Bluebonnet Tour in the Hill Country of Texas
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Bluebonnet Tour
Gerald Cain, Martin Thomen and Ross Lilleker planned a terrific three days of touring in the Texas Hill Country. The April 4 - 6 tour was based around Johnson City, and those who attended enjoyed spectacular scenery and had tons of fun with other Model T enthusiasts. The tour was organized in an effort to raise money for The National Organization to Treat A - T, which is a non-profit public charity that supports treatment research for children with Ataxia-Telangiectasia.
Thursday morning, the day before the tour started, Ben and Nancy Hardeman of Bryan, Bruce and Barbara Lilleker of Chesterfield, England, and Ernie and Ginger Wentrcek of Bryan left Texas T Parts around 9:30 A.M. They stopped on the shore of a lake in Bastrop State Park for a picnic lunch and then continued on their way. Traveling through the back roads in this part of Texas, they saw wildflowers in full bloom. Then, after making a few other brief stops, they arrived in Johnson City around 6 P.M. Ross Lilleker of Bryan, Luke Cordes of LaGrange and Michael McDonald of Houston arrived later in the evening, and the group met other Model T owners from neighboring clubs for dinner at a local restaurant. Click here to see a large photo of the landscape as the Hardemans, Lillekers and Wentrceks traveled to Johnson City.
Friday morning, everyone gathered for a hearty breakfast at the Silver K Restaurant. Gerald and Doris Cain of Canyon Lake were the tour guides for the day, and Gary and Nita Martin of Canyon Lake were their guests. Martin Thomen and Patty Duhon of San Marcos also joined the tour. Henry and June Ault of San Marcos drove the vulture wagon.
After breakfast, a visit to the LBJ Ranch in Stonewall was the first stop on the agenda. Upon arrival, a park ranger greeted the group and led the Model T caravan through the grounds. The Junction School, which LBJ attended when he was four years old, was the first stop. He was so committed to education that, during his presidency, he signed into law the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in this one-room school. Next, everyone was allowed to park their cars for a photo op adjacent to the ranch house, which was called the Texas White House when LBJ was president. After a stop at the family cemetery, where LBJ and Lady Bird are buried, the touring group continued their drive through the ranch and saw his boyhood home, several of his automobiles, the airstrip, exotic deer and registered Hereford cattle.
The next stop was the Sauer-Beckmann Farmstead, which is a living history farm. There was no running water or electricity on the farm, park employees wore period clothing and conducted farm chores in a style typical of the early 1900's. Turkeys, horses, pigs, chickens, goats and other farm animals were kept on the grounds, just as they would have been when the homestead was inhabited by early farmers. Click here to see a large photo of the building where blacksmith work was conducted.
Ross took over as tour leader on Saturday, and Sylvia Jung of Fredericksburg joined the group. The drive through Willow City Loop and Stonewall Loop provided vistas that were real eye-poppers. From steep roads and twisting switchbacks to flat land, many different types of terrain were seen. To some of the flatlanders, the hills looked like small mountains. The Model Ts handled the steep inclines beautifully, and not one car had to be loaded on the vulture wagon.
Other activities for the day included a stop at Enchanted Rock, lunch and shopping in Fredericksburg and a leisurely ride back to Johnson City. Upon arrival back at the motel, everyone gathered for a picnic dinner in a Victorian style gazebo, which was on the grounds of the Best Western. Click here to see a large photo of Enchanted Rock.
Martin Thomen and Patty Duhon served as tour guides for the final day of the trip. Ken and Margaret Speck of Canyon Lake joined the Cains as the tour moved through typical Texas hill country landscapes towards Round Mountain Loop. Since livestock in this area grazed in open fields, there were many cattle guards in the roads.
As the Sunday morning tour progressed eastward toward Hamilton Pool, members of the Texas Touring Ts left the caravan and began their trek home, arriving at 6 P.M., after a short stop in Caldwell for ice cream. At the end of the day, there were a few stiff joints (human type), but they were accompanied by many fond memories that will last a lifetime.
