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- Joined
- Feb 28, 2003
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- Location
- Huntsville
- First Name
- Scott
- Last Name
- Friday
Howdy,
It has been far too long since Beth has been on a bike. While coming home from the recent Junction Adventure ride, I was noticing all the flowers along the way and thought that I really need to get Beth away from the kids and go riding. As much as I love our kids, I really miss our rides together before we started the family. So a little chatting with Dad and Mom and they agree to watch the kids for us Friday for part of the day so we can get away. Our office is closed for Good Friday and I am supposed to be the one on call for emergencies. However, Dad graciously agrees to cover for me so we can go riding. Thanks Dad! 
The plan is just to work our way general to the West, ending up in Brenham for lunch at Must Be Heaven, one of our Pie Run destinations in the past. We both like the food and the riding that direction is nice. We finally leave the house around 11:00am and head out. I offered to ride the KLR so Beth could ride the Strom, but she wanted to ride two up. This is our first two up ride on the WeeStrom so I am curious how it will handle the weight of both of us and how comfy it will be for us. I have the GIVI topcase installed so Beth can use it as a backrest.
Our route takes us down through the Sam Houston National Forest on FM 149. I notice that the speed limit has been dropped from 60mph to 55mph, no doubt in reaction to all the motorcycle accidents over the years. I feel safer already... Somehow, I doubt it will change much other than perhaps the cost of tickets. Surprisingly, we see very few bikes out. The cloud cover is scattered and the sun is peeking through. It is just a tad chilly with the mesh suit. All I have on underneath is a short sleeve shirt and jeans. However, it is not so cold as to be uncomfortable. The wind is blowing, but not too bad compared to recent weeks, or even yesterday! We stop in Montgomery to gas up the bike and see a few other bikes doing the same.
Gassed and read to roll again, we head back up to FM 1097 and run West, out towards Bethel Cemetery and run Bethel Road West to Johnson Road, which comes out at Dacus on FM 1486. So far, there has not been much in the way of flowers. Mostly there are just a lot of the bright yellow flowers in the ditches and along the road shoulder. As we head North on 1486 towards Richards, we see more patches of Blue Bonnets and some Indian Paintbrushes. Just before Richards, we head West on FM 2819 towards Anderson. I like this road because it usually has considerably less traffic than 149. It turns out that the flowers are blooming quite nicely along 2819 in many places. We roll through Anderson and head West out of town on FM 149 a short way. There is a particular pasture I want to see. Even before we can see it, we smell it!! There is a family here already taking pictures of their kids.
This is just one side of the pasture, a gravel road bisects it diagonally, just out of the right side of the image
Here's the road and part of the other side
I always enjoy letting kids sit on the bike, they usually get such a kick out of it!
Older brother really likes it!
They had a little two year old girl that I did not manage to get a picture of, but she was beautiful. Being a dad now with two precious little girls of my own, I notice these things now... 
Gratuitous bike shot
Here's most of the right side of the pasture...
Well, one can only take so many pictures of the same pasture... As we are putting our gear back on, we hear a sportbike wringing through the gears and getting closer. As we are about to pull out of the drive, a Gixxer running two up blows by us. The driver sees us and the pasture, giving us a thumbs up as he goes past us. We pull out behind them, thoughts of chasing them down running through my head... I can't help it 
However, about a half mile up the road they are turning back, apparently to check out the flowers. Well, time is getting ahead of us and we really need to be moving on so I restrain myself and don't go back. We continue Westward to hit FM 3090. There are several other really nice looking pastures along the way.
At 3090, we turn back towards Navasota. Along this stretch, there are some HUGE pastures covered with flowers, very thick. I'm dying to stop, but at this rate we'll never get to Brenham in time to get back before our baby sitting expires. So on we go, passing through Navasota and heading West on Hwy 105. In the distance an ominous looking clouds looms... Is the predicted rain for tomorrow coming early?! I left my liner at home 
We cross over the Navasota river and off to the right is a pasture on the corner of FM 159 and Hwy 105, maybe fifty acres or so, that is TOTALLY pink! It is just covered in those little pink/white flowers that we always called "Buttercups" when we were kids. I've no idea what they are really called, but there are a LOT of them! We continue on, crossing the Brazos river. The wind is picking up and the temperature is dropping... 
