Jay-N-Gwendolyn

Wow…it’s been such a long time since we posted anything. I guess things have just been a little busy…between our fun wilderness adventure and a trip to the emergency room, we just haven’t had the time to write. But if you want to read Jay’s full take on the events, click below.

-G
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Happy Birthday to the only girl I know that needs to wear a helmet to use a computer! (I guess she was afraid it was going to crash!) I hope you have a wonderful birthday and have a great weekend!

I Love you!
Jay

P.S. Sorry for the picture, I couldn’t resist putting it up. Of course it does show my messy desk also. hehe.

Texas Ranger Museum Tour

The Texas Ranger Museum Tour is a ride to Waco to visit the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum. The group departs from Round Rock and travels to Waco on the secondary highways east of I-35. The group has lunch in Waco at Cricket’s Grill, followed by visiting the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum. Afterwards, the group returns to Round Rock, using the same highways used to get to Waco, with a small side trip on some back roads west of Granger.

Vital Statistics

Approximate distance: 209 miles
Approximate time required: 8 hours
Date we rode this route: 2/21/04

Cautionary Notes

After Temple, you head NE on 438 to Belfalls, where you turn right onto 935. Immediately after turning onto 935, there is a 20 mph curve, which requires extra caution.
On the return route, you turn left in Weir and travel on County Road 120. There are several 90-degree turns with no shoulders. Use caution when negotiating these curves.

The Route

Meet at the McDonald’s at I-35 and 3406 (Old Settler’s Blvd), in north Round Rock.
North on the I-35 access road.
Right on Chandler Road (114 / 1431).
Left on 1460.
Right on the Georgetown Inner Loop.
Right on 29.
Left on 95, to Temple.
After crossing under 190, 95 becomes Loop 363.
Break and refuel at the Shell/Wendy’s at Loop 363 and I-35.
Backtrack on Loop 363, 2 miles to 438.
Left on 438, to Belfalls.
Right on 935.

Caution: watch for the 20 mph curve immediately after getting on to 935.

Left on US 77, to Waco.
Right on TX 6 / Loop 340.
Left on University Parks.
Cross under I-35.
Continue for a few blocks to Franklin Avenue.
Left on Franklin.
Travel south on Franklin to 2nd Street.
Immediately after crossing 2nd Street, turn left into the parking lot.
Lunch at Cricket’s Grill.
After lunch, backtrack on University Parks to I-35.
Go under I-35, and turn left onto the north bound access road.
Immediately after you turn left on the access road, turn right into the Texas Ranger Museum driveway.
Visit the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum.
Exit the south side of the parking lot, turning left on the First Street Cemetary drive.
Work your way over to the traffic light at University Parks (you can see the traffic light as you head in that direction).
Left on University Parks.
Right on Texas 6 / Loop 340.
Left on US 77.
Right on 935.
Left on 438, to Temple.
Right on Loop 363, to I-35.
Break and refuel at the Shell/Wendy’s at Loop 363 and I-35.

(Riders who are short on time can head home on I-35 from here.)

Backtrack south/east on Loop 363.
After crossing under 190, Loop 363 becomes 95.
Continue south on 95, to Granger.
Right on 971, to Weir.
Left on 120 (same intersection as 1105).

Caution: watch for the 90-degree, low speed curves.

Right on 29.
Left on the Georgetown Inner Loop.
Left on 1460, to Round Rock.
Right on Old Settler’s Blvd (same intersection as 113).
West on Old Settler’s Blvd to the McDonald’s at I-35 (starting point of this route.

Tour Notes

Go to the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum Web page for more information about the museum.
Go to the Cricket’s Grille Web page for more information about the lunch location, including the menu.

Fredericksburg Bed & Breakfast

The Fredericksburg Bed & Breakfast ride is a trip through the Hill Country to Fredericksburg. The afternoon consists of shopping and sightseeing, followed by the group splitting up tp go to their respective inns. Sunday morning the people regroup, ride to Sister Creek Vineyards in Sisterdale, and make a leisurely trip back through the Hill Country to Austin.

Vital Statistics

Approximate distance: 244 miles
Approximate time required: 2 days
Date we rode this route: 2/22/03

Cautionary Notes

Willow City Loop, and the small roads on day two, have a lot of gravel and road defects. Observe posted speed limits, and use caution when turning at intersections.
Be sure to get gas in Marble Falls on day one, as there are no more facilities until you reach Fredericksburg.

