3^rd ANNUAL CARMINE RIDE:  Come join us in Carmine, Texas (about 15 miles east of Giddings on US290) this spring to start the 2009 riding season!

 1.    Dates:  Friday, March 20^th, to Sunday, March 22nd

2.    Schedule: 

a.    Friday:  Arrive anytime and check in at your RV park or bed & breakfast.  Then drop by our place to let us know you’re here (get map at http://www.pecangroveinn.com/map.html ), so we can get a head count for supper at local restaurant, Dutch treat.

b.    Saturday Morning Breakfast Run – Gather at our place at 7:45 AM.   We’ll ride over to Warrenton via paved county roads and then back to Carmine via FM237 for breakfast (about 28 miles at 30-40 MPH).  Jane Press has invited all to a “B & B” breakfast special when we get back at 9:00 AM.

c.    Saturday Main Ride – Gather at our place at 10:30 AM and ride to Lake Somerville, on to the town of Somerville for lunch and then to Independence. We’ll come back through Burton for an optional tour of their fully restored cotton gin, an ASME national historic landmark (www.cottonginmuseum.org) for those who missed the tour last year*.  For those who want to skip the tour, we will be 7 miles from our starting point, so that group can head directly back to Carmine. We’ll do this ride at 35 to 40 MPH. (About 90 to 95 miles).

d.    For those staying over to go home Sunday, we can sample the local cuisine at another local restaurant Saturday evening.

3.    Places to stay:

a.    Dixieland RV Park, in Carmine on Spur 458 (Centennial St.) – ½ mile south of SH290, on left.  They have 22 full service sites. That’s 8 @ 50 Amp and 14 @ 30 Amp.  Call Dixie or Ron at (979) 278-3805 to book.

b.    Pecan Grove Inn B & B, 233 Augsburg Street in Carmine, www.pecangroveinn.com.  We (yes, that’s my wife and I) have five rooms.  We will discount our web page prices 33%.  Call James or Jane Press at (281) 433-8845 to book.

c.    Heritage Haus B & B, 160 Heritage Street in Carmine, http://www.roundtoplodging.com/member_detail.php?member_id=heritage.  They have four rooms.  Call Deborah Taylor at (979) 830-7866 to book.

d.    Sugar Hill Retreat B & B, on the north side of SH290 on Sugar Hill Lane in Carmine.  They have four rooms.  Call Diana Wunderlick at (979) 278-3039 to book.

e.    Find many, many more B & B’s in the area at http://www.roundtoplodging.com

4.    For Information Call or email:

      James & Jane Press

      (281) 433-8845

      pecan1@pecangroveinn.com

 *The Cotton Gin Museum is optional.  Starting up the 1923 Bessemer engine requires a donation of $100 three weeks in advance, so I will need a commitment from about 10 people to chip in $10 each.  Otherwise, we will just do the tour without the start up.  The tour is $4 for adults and $3 for seniors (65 and older).