At this point, I am just taking Hwy 105 all the way into Brenham. If we have time, after lunch we'll hit some back roads on the way home. I hope to make it to the restaurant about 1:00pm, hopefully to miss any lunch crowd. When we pass the start of FM 390, the La Bahia Scenic Highway, off on the left is a pasture I can't pass up! We pull over and Beth waits patiently as I get snap happy.
I spotted this one on the way out to Junction last weekend and made a mental note to stop by if I could find it again
They really are this blue!
And there really are a LOT of them...
Untouched image other than cropping
We get back on the road and run on into Brenham. I love the old homes in towns like this. So does Beth. However, I do not love the level of maintenance they require and can't stand the look of them when they are not maintained. So... I won't likely ever live in one unless I miraculously come into a LOT of money 
We reach the restaurant at 1:07pm... and the line is almost out the door!! It would seem a lot of other people had the same idea as me. No matter, we are doing pretty good on time so we can wait. As usual, the wait is worth it!
Beth's stuffed Avocado and Cheese/Broccoli soup
The Key Lime Pie
The best BLT I have EVER had!! The layer of bacon was about 1/4" thick across the entire sandwich and the tomaters were fresh!
REALLY good Pecan Pie
Lunch was great. We left about 2:00pm. The line was still almost out the door! We decided to walk around the area a bit and check out a few of the shops. Just across the street from the restaurant is a near alley way between two sets of buildings that has been turned into a nice courtyard, with flowers, fountains and a few benches.
Well, no rain yet and the temp seems to have come back up a few degrees. The clouds have thinned back out and are sitting high in the sky. So I should be okay on the no rain gear thing. Come to think of it, Beth doesn't have any either. I decide to keep heading West just a bit further to Burton to pick up the West end of FM 390 to run it back to the East. We head West out of town on Old Mill Creek Road. I love little roads like this, barely over a lane wide and curving back and forth over the rolling terrain. We pass numerous pastures full of flowers. The pace is relaxed but fun.
We soon reach Burton, and I cut around the East side of town on a little county road, appropriately named Wild Flower Road! It does not disappoint! It is unpaved though so I take it easy with Beth on the back. Also, I don't much care for the Strom off the pavement. I know... I know... some of the Strom owners out there will complain, but it is what it is... which is mostly a street bike that is expensive to repair if it gets banged up. I'll save the KLR for such abuse Beth enjoys the little back road though. She's never done any Dualsport riding and only hears my stories about it. We reach FM 390 and turn East for home, picking up the pace a bit and having some fun 
The flowers on 390 are great in many places. It is not the best I've seen them, but given the lack of rain all winter until just recently, they are still quite nice. As always, there are lots of flowers just outside of Independence at the old Baylor College grounds. There are many people poking around and taking pictures. We decide to stop for a break at the old general store in town.
Beth relaxing
From the flower bed at the house next door to the store
This is just across the street on the North side of 390. I think it is the original town square
We load back up and start the final run home. I like to cut across on old William Penn Road to get back to Hwy 105. I decide to run all the way up 3090 towards Carlos just so we can get in some more fun and see more flowers. The WeeStrom handles the curves pretty well two up. However, the rear shock is on the edge of what it can handle. With just a slightly stiffer spring and a tad more damping, it would be great. The power is really not an issue at all, even when passing. We stop in Carlos at the gas station there on Hwy 30 for a quick relief stop, then hit Hwy 30 for the boring run back into Huntsville. We never do get rained on. By the time we get to the house, it is right at 5:00pm, right on time. We call the folks to let them know we are back. They invite us over for dinner 
When we get there the kids are chomping at the bit for me to take them riding in Dad's Bombardier ATV and Polaris Razor. They love chugging around the woods on the trails. After a half hour or so of this, it's time for dinner and then we head home. At the end of the day, looking back, it has been a good Friday. I ponder all the blessings in my life and count myself lucky.
