Written Directions
Start at either of the two breweries in the Lufkin, Nacogdoches area. Drink a beer at one, have a couple of glasses of water. Eat if you want, I would recommend it, basically don't get wasted on 8% I.P.A.'s before you you do a 80 mile motorcycle trip. Both places offer pretty good food, but it is expensive. However there is great food along the whole route. For my purposes I am starting at Angelina Brewing in Lufkin. I would recommend the Wheat Ale with a burger. They have a pretty good menu. After beer, head South on Burke St. Take a left on Denman Ave. Stay the course until you arrive at loop 287, then continue straight and now you are on U.S. 69. This on of the straight up highway sections, so you will cruising at around 60 miles an hour in a fairly straight line. Head east on 69 for about three miles until you see F.M. 326 heading North. Take this road. This is going to be easy country back road cruising, with a couple twisties, but laid back pace. enjoy the views. You will then arrive at Texas highway 103. Head east. You will pass over beautiful Lake sam Rayburn and there will be a couple of road side eateries on this stretch of highway. After passing over a bridge you will see FM 226. This is where the route gets tricky. With a mix of slow winding corners mixed with seemingly slow winding corners that unexpectedly let you know you are going to fast because you see the end of the road in front of you, and a couple athletic chicanes with elevation differences in the middle, you will come out of it excited or mildly hesitant about what lies around the next corner. At the end of this breathtaking and fun road, you will take a left and go west on Texas Highway 21. This is going to be another laid back country riding straight as you come into Nacogdoches, TX. Stay on 21 until it becomes East Main St. Take a left on North Mound Street. You will arrive at Fredonia Brewery, which in my humble and totally uneducated opinion makes the best or one of the best Amber Ales an alcoholic...I mean beer connoisseur can get. There is also usually music there at around 7. Have a beer, a couple of waters, maybe eat a bite. Now you find Fredonia, head West, it turns into TX 7. This road another elevation changer but straight laid back country road touring sections that really allows for the views of farms and ranches, cows and horses, some goats. You can smell the dirt and catfish and bass that inhabit the slow moving waters of the Angelina river. You will feel the humidity of the dense pine forest that surrounds you, and wonder if perhaps you should just say heck it and move to the country. If you are fortunate enough to be riding this stretch of road as the sun is setting with a little beer and food in your belly, music still whispering in your ears, and your eyes soaking up all of the blades of grass dancing in the orange light of that setting sun as the sky has brilliant splashes of pinks and blues and purples, the temptation may be to much to continue on the route, and you may have to pull over and feel blessed to be able to experience this life on a motorcycle.
If you are able to continue, then you eventually arrive at U.S. 69. Go east along more easy-peasy fairly straight parts of highway. Take the exit for N. Raguet, heas to W. Shephard and continue until you find Angelina Brewing again on Shepherd St. in the heart of downtown Lufkin. Share you story, try to find a quiet place to reflect. Whatever.
Scenery
You are going to have stretches over lakes, a lot of rolling forests and farmlands cleared from the temperate rain forest of deep East Texas.
Drive Enjoyment
Long stretches of well maintained Farm to Market roads. A couple of sections twisties and sweeping curves.
Tourism Opportunities
A couple of greasy spoons along the way, and pretty top notch breweries as destinations.
Write a review