Lone Star Challenge #1

Jan 5, 2008- (just a little late) It was an unremarkably warm day for January so we thought what a good chance to start our Lone Star Challenge. This year will definately be a challenge with the locations we have on the list. Tee and I decided we would take an over night trip and pick up three of the points. We and others from the chapter gathered for a ride to Lipan for the Rocking Chair point. Tee and I were going to go on after that to get Oatmeal and Dimebox. Tee had her new Garmin GPS but still was not used to using it yet so we had the trusty ole MapQuest on hand. We rode a short way with the group and then split off on our own. It was a beautiful ride to find the Worlds Largest Rocking Chair near Lipan Texas. We got our pictures for the points and hurried off to the next destination--Oatmeal. At this time is was late in the afternoon and we decided we wouldn't be able to make it to Dimebox so we would get Oatmeal and find someplace to stay for the night. Little did we know that MapQuest/Garmin and anyone in the area never heard of Oatmeal Texas. Our directions took us down 281 to Lampasas and told us to turn WEST on 183 to 190 so we did and we kept saying "Why are we going West?" We stopped to gas up and asked someone where to find Oatmeal and they had never heard of it. (I think they thought we were joking.) So we continued on following the MapQuest since Garmin could not find Oatmeal either. By the time we got to a beautiful little town center called San Saba it was getting darker AND colder. We saw a gentleman selling pecans and vegetables from the back of his truck at the town center so we asked if he knew where Oatmeal was---Lo and Behold he did!!!! Only it was about 1 1/2 hours away and there was two ways to get there--go back to Lampasas or go through Llano. We bought some pecans and headed back to Lampasas. When we got to Lampasas it was dark and we were starved. The hotel recommended a little "down home" restaurant called The Yumm Factory. THAT was the BEST home cooking ever!!!! So we talked to them about having a group of bikers for lunch sometime and they loved the idea and took us out back to show us an area for outside dining that they have group parties and will even have a band. We just felt right at home.



Day Two--Tee and I got up early (7am still dark and cold) left with the correct directions now to Oatmeal and proceeded on our way. We went down a small country road CR 4006 turning into 207 then into 1174 to 243 what a beautiful ride. I highly recommend this road for those of you who like curves and there are even areas where the road dips and water crosses the road. It was just breath-taking (Why I love Texas). As the sun came up to the east we stopped to take a picture of the sun rising on the bikes. It was not long before we made it to the Oatmeal Box. It was amazing to stand there in the peace and quiet and just listen. But then it was off to Dimebox.



The story of the DIMEBOX or is it the Dimebox--Dimebox Texas is where we are suppose to get a picture of a Dimebox. Do you know what a Dimebox looks like? Well neither did we. We rode through this quaint little town looking for a Dimebox. We came upon the "Dimebox Museum" outside this museum was what looked like an old safe--There it is "this must be the Dimebox". Took our pictures and on we went. We stopped just down the road to get gas and asked them the story of the Dimebox. The man behind the counter told us there are two stories. One is that Eleanor Roosevelt started the March of Dimes and everyone would leave Dimes in their mailboxes for the postmaster to collect and that town of Dimebox was awarded for having the most dimes collected. The second story he told us was about was how in the old days people would leave a dime in the mailbox and the postmaster would leave snuff in the box. So what do you believe???



We had a wonderful time and headed back home. After we discussed our trip we found out that the picture we took in Dimebox was not the Dimebox we were suppose to get a picture of ..so guess what... WE GET TO GO BACK TO DIMEBOX!!!!!