Half A Million and the Top 5

 

I am fully aware there are many publications and blogs that have had millions of eyes/readers peruse their websites and blogs.  However, for a motorcycle rider that is not a professional writer the thought of having 500,000+ click on a simple blog is startling and humbling.   

An early post about Wheels Through Time museum and the same model my grandfather owned back in 1915.

 When I started the blog I just wanted to be an "ordinary biker" providing useful and straightforward information for other riders.  I did not want to use strange and unnecessary phrases just to be different, "original" or condescending.  Often the similes used in publications are just silly, for example, one author stated "the engine fired up with the sound of 10,000 angry wasps."  That description did not provide me with any useful information. 

Here are some of the bikes I have had over the years, but not all, with links to reviews and/or videos.

2010 Yamaha FJR

2012 Honda VFR1200

2009 Suzuki VStrom 650

I am so glad the blog has been so well received and I want to thank everyone who has visited, read a post or left a comment.  I greatly appreciate past and future feedback, comments and subscribers.   

Here are the five most read blog post.  Some were posted years ago and some only months ago.  If you missed one of these maybe now is a good time to read it.

The Five Most Read Posts

5) An Epic Museum Featuring an American Icon is A Must Visit!

4) Texas Hill Country

3) Honda VFR 1200 Review

2) Yamaha FJR Review

1) V Star 1100 Review

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 

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MotoGP - world class racing and great Texas Food

We are excited here in Texas about hosting MotoGP races on the new track in Austin, Texas - April 19-21, 2013.  More info

New track in Austin - photo from twowheelmania.com

This will be a great race at a great venue.  Austin is in the heart of Texas and is the state capital.  It is also on the eastern edge of the Texas Hill Country, home of some of the best riding in the south.  Here is a link to some of my posts concerning the Hill Country.  The Three Twisted Sisters is the premiere route in the Hill Country.

 The Hill Country has a lot of twisties

and a lot of ups and downs!

There are a lot of great places and roads in Texas - Link

If you want information concerning tickets for the MotoGP races you can find it here.

Ride, drive, trailer, fly, sail, or come by train, but come and visit us in Texas.  You will enjoy the hospitality, the roads, the food, and the races.  Maybe we can even all meet up and enjoy some great Texas bar-b-que or Tex-Mex.

Let me know if you are coming and if you need some suggestions on routes, restaurants,... just let me know.

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Please visit the following great companies:

THE ESSENTIALS FOR MODERATE SELF-IMPROVEMENT

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

# Based on reviews, word of mouth and discussion with others I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with this business, 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.

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Awesome Road in Texas Hill Country

It gets really hot here in Texas but, sometimes the road is worthy of some discomfort.  One such road I recently found is northwest of Austin on the eastern edge of the Texas Hill Country.  It was really by chance that I took the road but I am glad I found Farm to Market 1431 (FM 1431).

Cedar Park is a growing city 20 miles from downtown Austin and about 10 miles west of Round Rock and Interstate 35.  I checked into a motel on a hot (102 degrees) Sunday afternoon.  Once in the room I looked at the map and saw that I wasn't that far from the famous Blue Bonnet Cafe in Marble Falls and its famous homemade pies.  Homemade pie sounded great.  The most direct route was FM 1431 and it looked like it had some nice curves so I decided to take it.  I am glad I did.

 

FM 1431 has plenty of curves and elevation change

 

It was about 3:30 in the afternoon and the temperature on the FJR read 103 degrees as I headed west.  For the first five to six miles from I35 FM 1431 is a six lane city street with plenty of traffic lights, but after passing Anderson Mill Road things get better.  It comes a 4 lane road with nice sweeping curves and several hills.  There is one more traffic light in Lago Vista (about 20 miles west of I35) and then the road narrows to a two lane stretch of asphalt just waiting to be ridden.

Recently repaved FM 1431 is in great condition

 

The road had numerous curves, but down shifting was not needed on most of them.  They were big sweeping curves with elevation changes frequently.  I was able to enter the curve at a good pace and acceleration through the turn.  I really enjoyed the hills.  There is very few stretch (and those are short) in which there was no curve or no elevation change.

Of course riding in the Texas Hill Country at dusk or dawn can be a dangerous situation due to the concentration of wildlife, especially Mule Deer.  I did not see any on the way to Marble Falls (100+ temperatures tend to keep Bambi in the cooler shaded areas), but I did pass a couple 20 feet from the road on my way back to the motel around 6:00.

 

 This photo is from a different trip about 35 miles from Marble Falls, but it serves as a great example how deer sightings are very common in the area.

 

Once I got to Marble Falls I was disappointed to see that The Blue Bonnet Cafe closes at 1:45 on Sundays (yes, the sign on the door says 1:45).  I drowned may sorrows of missing out on a great piece of homemade pie with a Blizzard from the local Dairy Queen.

I decided to take the same road back even though I was headed to Georgetown to watch my son at basketball camp and there were other routes.  I had enjoyed the road and I knew that I could take it at a crisper pace this time.  It was great!

The following day I decided to ride some before heading to camp and watch my son and his team play games.  I checked out the map and decided that I had enjoyed FM 1431 so much and I did not get my pie - I would ride out to the Blue Bonnet Cafe for lunch, but on the way I was going to take a side loop off of FM 1431.

