HILL COUNTRY 2025
  
 

Day 03

November 12

 
   
  I was frazzled to a fritter from the last few hours on the road last night, so I sleep in a bit. SweetTreat is more ready to roll than I am this morning.  
   
  The streets of Kerrville are pretty quiet so I am able to escape from the city without very much drama or traffic.  
   
  When I see this sign I know that I am on my way to why I came this far on two wheels. My last time this way was back in 2010.  
   
  Highway 39 takes me out of the city and out toward the roads that I am seeking.  
   
  For a good portion of the trip, it plays leap frog with the Guadalupe River.  
   
  Many of the river crossings are just barely above the water which is common occurrence in this part of Texas.  
   
  This road takes me right by the Mystic Camp site, where 27 people - 25 young girls and 2 counselors - lost their lives when there was a flash flood on this very river. I can see the effects of it, but it is hard to wrap my mind around just where all the water came from. In many places, the river is very shallow or even completely dry.  
   
  They have a flood gauge at this and many more crossings. But on that fateful day the river level reached over 37 feet at the camp. In some places that level was reached within 45 minutes. That would be almost 8 times as tall as this flood gauge.  
   
  Soon I take a turn down highway 187 which will take me close to the first of the three 'Sisters'. They are three highways - 335, 336, and 337 and are sometimes called the 'Twisted Sisters' due to the number of twists and turns on them.  
   
  I seen a broken windmill and I wonder how long it has been in that condition. People are a lot like windmills - when they are broken it takes some work to make them whole again.  
   
  There are some interesting cuts on highway 187 that give you a unique view out the end of them.  
   
  I have decided that I will run a little bit of 337 west to get to 336. Then I will run 335 and come back and finish the twisty part of 337.  
   
  This part of 337 is quite nice and not yet too technical.  
   
  There are some nice views up on the hilltops.  
   
  Soon I arrive at 336 and get my video camera ready to roll. I plan to shoot some video on all three of the 'sisters' and post them to my new YouTube Channel.  
   
  Highway 336 now has it's own 'death' sign reminding riders that 14 motorcyclists have been killed on this road. Unfortunately, when roads like this gain some notoriety, some folks want to turn them into race tracks and this is what usually happens.  
   
  It is an interesting piece of pavement about 25 miles long and quite enjoyable to ride.  
   
  Then it's a left on highway 41 for about 15 miles and I come to the north end of 335. It runs about 30 miles pretty much due south to highway 55.  
   
  Somehow 335 does not rate a 'death sign' - or at least I don't see one. It reminds me of a great roller coaster where it constantly tops a hill and then runs down into a steep wash.  
   
  You have to be watchful as the runs down the hill are quite frequent and quite steep.  
   
  Part of it follows along side a river which I really like. As I have said before, for some reason I really enjoy riding alongside a river.  
   
  But then it goes up into the hills and gets a lot more technical.  
   
  From highway 55 I take a left at Camp Wood and I am back on 337 to Leakey. The interesting fact about Leakey for me is it is named for John H. Leakey (1824–1900), a pioneer from Tennessee.  
   
  Soon I get to the more technical part of 337.  
   
  Sure enough it also has a 'death' sign reminding riders that 22 motorcyclists have been killed on this stretch of it. Motorcycling is a dangerous hobby but it is especially dangerous for those who do not realize that the fastest man on the mountain is usually the deadest man on the mountain.  
   
  The road quickly climbs up into the surrounding hills...  
   
  where the twists and turns begin.  
   
  There are some beautiful vistas once you get up to the top.  
   
  When I get to where 337 runs into Highway 187, I stop and take a break at the Lost Maples Convenience Store.  
   
  There's a little more of 337 but it takes me to highway 16 which will take me back to Kerrville where I am staying.  
   
  Highway 16 does have some nice twists and turns on it before it enters the city proper.  
   
  I get back to the Super 8, freshen up a bit and decide I will hit up WhatABurger for super tonight. It's within reasonable walking distance so I head for it.  
   
  I decide you oughta either go big or stay on the porch, so I order a triple meat burger and large fries. Not bad grub for hamburger joint and they even bring it your table if you are eating in.  
   
  Tomorrow I head for San Antonio to see the Alamo. I've never visited it and since I am only 75 miles or so away, I decided I would do that on this trip. With a stomach full of burger, it is only a short time before the skin over the stomach swells and pulls down the skin over my eyelids.