Cycling a typical county road in the Hill Country north of Kerrville--one lane wide, no center stripe and no traffic!
It Offers the Best Road Biking in the Nation's Sunbelt
by Norman D. Ford
Cycling a typical county road in the Hill
Country north of Kerrville--one lane wide, no center stripe and no traffic!
CLICK HERE FOR OUR NINE-DAY INDEPENDENT ROAD BIKE TOUR
Calling the Hill Country the largest of America's Last Great Places, the Nature Conservatory describes it as "an enormous crescent of land that stretches across Central Texas--18,000 square miles, the size of New Hampshire and Vermont combined."
Lying west of Austin and San Antonio, and bordered by the cities of Llano, Mason, Junction, Camp Wood, Laekey, Bandera, Boerne, and Blanco, this part of West Central Texas has some of the best year around road biking in America. Hundreds of miles of almost traffic- free backroads wind between wooded hills while towns with motels lie roughly a day's ride apart.
The Hill Country is part of the Edwards Plateau, an undersea bedrock formed by prehistoric seas. In the north, granite and marble domes expose some of the world's oldest rocks while the Hill Country's southern boundary consists of the Balcones Escarpment, a layer cake of limestone deposits honeycombed with caves and sink holes. By seeping through this erie underworld, billions of gallons of water have collected underground to form the Edwards Aquifer. Much of the water bubbles to the surface to form the hundreds of springs and clear flowing rivers that normally lace the Hill Country and that have carved deep limestone caverns through the monumental Hills.
Native Americans, who lived in the Hill Country for 7,000 years, fiercely resisted both the Spanish friars who built missions here in the 1700s, and the Anglos who began settling the Hills in the 1840s. Roadside markers all across the southern Hills describe massacres of Anglo women and children tending livestock in the fields. Meanwhile, a group of 120 German immigrants founded Fredericksburg and settled much of the northern Hills. By signing a peace treaty with the Native Americans, the Germans avoided any massacres and today, the northern Hill Country is filled with churches, farmhouses, barns and fences built of native limestone rock by these sturdy pioneers. Other relics of frontier history are the numerous roadside cemeteries containing the graves of hundreds of victims of diptheria and influenza epidemics that swept the area a century ago.
Smaller cities like Comfort, Fredericksburg, Llano and Mason still have town squares and well-preserved historic districts dotted with homes, churches, stores and other buildings dating from the 1880s or even earlier. Chambers of Commerce in these towns distribute free tour maps, enabling you to tour the historic districts on foot or by bicycle.
Instead of heavy industry and agribusiness, it is ranching, tourism and retirement cheques that drive the Hill Country's economy. Longhorn cattle, buffalo, and exotic game often graze in roadside pastures and the Hill Country has become home to some of the world's largest herds of endangered, cleft-footed animals. Shaggy, bearded aoudad sheep, spotted axis deer, black buck antelope with spiral horns, llamas and gentle fallow deer often feed along fence lines close to the road. The Hill Country is also home to the nation's largest herd of white-tailed deer. Perky rock and black squirrels, and even coyotes, are as common as scissor-tailed flycatchers and scarlet male cardinals. Turkey vultures and hawks soar on updrafts overhead.
But it is the trees and flowers that perpetually fill the Hills with color. From mid-March to late May, the sides of many roads are ablaze with a succession of bluebonnets, pink evening primrose, red Indian paintbrush and the flaming reds and golds of Indian blanket, firewheels and Mexican sombreros. Mountain laurel blooms at higher elevations in April and fills your lungs with its heady scent as you pedal uphill. In summer, sunflowers and the ripening purple prickly pear tunas maintain a pageant of color, while in fall the Hills are splashed with the crimson of sumac and red oak and the golds of sycamore and cottonwood. Peak season for bluebonnets is April 1-21 and until May 12 for other wildflowers.
With an average total snowfall of perhaps one inch every other year, Hill Country weather allows bicycling throughout the year. Admittedly, summer afternoons can be wilting and it pays to cycle early in the day. Occasionally, too, in winter or spring, a blustery norther may be followed by several days of rain. From May through July, and periodically at other times, heavy thunderstorms may occur with torrential rain and sometimes golfball-sized hail. The media is usually able to warn of upcoming violent storms and most state park shelters are equipped with overhead roofs that protect against sun or hail. Nevertheless, spring and fall are eminently suited for bicycling, and most cyclists who live here ride throughout the year.
(For anyone planning a cycling vacation in the Hills, I strongly recommend coming only between October 7 and May 15 and if you come in December, January or February bring WARM clothes and gloves. Though cyclable on most days, January can be surprisingly blustery and cold.)
It is these and similar factors that have made the Hill Country one of the most uncrowded, unspoiled and best locales for bicycle day rides and touring in America today.
Here is the Practical Know-How You Need To Get Started
Four types of paved roads span the Hill Country:-
COUNTY ROADS are usually narrow, winding, hilly country lanes without a center line and generally they carry very light traffic. Instead of a number they bear a name such as McCullough Road. In most counties, this name is displayed on a metal street sign at every intersection. Green colored signs indicate a public road. Red signs identify a private road.
Despite the occasional steep hills and mile-long upgrades, they are the most scenic, pleasant and rewarding roads to bike on. Just about all county roads have been paved in the eastern counties but farther west or north, some county roads may still be graded dirt.
In counties like Gillespie (Fredericksburg) county roads are so numerous that without a map naming each county road, one can easily get lost. To find your way in the back country, you need a map that clearly shows the NAME of each county road. Many "county" maps do NOT show road names. And on many county roads, there are few if any passing motorists to ask. Even if there are, they may speak only Spanish.
A series of county road maps that DO name every county road is published by Texas Trails, 207 E. Main St., Llano TX 78643, phone 325-247-5183. Their maps cover 9 Hill Country counties thus:
Fredericksburg and Gillespie Counties
Kerrville and Kerr County
Comal County
Blanco and Blanco County
Boerne, Comfort and Kendall County
Junction and Kimble County
Marble Falls and Southern Burnet County
Northern Burnet County
Some of these counties only border the Hill Country. More westerly counties like Real and Edwards may have been added by now. Most cyclists are able to pick up a set of these splendid maps at the Convention and Visitors Bureaus in Kerrville or Fredericksburg and perhaps other Hill Country towns. Try phoning and asking for a map of each county you will ride through to be mailed to you. And so far, all maps appear to be free.
AAA members can also obtain the free AAA map "Texas Hill Country" 2001-2002 (or later) edition, from their nearest AAA office. The map shows most county roads with names. But recently-built county roads are not shown. While it gives excellent coverage of the eastern Hills, it does not cover the western Hill Country counties and misses the highly-scenic roads in Real and Edwards Counties. It does give detailed street maps of most Hill Country towns.
On county and other secondary roads, low-water crossings (causeways) are frequently used instead of a bridge to carry a paved road across a creek. Most low-water crossings are normally dry and are flooded for a few hours following a heavy rain. But water flows over some crossings for months at a time and sometimes permanently. Usually, the water is only an inch or two deep. But the water's constant presence allows algae to coat the crossing. Algae is extremely slick and virtually any bike--including one with fat tires--may slip sideways and slide out from under you.
To traverse a slick low-water crossing, stay in one of the tire tracks cut by car tires where algae is less. Disengage clipless pedals and cross at walking speed. Ride straight and avoid braking or pedaling. Walking across may not be the answer because your shoes can slide as readily as can a bike. Many low-water crossings are also narrow and traffic is one-way. It's best to give cars right-of-way at both low-water crossings and cattle guards.
Cattle guards consist of a grid of widely-spaced metal pipes or rails placed across a road at property boundaries to prevent livestock from crossing. Most guards consist of 2-inch steel pipe spaced 3-inches apart. Almost all bike wheels and tires can cross them safely--that is, provided you cross them at right angles. The pipes are usually laid across the road at a 90- degree angle. But not always. Some may be at an oblique angle of 80 or even 70 degrees. These could be hazardous, especially when wet. If you meet one, maneuver your bike so that you do cross at right angles. Or walk across.
Most cattle guards have a smooth leading edge but some may not and the resulting bump may cause a pinch-flat in a very skinny tire. The best way to cross a cattle guard is to slow down until you can clearly see that all the rails are in place and there is no leading edge bump. Then stop pedaling, level the pedals, and stand up with knees bent to cushion any shock.
Loose, pea-sized gravel may be spread on some secondary roads as a cheap way to repave. The weight of passing cars and trucks eventually smooths down the gravel. Since traffic is often light on these roads, this process can take weeks or months. Usually, you can ride in the tracks created by cars. But if you must pull on to the road edge, you could find yourself riding in deep gravel.
So much for County Roads. Other Texas Highway Classifications are:-
FARM-TO-MARKET ROADS: These bear 4-digits (like FM 2138) and are often narrow and shoulderless but usually have a center line. Traffic is usually fairly light.
RANCH ROADS: These bear 3 digits (RR 765) and most lack shoulders. They serve as secondary roads in rural areas and most have a center line. Most, though not all, carry moderate traffic.
STATE ROADS: These bear 2 digits (TX 16) and the majority are two-lane with moderate traffic and a shoulder from 1-4 feet wide.
U.S. HIGHWAYS: These bear a two or 3 digit number (US 377). In Texas, most have a wide shoulder (though not all) and they are usually main roads. However, not all are heavily traveled.
INTERSTATES (I-10). In very rural areas you may usually cycle on the interstate shoulder, provided no alternative route exists and you keep far right and in single file. Again, most Texas Interstates are paralleled , often on both sides, by a 2-lane frontage road on which you are expected to cycle.
We always try to cycle on County Roads whenever we can. That said, the Hill Country is equally attractive for:-
Base Touring, which is making your headquarters at a motel in a single town and exploring the surrounding area on a series of one-day out and back rides, returning to the same town each night. Fredericksburg is the undisputed best Base Town in the Hill Country while Kerrville, Comfort and Laekey are others.
Multi-Day Touring consists of cycling a loop itinerary from one town to another, starting and ending at the same town, and staying overnight at affordable motels en route. Some of these towns may also be Base Towns at which cyclists can spend two or more nights while exploring the local area on day-rides.
Loop Rides versus Out-and-Back Rides
While every bicyclist prefers a loop ride, the sheer size of Texas and the distances involved often make it necessary to do an out-and-back ride over the same road rather than a loop or circular ride. But, in fact, a loop ride isn't always ideal. I can think of half-a-dozen popular loop rides in the Hill Country that route you on a scenic backroad for part of the loop, then complete the loop by routing you over a featureless, high-traffic road.
Gillespie County's well-known Willow City Loop is an example. For 13 miles you ride a superbly scenic county road; then, in the belief that every ride must be a circular loop, the standard itinerary takes you the rest of the way on TX 16, a state highway with narrow shoulders .
