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FM 1431, TX

Joined
Mar 2, 2003
Messages
3,875
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2
Location
Round Rock
What: Situated close to NW Austin, FM 1431 is a great road to ride when you just wanna do a little roller-coaster fun, but don't want to spend hours riding to the SW hill country for the thrill. It was voted the #4 best road in the 2003 Ride Texas magazine's readers' poll, slipping only slightly to #5 in the 2005 survey.

(click pics for a larger version)
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The road surface is wonderful, with only 2 cattle grates along the route (just west of Lago Vista), and a slightly bumpy bridge crossing immediately west of the intersection with Cow Creek Rd. There is usually some traffic on 1431, which can be frustrating if one's pace is, er, higher, but even at the speed limit, the road is a lot of fun. Just don't let the views over various crests cause you to lose focus! :eek:

FM 1431 is wonderful in its own right, but also serves to link riders to other neat stuff, like the fun little FM 1174 to Bertram, the nice and twisty (and only slighly rocky, as of April '05) Cow Creek Rd., or the popular, home-cookin' of the Bluebonnet Cafe in Marble Falls.


Where: FM 1431 is in essentially the NE edge of the Texas hill country, starting just east of I-35 north of Austin, and running NW along the Highland lakes up to Lake Buchanan. The videos, below, are of my favorite section (that I've ridden so far), between Cedar Park and Marble Falls.

Designation: Farm-to-Market (FM) 1431

Roll the vid, Bubba:
Windows Media Player 9 (software)
QuickTime 6.3 (QT software)
 
A nice loop in this area:

At intersection of 1431 and 2243 (Nameless Rd), go North on 2243

Left on Round Mountain Rd. (CR 282)

Round Mt. ends at stop sign with 1869, go left.

Follow 1869 to stop sign and turn left on 1174

1174 takes you back to 1431 West of your starting point.

Takes you through Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge and some great views coming south on 1174.
 
Great write up and nice video! I seem to remember there was one bridge very near the cattle crossings that was pretty brutal, too. The ground on either side has sunken a bit leaving quite a "bump" as you crossed onto the bridge. Other than that and the cattle crossings it's a lot of fun!
 
Good point, wc..., I believe that bridge is just a few yards west of Cow Creek Road. I've updated the report...thx...
 
Lenny, You named my favorite 110 mile loop: Round Rock 1460 to 2243 out of S. Geo'Town across 183, do the route you mention to 1174 and downhill to 1431 east, Nameless Rd back to 2243 and home. The hill country views from 1174 are worth the trip.

Greyson
 
Howdy Greystone, welcome to the site!
 
I enjoyed your video very much. I think of 1431 as my own personal ride sometimes. I usually ride a bit faster that the video shows. My FJR really likes the road and it turns into a time compressor out there. Keep up the great work on the videos. I wish I knew how you get that video too.
 
I did this as my first semi-ride. I was riding out during Friday rush hour.. bad time to ride but I couldn't wait for the weekend. Traffic was heavy until I got a little west on 1431 and then things got better. About an hour before sundown I turned around and hit the road going east, and that's where it got fun! No cars and a great view. I only got as far as Lago Vista.. how far do you guys go on it?

I'm looking forward to go on the loop explained above. If any Austin riders want to hit up a ride sometime let me know!
 
I was supposed to ride near Wimberly on Saturday, but some others all all begging out, maybe I'll join ya'll. Love pie....
Gregg
 
Ride this one soon, guys.

I was there last weekend. They're straightening/leveling some of the really fun dip/curves and planning to expand (looks like making the 2 lane section a 4-laner). Grading operations are going on now.
 
That's progress for ya. :shrug: ;-)

Last few times I rode 1431 the traffic was pretty heavy anyway. There are better, less travelled roads not too far away.
 
I formerly lived in Granite Shoals (7 W of Marble Falls on 1431). 1431 is why I went to the Honda shop in Austin or G'Town much more frequently than was necessary... During the middle of the day and middle of the week was less traffic usually... I'd leave Marble Falls, drop down off the ridge where the Marble Falls High School sits, grin like crazy to Jonestown, then turn about and retrace my path just for the HOOT of it...

Then three or four times a week I just HAD to ride Park Road 4 through Inks Lake State Park... that 5 mi stretch is heaven for a spirited ride... Scared m'self there too many times to number... when I rode a Bandit (01 B1200S) I did those 30 and 35mi hooks never dropping under 70... really STUPID, but talk about GIGGLES and GRINZ.

BTW... the PIE at The BlueBonnet Cafe in MF is SUPER... they see a lot of folk wearing gear and helmets, especially on weekends....

JR
 
why they gotta go an mess that good road up? :miffed:

It was getting really annoying to get stuck behind a RV in a cage, not enough room to pass. :yawn:
 
I lived just off of that road for several years. There were several motorcycle accidents every year.

Yes, it's fun to ride 1431.
But I will never, ever forget the worst motorcycle accident on that road. I was fourth vehicle from the front. Two life-flight helicopters were required and the road was closed for hours. There were four fatalities.

It's been six years and I still can't erase that scene from my head.

Ride that road with care and respect.
 
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