KRATZMC

I planned do this ride to Fredericksburg last Saturday but of course the weather didn’t cooperate. It was sunny all the previous week until the weekend rolled around, then rain hit. I felt kind of cheated since I’ve been unable to ride much over the last three months due to a knee injury. I had done some short rides over the past two weeks but anything more than a half hour got my knee throbbing. With clear weather forecasted, I decided to recreate the ride the following Sunday.

I arrived at Moody’s coffee on Hwy 183 in Leander at 0800 hrs to meet my buddy, Bob Head. Expectations were to have a cinnamon roll, coffee and read my email before hitting the road. The plan was to get something light to eat and tide us over until lunch, as we planned to dine on authentic German cuisine, only available in Fredericksburg. After coffee, we were to activate B.O.B. (Butt On Bike) and hit the road. As with all plans, you have to allow for Murphy’s Law and Mr. Murphy decided to pay us a brief visit. I found Bob standing by his bike (my old GL1500) with a disappointed look on his face. Moody’s was closed on Sundays!

Pepe’s, Hwy 183 Leander, Tx. Bob is trying to call Fred, a friend of ours who was in route and driving to Schertz, Tx, his new home.

Just down the road I saw Pepe’s Mexican restaurant, offering Mex/American Food. Bob said he had been there before and was unimpressed. I decided I would make up my own mind. Besides daylight was a wasting and food finds are limited in the bustling metropolis of Leander. A quick scan of the menu offered many choices but I opted for the breakfast Taco. I ordered the potato, cheese and egg Taco. Cost $1.90, not including coffee. I was impressed with the flavor and quality and Bob agreed that maybe he had made a hasty decision about the place.

Warmed up and ready to go, we hit the road. The weather was perfect at 72 degrees, with clear blue skies. We made our way over the undulating back roads on County Road 1431, with virtually no traffic. Passing farms, ranches and an occasional country store. Bob pointed out the ruins of a building built to look like a ship. A former night spot, the unique building had succumbed to a fire with only the outline of its skeletal shell remained. One thing about Texas, it has traffic like any other state but once you transition to a county road you will rarely hit traffic. Pardon the pun. Hitting traffic on a motorcycle can be a bad thing, any way you slice it.

I was looking forward to going to Fredericksburg, to see the Museum of the Pacific war and experience the town, a popular tourist destination in Hill Country. The summer time can be hot and when tourist season is in full bloom, traffic can be horrendous, so going off season is recommended. Fredericksburg is a small town with Germanic roots and its influence if visible everywhere, especially the foods and shops. It is reminiscent of Solvang, California, a Danish themed town on the coast of California. There are many unique shops and the springtime bloom of flowers attracts hoards of visitors. The birthplace of Admiral Chester Nimitz, Fredericksburg is a great place for history or military buffs and the rustic appeal of the town has been carefully maintained and is part of the draw.

Laurence and Ben from Austin, Tx. Taking a break in Marble Falls

After forty minutes of riding, we arrived in Marble Falls. Marble Falls lies along the Colorado River, another town with character and home of the famous Blue Bonnet Café. We took time to get rid of our earlier cup of coffee, stretched our legs and get some bottled water. While we watched all the other riders who were also taking the advantage of the weather, two riders decided to stop and check their maps. Riding a KTM 690 Supermoto and a Ducati Sport Classic 1000, we quickly learned they too were transplanted Californians, now living in Austin. Ben and Laurence were from Tiburon, California and were admitted geeks, who have excellent taste in motorcycles. After some brief conversation and exchanging well wishes, we were back on the road.

Author in Marble Falls, Tx

Johnson City Texas, home of LBJ

To get to Fredericksburg, we had to pass through Johnson City, home of LBJ. A unique and established town, it has many quaint shops and other attractions worthy of noting for future visits. As usual time was a factor. We wanted to have enough time eat and visit the Pacific War Museum. I noticed a photo opportunity, when I saw an abandoned garage with Bob’s name on it. Need I say more?

We stopped at Bob’s garage, Johnson City, Tx

Back on the road again and 30 miles later, we rolled into Fredericksburg, after the lunch rush. We made one trip down the main street, as I scanned for a place to eat and made mental notes of what to see and where we wanted to go after lunch. I saw at least 5 German eateries but opted for the least assuming, plus it was combined with an authentic German bakery.

