In case you end up coming to TX..

If you get close to Junction on I-10 go to Lums BBQ. Old gas station with awesome food! Sorry to break the news guys but it kicks Coopers A**!

As said before, Bandera is a great place to spend an evening and enjoy the beverages. All the bars are within walking distance.

ALSO! Go to this place... http://hillbillyzoftexas.com/ It is in the middle of some great riding between Kendalia and Sisterdale.

 

i think it's the whole "texas" fascination with big at Coopers. Never said it was the best, but it IS good eating even for a Cajun... :-)

 

All good recommendations and, time permitting, all worth doing. With the exception of the Mean Eyed Cat and Lum's BBQhave done them all more than once.

I would put the Three Sisters at the top of the list and get them done first; ride them one direction and then ride them in the other direction. There is a motorcycle only motel just outside of Leakey, the DRose Inn/Cabins. The owner is an east cost corporate drop out that relocated to Texas, bought the property and made it a motorcycle only motel. Neat lady and the place is clean and comfortable. I would plan on an overnight there so you can do the Three Sisters right.

http://droseinn.com/

If you happen to be in Leakey on a Tuesday or a Friday, you have to hit Chicken Earl's place right in the middle of Leakey. BTW, I think the population of Leakey is about 300. Earl and his wife fry chicken on Tuesdays and Fridays and serve from 11:00 to 7:00 or until the chicken is gone; the chicken is usually gone before 7:00. Seriously good fried chicken.

I ride the Three Sisters regularly, weekdays are better than weekends when the knee draggers are out. Running into a pack to them going in the opposite direction in a tight turn can be a little uncomfortable since many of them ride like they are the only ones on the road.

Never been a big fan of Cooper's BBQ but the novelty may be worth the ride and Llano is not far; haven't been to Lum's so cannot comment. Rudy's has a couple of locations in Austin and, if nothing else, is consistently good. However, if you head south out of Austin on SH183 you can hit Lockhart and Blacks and then continue south to Luling to City Market and/or Luling BBQ; Black's and City Market always make the Texas Monthly top three and are on the Texas BBQ Trail. The Salt Lick is located in Driftwood, not Dripping Springs as previously posted but as was previously reported, dry county so BYOB and the Driftwood location is cash only. Be prepared for a wait, I avoid the place because, IMHO, there is better BBQ in other places where I don't have to wait an hour.

The Moto GP will be great too. It will not be sold out like the Formula 1 race was and general admission tickets are great because you can walk all the way around the track and view the race from almost any view point; it is a fantastic facility.

All the other suggestions that have been made are good; you will enjoy Texas and you will be back.

 

+1 - all great suggestions!

 

Big Bend from Austin (and back) in 3 days? You ain't from here are ya?
Try Threadgill's for chicken fried steak & the San Antonio squash...

 

 

Thinking of taking the long way home and riding down into new mexico and texas after the sturgis rally and then heading back north to canada through Tennessee . Kind of worried about the heat though. Keeping notes on all the suggestions, just in case.

 

If you make it to Bandera make sure to visit the 11th Street Cowboy bar.

http://www.11thstreetcowboybar.com/

 

whew! man let me tell you.. on the way up to sturgis last year.. we left from north of houston with the intention of making it to amarillo the first evening. We made it to Childress, TX which is 120-ish miles from Amarillo on the south side. It was 114 and absolutely miserable when we stopped. Drink plenty of fluids man!

 

Great List, I'm in Houston and planning on doing some of these rides this year.