March 2-4, 2007
878 miles Via 90A / 90 and the wonderful Texas Hill Country roads |
After a quick breakfast of coffee and a banana at D'Rose, I left the morning of March 3rd for a day of riding with just a limited aim. I knew that at some point I wanted to hit Lost Maples, but very little in between. As I sit here and write, I start to wonder if I would want to take a GPS along, on trips of this nature. It would seem like traveling with such a precise directional device, would take away from the whole experience.
I left Leakey heading North on 83. The sun was out but the air was still cold, providing, for a South Texas rider, the rare experience of chilled wind and the never ending exhilaration of being on a motorcycle riding the open roads. A few miles up the road I came across Cypress Creek Rd. I decided to head down this way for no other reason than reading a sign that indicated a cemetery down that way. Cypress Creek road loses its pavement and turns into a steep incline almost immediately after you leave the main road. This made me apprehensive, having never taken the mighty Hidalgo off the pavement ribbon. Still, there was no turning back at that point. Attempting a 180 on a steep grade is not quite what you want to do with a bike like this. I pressed on, gaining confidence as I went along. Soon, I came to a river crossing. Again, a first for Hidalgo and me, but seeing that I had already taken a chance just a few minutes earlier, and that this was a 'Texas style' crossing, concrete slab and all, I pushed on. This was a great decision. The road ahead lead to several more river crossings, a collection of stone blocks, leaning while they waited for a builder, and a wonderful and quiet space where I could rest and have some quiet time in God's creation.
|