A most precious flower arrives as I am getting the pics off my cameras, she's such a ham
It has been far too long since Beth has been on a bike. While coming home from the recent Junction Adventure ride, I was noticing all the flowers along the way and thought that I really need to get Beth away from the kids and go riding. As much as I love our kids, I really miss our rides together before we started the family. So a little chatting with Dad and Mom and they agree to watch the kids for us Friday for part of the day so we can get away. Our office is closed for Good Friday and I am supposed to be the one on call for emergencies. However, Dad graciously agrees to cover for me so we can go riding. Thanks Dad! The plan is just to work our way general to the West, ending up in Brenham for lunch at Must Be Heaven, one of our Pie Run destinations in the past. We both like the food and the riding that direction is nice. We finally leave the house around 11:00am and head out. I offered to ride the KLR so Beth could ride the Strom, but she wanted to ride two up. This is our first two up ride on the WeeStrom so I am curious how it will handle the weight of both of us and how comfy it will be for us. I have the GIVI topcase installed so Beth can use it as a backrest. Our route takes us down through the Sam Houston National Forest on FM 149. I notice that the speed limit has been dropped from 60mph to 55mph, no doubt in reaction to all the motorcycle accidents over the years. I feel safer already... Somehow, I doubt it will change much other than perhaps the cost of tickets. Surprisingly, we see very few bikes out. The cloud cover is scattered and the sun is peeking through. It is just a tad chilly with the mesh suit. All I have on underneath is a short sleeve shirt and jeans. However, it is not so cold as to be uncomfortable. The wind is blowing, but not too bad compared to recent weeks, or even yesterday! We stop in Montgomery to gas up the bike and see a few other bikes doing the same. Gassed and read to roll again, we head back up to FM 1097 and run West, out towards Bethel Cemetery and run Bethel Road West to Johnson Road, which comes out at Dacus on FM 1486. So far, there has not been much in the way of flowers. Mostly there are just a lot of the bright yellow flowers in the ditches and along the road shoulder. As we head North on 1486 towards Richards, we see more patches of Blue Bonnets and some Indian Paintbrushes. Just before Richards, we head West on FM 2819 towards Anderson. I like this road because it usually has considerably less traffic than 149. It turns out that the flowers are blooming quite nicely along 2819 in many places. We roll through Anderson and head West out of town on FM 149 a short way. There is a particular pasture I want to see. Even before we can see it, we smell it!! There is a family here already taking pictures of their kids.This is just one side of the pasture, a gravel road bisects it diagonally, just out of the right side of the image
Here's the road and part of the other side
I always enjoy letting kids sit on the bike, they usually get such a kick out of it!
Older brother really likes it!
They had a little two year old girl that I did not manage to get a picture of, but she was beautiful. Being a dad now with two precious little girls of my own, I notice these things now... Gratuitous bike shot
Here's most of the right side of the pasture...
Well, one can only take so many pictures of the same pasture... As we are putting our gear back on, we hear a sportbike wringing through the gears and getting closer. As we are about to pull out of the drive, a Gixxer running two up blows by us. The driver sees us and the pasture, giving us a thumbs up as he goes past us. We pull out behind them, thoughts of chasing them down running through my head... I can't help it However, about a half mile up the road they are turning back, apparently to check out the flowers. Well, time is getting ahead of us and we really need to be moving on so I restrain myself and don't go back. We continue Westward to hit FM 3090. There are several other really nice looking pastures along the way. At 3090, we turn back towards Navasota. Along this stretch, there are some HUGE pastures covered with flowers, very thick. I'm dying to stop, but at this rate we'll never get to Brenham in time to get back before our baby sitting expires. So on we go, passing through Navasota and heading West on Hwy 105. In the distance an ominous looking clouds looms... Is the predicted rain for tomorrow coming early?! I left my liner at home We cross over the Navasota river and off to the right is a pasture on the corner of FM 159 and Hwy 105, maybe fifty acres or so, that is TOTALLY pink! It is just covered in those little pink/white flowers that we always called "Buttercups" when we were kids. I've no idea what they are really called, but there are a LOT of them! We continue on, crossing the Brazos river. The wind is picking up and the temperature is dropping... At this point, I am just taking Hwy 105 all the way into Brenham. If we have time, after lunch we'll hit some back roads on the way home. I hope to make it to the restaurant about 1:00pm, hopefully to miss any lunch crowd. When we pass the start of FM 390, the La Bahia Scenic Highway, off on the left is a pasture I can't pass up! We pull over and Beth waits patiently as I get snap happy.I spotted this one on the way out to Junction last weekend and made a mental note to stop by if I could find it again
They really are this blue!