Frankly, I never ride this version of the Willow City Loop. Instead, I ride the 13-mile backroad on the way out, then turn around and ride back on the same 13-mile backroad. This way, I get 26 miles of exciting scenery (and brilliant wildflower displays in spring) instead of having to ride uphill on busy TX 16.
I submit that the belief that all rides must be loop rides is just a cyclist's MYTH. Even though you may have just ridden over a road, going back and seeing it all from a new direction often makes the return ride seem like an entirely new trip. In many cases, an out-and-back ride gives you a double exposure to some really outstanding scenery that you'd see only once if riding a loop.
A case in point concerns the most scenic ride in Texas: the dramatic River Road (RR 170), a 30-mile stretch of geological wonderland through the Rio Grande Canyon between Redford and Lajitas in West Texas. The length of the gorge, you ride between jagged mountain walls with vivid panoramas of river and mountains in bothTexas and Mexico. Yet because this stunning road cannot be ridden on a one-day loop, it has been omitted from an annual list of "The Best Bicycle Rides in Texas" published each year in a popular Texas monthly magazine.
this site is still under construction
. . . and our latest addition is a detailed report on How to Plan and Carry Out Your Own Nine Day Independent Road Bike Tour through the Best of the Texas Hill Country. . .while overnighting at economy-priced motels (or tent camping where possible). A detailed routing and description for making this tour on your own is the last item on this website.
Don't forget, too, that it's just an 8-hour drive to link up with our Tour of West Texas (see "Winter Cycling in Texas' Big Bend" on our Home Page Menu.) Combining our West Texas and Hill Country rides could provide a wonderfully scenic bike touring vacation of up to a month or more. Our West Texas website describes how, a few years ago, a couple flew from Scotland to Texas and spent a six-weeks vacation cycling both our Hill Country and West Texas routes.
We may remind readers that this is a bike-touring website for cyclists who stay overnight at lodgings. We also believe that bike touring should not be expensive. Thus any motels or businesses we list are to help bicycle-touring become more affordable and they are likely to have economy or budget rates (wherever available). Perhaps you can get lower group rates at a B&B but for the average cyclist or couple, the economy motels we list are almost always less expensive. Nor have we ever received a penny, nor even a free night's lodging from any motel or business that we list. Putting this entire website On-Line costs exactly $30 a month, which is paid for in full by the author of this report as an enjoyable hobby (and that includes reports on dozens of bike tours the author has made all over the U.S., Europe, Costa Rica, Bali and elsewhere).
THREE GREAT WEBSITES THAT INTRODUCE YOU TO HILL COUNTRY CYCLING
--And That Have Dozens of Downloadable Maps to Popular Hill Country Bike Rides
THE HILL COUNTRY BICYCLE TOURING CLUB'S website is at http://www.hcbtc.org and its mailing address is PO Box 276637, San Antonio TX 78227. The club was founded a decade or so ago by veteran cyclo-tourists Chris and Jan Marsh of San Antonio and the Home Page tells a lot about the club as it starts right off by saying, "This is not a racing club," and it adds that no one is left behind on group rides.
Membership costs $10 a year and you receive a frequent On-Line Newsletter plus weekly email announcements of the club's many group rides. These half-day or longer rides are scheduled all year, mostly through the Hills close to San Antonio. (Actually, some rides are flat.)
But you don't have to be a member to sample a group ride, nor to download from the website any of the club's HUGE collection of 50 maps showing 100 different rides you can do on your own, nearly all through the Texas Hills.
Although a few maps are devoted to Missouri's Katy Trail and one to West Texas, many rides are based on Fredericksburg, Kerrville, Comfort and on other towns closer to San Antonio. Most HCBTC members reside in San Antonio. You can go straight to the Map Collection by clicking on www.hcbtc.org/maps.html
THE HILL COUNTRY CYCLING CLUB's website can be accessed by clicking on www.cycletexas.com .The "club" consists of an informal group of mostly racing-oriented cyclists who ride and train on a series of routes based on Fredericksburg, Texas. There appear to be no membership fees and anyone may join by signing up on the club's website. The club also promotes Fredericksburg's attractions for non-cycling vacationers.
But for touring cyclists, this website's main attraction are its splendid Route Maps and Descriptions of 17 popular bike rides in and around Fredericksburg. HCCC riders undoubtedly use these routes for training. Yet all are scenic, low-traffic rides that are equally suited for touring the local Hill Country on your own.
The 17 rides range in distance from 19 to 88 miles and none is longer than a day. Each ride has a large, detailed route map and each is accompanied by a ride summary with route details that list every turn, plus distances, elevation gain etc. You can go direct to the maps by clicking on www.cycletexas.com/routes/index.html
Or if you prefer to join club members for a fast-paced local ride, the club has group rides on Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends.
Don't miss this Superb Website, designed, edited and illustrated by local cyclist Greg Kagay.
HILL COUNTRY BICYCLE WORKS at www.hillcountrybicycle.com , is a pair of full service bike shops with a huge selection of bikes and components located at Kerrville and Fredericksburg in the Heart of the Hills. The shops are run by husband and wife team Lisa Nye and Adam Saladin who cycled around the world in the early 1990s through 17 exotic countries that included much of Asia and East Africa. Since starting Hill Country Bicycle Works in 1996, they have become leaders in the Texas road and mountain bike racing scene.
Their stores are located at 141 West Water Street #A 100 in Kerrville, phone 830-896-6864; and at 702B East Main, Fredericksburg TX 78624, phone 830-990-2609. Their email is hillbike@ktc.com and they are open M-F 10-6 and Sat 10-4 except that the Fredericksburg shop is closed on Wednesday. Their website also lists the current weather forecast.
If you're coming from out-of-town for a Hill Country bike vacation, you can ship your bike to them and they'll assemble it and tune it up for your arrival. They'll also box and ship your bike back home. They also have some rental bikes. They're also on top of the local day-rides scene. These are the only bike shops in the central and western Hill Country area.
Also see the Over-The-Hills Cycling Group listed below under Kerrville (with tips on buying a bike for Hill Country road riding).
Texas Hill Country State Parks
For map of all Hill Country State Parks with tent camping and reservation info, click on http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/hill_country
BANDERA (Bandera County; Pop. 1000, Alt 1258 feet)
An authentic Western town ringed by dude and working ranches. Ten miles away is the Hill Country State Natural Area with scenic mountain bike trails and some challenging single track riding.
CAMP WOOD (Real County; Pop. 550)
A former Army post established in 1857 to prevent native American raids, Camp Wood still remains a "Main Street" town lined by false-fronted stores and a shady park with picnic tables, all within a block of the center. A marker in the park commemorates Charles Lindbergh's landing here in 1924 while flying to California. Today, Camp Wood is a popular stopover on the 100-Mile Scenic Mountain Loop and has a small market, convenience store, several eateries and two comfortable motels.
Motels
Woodbine Inn, 214 Nueces Street, 830-597-2310. www.campwoodlodging.com. A modern, well run, 30 unit, recently-built motel on TX 55 (Nueces Street) just south of intersection with RR 377. Mid-range rates.
Hill Country Motel. From center, go one block east on RR 337 and turn left at sign. About 5 units, reception open only in evening otherwise you must phone. Mid-range rates. A small, quiet motel in tranquil woodland setting.
COMFORT (Kendall County: Pop 1,200)
Information: Chamber of Commerce, 830-995-3131
Comfort's High Street is the center of an extensive historic district settled in the 1880s by German Free Thinkers. Its 15 blocks of antique homes and buildings form one of the best-preserved historic districts in the Hill Country. Between Fifth and Eighth Streets, High Street is lined by antique shops, boutiques and restaurants, all in buildings dating back to the 1800s. About a dozen B&Bs provide overnight accommodation.
If you're driving to Comfort on I-10, get off at Exit 523 (U.S. 87) and drive south on 87 towards Comfort. Turn right on State 27 and drive west through town. Turn left into Broadway and drive one block to the City Park for parking and toilets.
Motels
M. Executive Inn, Highway 87 at IH-10. All units with at door parking, fairly reasonable. 830-995-5332.
Mountain Biking
Flat Rock Ranch is a Hill Country Mountain Bike Ranch located near Comfort. The ranch is a rugged 1,300-acre cattle and goat spread webbed by 25 miles of exciting single track with some jeep trail. The trails lead through typical Hill Country terrain with spectacular views, hill climbs,long downhill sections, technical single track and several creek crossings. Open mid-January to last weekend in September , tent camping and trailer hookups. For full info, phone 830-995-2858 or click on www.flatrockranch.net
Local Rides
CYPRESS CREEK-HIS HILL, 20 miles
You'll need Texas Trails maps of Kerr and Kendall Counties for this hilly, scenic ride of 3-4 hours that is popular with locals. From City Park, pedal northwest and cross State 27. On your right is a prestigious mansion, the two story August Fultin House, built in 1894. Continue on Broadway across a (usually dry) low water crossing over Cypress Creek and fork right into Gaddis Bluff Road. Ride this beautiful tree-shaded lane for about a mile, then turn left into wider Cypress Creek Road and pedal gradually uphill for 3 miles to Bartel Road. Turn left into Bartel and ride gradually downhill across I-10 . Then still on Bartel, climb a short steep hill and bear left to the junction of Schladoer Road. Turn right into Schladoer and head south to Westwood. Turn left into Westwood and pedal east until you meet State 27, a wide two-lane road.
Cross State 27 and begin riding south on Hermann Sons Road. It's a 3-mile ride across farm fields on Hermann Sons to Lindner Road. Turn left into Lindner and ride gradually uphill for two miles to Mill Dam Road. Turn left into Mill Dam Road and continue climbing up to the church of His Hill, poised atop a wooded hill. Ride around the church on a circular paved road that provides a far-flung panorama of the Hill Country in every direction. Then Mill Dam Road plunges steeply downhill, crosses the Guadelupe River, and heads towards State 27.
But just before reaching 27, you make a sharp right turn and pedal down Pankratz Road. On your left you'll pass an electric power grid. At the end of the grid, make a sharp left into Seventh Street . This takes you back across Cypress Creek and into Comfort. It's then just a block to Broadway, where you turn left and ride a short distance back to City Park.
FREDERICKSBURG (Gillespie County; Pop 10,000, Alt 1,745 feet)
Information: Fredericksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau, 302 East Austin, Fredericksburg TX 78624. 830-997-6523. Website: www.fredericksburg-texas.com Email: visitorinfo@fredericksburg-texas.com Request or pick up a copy of the Accommodations Guide listing all motels with an indication of rates plus over 100 B&Bs and 9 campgrounds, mostly RV sites.
