Ride #38, 325 miles.
Been hot the past two weeks. Highs in the 100's. Today we got a break. The next two weeks look promising with highs in the mid 80's to low 90's.
I was shooting for miles today, but wanted to avoid the butterflies, so I went north. This was my farthest north-western ride since moving to the Hill Country. It was almost a little chilly when I got up and it felt great outside when I was wiping down the bike and filling it up with gas, but when I left about 8:30 it felt like it was getting a little steamy. Once I got going it was fine.
I got out on the highway and was tailing a guy on his Harely. I pulled up next to him at a construction zone with only one lane open and had a little chat with him while we waited for the light to turn green. He just bought the shiny new Road Glide yesterday and it only had 200 miles on it. Looked like it had all the bells and whistles. He said it a had a sport mode that would give him more power. I can't imagine what he paid for it. He said he upgraded from a 2021 HD that had 70k miles on it. He was on his way home from work...I guess he works the night shift. He must commute on his bikes. I've had my 2021 Scout for exactly two years and it has 17.5 K on it. I bought it used with 450 miles on it. Anyway, the light turned green and I pulled over in Mason, TX and didn't see him again.
I made it to Eden and stopped for gas, along with some beef jerky and some peanuts for lunch later. I rode to Eden on 6/16, which is the farthest NW I had previously ridden. I carried on north to Ballinger, but as I was riding through the small town of Paint Rock I noticed the Concho County courthouse and stopped for a pic. The Blacksmith shop was right across the street. That's something you don't see every day. I looked them up when I got home. They mostly make handmade cook wear. I guess there's not much of a demand for horseshoes and swords these days. The town is named after some old Indian paintings found on some rocks along the Concho River, just north of the town. The paintings are on a private ranch, but they do tours. Maybe something to do one day.
I got to Ballinger and hung a left. Didn't see much of the town. It looked a little bigger than most of the towns around it. I'm sure there's some history there, but pretty much the same trees and brush growing everywhere. More farms than around here. I guess flatter terrain and less rocks.
The next stretch was from Ballinger to Brownwood. 56 miles of pretty much the same kind of sights. Lots of really small towns with people piling up junk in their yards and selling it. I guess anything to make a buck. These little towns look like there on the verge of becoming ghost towns. I got two Brownwood, where I filled up again and peeled off a layer. It was getting warm. Spotted the mural next door to the gas station so I snapped a pic.
I headed south from there and stopped at the city park in Goldthwaite to eat my lunch. I was surprised to find the floss pick in the beef jerky. Kind of makes sense though. Felt like the old Cracker Jack days. The park was quiet, and it was nice being in the shade.
I started making my way back home and noticed the misspelling in Google Maps when I got to Cherokee. I had to stop and get a screen shot. Filled up in Llano for the last time and headed home. During the last stretch, I was thinking about the ride I began to notice a theme..."Indian". There was Paint Rock, the mural in Brownwood, the misspelling in Google maps, and of course my motorcycle. Maybe I was thinking too much.
It was a fun ride. Looking forward to cooler weather.
Happy Birthday, Jim!!!
