Anders Bottom Road starts at FM 155 a few miles outside of La Grange. Riders on 155 are usually beelining to Weimar and Interstate 10. Their loss is your gain. The scenery is ethereal. Be alert for deer, a couple narrow bridges, and fresh road maintenance. You can’t go over 30 mph but you won’t care. You’ll wind up at FM 1965 which horse-shoes you back to 155 and on to Weimar. It’s a perfect little detour through a separate reality.
County Road 207 is a run through paradiso situated between Weimar and Columbus (TX). You’ll find large working ranches out here that’ve been “in the family” for generations and where ranch managers are sought-after professionals. On a working ranch there are distinct seasons of work and home is often where you left it. The cowboy life survives with a modern twist.
With the urban environment moving out in all directions there are now millions of people living within minutes of these ranches yet never experience the magic. Look up and along with a bald eagle gliding over the Colorado River you’re liable to see the transmission grid from the Fayette Co Power plant lending a sci-fi dimension to the landscape. The roads are good out here, the traffic sparse, and your’re never far from food stops you’ve never tried—ideal conditions for motorcycling (and an easy day trip for Houstonians). When a county road runs out of asphalt you need to slow down to about 20 mph but that’s when things come into focus. Like a bull in the wood.
Weiss Store is on FM 390 between Independence and Hwy 36 in Washington County. There’s not a real store there but the distance to Hong Kong is always-on. The sign has its own lightpost powered by a solar panel. This oddity has been developing for 40 years.
Take Gerke Rd to a right on Clay Creek Rd. You’re in Valley Forge—a community that time forgot and scenic beauty that’s unforgettable. Keep going, Clay Creek becomes Sun Oil Rd and horseshoes you back to FM 390. There’s a short patch of caliche so keep it slow. County roads are perfect for nature cruisin’ (about 35mph). They don’t show up on maps, you won’t see many cars, and you’ll never see another motorcycle.
Don’t believe it—it’s only the beginning.
Steel Wheels 