And there really are a LOT of them...
Untouched image other than cropping
We get back on the road and run on into Brenham. I love the old homes in towns like this. So does Beth. However, I do not love the level of maintenance they require and can't stand the look of them when they are not maintained. So... I won't likely ever live in one unless I miraculously come into a LOT of money We reach the restaurant at 1:07pm... and the line is almost out the door!! It would seem a lot of other people had the same idea as me. No matter, we are doing pretty good on time so we can wait. As usual, the wait is worth it!Beth's stuffed Avocado and Cheese/Broccoli soup
The Key Lime Pie
The best BLT I have EVER had!! The layer of bacon was about 1/4" thick across the entire sandwich and the tomaters were fresh!
REALLY good Pecan Pie
Lunch was great. We left about 2:00pm. The line was still almost out the door! We decided to walk around the area a bit and check out a few of the shops. Just across the street from the restaurant is a near alley way between two sets of buildings that has been turned into a nice courtyard, with flowers, fountains and a few benches. Well, no rain yet and the temp seems to have come back up a few degrees. The clouds have thinned back out and are sitting high in the sky. So I should be okay on the no rain gear thing. Come to think of it, Beth doesn't have any either. I decide to keep heading West just a bit further to Burton to pick up the West end of FM 390 to run it back to the East. We head West out of town on Old Mill Creek Road. I love little roads like this, barely over a lane wide and curving back and forth over the rolling terrain. We pass numerous pastures full of flowers. The pace is relaxed but fun. We soon reach Burton, and I cut around the East side of town on a little county road, appropriately named Wild Flower Road! It does not disappoint! It is unpaved though so I take it easy with Beth on the back. Also, I don't much care for the Strom off the pavement. I know... I know... some of the Strom owners out there will complain, but it is what it is... which is mostly a street bike that is expensive to repair if it gets banged up. I'll save the KLR for such abuse Beth enjoys the little back road though. She's never done any Dualsport riding and only hears my stories about it. We reach FM 390 and turn East for home, picking up the pace a bit and having some fun The flowers on 390 are great in many places. It is not the best I've seen them, but given the lack of rain all winter until just recently, they are still quite nice. As always, there are lots of flowers just outside of Independence at the old Baylor College grounds. There are many people poking around and taking pictures. We decide to stop for a break at the old general store in town. Beth relaxing
From the flower bed at the house next door to the store
This is just across the street on the North side of 390. I think it is the original town square
We load back up and start the final run home. I like to cut across on old William Penn Road to get back to Hwy 105. I decide to run all the way up 3090 towards Carlos just so we can get in some more fun and see more flowers. The WeeStrom handles the curves pretty well two up. However, the rear shock is on the edge of what it can handle. With just a slightly stiffer spring and a tad more damping, it would be great. The power is really not an issue at all, even when passing. We stop in Carlos at the gas station there on Hwy 30 for a quick relief stop, then hit Hwy 30 for the boring run back into Huntsville. We never do get rained on. By the time we get to the house, it is right at 5:00pm, right on time. We call the folks to let them know we are back. They invite us over for dinner When we get there the kids are chomping at the bit for me to take them riding in Dad's Bombardier ATV and Polaris Razor. They love chugging around the woods on the trails. After a half hour or so of this, it's time for dinner and then we head home. At the end of the day, looking back, it has been a good Friday. I ponder all the blessings in my life and count myself lucky.A most precious flower arrives as I am getting the pics off my cameras, she's such a ham
