Out on the Trail.....

welcome to the Dixie Dude Ranch...

So Steve & Suki are very nice and while Steve has a little riding experience Suki and I started out not knowing a thing which was kind of reassuring (in a bizarre sort of way).

Buddy


Nico

Popeye (and Cash hiding in the background)

Justin, our Cowboy for the day, took us out for about 90 minutes I guess .....just walking pace but up and down some serious inclines and over some really rocky and narrow paths........of course the horses (Cash, Nico, Popeye and Buddy) have seen it many times before and could almost do it blindfold.......but it was good fun and quite exhilirating at times.

Justin and Buddy leading the way....


Suki on Popeye and Steve on Nico following along...

Justin was just a young guy, 21, and was just helping out for the day.....he makes his living riding bulls in rodeo competitions around the country and has lived in Bandera all his life.

another self-portrait!

The scenery was terrific.....the ground is seriously dry, dusty and barren and yet the trees all look so green and lush......it has a strange beauty to it...... Most of these pictures were taken on the move while Cash beneath me bounced around so they weren't exactly composed.

Cash....you have some neck!!!

Cash decided he wanted his own close-up after all.....

We got back for about 5pm and the dinner bell rang at 6pm for us to come running......dinner was great.......just the three of us while the ladies of the ranch all made sure we had everything we needed.....and then they kicked off a little fire outside for us to have a few beers in the cool of evening and chill out for a while.

There is nothing out here at all......a sky full of stars......the dogs and cats of the ranch wandering around. The horses have pretty much a free run of the ranch....it is lovely to walk out of your room and as you stand on the porch have 3 or 4 horses walking by.....some of buildings are fenced in to keep the horses out rather than the other way round.

Bandera....the Cowboy Capital of the World!!

Hey folks,

Well the hotel was really easy to find last night and it proved just as easy to navigate my way out of San Antonio (I-10 west to the 1604 Loop Road west until Highway 16 North and follow it) and on to Bandera).

I must admit I really enjoyed the run-in to the city yesterday....went from single lane to 4 lanes across in the space from one set of lights to the next and then all hell broke loose at 70-80mph....lots of really sweeping bends (which on a sportsbike wouldn't have even been noticed but on a cruiser it was good fun getting the thing round) as motorways crossed each other overhead, traffic jumping from lane to lane....really got the juices flowing!

We are now in Texas Hill Country.....lots of horse ranches along the way.....and a completely different pace to life.....

yes, you too can get your own cowboy!!!

I have got myself a bed at the Dixie Dude Ranch in Bandera for the next couple of nights......3 square home-cooked meals a day.....minimum of 2 hours horseriding per day.....evening entertainment.....all for $155 per night (which I think is pretty good!). I was on a horse twice before and that was at about 25 years ago so am a complete novice which should be interesting.....but these horses are well used to leading townies round so shouldn't be a problem.

The only disappointing thing is that it turns out they are only expecting 2 more people and that is a honeymooning couple from the UK.....was hoping for a big group of amercians from near and far but we shall see how it goes......the couple haven't arrived yet.

I had lunch in town at the 'Old Spanish Trail' which is the place to eat in Bandera.....was joined at my table by 3 'mature' ladies who have arrived in a group of 30 for a few days of drinking and dancing......been invited to the local dancehall tomorrow night for an education in how to party Texan-style......they are staying at another ranch on the other side of town but were very nice and all chat!

Down in San Antone......

Made it to San Antonio this afternoon.....was told to head for the Riverwalk area and so that is where I got myself a hotel for the evening.

Started out in Killeen this morning......was intending to be here yesterday but had a little bike trouble.....she didn't like the cold weather yesterday and wouldn't start for me.....took most of the day to find a dealer (in Killeen) who could take a look......they didn't find anything except a fused contact in the starter switch....which wouldn't have caused the problems I had on the day.....ho hum.....what's a boy to do!

the Colorado River, just past the town of Marble Falls

central Texas....a days ride in any direction sees you still in Texas!

So I stayed in Killeen last night....

Headed south today to San Antonio......home to the Alamo....where 188 'Texicans' (Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie...as in the bowie knife) held the Mexican Army at bay to defend their freedoms.

The Alamo....

Cactus anyone?

been there, seen it....done it!

So spent a couple of hours enjoying a little sunshine along the river in downtown San Antonio, had a few beers and watched the world walk and float by.......was touristy but nice and relaxed....

the Riverwalk....

Hoping to get to Bandera tomorrow....the cowboy capital of the world!...for a couple of days on a 'dude ranch'....we shall see...

End of Week 3.

mileage on bike - 11127

miles ridden this week - 1218

total miles ridden - 3683