About 12 mile east of Marble Falls FM 1174 intersects FM 1431 and heads north.  I took FM 1174 to FM 243 to Oatmeal, TX.  Oatmeal is a tiny community with a community center and pavilion including a large grill to use during the Oatmeal Festival.  Yes, there is an Annual Oatmeal Festival on the Labor Day Weekend.

 

 Documented proof that somewhere someone will celebrate anything.

Hopefully this isn't the community's waters source.

 

I continued north on FM 243 to Bertram, TX where I turned south on FM 1174 riding it back to FM 1431.  The loop to Oatmeal, Bertram, and back to FM 1431 added 31 miles and it was well worth it.  The loop was not as curvy, but quite enjoyable and scenic.  

 

FM 1431 crossing over Cow Creek

 

I pulled into the Blue Bonnet Cafe ready for lunch and some pie.  I actually enjoyed breakfast for lunch (breakfast served all day) and yes I had a piece of German Chocolate Pie after my breakfast/lunch.  I forgot to take my camera in so no pictures, but I was very satisfied with both the meal and the dessert.

Once more I consulted my map to decide how I would get to Georgetown and basketball camp.  No other road heading to Georgetown could match the squiggly line I had already ridden three times in less than 24 hours - so I smiled and headed east on FM 1431 with a goal of push the FJR through the curves and over the hills.  I also had time to take a couple of side roads to look at Cow Creek and the Colorado River (not to be confused with the much longer and bigger river that flows from Colorado to the Gulf of California).

 

Cow Creek.  Cow Creek Road is a paved county road that has some great scenery.

Muleshoe Bend of the Colorado at the end of Turkey Bend Road

 

The fourth time riding the road was just as enjoyable as the first and second time.  I really enjoyed the road, the scenery, and the side roads.  If you are in Central Texas and have the time you will not be disappointed riding FM 1431 and you might as well stop for pie in Marble Falls.

On a different note - during my ride from the Dallas-Ft. Worth metro-mess I had to stop by the Czech Stop Bakery in West and then I purposefully set out to find a church that I had seen on a previous ride.  The sign to the church is like none other I had ever seen so I wanted a picture of the sign.  Just thought I would share it with you.  Let me know if you have ever seen a church like this.  

 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 

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Read the sign carefully

 

 

The Feedlot in Leakey, TX

The Hill Country of Texas is an awesome place to ride and work up a good appetite.  If you take the time to ride the famous "Three Twisted Sisters" (FM 335, FM 336, & FM 337) you ride through Leakey and past The Leakey Feed Lot (547 US 83).

The three FM roads make up "Sisters" along with the north connecting Hwy - TX 41 and a short stretch of TX 55 between Camp Wood and Barksdale make up a 100 mile loop through some great Texas landscape.  The roads a full of twisties, hills, and a variety of Texas scenery.  (Photo take on FM 335)

This is not a loop for inexperienced riders.  The roads follow canyons and at times there are some steep drop offs which little or no guardrails.

There are several exotic ranches along the way.  One ranch on FM 335 even had giraffes.

On two separate occasions I have ridden the "Sisters" in the morning and returned to Leakey for lunch at the Leakey Feed Lot.  At first glance I did not think the place was open and if you get after 2pm and before 5pm it is closed!  Actually it is open only on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 11-2 & 5-9 and on Sunday 11-2.  (Photo from www.leakeyfeedlot.com)

On both occasions we sat outside in the front of the restaurant and watch the bikes go by.  I ordered the cheeseburger and fries.  The order came out hot, fresh, and on a paper plate - kind of surprising, but did not damage the burger.  The fries were hot and cooked just right (for me).  The veggies on the burger all seemed fresh.  The meat was lean and seasoned well.

The burger hit the spot and filled me up.  Although I did not have the chicken fried steak I have heard it is really good.

So go enjoying the Three Twisted Sisters and then fill your stomach with some good food at the Leakey Feed Lot.  You will greatly enjoy both uniquely Texas experiences.

A Must Ride Scenic Road in the Texas Hill Country

Willow City is a very small community in Gillespie County in the Hill Country of Texas.  Willow City is located about 13 miles north of Fredericksburg and two miles east on FM 1232.  The loop can be accessed from either Willow City or from TX 16 (19 miles north of Fredericksburg on TX 16 or 19 miles south from Llano on TX 16).

This popular road is county maintained and is barely wide enough for two cars.  The 20-mile or so back road is a great place to see some beautiful country and wildlife.  Gillespie County has the highest concentration of whitetail deer in all of the US so be careful, especially in the morning or evening.  There is also a good chance you will see wild turkey or wild boar.  There are several cattle guard crossings, which mean there are some free ranging cows, be watchful.

During the spring the Texas wildflowers are plentiful (and so are the cars full of bluebonnet seekers - so be alert for stopped traffic).  There are some low water crossings that after some heavy rains might be a problem, but most of the time they are fine.  Stay on the main road and do not go on to private property.

This is not a road for great curves and speed.  This Texas gem is for a relaxing ride in the pretty hill country.  If you are in the area I highly recommend that you take "the loop."  You will not regret it.

 

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 

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