Founded in 1846 by a group of German families, Fredericksburg has become a showplace of pioneer houses, churches and stores, many built of native limestone, and the town is filled with reminders of its German heritage. Its most famous landmark, the "coffee mill" church- -a replica of the original Vereins Kirche built in 1847--still stands on the north side of Main Street. Surrounding it is a historic district that embraces at least 25 blocks and which is dotted with Sunday Houses, built by early day ranchers so they could stay in town to attend Sunday church services. Housed in 19th Century buildings are German restaurants with robust cuisines, beer gardens, bakeries and the inevitable antiques shops. You can explore much of the historic area by bike, passing the European-style Marienkirche and many historic homes with wide verandahs and gingerbread-style decor.
Excepting the busy 4-lane Main Street (U.S.290) almost every part of Federicksburg can be reached by bicycle via quiet residential streets. Most bike rides begin from the central Marktplatz and can be accessed by a short ride through town. Lured by its undeniable charm and landscaped antique homes, Fredericksburg draws hundreds of tourists on weekends and advance motel reservations are advised for Friday or Saturday nights. The city has two supermarkets, including a large HEB Store.
The Hill Country Bicycle Works store is at 702B East Main in Fredericksburg (Ph. 830-990-2609).
Campgrounds
KOA Campground, 5 miles east on busy 4-lane US290 (no shoulder). 830-997-4796.
Motels (almost all FBG motels raise rates on Friday and Saturday nights)
Frontier Inn, 1704 US290 West (on north side of highway). 830-997-4389. Website: www.frontierinn.com. Email: frontier@fbg.net . Small, older motel one mile west of center, popular with cyclists for its economy rates, one story, at-door parking. On busy highway, narrow shoulder.
Country Inn Motel & Cottages, 1644 US290 West (on north side of US290). 830-997-2185. Website: www.mycountryinn.com . Email: countryn@ktc.com . Small, older , one-story motel popular with cyclists, with at-door parking located one mile west of center. On busy highway, narrow shoulder.
Budget Host Deluxe Inn, 901 East Main St, 26 units, two-stories, at-door parking for downstairs units. 830-997-3344. www.fredericksburgdeluxeinn.com .Affordable, located downtown, and popular with cyclists, exterior corridors upstairs.
Sunset Inn, 900 South Adams, Fredericksburg TX 78624. At south edge on SR 16 South, near HEB Supermarket. 830-997-9581 . www.sunset-inn.com . 26 units, 2 apts, 4 kitchenettes, at-door parking. Popular cyclist's motel, Good Value!
Dietzel Motel, 1141 US290 West. Popular old-timer at west end of town with mid-range rates and all units with at-door parking. 830-997-3330 . www.dietzelmotel.com.
Econo-Lodge, 810 South Adams, Fredericksburg TX 78624. 830-997-3437. Mid-range rates. www.ktc.net/econoldg .On SR16 one mile south of center near HEB Supermarket. At-door parking.
Super-8 Motel, 514 East Main St., Fredericksburg TX 78624. 830-997-6568. Central location . Two-story, at-door parking downstairs. Mid price range. www.the.super8.com/fredericksburg14619
B&B: Cyclists who prefer a B&B are especially welcome at 632 Southwoods, a bike-friendly Bed & Breakfast in Fredericksburg run by local cyclists Mike & Sherry Murphy. Website: www.632southwoods.com . Email: info@632southwoods.com . Phone: 877-816-9100 .
JUNCTION (Kimble County; Pop 2,800, Alt 1,710 feet)
Information: Chamber of Commerce, 402 Main St., 325-446-3190. Email: chamber@junctiontexas.net
Named for its location at the junction of the North and South Llano Rivers, Junction is a major motel stop for travelers on I-10 and an important center for pecan, wool and mohair production. Two supermarkets and a dozen affordable motels line the town's Main Street.
Motels
Legend Inn, 1908 N. Main, Junction TX 76849. 325-446-8644. All on ground floor. Reasonable rates.
Sun Valley Motel, 1611 Main St., Junction TX 76849. 1-866-446-2505. All on ground floor. Email Sun_Valley_Motel@yahoo.com. Economy rates.
Lazy T Motel, 2043 N. Main, Junction TX 76849. 915-446-2565. Economy rates.
Hills Motel, 1520 N. Main, Junction TX 76849. One story, near supermarket. Ph 325-446-2567.
Comfort Inn, exit 456 on I-10. 325-446-3572.
Day's Inn, exit 457 on I-10.
Rodeway Inn, 2343 Main St. 325-446-2505.
Campgrounds
KOA Campground, 2145 Main, 325-446-3138.
South Llano State Park, 5 miles south on U.S. 377 (shoulder); shady tent sites, hot showers; 915-446-3994.
KERRVILLE (Kerr County; Pop 25,000' , Alt 1,640 feet)
Information: Convention & Visitors Bureau, 2108 Sidney Baker, Kerrville TX 78028 (830-792-3535)
Sprawled along the Guadelupe River and surrounded by wooded hills, Kerrville is the Hill Country's largest city. Together with smaller Ingram, 5 miles west, it has become a popular river resort and retirement town and a center for a dozen summer camps, religious retreats, and ranches that dot Kerr County. Although the city dates back to the mid-1800s, it lacks any significant historic district. Kerrville has 3 supermarkets, a Walmart, several health food stores, about 100 churches, and a large, new hospital plus several gated-type retirement communities and the inevitable golf courses.
Wide, new streets and roads, some with painted bike lanes--and most dotted with brightly-painted SHARE THE ROAD signs--have transformed the cycling scene in and around Kerrville. Cyclists entering Kerrville from Hunt or Center Point will find a marked bike route running east-west through town and it takes you almost within sight of Kerrville-Schreiner Park--the best place for tent campers. En route, it passes the rear of HEB Supermarket (on Jefferson St.), where tent campers can stock up on food. Adventure Cycling's Trans America Bike Route follows this same route.
Though not all the new roads are shown on Texas Trails' Kerrville Street Map, getting this map beforehand can be a big help. Cyclists riding the East-West Route from Ingram simply ride east on the paved shoulder of Hiway 27 to Kerrville's Guadelupe Street then via Lowery-Water-Lemos Streets into Jefferson St. Wide Jefferson Street takes you east across Clay and Sidney Baker Streets and on to Aransas Street. Make a 45-degree turn right into Aransas and go one block to East Main Street. Take a left into East Main and keep pedaling east to the intersection of Meadowview Road. Cross Meadowview into Legion Road and keep riding east. After a few blocks, you emerge into wide Memorial Hiway, Loop 534 . Turn right into 534 and enjoy a fast downhill ride to Hiway 27 (traffic light) and out across the bridge to within sight of Schreiner-Kerrville Park, Kerrville's best location for tent-camping cyclists. This route is marked by green bicycle signs.
Cyclists headed for Motels Six or America's Best Value Inn Motel should turn left from Jefferson into Clay Street and ride about 5 blocks north before turning into paralleling Sidney Baker Street. The reason? Though still under construction, Sidney Baker will have a rather narrow bike lane on both sides. But in the few blocks closest to the city center, Sidney Baker was too narrow to add bike lanes. However, from about 5 blocks north of the town center (Sidney Baker and Main Street) right up to I-10, designated bike lines are being built the length of Sidney Baker and are already in place most of the way. These bike lanes take you right past Motels Six and Best Value Inn and on to the Convention and Visitor's Information Center (open also on weekends). All are on the west side of Sidney Baker.
You'll find more about cycling through Kerrville when coming from the north, in our Nine Day Hill Country Tour later on in this report. Since 1993, a series of single track mountain bike trails have been open in Schreiner-Kerrville Park, located in southeast Kerrville on RR 173 just east of the intersection with Loop 534.
Though the annual Hill Country Bicycle Rally draws a thousand cyclists to Kerrville each Easter, Kerrville is not a particularly good town to cycle in and most rides begin some distance out from the center. In fact, many locals drive out of town with their bike in the car and park near the start of their ride.
The Hill Country Bicycle Works store is at 141 West Water Street #A 100 in Kerrville (Ph 830-896-6864) and it's located on Adventure Cycling's Trans-America Bike Route from San Diego to Florida--which passes through Kerrville.
Recently founded in Kerrville is the Over-The-Hills Cycling Group with rides through the hills scheduled each Tuesday and Friday morning. Most riders are in the Fifty-Plus age group and usually drive with their bikes in the car to a starting point outside Kerrville, which may be Comfort City Park, Harper, Fredericksburg, Mountain Home or McCullough Road 3 miles north of Kerrville. Any moderately-fit cyclist with some experience and a multi-geared (21 or more speeds) road or hybrid bike , and a helmet, is welcome on these rides. Ride lengths average 20-25 miles with several hills and upgrades, and speed is moderate. The most suitable bike is a 21-27 speed road bike with either flat or drop (racing style) handlebars. (Road bikes have wheels 700 mm in diameter and the recommended tire size is 700 x 25 -28 mm). Some riders bring mountain bikes with 26 x 1.5 inch tires. Whichever bike you have, it should have low climbing gears, ideally with a small chainring with 22-24 teeth and a large rear cog with 30-32 teeth. A 22T x 32T gear combination and 700 x 25 mm tires makes hill climbing noticeably easier. The Hill Country Bicycle Works in Kerrville has a wide selection of quality, professionally-assembled bikes in a wide range of prices. You don't need an expensive carbon-fiber frame, aluminum will do just fine--but bikes sold in discount stores are not recommended. Ride schedules are sent by e-mail to each group member. Contact Melinda Wasson at 830-895-2521 or Norman Ford at 830-367-4507 for more information.
Campgrounds
KOA Campground, on shoulderless Goat Creek Road, a mile south of I-10 Exit 501. On west side of Kerrville. OK once you get here.
Kerrville-Schreiner Park, see mention above. Extensive tent campgrounds with shady sites, river swimming. Ph. 830-257-5392.
Motels
Flagstaff Inn, west side on TX 27 at 906 Junction Highway, Super S supermarket close by on same side. One story, all units at ground level. Kitchenettes. Economical rates, Ph. 830-792-4449. Near East-West Bike Route and Adventure Cycling's Trans-America Bike Route.
America's Best Value Inn, 1804 Sidney Baker , Ph. 830-896-8200. Two-story, at-door parking for downstairs units, Micro/Fridge units in rooms. Economy rates.
Motel Six, 1810 Sidney Baker Street. Two story, 43 units, half downstairs with at-door parking. Ph. 830-257-1500. Good value but raises rates on Fridays and Saturdays. Economy Rates.
In Ingram: Hunter House Inn & Suites Motel, 314 Highway 39 West (6 miles west of Kerrville). 830-367-2377 or 1-800-655-2377 for reservations. Half the units are downstairs with at-door parking. www.hunterhouseinnand suites.com/ Cafe with breakfast. Popular with motorcyclists. Median rates, higher in summer, 10% higher weekends. Opposite historic Old Ingram Loop.
