TEXAS DRIVES

Motorcycle rides across the best of Texas

Point your hog toward Big Bend, prairies and lakes or Hill Country.

This story was originally published May 21, 2006.

?How do you know where to ride?? Houston author Dorothy Waldman asked the friend who first introduced her to motorcycles.

His answer — that you experiment and ride a lot of roads that aren?t great and get lost sometimes — didn?t sound like fun. So she wrote the guidebook she wanted to use herself.

"The Bikers Guide to Texas: 25 Great Motorcycle Rides in the Lone Star State? (Maverick Publishing, $18.95) was intended to help time-crunched bikers ride for fun and ride safely, without worrying about where the road might lead. The result is a book that profiles favorite paths across the state, whether you travel on two wheels or ride in a vehicle with four.

Waldman will be signing her book 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Central Texas Harley, 804 E. Braker Lane.

Along with directions and mileage, she has included information on what the countryside looks like and special or unique places to eat, sleep and sightsee. The guidebook includes rides for all levels along topography from lakes and hills to forests and plains.

Here are a few sample rides:

Big Bend country

For a thrilling ride — rugged hills, steep grades and roller-coaster switchbacks — there?s none more exciting than following the Rio Grande for 67 miles from Study Butte to Presidio. It?s the pinnacle of rides for experienced bikers or a true adventure in a convertible. Adrenaline flows along what is known as "River Road," one of the most difficult but memorable rides in Texas.

Leaving Study Butte on FM 170, you?ll see a sign saying, ?15 degree grade ahead; steep hills for 30 miles.? If you have the constitution and skill to continue, be sure your fuel tank is full, your cell phone is working and you have plenty of water and snacks. After riding through the sparsely populated towns of Terlingua and Lajitas, you?ll face 50 miles of desolate desert.

Start slowly. Stop at Terlingua to visit artisan shops, restaurants and ruins. Lajitas, 13 miles farther, is a more recent development with buildings resembling an old-time Western town.

After Lajitas, continue on FM 170, which runs along Big Bend Ranch State Park, a protected area larger than all other Texas state parks combined. With tall cliffs on the Mexican side and rugged terrain on the American side, border patrols along the river aren?t necessary here.

Ride slowly to the peak of each hill and revel in the awesome views. About 12 miles out of Lajitas is a roadside rest area with teepees sheltering picnic tables, a fitting and historic touch for this region. After about 30 miles, the road flattens somewhat — still lots of corkscrew curves and dips. Pass through Redford and head to the frontier town of Presidio.

Prairies and lakes

History buffs can emulate Charles Lindbergh by traveling from New York to Paris. But you won?t have to leave Texas. Start your ride in New York, population 12, just east of Athens, at the intersection of FM 804 and FM 607 in Northeast Texas. Head north on FM 607 to Brownsboro and travel through some of the state's prettiest ranch country. Sharply angled turns and gentle curves make this a fun ride.

Go north on FM 314 toward Edom, a rural artist?s colony, and pass several blueberry farms along the way. In town you?ll find potters? studios, birdhouse makers and home-style eateries.

After Edom, take FM 279 to Texas 64 and continue to Canton, 7 miles of twisting turns through pastures, blueberry fields and plant nurseries. Little traffic and a flatter road make for a smooth ride entering Canton, where thousands of vendors and bargain hunters converge for First Monday (which really happens on Thursday through Sunday before the first Monday of each month), although shopping is available any day in Old Town Canton.

From Canton, take FM 859 to Edgewood, then U.S. 80 to Grand Saline, a town that sits on a huge underground salt dome. From Grand Saline, take U.S. 80 to the junction with FM 17, and head for Alba. Curves and hills may slow you somewhat, but the road widens a bit on the bridge over the Sabine River.

Stop at Lake Fork Reservoir to relax and fish. At Yantis, turn left on Texas 154 and head to Sulphur Springs. Historic houses, shops and mills provide interesting touring there.

Now, on to Paris. Pick up Texas 19 out of Sulphur Springs and head north. Let loose on this road; only small hills and gentle curves interrupt pretty pastoral scenes. Don?t miss the Eiffel Tower — this one sports a red cowboy hat, making it a certifiable tourist attraction.

Hill Country

Our home territory includes some of the most popular rides in the state with hills, curves and spectacular scenery wherever you go. Devil?s Backbone, which encompasses San Marcos, Canyon Lake and Wimberley, is an all-time favorite of Texas bikers and tourists.

Start in San Marcos. Head west on RM 12, breezing over hills before hitting corkscrew curves. There?s limited sight on the road — don?t try to pass; just relax and savor the path.

Pick up RM 32 heading toward Blanco, and you?ll soon see a sign announcing Devil?s Backbone, the razor-sharp winding ridge overlooking vast expanses of Hill Country. Five miles down the road is a picnic area at a scenic overlook, a great place to glimpse distant valleys and hills — and to comprehend why bikers rave about this ride.

Take RM 484 to Canyon Lake, about 10 miles ahead. Again you?ll zip around corkscrew curves as the altitude declines. Detour for swimming or hiking at Canyon Park. When leaving, go right on FM 306, and head to Purgatory Road, which is desolate and usually only taken by locals. Full of tricky curves, limited sight distance, cattle guards and a very narrow bridge, this rocky road provides a challenging ride. When Purgatory Road dead-ends onto RM 32, go right and then take a left onto RM 12 and head to Wimberley, a quaint town populated by artists, writers and musicians.

Other rides profiled in the book will take you through the Piney Woods, Gulf Coast and South Texas plains, where you can experience the same ?bliss on a bike? Waldman discovered while riding the back roads of Texas.

If you go ...

Terlingua: www.ghosttowntexas.com, (432) 371-2427

Lajitas: www.lajitas.com, (877) 525-4827

Edom: www.edomtexas.com, (903) 852-6349

Canton: www.cantontradedays.com, (903) 567-2991

San Marcos: www.sanmarcostexas.com (888) 200-5620

Canyon Park: www.wildtexas.com/parks/canyon.php, (830) 964-3342

Wimberley: www.wimberley.org, (512) 847-2201