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Bike Creek Road in Dripping Springs for a rolling, beginner-friendly ride

Bike Creek Road in Dripping Springs for a rolling, beginner-friendly ride

by | Mar 9, 2020 | Blog

The cattle along Creek Road stopped to check us out as we pedaled past on Sunday. Pam LeBlanc photo

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It turned to spring a few days ago and my bike was clambering to get out of the shed, so my husband and I loaded our wheels into the truck and pointed toward Creek Road in Dripping Springs.

If you’re looking to spend an hour or two on a classic Hill Country route without much traffic and plenty of goats, sheep, cattle and llamas to make things interesting, consider riding this scenic out-and-back route. The terrain rolls and flows past barns and kitschy wedding venues, and you’ll see plenty of ranchers out managing their stock or driving tractors.

Park at Roger Hanks Park, 195 Roger Hanks Parkway in Dripping Springs. If you pedal all the way to Creek Road’s dead end at Texas 165 south of Henly, then turn around and ride back, you’ll log 17 miles. The road snakes alongside gorgeous Onion Creek, and the main route not-too-hilly, beginner-friendly terrain.

If you want to add some hills and another creek crossing (take it slow, moss grows on the road and I’ve taken a digger here) to make a nice loop, hop on County Road 195 and head toward Mt. Gainor Road.

(Pro tip: I once stayed a night at the charming Mt. Gainor Inn, an old German farmhouse-turned-bed-and-breakfast at 2390 Prochnow Road, and rode 45 miles to Johnson City and back the next morning. For more information go to mtgainorinn.com.)

Texas flag flying along Creek Road in Dripping Springs on Sunday. Chris LeBlanc photo

Sunday’s ride reminded me that I haven’t spent enough time on my bike this winter. That’s about to change, because the next few months are the best time of the year to ride in Central Texas.

Coming soon? My annual ride on the Willow City Loop near Fredericksburg.

 

 

 

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Found on the San Marcos River: Innertubes, toilet seat and a cow femur wearing a shoe

Found on the San Marcos River: Innertubes, toilet seat and a cow femur wearing a shoe

by | Mar 2, 2020 | Blog

Pam LeBlanc hauls bags of trash from her canoe to a dumpster. Chris LeBlanc photo

I spent a satisfying day yesterday paddling a 6-mile stretch of the San Marcos River, loading my aluminum canoe with old flip flops, car tires and deflated innertubes left on the waterway.

I turned my boat into a floating trash barge for the first day of the San Marcos River Cleanup, hosted by theTexas Canoe and Kayak Racing Association. My final haul included an old fishing rod, a slew of plastic containers, a football, a deflated raft, swim goggles, and a cow femur wearing an exploded tennis shoe. I left the dead deer behind, and another boat traveling with us picked up more tires, more innertubes, more plastics, and a toilet seat (found, then lost again.)

Chris LeBlanc wrestles garbage from an old cypress tree on the San Marcos River. Pam Leblanc photo

It’s discouraging to see so much garbage in the river, a place that brings me so much joy. I spent a lot of time on it last year training for and participating in the Texas Water Safari, a 260-mile paddling race from San Marcos to the Texas coast.

The good news? If you want to participate but missed yesterday’s event, you can join day two of the event, scheduled for Saturday, March 7.

You don’t need a boat to participate. The upper stretches of the river and its banks, especially at highway crossings and bridges, are so trashed that volunteers are needed to walk the shore, collecting garbage.

Chris LeBlanc rolls a discarded tire off the San Marcos River in Luling. Pam LeBlanc photo

Gird your loins if you plan to attend – it’s pretty nasty out there, and organizers of the 35thannual event promise a serious yuck factor. You’ll be handsomely rewarded, just through knowing you’re helping to keep our waterways – and the creatures that live there – healthy.

Chris LeBlanc holds up a cow femur wearing a shoe. Pam LeBlanc photo

“Volunteers are guaranteed to experience trash jams that resemble the trash compactor (complete with monster) from the original Star Wars movie,” a web posting about the event says. “This section of river is not recommended for the faint of heart.”