If you seek deluxe lodgings, you'll find several plush and expensive motels on Sidney Baker Street (Hiway 16) close to I-10.
LEAKEY (Real County; Pop 600, Alt 1,610 feet)
Pronounced lay-key, this picturesque small town on the Frio River is surrounded by high, wooded hills dotted with camps, ranches and resort lodges. Wide-shouldered U.S. 83 is the Main Street and on it is a small market, a couple of cafes and the historic native stone courthouse. Leakey is a popular destination for motorcyclists at weekends and most motels raise rates on Fridays and Saturdays. The motorcyclists have their own motel but still manage to fill other RV parks and cabin resorts.
Leakey offers superb road cycling on quiet roads among some of the highest hills and most exceptional river-canyon scenery in the Hill Country. RR Roads 335, 336 and 337 --all scenic gems--are easily accessible from Leakey. Not surprisingly, Leakey has become one of the Top Ten Hill Country destinations and motorcycling flourishes from Friday noon to Sunday evening.
Despite this, we could find only two motels open to the public. One small six-unit motel demanded all payment in cash, thus making advance reservations almost impossible. The other, a charming Mexican style hostelry, has only ten rooms.
Motels
Frio Canyon Lodge. A popular motel in downtown Leakey built in 1941 in traditional Mexican stone and cedar style, the lodge has ten quaint rooms, none of which have phones. Ph. 830-232-6800. www.friocanyonlodge.com/ Off-season rates are just a tad above the median. The rooms are so popular they must often be booked well in advance. Most have at-door parking
Frio Canyon Inn & RV Park, HCR1 Box 224, Laekey TX 78873. Located about a mile south of Laekey on U.S. 83 (shoulder). Ph. 830-232-6651. Small one story motel on east side of highway. Priced a bit above median.
All other accommodations we found consisted of cabin and cottage resorts, RV parks or lodges. If you have a support vehicle that can carry all cyclists and their bikes, one solution is to use it to transport your group to an attractive family style resort like Neal's Lodges, PO Box 3 at Concan, Texas, about 11 miles south of Leakey on US 83. Phone 830-232-6118; www.neal's lodges.com; nealslod@hctc.net/ With 66 cabins plus tent facilities, Neal's often have a cabin or two vacant during off-season weekdays. Also nearby is Garner State Park with more cabins. Many cyclists have solved their Leakey accommodations problem by using their support vehicle to commute back and forth to Leakey.
Llano (Llano County; Pop 3,250, Alt 1,030 feet)
Originally settled by German pioneers, this ranching and hunting center on the wide Llano River is famed for its historic town square. The historic courthouse, old county jail and the Southern Hotel are all near the Town Square while Badu House and the Llano Museum lie north across the river bridge. All date from the late 1800s. It's probably easier to walk the historic district than to bike it.
Most motels are located north of the narrow river bridge which can be crossed on a footway--watch for broken glass. While Mason lies just outside the Hill Country, it's a useful place to stop overnight. Reservations are advised at motels for Friday or Saturday nights.
Mason (Mason County; Pop 2,250, Alt 1,550 feet)
The establishment of Fort Mason here in 1851 ended Native American attacks, but in the 1870s, a bitter range war swept the county as ranchers defended their cattle against strong bands of rustlers. After Fort Mason was deactivated in 1869, local residents used sandstone blocks from the fort to construct homes and buildings. As you pedal through Mason's extensive historic district, you'll recognize the brown sandstone walls contrasting with white gingerbread trim on scores of older homes.
Mason's National Register Historic District reaches from the Courthouse Square for a mile south to the remains of Fort Mason. On the Courthouse Square is the Chamber of Commerce where you can pick up a map of the historic district. This entire area has been restored to its original appearance. A short distance north at 400 Broad Street is the exquisite 17-room Seaquist Home, ringed by two classic verandahs --a charming example of birthday-cake architecture. More than 50 other historic buildings lie on or close to Post Hill Street, which leads to Fort Mason.
Here again, reservations are advised at local motels on weekends.
Rocksprings (Edwards County: Pop. 1375; Alt. 2450 feet)
Established in 1891 and the seat of Edwards County, Rocksprings was an early day water source for Native Americans and settlers. Nowadays, it is a major Angora wool and mohair center. The old town square may have seen better days but the courthouse and jail, both built of native stone, are worth a look. Some cyclists report having enjoyed the fried catfish dinner served Friday evenings at the Historic Hotel. The hotel, with its traditional verandah, bears a medallion explaining that it was originally built as the Gilmer Hotel in 1916. Rocksprings has a well-stocked IGA supermarket and convenience store.
Hotels/Motels
Historic Rocksprings Hotel, a traditional hotel on the square, built in 1916 with a locally popular restaurant and mid-range rates. Bikes allowed in rooms or in storage room. 830-683-1800
Sorrell's Inn Motel, 205 East Main St. Small modern motel at 205 East Main; 830-683-1800; mid-range rates. Sorrell's also has an annex, the older and more modest Mesa Motel with slightly lower rates; it caters to workingmen in the week and to motorcyclists on weekends while cyclists also often stay here.
SEGOVIA. (Kimble County: Pop. 75.)
Small community built around Segovia Truck Stop, a small truck servicing facility at Exit 465 on I-10. Segovia can also cater to cyclists with a convenience store, restaurant and two motels.
Motels
Econo Lodge : modern motel, Phone 325-446-2475; toll-free 1-800-768-1872; www.choicehotels.com/hotel/tx828; email Econo@ktc.com. AAA and AARP discounts. Mid-range rates. Next to truck stop. Pravina and Dilip Khatri, charming hosts from India.
Cedar Hills Motel, at truck stop. Primarily a truck driver's motel with economy rates but a good crash pad for the average touring cyclist. Office is in convenience store BUT they are not able to make advance reservations. Phone 325-446-3193.
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It's hard to find a boring mile on this exciting nine day road bike tour that takes you pedaling over many of the highest and most spectacular roads in the Hill Country. Skirting limestone cliffs and gorges, and winding along high ridges, this route is famed for its breathtaking vistas of isolated valleys and steep ravines. Much of this remote highland area seems almost uninhabited but exotic game is common and on our survey rides, we've seen camels, zebras, llamas and almost every type of cleft-footed animal.
Yes, exploring the Hill Country by bike can be the tour of a lifetime. But whether or not yours will be, depends on having the right Strategy, Timing and Planning. That's especially true in the 100-Mile Scenic Mountain Loop area in the west, where it's more like Switzerland than Texas.
Here's what you should know to guarantee a great trip. First, the two most rewarding bike touring areas are:
The 100-Mile Scenic Mountain Loopconsisting of Ranch-to-Market Roads 335, 336 and 337 which link the communities of Vanderpool, Leakey, Rocksprings, Camp Wood and back to Leakey, almost all in Real and Edwards Counties in the western Hills. (Actually the Loop itself is only 94 miles but the mileage we cover in this "mountain" area is well over 100).
The other most popular cycling area is the network of spectacular, low-traffic backroads in Gillespie and neighboring counties based on Fredericksburg (FBG)
Our tour takes you exploring the most popular rides in each of these areas. And you also ride from Fredericksburg to the 100-Mile Scenic Mountain Loop, then back again by a different route to Fredericksburg.
But WHEN you go is equally important. Timewise, there are two versions of the Texas Hill Country.
The Weekday Version : exists from Monday morning until midday Friday when most Americans are busily at work in the office or workplace, the roads are free of their motorized vehicles, and most motels have hung out a Vacancy sign.
The Weekend Version: exists from midday Friday until Sunday evening when the 100-Mile Scenic Mountain Loop becomes a playground for hordes of motorcyclists and motorists, and almost all motels are booked full weeks in advance. Most backroads in the Fredericksburg Area remain uncrowded at weekends but confirmed reservations are strongly urged at motels in Fredericksburg, Kerrville, and Comfort. Note that public holidays like Easter or Labor Day also count as weekends.
To help you get your the Timing right, we actually name the best day of the week for cycling each of the nine daily segments of the tour.
Basically, our tour begins with a one day loop ride out and back from Fredericksburg, followed by a two-day ride to Leakey on the Scenic Mountain Loop. This puts us in Leakey on a Monday evening. We then tour the Loop on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday, we head northeast for a night at Junction. And on Saturday we head east back to Fredericksburg. Finally, we conclude with another one-day loop tour out and back to Fredericksburg. This allows us to spend each night at a convenient motel. And to wrap-up all our cycling in the Scenic Mountain Loop on the ideal weekdays of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Our choice of Route and Timing was also influenced by other reasons. Perhaps you can improve on our itinerary. But cycling in the opposite direction didn't seem to work any better. So here is:
Our Best Tour Schedule and Route
Arrival Day: FRIDAY. Arrive and stay overnight in Fredericksburg (FBG).
1. SATURDAY: One day loop ride from FBG to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area and back to FBG for overnight, 44 miles.
2. SUNDAY: FBG to Kerrville/Ingram via Zenner-McCullough county roads. Overnight in Kerrville or Ingram, 26 miles.
3. MONDAY: Kerrville/Ingram to Leakey via Vanderpool and RR 337, overnight in Leakey, 65 miles.
4. TUESDAY: From Leakey north on RR 336 to TX 41, returning on same road to Leakey for overnight, 54 miles.
5. WEDNESDAY: Leakey to Camp Wood on RR 337, overnight in Camp Wood, 21 miles.
6. THURSDAY: Camp Wood to Rocksprings on RR 335, overnight in Rocksprings, 36 miles.
7. FRIDAY: Rocksprings to Junction on US 377, overnight in Junction, 49 miles.
8. SATURDAY: Junction to FBG on US 290 via Segovia and Harper, overnight in FBG, 65 miles.
9. SUNDAY: FBG to Willow City Loop and back to FBG for overnight, 65 miles.
MONDAY: Return home.
Total Cycling Days: 9. Total Distance: 425 miles.
Frankly. our Nine Day Tour was designed to provide visiting cyclists with a ready-made route description and schedule for making a Do-It-Yourself Tour of the Best of the Texas Hill Country. All you need do is to print out this itinerary, pick up the Texas Trails maps for Gillespie, Kerr, Bandera and Kimble Counties plus an AAA or Texas State Highway Map-- and you're all set to go.
These maps are absolutely essential and we urge you to obtain a copy of each asap.
Remember, too, that this tour was designed for staying overnight at motels ( but tent camping is possible also).
Our tour route and description was originally published in the 1995 edition of the Countryman Press book :"25 Bicycle Tours in the Texas Hill Country and West Texas." Since then, some of the roads have been modernized: widened, smoothed out, straightened and, in some cases, given wider shoulders. All this has improved visibility and made cycling safer.