The Route

Day One (128 miles)
Meet at the Cedar Park McDonalds at 183 and 1431.
West on 1431.
Right on Bagdad Road to Liberty Hill.
Left on 1869.
Left on 1174.
Right on 1431 to Marble Falls.
Break and refuel in Marble Falls.
South on 281.
Right on 1323.
When 1323 turns left in Willow City, go straight ahead to enter the Willow City Loop.
Loop around to 16.
Right on 16.
Left on 965 to Fredericksburg.
Left on Main Street (290).
Right on Llano Street.
Travel 1 block and park in the bank parking lot on the right side of the street.
Walk back to Main Street, turn right, to The Brewery (Fredericksburg Brewing), at the end of the block.
Shopping and dinner on your own, followed by making your way to your Bed & Breakfast inn.
Day Two (116 miles)
Meet at the bank parking lot (Llano Street).
East on 290.
Right on 1376 through Luckenbach.
Continue south on 1376 to Sisterdale.
Vist the Sister Creek Vineyards.
Continue south on 1376.
Left on 473.
Left (north) on 281.
In Blanco, immediately after crossing the river, stop at the Texaco at 281 and State Park Rd 23 for fuel and a break.
Continue north on 281 several blocks to 4th Street (165).
Right on 4th Street (165).
A few blocks after crossing the river, 165 turns left.
Left on 165, to Henly.
Right on 290.
Left on 188 (Martin Rd).
When it appears that Martin Road has a “Y”, bear right.
Left on 187 (McGregor Lane).
Right on 101 (Fitzhugh Rd).
Left on 12.
Right on 3238.
Right on 71 to Bee Cave.
Left on 620.
In the Lakeline Mall area, stop at the McDonalds at 620 and Pecan Parkway (end of ride).

Tour Notes

Willow City Loop has some of the most spectacular scenery in Central Texas. Take time to stop and look at the view, and to get some memorable photgraphs.
Brewery Restaurant – 245 East Main Street in Fredericksburg, (830) 997-1646.
Sister Creek Vineyards – 1142 Sisterdale Road (FM 1376) in Sisterdale, (830) 324 – 6704.

Gruene Grist Mill

Gruene (pronounced “green”) is on the northwest side of New Braunfels, and is a popular destination for shoppers because of its many quaint shops and great eateries. One of their best known restaurants is the Grist Mill, which is a large place with a comprehensive menu. This route begins in Oak Hill, and follows true back roads which provide terrific views of the Hill Country. After shopping and lunch at the Grist Mill Restaurant, the route returns to Oak Hill along the same scenic roads we followed on the way to Gruene.

Vital Statistics

Approximate distance: 102 miles
Approximate time required: TBD
Date we rode this route: 4/23/05

Cautionary Notes

Some of the roads have some rough areas and deterioration on the ride side of the lane.
TX 150 in particular has a number of rough edges and several low water crossings.

The Route

Meet at the Jim’s Restuarant in Oak Hill (SW Austin), at the US 290 / TX 71 “Y” intersection.
West on 290, only approx. 1 mile.
Left on 1826.
When 1826 ends, left on 150.
When 150 ends, right on 3237, to Wimberley.
Left on 12.
When 12 ends at TX 32, break and refuel at the Diamond Shamrock.
West on 32.
Left on CR 215.
Left on 306, to New Braunfels.
Right on Hunter Road.
Park near Hunter Road and Gruene Road, and have lunch at the Grist Mill Restaurant.
After lunch and shopping, backtrack on Hunter to 306.
Refuel as needed at Hunter and 306.
Left on 306.
Right on Purgatory Road / CR 215.
Right on 32.
Left on 12, to Wimberley.
Right on 3237.
Left on 150.
Right on 1826.
Right on 290, To Oak Hill.
Head for home by your preferred route.
Those who are looking for the shortest way home can head north on I-35 from Gruene. To get to I-35 from Gruene, backtrack on Hunter to 306, then turn right (east) to I-35.

Tour Notes

The Grist Mill’s menu can be viewed at http://www.gristmillrestaurant.com/.
This route is relatively short, but plan this as a full day, to allow plenty of time for shopping.

Stonehenge in the Hill Country

The Stonehenge in the Hill Country tour is a ride to Fredericksburg and Kerrville, followed by stopping in Hunt to visit Stonehenge II, a replica of the original Stonehenge. Stonehenge II is the same diameter as the original Stonehenge, but is only half as tall. There are also replicas of Easter Island statues. Following the Stonehenge visit, riders get to experience the great roads in the TX Highway 337 area (long option) or TX Highway 187 area (short option). Riders stay overnight in Kerrville, followed by riding more Hill Country Roads to Cedar Park.

Vital Statistics

Approximate distance: TX 337 option: 424 miles, TX 187 option: 341 miles
Approximate time required: 2 days
Date we rode this route: 5/3/03

Cautionary Notes

All of the roads SW of Kerrville have significant curves and elevation changes. That’s why it’s a mecca for motorcyclists. It’s also why it’s critical to watch the warning signs and to not overdrive your line of sight. The roads are challenging, and filled with riders pushing the limits.

