  

We took US 20 from West Yellowstone to Island Park where we stopped for breakfast at Pond's Lodge in Island Park.  Pond's Lodge has cabins, a gas station and a restaurant.  The restaurant is a nice establishment with friendly and attentive service as well as good food.  The log siding building is charming and it has sportsman decor.  More importantly they served a great breakfast.

 The trophies on the wall watch over the customers

Huckleberry Pancakes

My son and I enjoyed huckleberry pancakes, scrambled eggs, and hash browns.  The huckleberry pancakes were delicious, the eggs and hash browns were cooked to order and it all tasted great!  The other seven in our group were also happy with their orders and we all left with full stomachs, so I guess you can say we were satisfied.

Heading south away from Island Park we turned east on ID 47 a.k.a. Mesa Falls Scenic Byway and rode 13 miles to the entrance of the Mesa Falls area.  The road and parking lot are well paved.  There are restrooms, a visitor center, a gift shop, boardwalks and a viewing platforms.  The park is well maintained.  Fees were $1/ motorcycle and $5/car.  (Fees may change)  Access to view the Lower Mesa Falls is from the Grandview Campground and Overlook.

Upper Falls in the morning sunlight

 

The Upper Falls is 114 feet high and 300 feet wide (the Upper Yellowstone Falls is 109 feet).  The roar of the falls can be heard long before the waterfall is seen.  The morning sunlight and spray from the falls create an impressive rainbow.  The spray creates a lush ecosystem on the side of the canyon below the forest.  The secluded area was peaceful and crowd free.  We saw various birds including an osprey.  The wildflowers were blooming and were colorful. 

 

We thought this rock at the base of the Upper Falls looked like a bear.

 

The falls are the last two major undisturbed waterfalls in Idaho.  Most have been impacted by irrigation or hydroelectric projects.  The pristine wilderness around the falls is a hikers paradise, although grizzly bear have been seen in the area according to park signs.  There is a one mile hiking trailing from Upper Falls to Lower Falls.  The trailhead is located at Upper Falls between the two parking lots on the east side.  There are other longer trails for those wanting to hike more.

Awesome Photo opp!

The river heading toward Lower Falls.

Lower Falls is not as high, but it sure is beautiful.  Notice the hiking trail on the edge of the canyon.

 

When you are visiting Yellowstone taking some time to visit the Upper and Lower Mesa Falls well be very rewarding not to mention you will encounter a lot less congestion.  The ride/drive to the falls is beautiful and the falls will make you smile.

Ride carefully and prayerfully!    

 Top Five Oz Videos

  

Connect and follow Biker Oz on the following:

        

Ordinary Biker Oz YouTube Channel has video reviews and more

Christian Motorcyclists Association

Come Ride With Us 

Please visit the following great companies:

THE ESSENTIALS FOR MODERATE SELF-IMPROVEMENT

 

Awesome gear for every rider!

* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 

Feedback on these businesses is appreciated.  You may comment below.

 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 

HOME