KRATZMC

I’ve been grounded due to a bum neck, so its been about six weeks since I’ve ridden. A series of short term health issues all cropped up at the same time and interfered with my initial plans to complete the 2011 Tour of Honor Ride. With my neck better, I was getting claustrophobic and it was now time to see if I was ready to ride. I decided to join the Georgetown Honda Gold Wing Meet Up Group on a Sunday ride. The weather was forecast for the mid 70’s with clear skies. I was trying to figure a way to incorporate the Sunday ride and knock out one of seven of the Texas Tour of Honor Sites. I also wanted to see how my neck would handle having a 2 lb helmet on my head, while buffeting in a 70 mph head wind.

Stu McCurdy, leader of the Meet Up Group threw out feelers online on where to go. One of the four destinations was to Gruene Tx, via Canyon Lake and lunch at the Gristmill Restaurant. From there I could make a short run to San Antonio and photograph the Alamo Cenotaph Memorial with my motorcycle and rider flag. I could also visit my friend Fred, a former Californian and resident of Cibolo and kill several birds with the one stone.

The plan was to meet up at the Chevron Station at the intersection of Parmer Lane and CR 1431, with KSU (Kick Stands Up) at 1000 hrs. The previous night, I did a short ride to dinner in Cedar Park, just to see if riding one of my Sport Tourers (NT700v) would cause me any discomfort. As I was riding home E/B on CR 1431 and Parmer Lane, I had entered one of the left turn lanes to go south on Ronald Reagan Pkwy. I was braking normally when both my front and rear wheels locked. My former training came into play as I watched the horizon change and the motorcycle started to go down towards the right. I released the brakes and reapplied, slowing down and just going over the limit line by 6 feet. Fortunately I didn’t lay it down, otherwise I would have slid right into the intersection into the cross traffic. I noted that sand was all over the roadway and that it had been laid down during a big freeze which occurred over a month ago. Apparently there is no rush by the County to clean it up. Anyway, if you are reading this and are near this intersection, keep it in mind.

I left my ranch for the 29 mile ride at 0900 hrs on my ST1300. The weather was fantastic as I passed throngs of Sunday morning Bicyclists on Ronald Reagan Parkway. Note: My route map doesn’t depict RR Pkwy, as my version 2010 of Microsoft Street & Trips doesn’t have the newly constructed road yet. It was an uneventful short hop with little traffic as I reached the Chevron Station. I saw Diana McCurdy next to their trike, while Stu was engrossed with his Android. Stu came over to where I was pumping fuel to relate he had made it to the fuel station on fumes. Jerry and Jack, if you read my Painted Churches Story and Dan “Money Clip Yancey. Dan is a great guy, he must be since he is an IBA member and sports his IBA license plate frame on his GL1800. Later we would learn in Wimberly that Dan lost his left dash, stereo speaker cover, somewhere along the route. If you ride long enough, you will lose something sooner or later as the Highway Gremlins collect their unofficial tolls. You may have noticed yourself the occasional single shoe or sock lying next to the side of the road. I often wonder how such items end up where they do. Are these spots mini Bermuda Triangles of the highway’s?

A view of Me and  following Stu and Diana. Dan Yancey is on the Yellow Wing.

Stu lead us through North Austin and as we exited near Bee Cave, we were getting out of the city traffic and onto the back country roads. With curves, canyons and tree lined roads we worked out way south. At one spot we passed some carrion on the road with a single Vulture on the ground, as the others watched perched from the trees. An obvious Veteran this bird was dining while his squeamish pals played it safe in the trees and wasn’t spooked as we passed by. We rode for about an hour before we took our first break in Wimberly. Wimberly is a great destination town on a good weekend. There are many shops and eateries to visit, so parking can be difficult at times but one advantage of motorcycles is you can usually find a spot to squeeze in somewhere. We stretched our legs and swapped some lies in a small parking lot in the shade and watched the other weekend traffic pass by.