The Route

NW Austin to Stonehenge II (128 miles)
Meet at the Jack in the Box restaurant on McNeil Road at 183 (Jollyville area).
South on 183.
South on MoPac (Loop 1).
West on 290.
Stop for a break and fuel in Dripping Springs, at 290 and 12.
Continue west on 290.
After Henly, turn right on 3232, to Pedernales Falls State Park.
At the state park entrance, turn left on 2766.
Turn right on 290, and continue west on 290.
Stop in Fredericksburg for lunch at the Fredericksburg Brewing Company.
South on 16 to Kerrville.
Right on 27 (Main Street).
Bear left onto 39.
Right on 1340.
Stop for a break at the gas station at 39 and 1340 (last break stop for a while – take advantage of it).
Continue on 1340, follow the bend, and stop at Stonehenge on the left.
Stonehenge to TX 337 Option (167 miles)
From Stonehenge, continue west on 1340.
Left on 41.
Left on 335.
Merge left onto 55.
Continue south on 55, to Camp Wood.
Left on 337, to Leakey.
Stop in Leakey at the Frio Motorcycle Stop for fuel and a break.
Continue east on 337 to Medina.
Left on 16 to Kerrville.
Stonehenge to TX 187 Option (84 miles)
From Stonehenge, backtrack to 39.
Right on 39.
Left on 187.
3 miles north of Vanderpool, stop at the Lone Star Motorcycle Museum.
Continue south on 187 to Vanderpool.
Left on 337.
Left on 16 to Kerrville.
Kerrville to Cedar Park (129 miles)
North on 16 to Fredericksburg
Left on 290.
Go west a few blocks, and turn right on 965.
North on 965 through Crabapple.
Cross over 16.
Left on 71.
Right on 3404.
Right on 1431.
Stop in Marble Falls for fuel and a break.
Continue east on 1431 to Cedar Park.

Tour Notes

The roads SW of Kerrville draw riders from near and far. When we rode this route, the ratio of bikes to cars on these roads was about 5:1. Expect fast sport riders to aggressively pass you, but also expect to see a lot of touring riders.
TX 337 is not a road for the faint of heart. It’s the ultimate road for experienced riders who want to experience significant elevation changes, tight switchbacks, high speed sweepers…. It’s a road for riders who are bored by the roads they normally ride.
This area is a mecca for riders, and also offers a variety of cultural events. If you plan to stay overnight in Kerrville, make your reservations well in advance to ensure you can get a room.
Fredericksburg Brewing Company: (830) 997-1646. Note that while this actually is a brewing company, they offer a full menu for family dining, and can accommodate groups.
Lone Star Motorcycle Museum: (830) 966-6103.

First off, sorry to have disappointed so many of you last friday! I too wish it would have been true, but just a little more time would make it better. Soon enough though.

So I’m sure you can see from the lack of updates, both Gwendolyn and I have been pretty busy, both at work and at home. I guess the biggest highlight would have been our motorcycle ride out to map(Lake Livingston|livingston, texas). We originally planned on going out there for a poker run. For those cage drivers out there, a poker run, is normally a charity event, where a bunch of bikers meet up and are given a map to a few key locations. You then go to these locations and receive a playing card. When you arrive at the last pit stop, you will then have a poker hand, and whoever wins, gets a prize. Its just a nice way to spend a day riding. However for us, we went to the meeting place, but found no one there! Now this could all be blamed on me, as I was the one that saw the flyer and wrote down all the info. We made the best of it though, and headed home going the back way through Coldspring and other back roads. Along the way we came across a few groups of at least 20 bikes each. Made us wonder if they were part of the poker run that we couldn’t find. We stopped in Coldspring again, and ate at The Hop. We all enjoyed shakes and floats and then headed on our way. I must make a mental note, to try the onion rings there, as they come highly recommended! Instead of going straight home, we decided to make another stop, and visit my dads cousin Sarah Jane, who lives out in the Woodlands. I think Gwendolyn fell in love with her house and that area.

Once we were finally home, we had to take a nap and unwind after a long day of riding. I think we were out for a good 6 hours. Definitely a long day. After a nice nap, we decided to watch some Scrubs. This activity was short-lived, however, because while we were on our second episode, all the power went out in the entire neighborhood. Then, the firetrucks showed up in front of my apartment. So we went out to investigate and make sure the place was not on fire. As it turns out, some tree branches fell onto the powerlines and caused all the commotion. So with no phones, no lights, no motocars (okay not quite…) we decided to get out of the house and go see imdb(Sin City). The movie just looked amazing. I’m not sure how much Gwendolyn liked it due to the violence, but I loved it.

This weekends plans, are partly up in the air. My cousin Veronica is coming into town with her husband, and a newborn girl. We’re going to my parents tonight to visit. Tomorrow night we might baby sit for them as they go to the astros/cincinnati reds game. Hopefully sunday will be spent with a little R&R.

Okay now you guys should be all caught up!

So last night, Gwendolyn and I got together. Its been 5 months for us now, and I decided to take her out to some place nice, Vargo’s. I had the lobster, while Gwendolyn had a huge veggie salad. The food was wonderful. Afterwards, we stayed and went walking around the lake, to look at the beautiful swans and peacocks, and to take in the wonderful night. There also happened to be a beautiful secluded gazebo. We went in and sat for a while. I started to whisper sweet nothings into Gwendolyns ear. Little did she know what was about to happen. With sweaty palms and a nervous stomach, I got down on my knee, and pulled a small box out of my pocket. It was then I asked the question Gwendolyn has been waiting for! She of course got very teary eyed but through the tears she said that magical word: YES!

For more of this mushy story, click below:
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