The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
Technical Discussion => Ride Reports and Event Reviews => Topic started by: montmil on August 02, 2010, 04:40:54 PM
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"Blackie" -my 1981 R65- and I launched out of Kerrville, Texas, on the last day of July, for my first ever adventure on three famous Texas Hill Country motorcycling roads.
Texas Ranch Road's 335, 336 and 337 are collectively known as the Three Twisted Sisters and are claimed by many riders to be the best twisties in the Lone Star State. Toss in the twenty-four miles of continuous turns on Texas Hwy 16 south from Kerrville and the loop encompassed a bit over 151 miles.
Partly cloudy skies, light winds and 76 degrees set the tone for the early stages of the ride. July in Texas? I had no complaints about the weather even though the Vapor's digital thermometer read 106 degrees when I returned to Kerrville in the afternoon.
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi196.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa1%2Fmontmil%2FBMW%2520R65%2FFrioCanyon017-10.jpg&hash=0a079c3e863ce2875efa0bb347d9482ea825b9dd)
Medina, Texas is the usual jumping off point for The Sisters. It's also home to the Frio Canyon Motorcycle Stop; a friendly place for food, beverages, maps and the obligatory souvenir T-shirt.
My ride took me across five Texas rivers. Some of them multiple times. It's a smallish two-lane road most of the way with many of the turns having rock walls on one side and the other a drop off that doesn't stop until tomorrow. Deer, racoons, snakes, fallen rocks and even a turtle caused small detours throughout the ride.
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi196.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa1%2Fmontmil%2FBMW%2520R65%2FGuadalupeRiver7-10.jpg&hash=520be8c771ef6ad314c66b566c2e7e8ba6aca562)
This is one crossing on the Guadalupe River. Typical of many. The entire ride is through live oak, maple, and cedar tree covered limestone mountains. I had to pass only one pickup truck and a half dozen Hardleys the entire day. Saturday, I owned the road and the Three Twisted Sisters.
Monte
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Now didn't I tell you that was an awesome ride? The first time I rode the threes it was like the very first time I ever kissed a girl. I turned to Mrs. Phorqs and said "that was fun, can we do it again???"
Now that you've done the ride you'll want to do it again in the Fall or Spring. As for the other good folk out there, Ya'll need to come on down to Texas and see what we have to offer.
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I guess I've ridden 337 before, it was very pleasant! Did you stop at the motorcycle museum near Vanderpool? It was closed when we went by. We were on our way through Kerrville to Llano and Cooper's BBQ.
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Lots of Brit bikes in the Vanderpool museum. I did not stop in as I had to be in Fredericksburg by late afternoon. Another good reason to go back to revisit the Sisters.
Was at Cooper's Sunday. Always a parking lot bike show there, too.
Texas Hwy 16, from Kerrville to Llano to Cooper's -and on northward- is a great road running the length of Texas.
Monte
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How come we only get 2 pics!!! ;)
i wanna see these twisty roads 8-)
Sounds like you had a great time Monte.
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What a great ride Monte. And yeah, I'd like to see more pics of that area too.
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Couple more photos. The r-e-a-l-l-y twisty roads had no safe areas to pull off for a photo op.
Discretion helped keep my eyes on the road and hands on the bars. Couple times I gawked at the scenery a split second too long and had to apply the Keith Code Riding School mantra... no brakes, counterintuitive steer and throttle up. World Super Bike I ain't!
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi196.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa1%2Fmontmil%2FBMW%2520R65%2FRR335-ThePaseo.jpg&hash=48eae7be63cf7b5786dc3ba015db68ab6024ca42)
Camino del Paseo. There are several passes through the hills like this one on RR335. All lead back up into the Hills.
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi196.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa1%2Fmontmil%2FBMW%2520R65%2FFrioRiver.jpg&hash=d3e6815110028f5ada1b762b196a598d3763fcff)
The rivers in this part of Texas are mostly spring-fed. The Frio River is one of 'em.
Monte