On this ride we head south out of Kerrville to
Bandera, Texas, " The Cowboy Capital of the
World". Bandera is a 35 mile ride on Highway 16
South. Bandera offers much for the visiting motorcyclist
and is also a motorcycle friendly town. Not as large as
Fredericksburg by any means but there are many unique
shops along Main Street and also on some side streets,
as well as many good places to eat, drink and be
entertained. The ride to Bandera is a very scenic one no
matter which route you take. Lets map out our ride using
Highway 16 South first, then later in this article I'll
tell some alternative routes to try.
There
are quit a few different ways to ride to Bandera. The most
direct, but slightly longer way to go is to take Highway
16 South through Kerrville. Highway 16 South changes
from a 4 lane road to a two lane once you get over the
hills in South Kerrville. If you are a new rider or a
beginner this may NOT be the route for you to take.
There are a few very sharp turns as you get over the
hills into Medina that can unnerve the new rider. One of
the turns in particular with have you down into second
gear or maybe even into first gear. Once you are past
the sharp turns, the rest of the ride is very scenic
passing many ranches before coming into Medina.
After you
pass the mountain and sharp turns you will see Koyote
Ranch on your right heading south on Highway 16. Koyote
Ranch offers motorcycle camping and lodging along with
gas, food and hospitality. Most weekends the outdoor bar
and patio is packed with motorcyclists taking a break
from the open road. Koyote Ranch is a wonderful place to
kick back and relax before heading down the road once
again into Medina.
Medina,
Texas is a very small town with a population of 250. In
1989 the Texas Department of Agriculture declared Medina
the Apple Capital of Texas. When you enter Medina keep
in mind the speed limit is reduced and inforced. Worthy
of a stop while in Medina is the Cider Mill and Country
Store at Love Creek Orchards. They have everything from
gifts to apple ice cream. Their apple pie is truly
my favorite. It reminds me of the apple pie that
my grandma made.
If you
are passing through Medina in the morning hours and are
looking for breakfast, stop at Keese's Bar B Q across
from the Medina Post Office. The fine, friendly folks at
Keese's serve up a big hearty breakfast that is tough to
beat anywhere. If you walk away hungry it is your own
fault. Of course they also serve excellent barbeque
foods throughout the day as well. Stop in and say hello
on your way through Medina.
Once you
are thru the town of Medina, you are about half way to
Bandera. Once out of Medina the road is mostly flat with
plenty of gentle curves as the road follows a path along
the banks of the Medina River. Just before Bandera and
before you cross the Medina River bridge there is a
roadside picnic area on your left. This is a good place
to stop for a picnic, swim or a rest. Continue on
Highway 16 South until you come to the stop light in
Bandera at the intersection of State Highways 16 and
173.
Continue
straight thru the light into town and you will see the
main shopping district, restaurants and watering holes.
Bandera is a
small town (population 950) rich in early western
history. Bandera is " The Cowboy Capital of the
World." Many champion cowboys have come out of
Bandera County. After the Civil War, Bandera was used as
a staging area for cattle drives to Dodge City and
beyond. Each year during Labor Day weekend, Bandera
holds a longhorn cattle drive through the streets of
Bandera.
If you like country
music, almost every bar, dancehall and
honky-tonk features live music. My favorite was the Cabaret
Dancehall on Main Street. Unfortunately it closed
in January 2007 and is currently up for sale. Hopefully
it will reopen under new management soon. It is a
real Texas style honky-tonk in my book. Also on Main
Street is Arkey
Blue’s Silver Dollar which is another spot to visit
for live music. A favorite spot in Bandera among
the biker crowd is the 11th Street
Cowboy Bar. It is one block west of Main Street.
Look for all the parked motorcycles, you can't miss
them.
If you are looking for a
bite to eat in Bandera I highly recommend Busbee’s
BBQ. The food can't be beat. OST restaurant also offers
good food and service. The breakfast at OST is as good
as it gets!
One other
place worth visiting while in Bandera is the Frontier
Times Museum on 13th St.
