Michael Satterfield
by Michael Satterfield – 08/30/2021
In the second installment of our great road trip series
powered by Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Premium Gasoline, we take on the legendary
Twisted Sisters in Central Texas. These remote country roads in the Texas Hill Country have been a draw for automotive and motorcycle enthusiasts for decades
and are unlike any other place in the Lone Star State. For this amazing road
trip, I have borrowed a McLaren720S Spider from McLaren Dallas, a 710-horsepower supercar that will make use of all the
performance Shell V-Power NiTRO+ has to offer.
Our trip starts in Fredericksburg, a once small town that
has become the hub of Texas wine country drawing thousands of tourists from
around the world. While there are countless great wineries to choose from in
Fredericksburg, no true car enthusiast would miss the opportunity to visit the Wine Garage. Founded by car collector Gail
McCulloch, Wine Garage is a tribute to American car culture and Texas wines.
Each variety of wine is named after one of the cars in Gail’s collection and
their dryness is rated via a stick shift logo on the back.
The wines are great, but the cars are the real stars, and
the eclectic collection features everything from a 1969 Shelby GT500 to a 1975
Cadillac Convertible with long horns on the hood. In addition to all the cars,
the garage features collectibles from racers, vintage gas stations, and vintage
tools. Each tasting at the Wine Garage consists of a curated collection of five
Texas wines, you get to keep your souvenir glass and tour the best car
collection around. Each tasting is $15. I took my wine for the road since, I
had to drive down to Leakey, the hometown of the Twisted Sisters.
Leakey has a population of just over 400 people and in
addition to the bikers and car enthusiasts that come to enjoy the roads, the
town attracts thousands of visitors each year to enjoy the Frio River. The town
comes to life on the weekends, but if you really want to enjoy the drive, do
what I did and come in the middle of the week. Avoiding the weekend crowds does
come with its challenges as many of the restaurants and other shops in town are
only open on the weekends. My cameraman and I found ourselves buying microwave
dinners as there weren’t any restaurants in town that were open on a Wednesday
after 6pm.
community since the 1920s. According to the owner, we were the first people with
a McLaren to ever check into the hotel, but after a good night’s sleep we got
up bright and early to take on the three roads that make up the Twisted
Sisters. On a trip like this, I use Shell V-Power NiTRO+ because I believe in
its performance benefits and that it helps me get the most out of my road trip
and car.
Ranch Road 337, 335, and 336 make up the route with a short
transit section on Highway 41. The entire loop is around 100 miles, so be sure
to fill up with Shell before you hit the road and grab some water and snacks
while you are at the station, because there is nowhere to stop along the way. But
the long drive to this remote part of Texas is worth it once you experience the
first few turns. The road follows the canyons and hills through a series of
tight twisty turns. Coming around a corner at the top of a hill and the views
are incredible but stay focused on the road as it is one of the most technical
drives you’ll find in Texas.
the canyon walls, and a perfect cool Hill Country morning, it is hard to imagine a better way to spend a Thursday morning. But eventually, I make the last turn
back towards Leakey, Ranch Road 337 brings you by the Bent Rim Grill, one of
the most popular stops for bikers and according to the locals the best burger
in town. I end my time in Leakey visiting with a local car collector who keeps
some of his vehicles in a building in downtown Leakey across from the church where you can play bingo. It seems
no matter where I go, I find car people, he shows me the collection of classic
American and Japanese cars and I take him for a ride in the McLaren. One of the
best things about road trips is the places you discover and the people you
meet.
Be sure to watch the video from my trip to Leakey below:
