Willow City Loop, First Leg

Willow City is a tiny community just outside of Fredericksburg, Texas. The Willow City Loop has been a part of the Wildflower Pedal Power organized ride, however, this year the event was cancelled. So a day trip was planned to ride the loop. It was chancy as it is still early in the spring, and in good years, April and May are the best times to view wildflowers. This time last year everything was brown from the drought. However, some glorious winter rains produced a good showing of some of the earliest wildflowers on our route.

It was overcast and chilly when Christine and I met with Wilbur Thomas at the "major" intersection in Willow City (make that read ONLY intersection in Willow City). As I took the picture, I noticed a small stand of yellow flowers behind them.

The focus of the day was on the wildflowers. The bicycles were just a means of getting to them. It doesn't mean we didn't have a good time riding, it was just that if anything caught our eye, we would stop, admire, and take pictures.

 And then I found these just across the street. Blue bonnets are the State flower of Texas.

We hadn't even started on the ride yet.

Willow City Loop is a small rural road some 13 miles from Highway 16 to Willow City. So to make the ride a "loop" we rode down FM 1223 to intersect with Highway 16.

Many of the fields had small purple flowers that looked as if a lavender fog hovered the field.

A variety of wildflowers lined the road.

After all, it was St. Patrick's day. What better symbol than a green attired man on a cycle (motor). Just to the left of this caricature was a saloon catering to the motorcycle crowd.

See something that interests you? Stop and take a picture. We were in no hurry and did not want to rush the ride and not enjoy all the beauty.

Highway 16 has its up and downs before the nice long decline.

Knob Hill?

Got to keep climbing in order to get to the downside.

Start of the nice decline. We will now go downhill for about 3 miles.

Nice rock sculpture.

Another batch of blue bonnets off to the side. Getting a little blurry as I continue to pick up speed. 

About the last shot I was brave enough to take on the downhill. Shortly after the curve was the steep decline. Christine hit over 41 miles per hour. I think I have mentioned I start braking in the mid-thirties.

Next, we start on the Willow City Loop road.