To help clean the top section of the river (suitable for novice boaters), the 2-mile stretch from San Marcos City Park to Thompson’s Island, meet at City Park at 9:30 March 7. To register, go to the City of San Marcos website at https://www.sanmarcostx.gov/363/Preserve-Beautify.

Part of the haul. Pam LeBlanc photo

If you’re an experienced paddler, consider pitching in to help clean the 3.5-mile stretch of river from Thompson’s Island to San Marcos River Retreat. Meet at the retreat at 9 am on March 7.
Plan on staying on the river until about 4 p.m. Organizers will deliver lunch to the San Marcos Wastewater Treatment Plant at about noon.

To get to the San Marcos River Retreat from Interstate 35 in San Marcos, take Highway 80 toward Luling for 1.8 miles. Turn light on County Road 101. Take an immediate left onto County Road 102. Go one half mile and turn right on Pecan Park Road. Pass TG Canoes and Kayaks and the road will end at the San Marcos River Retreat office.

For more info call Tom Goynes at 512-787-5574 or go to http://sanmarcosriverretreat.com.

Jason Sowell participates in a trash cleanup on the San Marcos River on Feb. 29, 2020. Pam LeBlanc photo

 

 

About Pam

I’m Pam LeBlanc. Follow my blog to keep up with the best in outdoor travel and adventure. Thanks for visiting my site.

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For mountain biking bliss, head to Slaughter Creek Trail

For mountain biking bliss, head to Slaughter Creek Trail

by | Feb 24, 2020 | Blog

Pam LeBlanc rides at Slaughter Creek Trail on Feb. 23, 2020. Chris LeBlanc photo

Austin’s a mecca for mountain biking, but sometimes I feel like I spend more time getting off my bike to avoid the gnarly stuff than I do actually riding.

My favorite place to ride when I want some moderate terrain that’ll challenge my intermediate skills without leaving me in a sling? The Slaughter Creek Preserve in South Austin, where a 5-mile single-track loop serves up stair-steppy drops, rock gardens and flowy, rolling inclines.

The trail doesn’t require the technical skill that you need to navigate the bumps and grinds of parts of the Barton Creek Greenbelt or Emma Long Metropolitan Park (City Park), and it doesn’t attract the big crowds of Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park.

I made two loops of the circuit this morning, and it felt great to get my cycling legs back under me. I swim almost every day, but now and then it’s good to mix up the routine.

Chris LeBlanc rides down a rocky ledge at Slaughter Creek. Pam LeBlanc photo

The multi-use trail cuts through a 100-acre swath of land owned by the city of Austin and set aside to protect water quality. (Cyclists ride clockwise; hikers and equestrians head counter-clockwise. Cyclists should dismount and pull off to avoid startling horses.)

Confession: About five years ago, I busted my ass on a rocky incline near the start of the trail. (Limestone is sharp, people!) I wound up at the minor emergency center, but it didn’t keep me from coming back. And the good news is the trail’s been reworked in that section, so you can avoid the hazards that took me out.

I especially like this trail in the spring, when wildflowers are blooming. I’ve spooked up deer on occasion, too.

The Slaughter Creek Trail winds through groves of cedars and oaks, and includes flown sections over rocky terrain. Pam LeBlanc photo

The trail is doable for beginner and intermediate-level cyclists. I’ve made it through every obstacle on the loop, but I’ve never made an entire loop without dabbing a foot down at least once. You’ll find about seven or eight nice ledgy drops and climbs.

Not up for the entire loop? You can take a cutoff trial that trims about 2 miles off the circuit and still includes the highlights.

The trail is open from dawn to dusk daily, but closes after rain to prevent erosion.(Check here for closure information.) You have to drive through an automatic gate to get to the parking lot and trailhead, which is next to the old Trautwein homestead at 9901 Farm-to-Market 1826.

