The Bicycle Adventure Club - Come Ride With Us!

Flowers in the Hills 2018

April 1st to April 9th

Ride Director: Becky Hettinger
Ride Co-Director: Charlie Hettinger
Report by: Jane Holahan

This BAC ride is always a great start to spring training for every rider living in colder climates – a relaxed fixed-base ride in the heart of Texas Hill Country. This year, 40 riders gathered for a week of variable but mainly pleasant weather, and every day, chose from over 20 routes of escalating difficulty and distance, fanning out from our hotel. There were 6 tandems, a record number! We were joined by many new BAC members and a small core group of “repeat offenders” who love this ride and come almost every year to enjoy the familiar routes and the atmosphere of a picturesque small town: Fredericksburg. Mornings on the bike usually started between 8:30 and 10:00, with lunch on the road, or back in town, where dozens of restaurants beckoned. Windy afternoons and two colder mornings found many ‘riders’ contemplating the local sights – WWII Museums, coffee and pie shops, wine shops, crazy hardware and antique stores-- or driving out to visit wineries or to see Wild Seed Farm’s display of bluebonnets and poppies… and a few were found relaxing at the hotel spa. We had 3 great group dinners catered at the hotel, along with nightly happy hours featuring Texas wines and visiting speakers- we heard from a retired Texas Ranger, a cheery couple of goat famers who produce fine mohair fibers for weavers (and who brought two adorable baby goats!) and a knowledgeable local historian who gave a wonderful overview of the region. Off bike activities ranged from a Friday night out at Luckenbach Dance Hall and trips to San Antonio and the Alamo. Everyone got out to the LBJ Ranch and the Texas White House, either on bikes or sagged half-way. All in all, a fun week for an enthusiastic group. Thanks to Becky and Charlie for all the planning – it was a great start to the season!