Widow's Cliff Mountain Canyon Drop-Off Pass

My cycling the last few weekends have been with some friends from the Unitarian church.  We start out west and ride 30 miles or so through the hill country.  The term "hill country" sounds lovely and scenic till you are on a bike, by the way.

A couple of weeks ago, we started and ended at a winery a bit out of town.  We had a lovely picnic afterwards with wine, brie, and other fancy foods.

In contrast, last weekend we ended up at the "Devil's Backbone Tavern", with beer and a single bag of peanuts whose "best if used by" date was not in this current century.  

The whole ride was an adventure.  We rode through Wimberley and through winding back country roads.  At one point, we encountered a low-water crossing with about eight inches of water running over it. For future reference, consistent running water over a road causes a significant build-up of algae, which is not that conducive to skinny little tires (even without the 8 inches of water flowing across).  So that was fun.

Then we came up to a decision point in the ride.  Phil, who had organized the gathering, said we could go a couple miles straight ahead to a store.  OR we could turn and go up this 2 1/2 mile hill that's been named "the Devil's Backbone."  That's easy.  Store.  I needed something to eat and preferred riding on County Road 32 to turning on something named for a part of Lucifer.  He promised that there was a bar at the top, and when I asked if there would be food, I believe his answer was "probably."  

Now, as a general rule, I avoid cycling on any street that has any combination of the following words: "hill, mountain, mount, cliff, widow, peak, diablo, hades, death, dismemberment, and/or devil."  And yes, there is a "Dismemberment Cove."  I think it's in Waco.

So, I was inclined to skip the "devil's backbone", as well as his medulla oblongata, his gall bladder, his ulna, or any other part of his anatomy.  But the others wanted to go, so up his spine we went.  It was actually right around three miles of almost constant uphill.  What I hadn't realized is that the "backbone" part described the pavement, which felt like it was made out of loosely scattered vertebrae.

Once at the top, there was a nice little park, with a lovely view.  But no tavern with "probable food."  Turns out that was still a couple miles down the road.  Right before "Purgatory Road."  I kid you not.

Some beer and really old peanuts later, it was back on the road.  We really had been going mostly uphill on the way out, so I was looking forward to some downhill.  As it ends up, the downhill was all in one massive (and twisting) hill as well - Diablo's Colon.  Not wanting to, well, die, I rode my brakes down the hill, still reaching a terminal velocity (wrong description) over 35 miles an hour.  Two of our group, including Peter, who yelled something like "Wheeeeeeee!!!!!" at the top of the hill, hit speeds of 46-47 miles an hour.  That's faster than my old Camry can go.

At the Devil's Backbone Tavern, we met Jim, owner of the local still (he called it a rum distillery).  He invited us to stop by next time we ride through the area.  So next week, we complete our downward spiral - from boutique winery to biker bar to Jim's moonshine still.  

Let me know if you want to join us.