But nowadays, there are more cars and trucks on the roads. And roads have been improved only in the least hilly and smoothest terrain. Few of the narrow , older roads that wind through the most rugged (and scenic) country have been upgraded. And while these roads still carry only light traffic, cresting their many steep hills and rounding the blind curves still creates a definite visibility problem. Under these conditions, bikes are harder to see and cycling is less safe.
Lack of good visibility while cycling in regions of rugged hills is undoubtedly the major threat to cycling safely in The Hills. And it's more prevalent in the 100-Mile Scenic Mountain Loop area than on the county roads of Gillespie and Kerr counties.
So while we can guarantee an exciting and rewarding tour, we cannot guarantee fine weather nor that our route is perfectly safe. Actually, bike touring is an adventure and a lot depends on the cyclists' personal skill and experience. Other risks to roadies is encountering heavy trucks, oversized RVs driven by amateurs, or fast vehicles on roads without shoulders or with very narrow shoulders.
Although we route our rides and tour itineraries over what appears to be the safest roads with the least traffic, we cannot guarantee that they are entirely safe for all cyclists under all conditions. Thus bicyclists who ride our suggested routes do so at their own risk and on the understanding they will be sharing the road with motorized vehicles. And no liability, implied or expressed, is assumed by this website for any mishap resulting from use of these route descriptions.
While admitting that for short periods some risk may exist, cyclo-tourists can cut their risks in half or less by a few simple precautions such as riding in single file, becoming more visible or even getting off the road briefly should circumstances warrant it. Yet I still see cyclists riding cross-country wearing gray or black colored clothing (while listening to music through headphones). Instead, wear a jersey or windbreaker with bright, flourescent colors. And be sure your hearing is not impaired by headphones.
Best of all, fit your bike with powerful and efficient LED flashing lights specifically designed to make your bike more visible in daylight. Using breakthrough optics, manufacturers have produced flashing white front and red rear polarized lights so incredibly bright that the lights can be seen in broad daylight at 600 yards, actually before the bike itself is visible.
Most bike shops sell LED lights of one type or another. But the most popular seem to be those made and sold On-Line by Planet Bikes at www.planetbike.com. Fitting a pair to your bike should significantly improve your visibility and thus your safety while cycling in the Hills. And they are not expensive.
On several recent tours, I've also used a new dimension in Do-It-Yourself cycling which I call Bike-Car Touring. The idea has already been exemplified in our California and Idaho and other recent tours in which a small group of, say, 3 or 4 cyclists uses a support vehicle as a shuttle to link together several unconnected bike paths into a single continuous multi-day tour.
By sharing the driving, a group can keep moving up their support vehicle which also carries all the luggage, thus freeing the cyclists to ride unencumbered by panniers. This allows cyclists to focus only on the most pleasant and interesting parts of a tour while they pile into the support vehicle with their bikes to skip busy highways or narrow roads that might be dangerous or undesirable to ride on.
Using this strategy could make Hill Country touring about as pleasant and safe as it is possible to get. For example, should all 4 trip members be driving separately to Fredericksburg, one might already be driving a large van which could serve as a support vehicle for the group. And perhaps a non-cycling friend or someone's spouse might volunteer to do all the driving in return for a free trip. Another angle: Four cyclists flying in to a larger airport like San Antonio or Austin could arrange to rent a van or pick-up truck to serve as a support vehicle for the entire trip.
Each morning, the support vehicle takes the group's luggage to the destination motel and arranges with the receptionist to store the bags in one of the rooms you have booked and paid for. As tour members arrive, the receptionist can give them their bags. The driver then heads back to the cyclists and stays behind the last rider to pick up any stragglers until the last cyclist reaches the motel. In some cases, drivers can be changed every two hours during the day. This is easier if everyone has a cell phone.
Another advantage of having a support vehicle, is that in case of bad weather you can maintain your motel schedule regardless of weather.
Anything else? For starters, this is a fairly strenuous trip suitable for intermediate or experienced cyclo-tourists and it's very definitely not for beginners or those whose energy may flag or who may suffer from knee problems. By using the Bike-Car method, any rider who is fatigued or suffering from, say, a sore muscle, can volunteer to drive the van for a day. And the support vehicle can also pick up any rider with a mechanical problem.
To tell if you have the energy and stamina to make this tour, see if you can pedal 50 miles a day on two consecutive days during a weekend while traversing terrain consisting primarily of rolling hills.
If you notice a mix of styles in this trip log, it's because some of it--including mileages--is quoted from my original book "25 Bicycle Tours in the Texas Hill Country and West Texas" while some days I cycled alone and on other days with friends. All of it, however, was checked for accuracy in December 2006. Nonetheless, future changes are bound to occur so don't be surprised at street changes due to construction in Kerrville while new motels may appear and older motels change names or go out of business.
Lastly, I strongly urge touring-cyclists to make advance reservations at every overnight stop well in advance On-Line or by phone.
You'll find the State Park Hill Country map and Reservation website as the first item in our City and Bike Resource Directory.
A DAY-BY-DAY LOG OF THE TOUR
DAY 1. SATURDAY: FREDERICKSBURG to FREDERICKSBURG LOOP via Enchanted Rock , 40-46 miles.
Terrain: Hilly and moderately strenuous back roads with short, steep hills and one steady two-mile climb.
Map: Texas Trails' Gillespie County Map
For an introduction to Hill Country cycling, you can't beat this one-day itinerary which takes you exploring a variety of narrow, county roads north of Fredericksburg--and past several stone farmhouses a century or more old, some still inhabited by descendents of the original German settlers. You also have the option of including a short side trip to Enchanted Rock, a huge pink granite dome of bare slickrock over 400 feet high.
Just mention roads like Keese-Sagabiel, Welgehausen, Schneider-Moellering or Lower Crabapple to any Gillespie County cyclist and they will immediately recognise each as an outstanding and spectacular cycling road within easy reach of Fredericksburg. You pedal them all on this introductory ride through the Hill Country.
This day-tour starts at the Marktplatz in downtown Fredericksburg. From here, ride northwest on West Austin Street then turn left into Theodore Specht Strasse for one short block to where it joins US 87.
Turn right into US 87, a moderately busy highway with generous shoulders, and ride 5 miles northwest to Cherry Mountain Loop Road. Turn right into this county road. A few miles up, it becomes Gypsum Mine Road, so named for several quarries that line it. You may meet a few mine trucks here.
The ride thus far is just a quick way to get out here and is not remarkable for scenery. But now the real Hill Country begins. Turn left off Gypsum Mine Road into Schneider-Moellering Road . And within minutes you're riding through the yard of an historic abandoned farm. The big stone farmhouse looms on your left , bearing the date 1899. On across a wide valley, normally bisected by bubbling creeks, you come to the junction of FM 2323.
Turn right into FM 2323 and ride about 150 yards to where Keese-Sagabiel county road turns off to the right. K-S, as it's called, heads across a wilderness of sprawling live oaks and green hills, so far from human habitation that cyclists often have to dismount and shoo large herds of woolly Angora goats off the road before they can pass. Several miles later, K-S joins Keese Road. Turn right into Keese for a couple of miles until you meet Welgehausen Road. Then turn left into Welgehausen county road and begin another roller coaster ride through a wilderness of trees and rock.
As Welgehausen climbs a high ridge, vast panoramas of Enchanted Rock ,and range after range of Hills, unfold to the north. All the while, Welgehausen continues to climb up the ridge. Finally, you cross the top of the ridge and descend down to meet RR 965.
At this point, you can choose to turn left into RR 965 for a 3.5 mile ride on a winding, shoulderless road over a significant hill to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. Usually, from Monday morning till midday Friday, vehicular traffic is apt to be light and large trucks or RVs are few. But this is a popular weekend vacation destination and cycling on RR 965 between Friday afternoon and Sunday evening may call for extra care.
On weekdays, the park is well worth a visit. It's full of tent-only campsites, picnic tables, toilets and parking areas but cycling is allowed only on a few short vehicular roads. It's a great lunch spot. But many cyclists also walk or run to the summit of the huge monolith. And other hiking trails lead all around the park. Pick up a trail map at the Visitor Reception Office (nominal entry fee for cyclists under 65).
Leaving Enchanted Rock, you return on RR 965 to the junction of Welgehausen Road and you continue to pedal south on RR 965 to where Lower Crabapple Road turns off to the left. From here, Lower Crabapple Road leads all the way back into FBG. And this scenic, corkscrew county road is deservedly a cyclists' favorite. Half a mile into Lower Crabapple Road you pass the original Crabapple community and church --a popular lunch spot for cyclists who skipped Enchanted Rock.
From here, it's about 3 more level miles to Tin Star Ranch & Saloon, a plush Bed & Breakfast cottage compound on the left. To reserve a room, phone 830-685-3464 or 1-800-722-8564.
(Alternative Route: if you have already decided to skip Enchanted Rock, you might consider a worthwhile alternative route. At the junction of Keese and Welgehausen Roads, stay right on Keese Road. Gradually you climb over a high ridge. Then, without warning, Keese suddenly plummets downhill, revealing a fertile green valley far below with a farmhouse in the center. In just a quarter mile, you you make the steep descent to the valley floor.
Then, quite unexpectedly, you find yourself pedaling across the flat, rock bed of a wide, shallow creek . As you approach the opposite bank, shift into your lowest gear. For a steep and sudden climb begins the moment you reach the other side. It's so steep, in fact, that many cyclists choose to walk their bikes up. At the top, Keese Road runs into shoulderless RR 965. Here, you turn left into RR 965 and pedal about 2.5 miles north to the junction with Lower Crabapple Road. At this point, you rejoin the main route of this tour and you turn right into Lower Crabapple Road. Main drawback to this route is that you must ride twice as far on RR 965.)
Back to the Main Tour Route: After passing the junction with Eckert Road, Lower Crabapple Road begins the formidable climb up Crabapple Mountain then rollers down the other side and finally climbs another long, steep hill. From its brow, grand views of Fredericksburg and its church steeples open up. Lower Crabapple Road then drops down to meet TX 16 and you turn right and ride into town on its shoulder.
Tip: much of our route covers the same terrain as the Hill Country Cycling Club's ride entitled "Little Switzerland, 42 miles". The HCCC is listed under the heading, "Three Great Websites That Introduce You to Hill Country Cycling."
DAY 2. SUNDAY: FREDERICKSBURG to KERRVILLE/INGRAM via White Oak and McCullough Roads 25-30 miles.
Terrain: moderately strenuous and hilly.
Maps: Texas Trails' Maps of Gillespie and Kerr Counties.
