Spring to Camping on the Guadalupe River and Back

[glstine]

The kids were on spring break last week so we decided to go camping on the guadalupe river in New Braunfels for a few days. The wife and kids took the expedition and I rode the 550. I know you guys like pictures so I figured I would share some of a place many of you have probably never seen. The route we took is about 180 miles each way.

Wife was in a hurry to get there so we stopped for lunch and gassed up in Waller (about 20 miles from the house) and didn't stop again until I needed gas in Bastrop.

This is somewhere along 290 west of Giddings (Wife was taking some pictures from the car)

Had a really strong head wind pretty much the entire time on 290, eased up when turned on to 21 heading into Bastrop. This is a nice road, no twisties but trees overhanging the road and lots of gentle hills.

Gas stop in Bastrop

Didn't stop again until we got to the camp site on River Rd.

We stayed at K&L Campground, it was a little pricier than others, but it had nice wide sites and electricity.

Nice views from the campsite as well

The GS enjoying the campfire

 

[glstine]

Went for a bit of a ride on Thursday, basically took River Rd up to Canyon Lake and back. Just some random pics from the ride. The pictures do not do justice for the beauty of this small part of Texas.

The 550 thinks shes a BMW GS

Crappy section of road here

This is at Canyon Lake which I have always heard was a nice lake, it is definitely one of the prettiest lakes I have ever seen. It is hard to believe it is man made.

It was fun hiking through this in riding boots (can't really tell how steep it is in the photo).

 

[glstine]

Rode into Gruene (pronounced Green) on Friday morning. It is really pretty in Gruene but it is real crowded with tourists.

Gruene Hall, the oldest dance hall in Texas.

River rapids at Gruene

That was about it for my riding while I was there, I had really hoped to do more, but, it was a family vacation. We spent the rest of the day Friday in San Antonio. Here are some pics for those of you that have never been there.

The Tejano Music Awards Fan Fare festival was going on at Market Square where we stopped to get some lunch (Better, cheaper tex-mex than there is on the Riverwalk). It was really crowded though due to the festival.

My son has never done the boat tour on the Riverwalk so we did that and I would suggest you do it too if you are ever in San Antonio.

Headed back on Saturday and experienced perhaps the most miserable 5 hours I've ever spent on a motorcycle. A cold front had moved in and it was cold, damp and unbelievably windy. I wasn't really prepared for the cold temps and the wind was insane, almost took me out a couple of times. I had to stop in Bastrop, Giddings, and Chappel Hill for large cups of coffee to thaw out.

All in all I rode about 450 miles (which I know is nothing to a lot of you) and would do it all over again in a heartbeat (In fact we will be going back this summer to float down the river).

 

[Skateguy50]

Great pics, best part about taking the bike on the family vacation is the peacful ride over the kids fighting and listening to the wife giving advice on the route.

 

[glstine]

Great pics, best part about taking the bike on the family vacation is the peacful ride over the kids fighting and listening to the wife giving advice on the route.

That's for sure!

 

[Calvin Blackmore]

I had no idea texas was so green and beautiful
thanks for the post

 

[GS ace]

Green Texas

Green Texas

With all of the rain that fell this winter, the plants have rebounded quite well from the drought. The blue bonnets are supposed to be tremendous this year. I recommend visiting the Hill Country the next time you venture out on another trip. Any road west of 281 would do.

 

[glstine]

With all of the rain that fell this winter, the plants have rebounded quite well from the drought. The blue bonnets are supposed to be tremendous this year. I recommend visiting the Hill Country the next time you venture out on another trip. Any road west of 281 would do.

We camped here last year around this time and there was hardly any water in the river due to the drought, it is nice to see it rebounding.:dancing: I've got a riding buddy that I've talked with about going to Fredricksburg for a weekend so the wives can hang out and we can go ride. Don't know when we will do that though, we are planning a trip up the coast from High Island to Freeport first.

 

[jwhelan65]

All looks to familiar just minutes from me.....

 

[bradleymaynar]

Great pics! Always had a tough time getting the family to do any camping.

Don't you Texans still do the Hill Country rides a couple times a year?

Brad bk

 

[1948man]

The beauty of the scenery is exceeded only by the elegant looks of the red 550L.

 

[trumpetguy]

Great Pics -- thank you for sharing your trip.

My wife and I were in San Antonio the same week and spent Friday driving west of San Anotnio in the Hill Country. Already some early bluebonnets on southward facing slopes! Lots of them that have not yet bloomed everywhere else. Should be great in about a week!

We hit the same cold front Saturday morning in San Saba, then went on to Dallas to spend the night with my son. Woke up Sunday morning to 2-3" of snow! Pretty rare for Dallas this time of year (anytime really).

 

[glstine]

Thanks for the comments. I look forward to going back this summer when everything should be nice and green (assuming we don't go back to drought conditions).

Trumpetguy - I see you are from OK, I'm originally from the OkC area. Did y'all get snow up there with that cold front?

 

[trumpetguy]

Trumpetguy - I see you are from OK, I'm originally from the OkC area. Did y'all get snow up there with that cold front?

That's ironic -- I'm originally from Dallas area! Yes, there was snow! A blizzard; incredible winds, zero visibility, not a huge snowfall but incredible drifts. But it all happened on Saturday when we were in Texas, so we missed it!

By Sunday, when we drove home, most of the snow was completely gone, but there were cars in the median or ditch and tow trucks blocking a lane of traffic. Still a few icy (packed snow) areas where the biggest drifts had been and a LOT of Spring Break traffic. From Irving to Weatherford OK usually takes a little over four hours -- it took six. Some of that was waiting behind an accident in Dallas -- typical result of pickup truck and icy overpass and unskilled/inattentive driver....

 

[bonanzadave]

Nice Photos ! That river had to be chilly . Im camped out at Hooks airport for a couple weeks.

Yes, there was snow! A blizzard; incredible winds, zero visibility, not a huge snowfall but incredible drifts.

I drove down from MN in that mess. Ice from Ames, IA all the way to Dallas. 100s of accidents. Had to stay in 4x4 most of the way. Nice in Houston though.....

I had no idea texas was so green and beautiful

For the small parts that I have seen driving it does seem nice around here.

 

[Billy Ricks]

Great pics! Always had a tough time getting the family to do any camping.

Don't you Texans still do the Hill Country rides a couple times a year?

Brad bk

We have one in the works for Memorial Day weekend. For those interested here's a thread about it.
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=155079

 

[Billy Ricks]

I had no idea texas was so green and beautiful
thanks for the post

It gets even nicer further west of where the pics were taken. The last couple of years we were in a severe drought. Canyon Lake was way down but is back to normal now.

 

[Billy Ricks]

Next time you take that route I highly recommend stopping in Giddings and eating at the Giddings Meat Market. Some of the best barbecue I've ever eaten is made there.

 

[glstine]

Nice Photos ! That river had to be chilly . Im camped out at Hooks airport for a couple weeks.

My son played in the river quite a bit, he insisted it wasn't cold. I'm only about 4 miles or so from Hooks airport.

Next time you take that route I highly recommend stopping in Giddings and eating at the Giddings Meat Market. Some of the best barbecue I've ever eaten is made there.

I actually just heard about this place for the first time a few days ago. I'm going to try to check it out next time I go through there (if I remember).