[spectreman]

 

[Mopheadama]

I've got eight of them under my belt.

 

[natsmada4fjr]

I only have 7 so far, so I had best get to riding this year!

@spectreman - thanks for sharing this video. I have bookmarked the website:

Best Motorcycle Roads & Routes in America - Great Motorcycle Roads

Nats

 

[dan cooper]

Having ridden all those routes, and living in Texas, I suggest the #2 Route in the Texas Hill Country is overrated and doesn't belong on that list. It's a nice enough ride, and I've been several times through the years, but there are at least a dozen other routes between that one and the rest of the video list that are better choices. And we do not refer to that route as the Texas Dragon. We refer to that route as The Twisted Sisters. Generally, the road conditions are not very good, and the surface is usually coarse with loose gravel areas and cattle crossings, many times right in the middle of a corner. The TexDOT also likes to post signs telling how many motorcyclists have died on each section of the road. There are several small towns scattered around that route with dining choices that are sometimes "interesting" and there is one very nice small motorcycle museum in the area. Sometimes the parking lot is as interesting as what's inside.
Lone Star Motorcycle Museum

It's a nice enough ride, if you live near enough to be your local playground, but not worth traveling cross country to find, and from outside of Texas it's a lot of country to cross.
When I go to the Texas Hill Country it's not so much for the ride as it is for the opportunity to visit with other riding friends that I don't get to see often enough.

dan

YMMV

 

[RaYzerman]

I've got 7 of them, haven't been to Texas yet....

 

[Carbide]

Been to Beartooth many times. Never gets old.

 

[dan cooper]

I've got 7 of them, haven't been to Texas yet....

Ray,
You've posted better routes in Oregon and Washington than the Texas Hill Country Twisted Sisters route. Texas is a lllooonnnggg ways out of the way for you. Texas may be an okay place to visit in fall and spring and sometimes in winter months on nice days, but you damn sure don't want to be here in the dead of summer. If one should fall down on a Texas road in the summertime, one could cook to death before help arrives.

If there is adequate rain in the late winter / early spring (doesn't always happen), the Hill Country greens up some in spring. But by June usually returns to the area's natural shades of brown for the remainder of the summer. In the fall / winter the Juniper / Cedar trees are a major source of Mountain Cedar Pollen which is a Major allergy agent for large numbers of people.

There are many good reasons to come to Texas. For example, hardly anyone here owns a snow blower except maybe a few in the far northern reaches of the panhandle. The northern tip of Texas is less than 100 miles farther to Canada than it is to the southern tip of Texas. The first 3 weeks of this year the temperatures have been above "average" in my neighborhood, it was middle 70 degrees F on New Year's Day. Yes, I went for a ride, picked up some BBQ and had a picnic lunch in the local park down by the river. But summer weather is a killer, there are long stretches of 100 plus degree F days when I hibernate indoors. For much of July - August it's 85 degrees F when the sun comes up.
It seems that hordes are moving to Texas from California and New York and Illinois for better jobs and better cost of living, and maybe some for the different political climate. That migration is driving up the cost of living some. But there are some leaving Texas because of that political climate thing, too. (BTW, I will not engage in political discussions of any kind)

On the other hand, Texas drivers are notoriously dangerous. They are aggressive, abusive, distracted, angry and many times just plain stupid. BTW, some of those descriptors include me, too!! Motorcyclists need to bring their best defensive / offensive combat commuting / touring "A Game" if expecting to survive the city streets, freeways and highways. Yeah, I know there are drivers like that everywhere!!

For anyone from far reaches who thinks of visiting Texas, my recommendation is to stop in Northern Arkansas. Arkansas scenery is very good, the roads are very good and lots of them, the traffic and LEO activity is very light, prices for lodging and eating are low and the fun factor is very high. In a good year the fall foliage is as good as anywhere. For anyone who is unfamiliar with the area, I might be persuaded to come up and show you around. But, don't show up with worn out tires, the Arkansas roads will eat them up in short order.

Bet the wheels are turning now!!

dan

Ride long and prosper!! -- Spock would have said that if he had been a motorcyclist.

 

[Liquidsilver]

I'm right with Dan. IMHO, Texas Hill Country is only good when nothing else works weatherwise. How do you count all of the California roads that wont fit on the list too.

Still worth watching though.

 

[Carbide]

I try to get to northern Arkansas at least once a year. Love me some Ozarks!

 

[RaYzerman]

I have a riding buddy who suggested we should have a motorcycling winter getaway....... I've done Alabama and the Ozarks, got some riding friends in Louisiana, will have to look at a map and see what's possible. If I went that far, Texas could be on the list. Maybe some of the riding wouldn't be spectacular, but it would be interesting enough.

 

[spectreman]

I only have 7 so far, so I had best get to riding this year!

@spectreman - thanks for sharing this video. I have bookmarked the website:

Best Motorcycle Roads & Routes in America - Great Motorcycle Roads

Nats

Yes, that site has some great videos, all USA-based rides too.
Lee

 

[Liquidsilver]

I have a riding buddy who suggested we should have a motorcycling winter getaway....... I've done Alabama and the Ozarks, got some riding friends in Louisiana, will have to look at a map and see what's possible. If I went that far, Texas could be on the list. Maybe some of the riding wouldn't be spectacular, but it would be interesting enough.

There's a good bit of snow in the Ozarks right now and it's 55 degrees in TX Hill Country... it also takes me about 9 - 10 hours to get down there from the Ozarks, so it's quite a bit further south.

 

[Whooshka]

Damn only 2 for me. I'll get out west after I retire.

Just watched it again. I've done 3 if you include TOTD.

 

[SkooterG]

I have a riding buddy who suggested we should have a motorcycling winter getaway....... I've done Alabama and the Ozarks, got some riding friends in Louisiana, will have to look at a map and see what's possible. If I went that far, Texas could be on the list. Maybe some of the riding wouldn't be spectacular, but it would be interesting enough.

I am with the others. I think you would be disappointed. I was.