Mix together miles of picturesque creeks, groves of live oaks and ancient cypresses, whirring windmills and a dozen stone farmhouses built by German pioneers -- and the result is another day of typical Hill Country cycling, most of it on low-traffic county roads. The exception is the first mile or so which requires cycling through a congested section of Fredericksburg past the HEB Store, Hospital and High School--even so, there's a shoulder most of the way. New roads and bike lanes help cyclists avoid most of Kerrville's brutal traffic.
Mile 0.0 Start from the Marktplatz in downtown Fredericksburg and head southeast on East Austin Street. Turn right (southeast) into North Adams Street and keep going. This is the most congested part of your exit from Fredericksburg.. As you go along, North Adams Street becomes South Adams then TX 16, a 4-lane highway with a wide shoulder.
Mile 3.0 Turn left into Boos Lane and head south. Boos Lane, a narrow county road, runs straight and flat for two miles, then dips down and across the Pedernales River on a low water crossing.
Mile 5.0 Immediately after the low water crossing, bear right at a Y-fork and cycle up to a junction with River Road. Turn right into River Road. This narrow county road runs through farms and past a pair of twin black silos.
Mile 7.0 Turn left at this T-junction into Old Kerrville Road. You'll meet an occasional car or pick-up as you pedal this flat county road along the south bank of the Pedernales River. At Mile 8.5 you pass Center Point Road on your left. Don't take it. Instead, continue riding for another half mile or so on Old Kerrville Road till it crosses the Pedernales and runs into TX 16.
Mile 9.0 Turn left into TX 16 and ride the wide shoulder west for 1 mile to Morris Ranch Road (on your right). Turn right into this narrow country lane and ride past woods and fields for several miles to junction with White Oak Road. All these roads so far are lightly- traveled and level county roads.
Bear left into White Oak Road and pedal west for 5 miles to junction with Zenner-Ahrens Road. Bear left into Zenner-Ahrens and enjoy a delightful and almost traffic-free ride for the next 8.5 miles. First, this country lane climbs gradually up through a sylvan woodland, then across the flat top of a range of hills --with great views of the Hill Country--followed by a gradual descent to a flat meadow where local cyclists often park their cars. En route, you cross from Gillespie to Kerr County and at the county line, Zenner-Ahrens Road becomes McCullough Road.
You've just ridden one of the most popular local rides for Kerrville cyclists. Many locals prefer to drive out here with their bike in their car or truck and start cycling from this parking spot. That's because cycling here from Kerrville involves an uphill ride on a fairly busy RR road of which 1.3 miles has a very narrow shoulder. And immediately you turn into McCullough road, cyclists face one of the longest and steepest climbs in Kerr County.
However, we're riding in the opposite direction. So immediately you leave this parking spot, hit the brakes because you're facing a screeching descent. Enjoy the free ride down and be sure to stop at the STOP sign at the bottom. Facing you is RR 783 (aka the Harper Highway) and the first 1.3 miles has virtually no shoulder. So turn on your LED lights; or if you have a support vehicle capable of carrying all cyclists and bikes, I suggest tumbling into it and driving to your overnight motel.
Otherwise, muster all your energy. Turn left and really hammer your way down the next 1.3 miles of RR 783. It's all downhill and with a little luck, you can be past the shoulderless section in a couple of minutes.
From here on, you cross I-10 on a wide shoulder and continue on an even wider shoulder. Ahead, you have a choice of two routes into Kerrville Both branch left off 783 and both are clearly marked. They are:
Old Harper Road, marked by a bright yellow road sign. I recommend this route if you are heading east to Kerrville-Schreiner State Park Campground or if you prefer a comparatively level ride to the Motel Six or Best Value Inn Motels. Drop down Old Harper Road for about a hundred yards, then turn sharp right into Town Creek Road. Town Creek Road meanders beside Town Creek for about 1.5 miles on a picturesque, old-fashioned road with several narrow bridges and it passes under Holdsworth Drive (your other choice). Turn left into Schreiner Street and take a right again into Lemos Street--and after just one block, take a left into wide Jefferson Street. You're now on Kerrville's East-West Bike Route . Look under Kerrville in the City and Bike Resource Directory for how to ride this Route, either east to Kerrville Schreiner Park or west to Ingram. Or you can turn left into Clay Street and pedal north for a few blocks, then ride the bike lane on busy Sidney Baker Street to the Motel Six or Best Value Inn Motel.
Holdsworth Drive, plainly marked by Hiway signs, is a brand new 4-laned, two-mile long road with dedicated bike lanes on both sides, which links Harper Road with Sidney Baker Street, close to the sports field of Tivy High School. By now, you should be able to cycle all the way to the Motel Six or Best Value Inn on dedicated bike lanes that were recently built on both sides of Sidney Baker. While this is the shortest route from Harper Road to the Motel District, it involves pedaling up two long grades that could be quite challenging for anyone riding a loaded touring bike. And that applies to cycling Holdsworth Drive in either direction. Personally, I still prefer the Town Creek Route described above. .
For Flagstaff Inn, ride Town Creek Road to Jefferson Street, then take the East-West Bike Route west along Guadelupe Street to the intersection with Main Street. Flagstaff Inn is a few blocks east on Main Street.
Better Idea: if you don't mind spending a few extra bucks, you can cut 5 miles off tomorrow's ride by staying overnight at a first class motel in Ingram. To do it, bike down Town Creek Road into Jefferson and pick up the East-West Bike Route at Lemos Street. Then follow the East-West Bike Route to Ingram. (Alternatively, you could by-pass Old Harper Road and Holdsworth Drive and continue south on 4-laned Harper Road . Take a right at the traffic light into Lois Street, then a left at the stop sign into Methodist Encampment Street. This takes you straight into Hiway 27, aka Junction Hiway, which is right on the westbound shoulder of the East-West Bike Route.)
You must now ride 5 miles west on TX 27, a busy 4-lane road lined by businesses and junk food eateries and with a shoulder of varying widths, including at times, no shoulder at all. As you approach Ingram, watch for Skyview Street on your right, identifiable by a traffic light and Ingram Post Office. Here, if you can, cross to the other side of TX 27. The reason: for the next half-mile, there's no shoulder on your side of TX 27 but there is on the other side of TX 27.
Half-a-mile west, TX 27 forks: the right fork is TX 27; and the left fork is TX 39. FORK LEFT into TX 39, a shoulderless two lane road heading west. Go a few blocks along it and turn right into Hunter House Inn and Suites Motel (on right side of road). This gets you past the worst of Kerrville's traffic and puts you 5 miles closer to Leakey, your destination for tomorrow's ride.
For details about Kerrville and Ingram and their motels, look up Kerrville in the City and Bike Resource Directory.
DAY 3. MONDAY: KERRVILLE to LEAKEY via Vanderpool, 65 miles.
Terrain: A fairly strenuous ride including two major climbs on the 100-Mile Scenic Mountain Loop; food and drinks available at Mile 11 and Mile 49.
Maps: Texas Trails' Maps of Kerr and Bandera Counties. Use AAA or State Highway Map for Real County.
Mile 0.0 The ride begins in downtown Kerrville so follow yesterday's routing for cycling from Kerrville to the Hunter House Motel in Ingram. Use your LED lights all the way to Hunt. And if you have a support vehicle that can carry all your cyclists and their bikes, I recommend riding in it as far as Hunt.
At Mile 5.0, in the center of Ingram, you fork left at the Y-intersection and ride west on TX 39. This is a two-lane highway with an inadequate 18-inch shoulder and a moderately- steady flow of cars and pick-up trucks. Most of the traffic will consist of people driving to work in Kerrville, which means it will be in your opposite lane. Ride in single file and stay right.
At Mile 6, the Guadelupe River appears on your left and TX 39 hugs this swift, clear river for the next 20 miles, crossing and re-crossing it on narrow low-water crossings. Along the way, you ride through a narrow, river-carved valley wide enough in places for fields and pastures yet much of the way, the Guadelupe is squeezed between high limestone bluffs and steep, rocky hills. Elegant riverside homes and plush resorts glide by as you pedal west. At Mile 11, TX 39 reaches Schumacher's Crossing, a popular picnic area under tall cypress trees beside a deep river pool.
Mile 11.0 Stay left through the community of Hunt on TX 39. In this laid-back village, is a combined convenience store-deli, where you can enjoy a drink and snack at a polished wood table before a log fire. It's 38 miles to the next convenience store, so this is your last chance for a beverage or snack for a while.
Traffic diminishes as you leave Hunt, and TX 39 serpentines under ancient cypress trees beside the river. At Mile 17, the 18-inch shoulder ends and TX 39 begins to cross from one side of the Guadelupe to the other on a series of narrow, low-water crossings. Some crossings are one-lane wide and one-way, so watch for cars. By now, however, much of the traffic should have disappeared.
Threading a picturesque course past immense limestone cliffs and verdant hills, TX 39 stays close to the rocky riverbed. In spring, golden and bald eagles often nest in the cliffs that border the river. Finally, the river peters out and you ride for several miles across open, undulating land.
Mile 31.0 At this T-junction, fork left on to RR 187. Passing an occasional ranch gate, two- lane shoulderless RR 187 crosses rolling hills for the next 11.5 miles. Traffic is normally very light but may increase on weekends as this is a feeder road to a popular state park. At Mile 43 you pass two shaded picnic tables poised on a hill commanding a magnificent panorama of forested hills. RR 187 then winds along a ridgetop with steep ravines dropping away on both sides. At Mile 44, the road plunges down a steep, mile-long grade between sheer limestone walls 100 feet high. Layer upon layer of sedimentary rocks are revealed in this deep highway cut.
At the foot of the hill, a road branches right into Lost Maples State Natural Area (830-966- 3413)), a 2,208-acre preserve of rugged limestone canyons, clear springs and high, wooded hills with stands of bigtooth maple trees. Water is available at the Visitor Center, 100 yards from RR 187. The park has 30 campsites, all available to tenters. During the fall foliage season, the park is crowded every day, but at other times it draws crowds only on weekends and holidays. If you ride in, all low-water crossings are liable to be slick.
Continuing south, RR 187 follows the clear Sabinal River past high, wooded hills and past several cabin resorts or B&Bs, to a convenience store at an intersection called Vanderpool. The accommodations are Foxfire Cabins, 966-2200; Orchard Inn, 966-3591; and Lost Maples 966-3598. Expect some traffic along this shoulderless 4-mile stretch, especially on weekends.
YOU ARE NOW ENTERING THE 100-MILE SCENIC MOUNTAIN LOOP
Mile 49.0 Turn right at Vanderpool intersection and head west on RR 337. But before you do, look around the Vanderpool General Store, stacked with packaged snack food, soft drinks, coffee, and on weekends, barbecued beef sandwiches. Load up on calories here, because a real workout lies ahead.
