This year's Spring Hill Country Ride was the largest and perhaps the best ever.  Many thanks to Richard Asprey who coordinated with John Updyke, president of the British Motorcycle Owners Association (BMOA) and Bev Bowen, president of the Lone Star Vincent Owners Club (VOC) and organized the largest gathering of vintage Brit bikes in the hill country in Texas history.  In the past all three clubs held their Spring rallies in the hill country on different dates.

For the last four years the NTNOA has stayed at the D’Rose Inn and Cabins in Leakey. The BMOA has always stayed at Neals Lodges on the Frio River in Concan. The Lone Star VOC stays at the Rio Frio Pecan Farm cabins upstream at Leakey. Tons of Brit bikes were seen and heard on the road despite the occasional drizzle. The light rain was tolerable as it was never heavy enough to dampen spirits.  Being a gathering of Brit bikes it was actually kind of appropriate.

It is customary to meet at Alan Johncock’s Lone Star Museum and Ace Café just north of Vanderpool. This time the number of antique Brit bikes was huge and Allan and Debbie Johncock almost ran out of their Aussie meat pies. There were probably more vintage Brit bikes out in the parking lot than in the museum.

The BMOA hosted a BBQ cookout on Friday night at Neals Lodges.  The NTNOA hosted a steak dinner courtesy of Richard Asprey's Aggressive Insurance on Saturday night at the D'Rose Inn.  The dinner was an outstanding success thanks to Mike Mediterraneo, Bailie Burke and Dennis Tackett and many more who helped prepare the food.

A very special thanks go to Scot Patterson who did an absolutely awesome job cooking the steaks.  Even BMOA's "Frosty" was overhead saying it was the best ever.

Click here for the
The British Invasion of Leakey, Texas.
By Daniel Peirce
4-29-12

With the added participation of the BMOA and the Lone Star Vincent Owners, Motorcycle Classics magazine expressed interest in an article covering this year's Hill Country Ride.  Daniel Peirce attended this year's ride with camera in hand to record the bikes and riders.  Dan is the Lord of Light and Master of the Pixel.  His website is Trick Photography.  A special bonus on this trip was the absolutely stunning display of wild flowers.