Chris LeBlanc rides the Slaughter Creek Trail on Feb. 23, 2020. Check the park’s Facebook page before heading out to make sure it’s open. Pam LeBlanc photo

 

About Pam

I’m Pam LeBlanc. Follow my blog to keep up with the best in outdoor travel and adventure. Thanks for visiting my site.

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Spider Mountain Bike Park adds crazy new trails

Spider Mountain Bike Park adds crazy new trails

by | Aug 1, 2019 | Blog

Cyclists bomb down new trails at Spider Mountain Bike Park near Burnet. Photo courtesy Spider Mountain

Spider Mountain Bike Park, where a ski lift carries cyclists to the top of a hill so they can focus on the ride down, has added two new trails to its network of twisty routes.

One, dubbed Tarantula, features a 115-foot stretch of boardwalk that’s elevated 7 feet off the ground. There’s also a wooden wall ride (painted like a huge Texas flag), bridges and ramps, so riders can fly through the air as they rumble down the 900-foot trail.

“Tarantula is designed for both those who are new to mountain biking and those who live and breathe it,” says Deseree Hernandez, director of operations. “Beginners can roll through to have fun or go expert-style and show off their freeride skills.”

The new wall feature at Spider Mountain is painted like a Texas flag. Photo courtesy Spider Mountain

Recluse, the second new trail, isn’t quite as daunting. The rolling, 300-foot route rides like a pump track between the existing Viper’s Den and Itsy-Bitsy trails.

All the trails at the park are marked green for beginner, blue for intermediate and black for expert, just like trails at a snow ski resort.

“Our concept was to make Recluse a light blue trail,” Hernandez said. “It’s a great way for riders to progress from Itsy-Bitsy, our easiest trail, to a blue run with more challenges. But it’s also super fun for more experienced riders.”

To celebrate the new trails, the park will host a party this Saturday, Aug. 3, complete with a ribbon cutting, a train of riders coming down both trails, competitions and an evening party. Activities start at 10 a.m., with the Texas State Whip-Off Championship at 11 a.m. and the Wall Ride Competition at 1 p.m. An awards ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. and a post-race party starts at 7 p.m.

The new Tarantula trail features five new technical features, including this one. Photo courtesy Spider Mountain

When I visited the park last February, the day after it opened, I loaded my bike onto a ski lift that once whisked skiers up Al’s Run at Taos Ski Resort in New Mexico and bombed down Itsy-Bitsy alongside the park’s crazy-like-an-over-grown-kid mastermind, James Coleman.

James Coleman, the owner of Spider Mountain. Pam LeBlanc photo

Coleman grew up in Austin and dreamed of owning ski resorts, which he now does. He lives in Durango, where he’s the managing partner of a company that owns Purgatory Resort, Arizona Snowbowl, Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort, Pajarito Mountain, Hesperus Ski Area, Nordic Valley Ski Resort, and Colorado’s largest snowcat skiing operation, Purgatory Snowcat Adventures.

Cyclists ride a ski lift up Spider Mountain near Burnet, Texas, on Feb. 9, 2019. Pam LeBlanc photo

Spider Mountain is the only lift-served mountain bike park in Texas, and the only year-round park of its type in the United States.

Want an idea of what it feels like to ride the new Tarantula trail? Watch this video from Spider Mountain:

 

Spider Mountain is at 200 Greenwood Hills Trail near Burnet, about 60 miles northwest of Austin. Park hours are noon to 7 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, plus holidays and spring break. Day passes are $50 for adults ($45 youth or senior; free ages 10 and under). To ride the lift without a bike, pay $20 round-trip adult or $15 youth or senior. For more information go to spidermountain.com.Want to stay overnight? Thunderbird Lodge, a no-frills hotel and marina, is located next door.

 

 

 

About Pam

I’m Pam LeBlanc. Follow my blog to keep up with the best in outdoor travel and adventure. Thanks for visiting my site.

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