Immediately on leaving the store, RR 337 starts a steady climb between rocky, verdant hills. At Mile 51, you begin one of the longest and steepest ascents in the Hill Country. High on your right are layers of stratified rock revealed by a deep highway cut. At Mile 51, you can rest at a shaded picnic table beside the road. RR 337 then winds along a ridgetop with stunning panoramas of hills and valleys on both sides. Then at Mile 52, you begin a steep, twisting descent down a mountainside, that in sheer scenic splendor, rivals North Carolina's Blue Ridge Parkway.
In the next 4 miles, you repeat it all again, climbing yet another spectacular mountain, winding along another ridgetop with an extravaganza of views, and making another wild descent down a steep mountain road. From the bottom, a straight 5-mile run through a green valley brings you out on yet another hilltop.
Ahead, Leakey's white water tower is visible among distant treetops and you become aware of the fragrance of cedar from the city's cedar oil plant half a mile ahead. And you fly downhill and across the Frio River into Leakey.
Mile 64.0 Intersection with US 83 in downtown Leakey and site of the Frio Canyon Lodge Motel. Most of Leakey's markets, cafes, accommodation and RV Parks lie along US 83 (wide shoulder) within half a mile of Frio Canyon Lodge Motel. In fact, US 83 is Leakey's Main Street.
For more info on Leakey and staying overnight, look up Leakey in our City and Bike Resource Directory.
DAY 4. TUESDAY: From Leakey north on RR 336 to TX 41, returning on same road to Leakey for overnight, 54 miles.
Terrain: A fairly strenuous ride with 4 major climbs, on one of the principal 100-Mile Scenic Mountain Loop roads; food and water unobtainable en route.
Maps: AAA or Texas State Highway Maps.
Mile 0.0 From downtown Leakey ride north on the wide shoulder of US 83 to north end of Leakey. En route, you pass historic Real County Courthouse on the right.
Mile 0.8 Fork left at the Y-intersection on to RR 336. Except at weekends, traffic is fairly light on two-lane shoulderless RR 336. Within a couple of miles, you're riding up West Frio Canyon past groves of ancient oaks and cypress and between high, wooded hills.
Between Mile 9 and 22, RR 336 weaves a roller-coaster course across a region of rugged hills and ridges. The first major climb begins at Mile 9, and you ride up the side of a mountain with an immensely deep valley on the right. Then for several miles, the road hugs a ridgetop with deep ravines on both sides. From hilltops, you see range after range of blue hills reaching away in every direction. It's hard to find a flat spot anywhere. Road signs repeatedly warn of steep grades and sharp curves. Hairpin bends take you up, down and around a dozen rock-strewn hills. For 3 more miles, the road climbs up and down short, steep hills besides the shade-dappled Frio River. Finally, at Mile 19, you climb up and away from the river and pedal up the side of a huge mountain bowl for 2.2 miles.
Mile 21.2 At this T-junction, FM 3235 branches left. Stay right on RR 336. Next, you ride across six miles of level, wooded open range where deer and turkey often mingle with herds of sheep and goats that wander freely on the road.
Mile 27.0 RR 336 meets TX 41. Here you turn around and head back down RR 336 to Leakey. Riding through this grand scenery in the opposite direction is like riding a whole different trip. One reason for our seemingly curious itinerary is that many Leakey accommodations will rent only to guests who stay a minimim of two nights.
For more info on Leakey and staying overnight, look up Leakey in our City and Bike Resource Directory.
DAY 5. WEDNESDAY: LEAKEY to CAMP WOOD over Horse Collar Bend, 21 miles.
Terrain: A Strenuous Climb over the highest road in the Hill Country.
Maps: Use the AAA or State Highway Maps.
From Leakey to Camp Wood it's 21 miles, all on shoulderless RR 337, another of the Hill Country's most acclaimed cycling roads. Leaving Leakey, you pedal gradually uphill for four miles on a modernized two-lane road to the edge of the fabled Horse Collar Bend, a steep mountain road famed for its colossal, scenic vistas.
From here on, forget about modernized roads. For 1.5 breathtaking miles, Horse Collar Bend corkscrews up and around an enormous, rugged bluff on the old, original road through a jumble of mountains to the highest altitude of any Hill Country road. At 2,350 feet, the roadsides are splashed in Spring by the purple blooms of mountain laurel and the air is rich with their heady scent.
As the road serpentines uphill, you are treated to multiple views of precipitous ravines, their bottoms lost in a deep, blue haze.
But, you may say, you've got us cycling UP this formidable climb! If we'd ridden the Bend in the other direction--from Camp Wood to Leakey--we could have coasted all the way DOWN the Bend, without any effort and in a matter of minutes. True, and that's why I recommend pedaling UP Horsecollar Bend instead. On at least six occasions, I've ridden RR 337 between Leakey and Camp Wood both ways in a single day. And I know from experience that if you ride the Bend downhill, you'll just fly down those 1.5 miles in a brief few minutes.
By contrast, cycling uphill through the Bend takes most cyclo-tourists at least 40 minutes, a time-stretching experience that forces you to slow down and really experience it, one rev of the cranks at a time. If you have the gears I recommend--a small chainring with 22 teeth and a large, rear cog with 32 teeth--you should easily be able to pedal all the way to the top.
Sure, riding down the Bend puts you on the road's outer edge with far better views. But frankly, I've always enjoyed the slow uphill grind in bottom gear for 40 minutes that gives you lots of time along the way to stop and cross to the outer edge to take in the views and for photo taking.
I always allow at least an hour to reach Horse Collar Summit. Then, still on the old, unimproved roadbed, you gradually ride down a mountain-top ridge between rugged rock walls. For the final six miles into Camp Wood, RR 337 has been modernized, Gone are the abrupt hills and blind curves and you have a 3-feet wide shoulder to ride on.
There's not much traffic on weekdays and soon you're rolling in to Camp Wood, a typical Main Street town lined by false-fronted stores and a shady park. Camp Wood was originally an Army post established in 1857 and Lindbergh landed here in 1924 while flying to California. Today, it has become one of the most popular stops on the 100-Mile Scenic Mountain Loop.
For more info on Camp Wood and staying overnight, look up Camp Wood in our City and Bike Resource Directory.
DAY SIX. THURSDAY: CAMP WOOD to ROCKSPRINGS via RR 335, 36 miles.
Terrain: a gradual climb crossing a series of low water crossings, then a steeper two-mile climb up to the rimrock of the Edwards Plateau.
Maps: AAA or State Highway Map
From Camp Wood, you cycle four miles north on TX 55, a wide two-lane road with a 5-feet shoulder all the way. Here, cyclists pass through the hamlet of Barksdale, with a small motel on the left side of TX 55.
Barksdale Motel
Nueces River Motel, at edge of TX 55 in Barksdale; 830-234-3648. Small mom and pop style motel, probably 3-4 units; moderate rates.
Three historic markers near the motel explain that Barksdale, once called Dixie, was the early-day site of the Nix Mill and was frequently attacked by Lipan Apaches.
From the motel, we headed a short distance north on TX-55, then forked right into RR 335, the last stretch of the 100-Mile Scenic Mountain Loop we rode on this tour. A few miles up RR 335, we passed the village of Vance, founded in the mid-1800s.
From here on, we stayed close to the Nueces River and RR 335 entered spectacular Nueces Canyon. To describe this as a roller-coaster ride would be the height of understatement. For mile after mile, RR 335 crosses and recrosses the Nueces River on a series of low water crossings, each equipped with a gauge to show the water level during a flash flood. Obviously, RR 335 is impassable during and after a heavy rain.
We now began to climb steeply into Nueces Canyon. Huge limestone cliffs towered above the road on the right while views of the cypress-bordered river reached away on the left. The road now climbs up to the very edge of the Edward's Plateau rimrock. Deep, wooded valleys drop away on both sides of RR 335.
Within minutes, the road crests out atop the Edward's Plateau. And 3 flat miles later, a sign warns that TX 41 is just ahead. Here you turn left on to the 4-feet wide shoulder of TX 41.
AT THIS POINT, THE TOUR LEAVES THE 100-MILE SCENIC MOUNTAIN LOOP AREA
Though we met an occasional 18-wheeler, traffic was generally light as we headed west for 4 miles on this level road to the junction with RR 377. We forked left here into RR 377 and pedaled the remaining 8 miles into Rocksprings on its 4-feet wide shoulder.
As you enter Rocksprings, turn right into the first residential street, go one block, then turn left. This avoids the congested school area on US 377. It's then just half a mile into downtown Rocksprings with its town square, historic hotel, motel and IGA store.
For more about the town and its accommodations, look up Rocksprings in our City and Resource Directory.
DAY SEVEN. FRIDAY: ROCKSPRINGS to JUNCTION, via RR 377, 49 miles.
Terrain: About halfway to Junction, cyclists must cross a jumbled mountain mass on an older 9-mile section of RR 377 devoid of any shoulder. In either direction, you climb a twisting, two-mile hill plus many short, steep hills and sharp bends with poor visibility that call for effective LED lights. The remaining 40 miles have been widened or straightened to some extent and have a shoulder averaging about 4 feet. Thus most of the way, you can maintain a satisfactory pace.
Maps: AAA or State Highway Map plus Texas Trails Map of Kimble County.
As we've just said, it's 49 miles from Rocksprings to Junction and 40 of those miles are on a partially modernized road with a shoulder 3-5 feet wide. But the remaining 9 miles cross a rugged mass of hills with endless views of the cliffs and sharp bends along the South Llano River.
The rugged, older section begins about 9 miles south of Telegraph and the road here has so far defied all efforts to straighten it out or to add a shoulder. Thus it remains full of twisting curves and short, steep hills with poor visibility that challenge the cyclists' best efforts to ride safely.
Starting from Rocksprings, you pedal for 8 miles on the same stretch you rode yesterday to the junction of TX 41. Then you continue north on a widened stretch of RR 377 via a shoulder some 4 feet wide until you're about ten miles south of Telegraph. At this point, RR 377 begins a rugged, two-mile climb into a mountain mass on a hilly, unimproved and shoulderless section. Visibility is poor and you definitely need effective LED flashers.
Most cyclists find compensation in the panoramic views of the red and yellow cliffs of the South Llano River which are often close to the road. At one point, I climbed two miles atop a hilly range, then dropped down again --still on the old, narrow road. Finally, I reached the bottom and the road began to widen, a shoulder appeared and I rode on into Telegraph.
Telegraph consists of a 1950s-era gas station and convenience store, and apart from a viewpoint overlooking the river, this is about all the human activity you see on this rough old section of RR 377. Traffic is fairly light on weekdays, mostly cars with a few pick-ups and perhaps an occasional larger truck.
