rocketbunny: Got out a *bit* this weekend

Besides my antics with the bunnies, it was actually a pretty busy weekend riding-wise. I got in 330 miles on Friday and about the same on Saturday. 600+ miles total.

Joining the Inks Lake Camping Crew

On Friday morning I met Scratch and Strider from TWTex for breakfast at a local Denny’s before riding out toward Austin with a nice group of 5 total riders. They were doing a weekend camping trip. I was just along for the first day’s ride.

Interestingly, of the 5 bikes on the ride, all had single-sided swingarms, and only one was Japanese: Honda Hawk GT, Triumph Speed Triple, BMW R1150GS, K1200S, and my R1200ST.

Scratch, the ride leader, chose a fantastic collection of rural goat trails and high speed sweepers. A big first for me was riding over wooden bridges (two) and stopping at a park to view the first bloomings of a field of bluebonnets. In other places, sweeps of yellow, pink, white, and yes – blue created a watercolor effect on fields stretching toward the ever-present horizon.

Texans seem to be really serious about their wildflowers. The state actually landscapes the highway system with them. There were people pulled over in the medians of busy roadways taking pictures!

We had lunch at a little cantina in Lexington. I can’t recall the name, but the place as a whole was pretty forgettable except for the entertainment provided in the form of a wall-mounted TV and the local clientele.

An older gentleman with a long white beard was intently watching a National Geographic segment on swine breeding farms when we sat down. I mostly remember thinking to myself that I really didn’t want to learn anything about the joyfully endorsed future of “pig-human relationships” while eating. After that edifying piece was over, we got to enjoy a re-run of various big cats hunting and tearing up gazelle’s in the African savannah. Let’s just say I was glad that I was seated facing away from the TV. It all very much reminded me of family dinners in my youth when everyone was yelling at dad for turning on “Nature” while we were eating dinner.

I left the group a little while later in Georgetown to slab back to Houston.

Occasionally during the ride I’d zoom out on my GPS, but usually I had no clue where I was or what roads I was on. Good thing I’d just cleared my track log, because I was able to recreate the route when I downloaded the log to my computer. Route (.est, right-click, save as)

March Pie Run to Kyle, TX

On Saturday I met with Cagiva 549 and Speed Triple to head out to the March Pie Run, a monthly event sponsored by the TWTex forum. This one was held in Kyle, a small town between San Marcos and Austin.

The roads weren’t quite as interesting and varied as those from the day before, but it was great to get out again and see more of Texas.

The pie place was interesting. They had a giant and very yummy looking piece of cherry pie hanging over the entrance. It was also exciting to see the entire main street lined with sport-touring motorcycles. Apparently someone walking by was astonished to see so many bikes and only one Harley.

After lunch and some networking (I met a fellow ST.Ner- Bluedogok – and found out that he’s also in the architecture field), Speed Triple (Tom) and I headed back to Houston. It was actually very sad. He’s from South Houston and I’m new to the state. He knew how to get back, but only on major roads. I was the same. So we essentially super-slabbed back. Oh well, at some point I’m sure I’ll get familiar enough to know exactly where to go.