HILL COUNTRY 2010
 
 

Day 06

May 05

 
  Today we make our way back to Ken's house so the riding will be a lot more 'utility' oriented that what we have done for the past few days. Since breakfast was so good yesterday at the Save Inn Restaurant, we decide to give it another whirl. Since I got enough steak yesterday to kill a good man, much less an old rag like me, I go back to my usual omelet. And boy do they ever fix me up on this one!  
   
  We head back to the motel and get our stuff packed and ready to go. Ken gets his GPS fired up with the route we'll be taking and we head out.  
   
  We bid the city of Kerrville a fond adieu, then Ken gets on the slab and heads west - which completely confuses me since Coppell lies to the east. But I just follow his taillights, figuring he must have an alternate plan.  
   
  There is nothing like riding with a local, and he has a route that will keep us on the backroads just as long as he can.  
   
  Once thing that I've noticed as we've ridden in the area is the number of folks that raise goats. I sort of figured that cattle would be the big livestock number, but evidently goats would run a close number 2 judging by the numerous times I see this scene played out.  
   
  And just in case SweetTreat needs a bath, Ken leads us right through a wash that the water is flowing over. I make the mistake of not lifting my feet off the pegs and my waterproof boots make a nice bucket for catching the spray.  
   
  The hills get smaller and smaller as we make our way in the general direction of Dallas, but the view is still nice.  
   
 

When I see this sign, I can't but think to myself -

"Yep, I've known some people like that!"

 
   
  The wildflowers for some reason just seem much more colorful today than before. I don't know if there was a rain in the area or what.  
   
  But the colors are just stunning and a real visual treat.  
   
  And then sometimes you see someone who is not too happy about you being in their living space.  
   
  So Ken twists the wrist and I quickly follow suite!  
   
  As we pass through LLano, Texas I admire the beautiful court house, completed on August 1, 1893. Its delicate clock tower has been restored to it's original glory in 2006.  
   
  One thing I will miss when I get back to Tennessee is the Texas speed limits out on the open road. 70 mph is mighty nice when you've got a ways to go and in Texas, you always have a ways to go to get to anywhere.  
   
  I notice another windmill as we hurry along, but this one has fallen on hard times. The tailfin is missing and none of the pumping gear appears to be in place.  
   
  As we get further north, the blues give way to the reds and yellows along the roadside.  
   
  And the curves get fewer and farther between as the landscape begins to flatten.  
   
  But every now and then we come to a good sweeper and then  
   
  another good sweeper, which keeps things interesting.  
   
  Soon we enter the town of San Saba, at the intersection of 190 and 16.  
   
  It too has a nice courthouse, built in 1911 in a style known as Texas Renaissance.  
   
  Just on the outskirts of San Saba, we make a much needed fuel and hydraulic break at the not so world famous Rick's One Stop and Bottle Barn.  
   
  When we get back on the open road, we have a little business to tend to as we try to get around this large bit of freight. But the ST1100s are the tool for the job and soon it is just a rapidly fading view in our rear view mirrors.  
   
  Soon we work our way through Hamilton, Texas and past their courthouse which was started in 1886.  
   
  But our real destination today is not a courthouse, but the world famous Koffee Kup Restaurant in Hico, Texas. It has reputation for mighty fine grub and pie and we're fixin' to find out if it lives up to its billing.  
   
  I order a burger and onion rings and figure if their pie is in line with the burgers, I'm going to need to get a bigger mouth. It's one of the best burgers I've eaten in a while, and I've eaten quite a few burgers in my day.  
   
 

When our waitress asks us if we want pie, my first question is -

"Do you have chocolate?"

When says yes, then the decision is easy for me. When she brings or desserts out, I'm one happy camper. If I'm gonna destroy my svelte waistline, what better way to do it than wading into a mile high meringue.

 
   
 

But there was something wrong with that pie - it evaporated right off the plate. I tell Ken -

"I'm tempted to lick the plate, but I guess that would be ill mannered."

 
   
  And I have to believe that if a lot of folks had pie like that everyday, it would fix a lot of things if not everything like their sign says.  
   
  With the damage done to our health - but at least we die happy and with a full stomach - we mount up and Ken sets his GPS to guide us on down the road.  
   
  As we head northward, I see this unusual fence configuration. I figure it must be for show since it sure wouldn't keep any cattle inside it.  
   
  It's some sort of lakeside development and they even have their own lighthouse.  
   
  As we continue to move north toward Dallas, the traffic starts to pick up ...  
   
  and pick up ...  
   
  and then really pick up. But fortunately, Ken knows the best way around it so I just stick to his taillights like a tight pair of britches.  
   
  We soon arrive at the Hendrix Casa and rest for a while from the heat. Miss Debbie is back from her trip and Ken's son, Chris, has escaped the flooding in Nashville.  
   
  We go out to a local Mexican restaurant that they know about and it is quite good. Since I plan on getting an early start, I pack up SweetTreat as much as I can so I can hit the road early and miss the morning Dallas traffic jam. I bid all a good night and slip upstairs to check my eyelids for holes.