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FM 337, TX

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buck000

buck000

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Fm 337, Tx

What: One of the "Holy Trinity" of the Hill Country moto-roads, this wondrous route was ranked the #1 Texas road for 2003 by readers of Ride Texas magazine.

Starting on its eastern side, just a long chaw's spit north of Medina (off of highway 16), 337 goes through a pretty valley, then begins to wind its way up and over a series of ridges or hills. It literally carves through some hilltops at some points.

From Medina, the next town of any name that you encounter is Vanderpool, on FM 187. Go north a bit, and you have not only Lost Maples State Natural Area, but also a little jewel of a moto-spot (just south of Lost Maples) called the Lone Star Motorcycle Museum, which is owned by one of the nicest couples you'll ever meet, and has an incredible collection of old restored Brit-bikes, as well as a few other odd bikes.

In Vanderpool, at the intersection of 187 and 337, there's a place that appears to be a little gas station, if you need topping off, but it's not! Go south 7 miles or so to Utopia to top off. Continuing westward, you encounter a wonderful series of twisties and you climb up, then descend from the hills once again. This takes you into Leakey (pronounced "Lake-ey"), where you can get something to eat, hit a grocery store, or visit the Frio Canyon Motorcycle Shop, before you continue on. If I recall correctly, there's a nice little spot on 337 just east of Leakey where folks like to splash around in the Frio river.

Roll the vid, Bubba:
Windows Media Player 9 (software)
QuickTime 6.3 (QT software)


337VanLea.jpg


The final, western "third" of 337 takes you from Leakey to Camp Wood. It starts with quite a fun climb up into the hills again. When I went, earlier in '03, there was a lot of chip seal down on the twistiest parts :shock: . It should be all paved by now, which should make for fantastic riding. The remainder of 337 is a nice little roller-coaster ride before it empties out into Camp Wood, where you can take 55 north to either some sweet sweepers on the way to Rocksprings or to another of the Holy Trinity, FM 335.

Where: See above for details, but it's in the heart of Hill Country, between Medina and Camp Wood.

Designation: Farm-to-Market (FM) or maybe Ranch Road (RR) 337

Additional details from grandpaul here.
:mrgreen:
 
Last edited:
:tab You are doing a great job here! I really appreciate the effort!!
 
Paul,
This taping your doing is just too cool!! I watched Park rd 4 the other day and felt like I was on my Bandit.

Think of the possibilities here. Who needs Dave Despain? Some group rides with narration and the addition of shots from a rearward facing camera would make this site an internet award winner.

A couple inservice pieces by peaple who know how to adjust their own valves or perform other maintainance would be the bomb!!!
 
Smooth is as smooth does...

Howdy,

:tab I just watched this video again. I must say you are very smooth and hold a nice line throughout the corners without bobbling and weaving all over the place. Sure there are people that can do it faster, big deal! You are doing it safer and more in control.

:bigokay:
 
Thanks, Scott, that's the nicest moto-thing anyone's ever said to me.. sniff...sniff

At this stage in my riding career, combined with my strong desire to get back home each day unscathed in either body or moto or insurance or license points, I tend to enjoy just riding The Pace, working on my technique, and maybe actually even sneaking a glance at the scenery ;).

I am noticing my average pace, er, quickening, though, so I constantly have to tell myself to focus, relax, ease up a bit...
 
buck000 said:
I am noticing my average pace, er, quickening, though, so I constantly have to tell myself to focus, relax, ease up a bit...
Click to expand...

I've found that my newly installed Vista Cruise helps maintain sane speeds a little better than I do. The bike is so smooth it's really hard not to go faster than the law allows... :wink:
 
Those were done by one of our members here. Brian rides a GSXR750 I believe. Lives somewhere around N. Houston.
 
Paul,

:tab You will NEVER see me ride like that on those roads! The guy shooting the video looked like he was riding on the ragged edge, leaving absolutely no room for mistake or the unexpected surprise. That video is a perfect example of why I have reached the point where riding on the 33X's on weekends doesn't really appeal to me anymore. I'm sure those guys felt they were in total control and being perfectly safe... yeah right! :roll:

:tab You would do well to NOT hold yourself up to these guys for comparison. That kind of riding belongs on the track. They were hugging the line in every curve rather than late apexing. One bubba in a truck drifting over the line would have ruined their day. The next time you run out to Campwood on 337, look for all the paint marks on the road that look like an accident scene. In Oct 2002, a guy was hit head on because a truck drifted over and he was too close to the line to avoid it. He's dead. :-|

:tab Going fast is not the goal. Going smooth and controlled is!

Adios,
 
:eek:

Just a little fast for my taste. I do like that road a lot, but they were 45-65 thru turns I wont do 35 on.


But you got to love the German heavy metal musical accompaniment. :twisted:
 
I wonder if they have ever been down. It really slows you down when you have felt the solid earth against your breaking body. Speeds like that just aren't worth it on the road. That's what track days are for, to get that need for speed out in a SAFER environment.
 
The 3 passes were videos I took on my Gixxer 1000. And Scott got that partially right, I am in Houston but Shout Houston. I think my ability to stay in my lane was excercised a better than the last video posted by a fellow TSBA member from San Angelo. I was pretty scared watching it. He even crosses over the stripe. While it is true I ride a bit of a fast pace, I ride within my limits. And to answer the question about being down, I have been down 3 times. Once at 70mph...and the others were at 90mph or greater...now true, only one was on the street and it was a bonehead move while learning to ride. The other 2 were on the track in races so I guess they don't count.
 
My comments were related to the Chasing Hanz video. I used to ride agressively on the road, but the second broken collar bone was my wake up call to keep it on the track. There are no ditches right off the edge of the track, no oncoming traffic, you've seen the road(track) within the last few minutes, there are nice people watching the road(track) for you, and the ambulance wait is not as long. :chug:
 
Scott,

I need to emphasize that I was just joshing you a tad. I have to admit to being impressed at someone's ability to get through a stretch like that at high speed, but for myself, it'd just be suicide.

I agree with the other sentiment concerning taking it to the track.
 
Yes this is a beautiful road at any pace. Let off the throttle and look around when you have a chance.
Watch out for the gravel that ends up on the road from the carved cliffs, usually right around those 10MPH hairpins. Since it's been a wet year and now the sun's out the erosion is worse. I was talking to one guy about it and he blames it on H.D. ground pounders shaking the rocks loose!
 
The links to the 3 passes don't exist anymore. Does anyone have them or know where I can find them?
 
I have been down on 337 before. It was painful. I didn't even know what happened, until a buddy who was following told me my rear wheel went over a golfball sized rock. I was looking through the turn, and the next thing you know - lowside. Would have been alright if it weren't for that sudden stop at the guardrail... :shock:

337 is a great road, though. Not too far from the cider mill country store, so you can get a great burger and apple ice cream!
 
I rode this my first time last night. Seemed great, would like to try it during the daylight!
 
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