If you haven't ridden in the heart of hill country...it is amazing! we've done west of Austin several times. This is several times better. better than Talihina & the Talimena drive.  Each road is as good or better than the other. Cool places/towns to stop. Many cater to bikers.

5 cycles, 7 people, Left North Dallas Thurs morning...returned Sunday. Stayed in Uvalde . Too commercial....next time we'll stay in Bandera...looks like a party town,and about 70 miles closer.

Fridays' ride was misty & light drizzle 20% of the time. we just slowed down a bit. Saturday & Sunday rides were perfect weather. we did the 3's (335,336,337). WOW. Saw a kangaroo farm (also giraffe, camel, deer, peacocks, ...). Apparently a guys private zoo. (see pics). Had deer run between our string of bikes once and in front of me once,  came form my left and then about 10-20 feet off the front of the bike. Pranced back & forth a few times before it jumped the guard rail on the right.  Slow enough to not be a dangerous thing.

we stayed in Uvalde. Next time we'll stay in Bandera. (where we wanted to stay but was full).

Saw a very nice (got the tour) cycle only motel in Leakey. (see pics). Cabins (very nice), about 8 cool main unit rooms, Covered pavillion (can park bikes in bad weather she said). can bring your own band, drinks, etc...

The scary....

Saturday afternoon about 3:00 just west of Medina (25-30 miles from Kerrville) our GoldWing/GL1800 had a major rear tire blowout. Marie on the back, we were going 70mph. The bike started to handle funny & had to slightly steer left to go straight. I was looking thru fairing openings at the front shocks, thought I might have blown a fork seal. Marie just said "does it feel rough...is that the road?". I let off the throttle a bit...was going about 60 I'd guess when we heard a loud BOOM.... rear tire completely blew. We started to fish tail. Back end came around...could see the trunk way around off to my right ..right...left...right. Friends/riders behind said we were also leaned over quite a bit (don't remember feeling this). Into left lane and back as we fishtailed. I was wrestling the handlebars...steering into the rear end slide (like driving on ice...that Chicago training, felt like the natural thing to do actually). It took some strength to hold it and fight the sliding to each side. Thought we were gonna go completely sideways at 50-60 mph. But suddenly it stabilized after 3 waggles. Ground to halt in our lane after about 10 seconds & 100 yards of excitement. While fighting the handlebars...I apparently opened the throttle ... spun the rim in the tire (I think)...completely separated the tread from the sidewalls. My rear was now in 3 pieces. (see pics) In the middle of no where, now what????

Called my towing service ($15/year for 2 bikes... I pay for the tow). They located one of their towing companies in Kerrville...about 25 miles away. I called them. This was Sat afternoon...maybe 3:00

Above & Beyond service ....

MTS put me in contact with Jimmy of Jimmy's Towing Service in Kerrville. The towing service owner, Jimmy, called around and found a GoldWing tire. He then went and bought the tire at a Harley dealer (they wouldn't stay open late on Sat night to mount it). He then called around to find another small shop in Kerrville that would come back & open their shop & mount the tire.

Jimmy sent the flatbed. Dave the driver (owns 2 bikes) did a good/careful job of tying the bike down (under my watchful eye & help). He took straighter roads back to Kerrville for less stress on the strapped down bike. Jimmy then met us at the 2nd cycle shop (scooters, some small sport bikes, manual tire changer like I have) with the tire .  Got it mounted. (had to help....they had no idea about doing a GoldWing tire. Easy to dismount.. no axle, but they're like mounting a car tire manually).  I luckily knew the torque values.

Found a small nail hole in the tire with 6200 miles on it.  Must have gone down enough slowly to overheat and blow the tire. I may have had Ride On (the good stuff) stop leak in it...not sure. Didn't look very messy inside, but there was some material on the rim & inside the fender.

Back on the road by about 7:30 and got back to Uvalde about 9:00. We all drank a lot (or course we do anyway)!!!! 

A very scary 10 seconds for all of us.

If you ride the hill country...put this number in your wallet.... 1-830-792-4240  Jimmy's Towing Service/Kerrville.  Above and beyond service.  He only charged me $140 for the tow + cost of the tire and he located & picked up the new tire.  Saved us a LOT of hassle and got to enjoy the ride home the next day.   And get a towing service:  MTS  (mention my name, Michael Adkins, Texas). I only pay $15/year for 2 bikes (I pay for the tow).  Cheap insurance when you're stranded away from home.

Lessons Learned:  if you think you bike isn't handling well...STOP NOW! Don't try to analyze it while going 70MPH.  This could have been a lot worse. We were lucky. And get a towing service if you ride away from home.  It can help not ruin a riding adventure for you and your riding buddies.