Old German Bakery Restaurant

My intention was to try and introduce Bob to “Jaeger Schnitzel”. Jaeger means Hunter in Deutsch, so you Jaeger Meister drinkers now know that the name means “Master Hunter”. Contrary to popular belief, Schnitzel is not a hot dog but a cutlet, traditionally veal but its name is synonymous with any meat cutlet, typically tenderized by pounding, breaded and pan fried. Jaeger Schnitzel is usually covered with rich mushroom gravy, a hint of dill and served with potatoes. Bob had mixed feelings about the dish but said it began to grow on him after a few bites, finally giving it a thumbs up.

After lunch, we made a beeline to the Pacific War Museum. Bob said he was unimpressed with the Museum but a few minutes later, I learned he never actually went inside. Thwarted by the $7.00 admission fee on his first visit, his opinion was soon to change.

Museum of the Pacific War

The Museum has three components. One is the Chester Nimitz House and store, located on the main drag behind the Museum proper, or Bush Hall. Bush Hall houses the main museum displays. The final building, located two blocks away called the Pacific Battle Zone and houses life sized dioramas of the Pacific war, including a full sized PT boat and Avenger Torpedo Bomber. The Avenger was the type aircraft Piloted by our current Presidents father. All visitors to this area must be accompanied by a tour guide, who will lead you outside to a recreation of a Pacific War island. Displays feature an outdoor beachhead with landing craft and fortifications. This area is also used several times a year for reinactors who put on live simulated fire shows for visitors.

B-25 Mitchell with prop action

M-3 Stuart tank with shell damage

Water tight door USS Arizona

One of the many diorama displays

PT Boat

TBM Avenger Torpedo Bomber

Amtrack landing craft and docent

Japanese tank in position

Pacific Combat Zone Building

Bob enjoying the 10 minute video

Well as usual, time was our enemy. After hitting the last tour of the day at the Combat Zone Building it was 5 o’clock, time for everything to start rolling up on a Sunday. I was unable to visit the Chester Nimitz house and its store, so I guess I will have to make another trip. We hopped back on the bikes and hit the nearest convenience store to empty the bladders and get something to drink before or 90 plus mile trip home.

Taking some back roads we made our way back to Marble Falls. We rolled into one of the only marked towns on the map called Sandy, Texas. Just in time to water the local fauna. One thing I have learned about Texas, is just because a town is on the map, don’t gamble on it having any services, or even people. The only commercial structure in the town looked like an abandoned country store. There were only three residential structures visible and nothing else.

Sandy, Texas…you are seeing the whole town!

As it as it got dark we reached Marble Falls, we opted for a last chance meal, as there weren’t too many options this late on a Sunday. We found a quaint little Italian restaurant and as it was growing colder, I felt like having a little soup and a salad. I failed to note the name of the restaurant, so it is futile to do a brief review. They did have excellent bread, which went well with some garlic infused olive oil.

The ride back was uneventful, fortunately, as there are many deer which line the roads at night. High beams and auxiliary driving lights are a must, if you ever intend to ride Texas during darkness. After a half an hour of riding and turning off and on our high beams for oncoming traffic, we reached the intersection of Hwy 29 and Hwy 183. Bob and I parted ways here, which is about 14 miles from my ranch. I finally reached the ranch at about 12 hours after leaving and was ready to relax by the wood stove, after a soak in the hot tub.

All in all it was a great day and a great ride and I covered a total of 224 miles. It was a great way to start getting in shape for my June rally in Utah. Living in this area of Texas, rides like this are literally just outside my door. Back in California, I would have to drive at least an hour or two in any direction to hit roads like these, plus the traffic here is virtually non-existent when you leave the main roads. I did learn one thing, to allow more time when visiting Fredericksburg for a proper visit or experience.

Well by the time any of my working friends make it out here for some riding, I will have all these things figured out, to help you make the most of your visit. This area is steeped in history, so for someone like me it is a fantastic place to hit the road and explore. I hope you enjoyed the story and that it took you away from your daily grind, no matter how briefly. Until next time, Vaya con Zeke.

The route, 224 miles plus change, 24 Feb 2008