Really, they tie together.  Had a great ride with our riding group, with the added benefit of one of my family joining us, as chase car, and then swapping out for 60 mile segments “once we were out of the dang big city”.  Something about city traffic on two wheels just doesn’t agree with my daughter.  Lunch stop in Thurber, good eats and you can feel the ghosts of the former boom town, with the sound of the interstate singing quietly in the background.  The Ranger hill is visible to the west, and as it was a hot day, we skipped that treat and  headed to Hico for a stop at the local leathershop, followed by the obligatory Koffee Kup stop for pie (Key Lime), then the run to the barn.  257 miles and smiles all around.  No, she cannot have the keys…

The route (in short): 121 business to FM 407; US 287 to SR 114 to Boyd; FM 730 to FM 2048 to FM 51 to Springtown; SR 199 to Poolville cutoff road to FM 920, to FM 3107/2891 to Witt; FM 52 to US 281 to SR 254 to FM 4 to Palo Pinto; US 180 to FM 919 to I20 into Thurber; I20 west to SH 16 to SR 6 to 281 into Hico; SR 220 to US 67 and back to town.