Bandera is a very friendly town
when it comes to motorcycles and on most weekends the
town is full of bikes. Please...respect the laws of
Bandera and the many pedestrians and horses that are on
the streets in Bandera. We want to be welcomed back time
and time again.
Alternatives to
Highway 16 South - Highway 173 South
Another excellent route to
Bandera is to take Highway 173 South out of Kerrville, straight into
Bandera. Why more motorcyclist don't use 173 South is a mystery
to me. Seldom do I pass many other bikes on 173. 173
South has a posted speed limit of 70 MPH with wonderful
scenery passing many large ranches along the way. You'll
may even see bison just below Camp Verde on the left. If
you have never seen a bison live and in person, they
are a magnificent animal to see.
When you get to the stoplight in Bandera, take
a left into town. It is about a 22 mile ride.
Another route to take is
Highway 173 South to FM 2828 West to Highway 16 South.
The ride across FM 2828 is very scenic and I recommend
this route to Bandera just for the scenery and the great
road that FM 2828 is. When you reach Highway 16 South,
turn left and continue on to Bandera. Both 173 South and
FM 2828 are easy roads to ride, even for the beginner.
The speed limit on both roads is 70 mph but slower
traffic can use the shoulder or slow lane on 173. 2828
does not have a shoulder to ride on but generally does
not have very much traffic on it.
Koyote
Ranch is committed to providing a comfortable and
upscale environment for Motor Touring. We have gone so
far as to provide a dedicated area of camp sites in the
resort exclusively for riders, with covered parking for
your bike.
On this ride we head south out of Kerrville to
Bandera, Texas, " The Cowboy Capital of the
World". Bandera is a 35 mile ride on Highway 16
South. Bandera offers much for the visiting motorcyclist
and is also a motorcycle friendly town. Not as large as
Fredericksburg by any means but there are many unique
shops along Main Street and also on some side streets,
as well as many good places to eat, drink and be
entertained. The ride to Bandera is a very scenic one no
matter which route you take. Lets map out our ride using
Highway 16 South first, then later in this article I'll
tell some alternative routes to try.
There
are quit a few different ways to ride to Bandera. The most
direct, but slightly longer way to go is to take Highway
16 South through Kerrville. Highway 16 South changes
from a 4 lane road to a two lane once you get over the
hills in South Kerrville. If you are a new rider or a
beginner this may NOT be the route for you to take.
There are a few very sharp turns as you get over the
hills into Medina that can unnerve the new rider. One of
the turns in particular with have you down into second
gear or maybe even into first gear. Once you are past
the sharp turns, the rest of the ride is very scenic
passing many ranches before coming into Medina. 
Medina,
Texas is a very small town with a population of 250. In
1989 the Texas Department of Agriculture declared Medina
the Apple Capital of Texas. When you enter Medina keep
in mind the speed limit is reduced and inforced. Worthy
of a stop while in Medina is the Cider Mill and Country
Store at Love Creek Orchards. They have everything from
gifts to apple ice cream. Their apple pie is truly
my favorite. It reminds me of the apple pie that
my grandma made.
Bandera is a
small town (population 950) rich in early western
history. Bandera is " The Cowboy Capital of the
World." Many champion cowboys have come out of
Bandera County. After the Civil War, Bandera was used as
a staging area for cattle drives to Dodge City and
beyond. Each year during Labor Day weekend, Bandera
holds a longhorn cattle drive through the streets of
Bandera.
Another route to take is
Highway 173 South to FM 2828 West to Highway 16 South.
The ride across FM 2828 is very scenic and I recommend
this route to Bandera just for the scenery and the great
road that FM 2828 is. When you reach Highway 16 South,
turn left and continue on to Bandera. Both 173 South and
FM 2828 are easy roads to ride, even for the beginner.
The speed limit on both roads is 70 mph but slower
traffic can use the shoulder or slow lane on 173. 2828
does not have a shoulder to ride on but generally does
not have very much traffic on it.
Koyote
Ranch is committed to providing a comfortable and
upscale environment for Motor Touring. We have gone so
far as to provide a dedicated area of camp sites in the
resort exclusively for riders, with covered parking for
your bike. 