You're all set now for a fast ride to Junction, about ten miles ahead, on a modernized road with 4-5 feet shoulders. Tall hills line RR 377 all the way into Junction, a busy motel center on I-10. En route, you pass South Llano State Park about 3 miles from Junction.
However, you never ride on I-10. For more info on Junction and its accommodations, look it up in the City and Bike Resource Directory.
DAY EIGHT. SATURDAY: JUNCTION to FREDERICKSBURG, via Segovia and Harper, 65 miles.
Terrain: a long ride on mostly modern roads free of steep climbs and with good visibility; and with 19 miles on very pleasant county roads in Gillespie County.
Maps: Texas Trails maps of Kimble County and City of Junction; and of Gillespie County and city of Fredericksburg.
From Junction, go east on FM 2169 and cross I-10 bridge into Segovia, 11 miles.
Head east out of Junction on Main Street and cross the steel bridge on a walkway (beware of broken glass). From Main Street, turn left into FM 2169, pass Day's Inn on your left, and keep going east on FM 2169 all the way to Segovia. This is a ten mile run through cedar woods on a two-lane shoulderless road with light traffic. Visibility was good and we cannot recall any significant hills. At Segovia, cross the bridge to the small Segovia Truck Stop which has a convenience store, cafe and two motels--all the basics you need for an overnight stop.
For details about Segovia and its accommodations, look up Segovia in our City and Bike Resource Directory.
From Segovia cross bridge back over I-10 and continue east on FM 2169, then cross I-10 bridge and continue east on I-10 SouthFrontage Road to junction with US 290. 14 miles.
From Segovia Truck Stop, recross the bridge back to the north side of I-10, turn right into FM 2169 and commence a fairly easy three mile upgrade. Do NOT turn left into RR 479 but bear right and cross I-10 once more, this time under an underpass. You are now on the South Frontage Road of I-10. Almost all traffic here travels on I-10, leaving the South Frontage Road almost traffic-free.
Although the rumble of 18-wheelers on I-10 is never far away, about half the time you're out of sight of the Interstate and riding a series of quite scenic rollers. You head east on South Frontage Road for almost ten miles before branching left into US 290.
Turn left into US 290 and continue east on its wide shoulder (that later becomes 4-feet wide) past village of Harper to junction with Old Harper Road (on your left). 20 miles.
Straight as an arrow, US 290 heads east towards Harper and you enjoy a fast ride on its wide shoulder as far as the Kimble-Gillespie County Line. At the county line, the shoulder diminishes to about 4 feet and US 290 becomes a 4-lane road.
The village of Harper has a small market, a convenience store and two cafes and this is the last place for sustainance before reaching FBG. From Harper, continue east on the US 290 shoulder for about 3 miles to where the county road called Old Harper Road angles off to the left.
CAUTION: be sure to get off US 290 and head east on Old Harper Road. Farther east, US 290 becomes shoulderless.
Turn left into Old Harper Road and ride east to Reeh Road and continue east on Weinheimer Road and Pecan Creek Road intoOld Mason Road. All are low-traffic county roads and clearlyshown on Texas Trail's Gillespie County Map. 9 miles.
This is an enjoyable ride past typical Hill Country scenes of low, rolling cedar-clad hills.
Turn right into Old Mason Road and ride southeast to junctionwith US 87, 5.5 miles.
Turn right into US 87 and ride its wide shoulder southeast to the west edge of Fredericksburg, 4.5 miles.
Turn left into Theodore Specht Strasse and ride 1 block, then turn right into West Austin Street and pedal to the Marktplatz (city centre). 1.0 mile.
Total Distance 65 miles
DAY NINE. SUNDAY: FREDERICKSBURG to WILLOW CITY LOOP and back, 65 miles.
Terrain: Quite strenuous with steep and demanding hills.
Map: Texas Trails' Gillespie County map.
In a distance of 13 miles, the Willow City Loop packs an extraordinary diversity of Hill Country scenes. Not only are the hillsides ablaze with masses of wildflowers in spring, but throughout the year you pass a scenic jumble of clear streams rippling over rocky shelves and ledges, verdant groves of live oak, and rocky cedar-sheathed hills. Deer bound gracefully over tall fences, and it's not unusual to see a tom turkey followed by a harem of admiring females. En route, you pedal through a countryside that hasn't changed much since German pioneers settled here a century and a half ago.
Sound good? It's so good that on weekends during the bluebonnet season--usually around Easter--hundreds of motorists, including large RVs and busloads of sightseers, descend on the Loop. They create such congestion that the Kerrville Easter Hill Country Rally rarely schedules rides through here. However, on weekdays, traffic is much less intense. And after the bluebonnet season, the flow of tourist cars slows to a trickle, despite the masses of red and gold wildflowers continuing to bloom into late May and sometimes early June.
Yet wildflowers or not, this Loop is always a spectacular and rewarding ride, and I've enjoyed it most in midwinter!
The scenic part of the Loop extends for 13 miles, from Willow City at the south end to TX 16 at the north end (see Texas Trails' map). Completing the Loop is a 6-mile stretch of featureless TX 16 which is all uphill on a narrow shoulder which you must share with everything from obscene-sized RVs to 18-wheelers and speeding cars. And a final 3 miles on FM 1323.
If you're willing to ride an extra ten hilly miles, consider skipping the ride on TX 16 and returning to Willow City by the same super-scenic 13 mile section that you just came on. There's one really steep, long hill to climb back up. But personally, I always go this way. And invariably I find that viewing the Willow City Loop from the opposite direction is like making a whole new and different ride.
This makes for a long, hilly, all-day tour. But if you have a back-up vehicle, here's an idea. Simply drive your support vehicle , with all bikes and riders in it, from Fredericksburg to the north via TX 16 and continue north on TX 16 to the northern end of the Willow City Loop. Then start cycling back from there via the Willow City Loop and return through Willow City-by FM 1323 west to TX 16-by Eckert Road west to Lower Crabapple Road- south on Lower Crabapple Road to TX 16-and by TX 16 (with shoulders and aka North Llano Road) ) into the center of Fredericksburg. All roads are clearly shown on your Texas Trails map.
Whichever way you go, sustenance may be available in the form of mesquite-smoked barbecue and beer at Harry's on the Loop in Willow City during weekends and on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Beer, soft drinks and sandwiches may also be available at The Knot In The Loop Saloon ,about 3 miles west of Willow City on FM 1323.
Another option: if it's more convenient, consider swapping the first day's ride with that of the ninth day. Both are one-day rides out from and back to Fredericksburg.
Via the full-distance 65 mile, all-day tour, you start and end in Fredericksburg. If staying in Kerrville, you can drive to Fredericksburg in 45 minutes. If you decide to complete the Willow City Loop on TX 16 (instead of riding the most scenic section both ways) you can reduce the total distance to only 55 miles.
So here is the itinerary for the full 65-mile route.
Mile 0.0 From the Marktsplatz in central Fredericksburg, ride east to North Olive Street and turn left on N. Olive which soon is posted as FM 1631. Disregard any of the side roads with German names and stay on two-lane shoulderless FM 1631 until you reach Mile 7.4.
You'll encounter some congestion leaving Fredericksburg and you'll meet a few cars and pick-ups on FM 1631.
Mile 7.4 Disregarding all obvious side roads, stay on two-lane, shoulderless FM 1631 as it passes farms, fields and hills. Traffic is fairly light here but may increase on Sunday mornings when folks drive to St. Paul Lutheran Cave Creek Church, on the left at Mile 10.4. A medallion on the church explains that this is the oldest rural Lutheran church in Gillespie County. It was built 1884-1890.
Mile 14.4 Turn left on to Herber Schaefer Road. For 3 very scenic miles, this narrow country lane winds and twists across tree-shaded creeks and through farmyards. Turn left when you emerge on to FM 1323 and ride a short distance into Willow City.
Mile 18.5 Consisting of a dozen houses, a post office and Harry's On The Loop, Willow City was named in the 1870s for the abundant willows found here. In Willow City, turn right off FM 1323 and ride north up the narrow Willow City Loop.
The Loop starts out flat but soon you're swooping up and down hills and negotiating cattle guards and narrow low water crossings. Almost everyone stops at the top of a hill at Mile 22.4 to admire the stunning views of a valley below, carpeted with bluebonnets in spring. Then you're off on a long, steep descent down a rock-strewn hillside.
Several landowners have erected metal fences to keep out poachers and and sightseeing crowds, and signs along the way ask you to please stay on the road. For miles, the Loop weaves a wild, roller-coaster course through verdant forests and between steep, rugged hills. "A tumultuous jumble of scenery," one British cyclist called it.
An occasional house glides past, and at Mile 29 you pass twice under a power line. From here on, pink boulders dot the hillsides and at Mile 30 a free-standing rock pinnacle looms high on the left.
Mile 31.3 The Willow City Loop meets TX 16. If you wish to save ten miles, turn left on to TX 16 and ride 6 miles south to Eckert Road (Point XXX).
Via the recommended itinerary, turn around and ride back over this 13-mile stretch of rugged scenery to Willow City. The big climb up the rock-strewn hillside begins at Mile 38.5. Whether you stand up or spin your cranks in lowest gear, almost everyone is able to ride back up. Beside letting you ride the Willow City Loop twice, this route also permits a stop at The Knot in the Loop Saloon and a second stop at Harry's On The Loop.
Mile 44.0 At Willow City, turn right and ride a flat 3 miles west until you come to TX 16.
Mile 47.0 Turn right on to TX 16, ride 75 yards north, then turn left on to narrow but paved Eckert Road (Point XXX). As almost everywhere in Gillespie County, every backroad is paved and identified by a green metal name sign. Whether or not it's wildflower season, for the next 18 miles traffic should be very light. One reason is that wildflowers are fewer on Eckert and Lower Crabapple Roads. Passing Rain Maker Ranch on your left, Eckert Road crosses a wide expanse of wooded hills. On the left at Mile 50.7 and beside a picturesque creek, is the entrance to Rabke's Ranch. At weekends the ranch has traditionally been open and they have sold ready-to-eat sandwiches of smoked ham and turkey , sausage, beef-breast, bacon or jerky and cold drinks {but don't count on it). On across more low water crossings, Eckert Road intersects with Lower Crabapple Road.
Mile 51.7 Turn left on Lower Crabapple Road and ride south. More great views unfold as you crest a series of hilltops, then climb a mile-long hill overlooking Fredericksburg. A few cars begin to appear and panoramic views of Fredericksburg reach away as you crest that one last hill.
Then with the church steeples of Fredericksburg looming below, you soar downhill to intersect with TX 16. If you need a cool drink, turn left onto the wide shoulder of TX 16 for two short blocks and you'll find a convenience store. Otherwise, turn right on to the wide shoulder of TX 16 (aka North Llano Road) and enter the center of Fredericksburg.
THE END