The Guadalupe River

After our break we heading south again and towards Canyon Lake to our lunch destination in Gruene. This was one of the most scenic and remarkable parts of the ride as River Road east of Canyon Lake follows the Guadalupe River. This area in the summer is teeming with rafters and there are campgrounds, resorts and sports rentals business in every open spot all along the road. I think there are more campgrounds per mile along river road as I have seen anywhere. Its a shame as during the summer season, you can’t see the river with all the campers and vacationers obstructing the view. I do not find this area appealing at such times. The thought of floating down the river in an inner tube with a throng of beer guzzling rafters, in a sea of urine just doesn’t spell vacation for me.

Downtown Gruene, TX

We reached the town of Gruene, also a nice destination town. It reminds me a lot of the Napa region of California. There are eateries, artsy shops and stores. I saw the Gristmill Restaurant as we entered and what I estimated to be scores of people headed in that direction. I was thinking we were in for a long wait for a table and I was starving. I soon found out that Randy Travis was performing next door and that we were able to get a table for six with no problem. Parking in Gruene is a task on the weekends, so the six of us had to park in three different locations.

The front of the Gristmill Restaurant

Inside the Gristmill.

What’s left of the Onion Rings after six folks gnawed on them.

The Gristmill Restaurant is located on the side of a hill and overlooks the Guadalupe River, in and amongst the trees. So if you get an outside table, you are guaranteed a wonderful and serene view with your meal. I ordered their garden salad and the Pork Loin Sandwich. Stu ordered one order of Onion rings which fed the six of us. The food at the Gristmill is fantastic and it’s a must go kinda of place. After our hearty meal, we all anticipated getting drowsy. Dan whipped out his 5 hour energy drink as we prepared to go our separate ways. The Gold Wing group would find another back road to take them home and I would make a short jaunt to my friend Fred’s in Cibolo and figure out a route to the Alamo. We said our goodbye’s and I heading to Cibolo and arrived at Fred’s in about a half hour. At Fred’s I whipped out my laptop and figure the best route to the Memorial located near the Alamo.

The Alamo Cenotaph is a memorial for the soldiers who fought and died at the Alamo. The Tour of Honor requirements were to take a photograph of the Memorial with your rider flag and motorcycle in the foreground. Both my friends Merritt Francies and Glenn Copeland had completed their Tour of Honor rides while I was laid up. Both also finished to be eligible for the 3rd and 4th place trophies for being in the first five to finish their state. I was informed by both that parking is a problem to position a motorcycle for the photo. One has to illegally stop and park along the busy downtown city street. If they could do it, I could do it. As I got online, SNAFU! It was March 6th, 2011. On March 6th 1836, the Battle of the Alamo began. It was the 175th Anniversary of the Battle and I was headed right for it. Could you pick a worse time to visit a National Monument? Actually, I guess it made my visit more meaningful.

I left Fred’s and shot down I-35 to I-37 to San Antonio and got off on exit 141B. I skirted around barricades and the backed up traffic. I could see tons of reinactors in period dress and apparently getting ready to do one of the final shows for the day. I saw the spot where Glenn Copeland took his photo but Cops, barricades, spectators and Actors were blocking the way, making just seeing the Memorial nearly impossible. One good thing was that traffic was stopped do to the activities, so I went to the intersection north of the Cenotaph. I was able to stop in a traffic lane, no curb, no traffic and take my picture.

My TOH picture for the Cenotaph.

What the Cenotaph looks like without the crowds.

Mission accomplished, I began to ride home, trying to make it before dark. It was a good day with my route showing I rode 317 miles for the day. The rest of the ride was uneventful and I took the Toll Road home from Buda, Tx, making it home just as the sun was setting. All in all, I made it out of town, I got to ride my motorcycle, I got to spend time with friends, eat some good food, enjoy the good weather, see some good sites and got one of seven TOH sites under my belt. My neck is a little sore but I haven’t worn my two pound hat for a while but there was no pressure on the nerve. I think a couple of more weeks of rest and therapy and I will be ready for some longer rides. If you find yourself in Hill Country, make Gruene Tx a destination whether you ride or not. You won’t be disappointed.

My route, 317 miles.

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