Day 2/6 of “Biking and Blogging†on the Classic Adventures Texas Hill Country Tour.
After our morning meeting over a hearty breakfast at Ye Kendall Inn (not too Texan-y is it), we saddled up and headed out on the lovely roads of the Texas Hill Country.
My definition of lovely roads: very little traffic, no potholes that will swallow up your bike, no beasts on 2 or 4 legs, and lovely scenery. Our ride from Boerne to Comfort offered us all of that and more.
The weather was perfect for those of us that prefer to ride without the sun beating down on us and mild temperatures. Cycling utopia.
Seriously, I didn’t expect to think that the “farm to market†(FM) roads in Texas would be my idea of cycling nirvana, but in many ways they were. They form a network through the Hill Country and other areas of Texas and are simply perfect for traveling by bike. Farm to market roads were developed to connect agricultural areas with market towns – the same types of towns that have the amenities that a cyclist needs.
One thing about the “farm to market†roads is they are all paved with chip seal. Texas sized chip seal.
Lucille, as I came to call my loaner Trek Pilot, smoothed out the chip seal or maybe I just got used to it.
The ride from Boerne to Comfort had us cross the Guadalupe River and the turn for the “Cave without a Nameâ€. Although we didn’t stop at the cave, Dale, our resident historian (a former professor of history) explained to us how the cave got its no-name. The owner of the cave back in the 1940’s held a contest to name the cave. A boy entered the contest and suggested the cave was too beautiful to have a name and thus the no-name name.
We stopped at Sister Creek Vineyards in Sisterdale, and then on to the Sisterdale Trading Company & Saloon for a picnic lunch. Reportedly, the saloon is the oldest bar in the lone star state; from the way it reeked of cigarette smoke I’m inclined to believe it. It was a cool old bar, unfortunately I don’t have any pictures of inside.
After lunch we continued along the same type of secluded roadways with gently rolling hills. We rode together as a group for awhile and at one of the stops I took the opportunity to get this shot. Sort of reminiscent of a pro peloton stopping for “natural break†– ha.
As the week progressed the hills did too which was fine by me. My preference is always to start out with easier terrain and fewer miles, since typically I get stronger with each consecutive day.
The scenery was also going to improve we were told (and it did), but both Mark and I enjoyed the scenery of the first couple of days too – one bucolic scene after another – including the first sighting of bluebonnets.
and other wildflowers.
Our trip notes even included information on where the best photo ops were so we all stopped for this pastoral scene of the Guadalupe River.
Just a few more miles later we pulled into our next home, the Meyer Bed and Breakfast. Thanks to a couple of our riding buddies we continued our bike touring ritual of enjoying a cold beer after a day’s ride – this time on a porch overlooking the picturesque Cypress Creek. Beer always tastes best after a bike ride.
Dinner was fried shrimp and catfish, fries and hushpuppies and something equally fattening for dessert. There will be no weight loss on this bike tour.
For the day: 38 miles, 3:14 actual riding time, 1437 calories burned (and ingested at dinner), AHR 107, AVS 12. It’s a tour, I’m supposed to be slow.
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