Can-Am Ryker Rides: Three Texas BBQ Restaurants Worth The Road Trip

Some meals are worth planning a day around. In Texas, that usually means barbecue and back roads. I partner with Can-Am to take the Can-Am Ryker on a few road trips to find some of the best BBQ in Texas. Come along as I point the front wheels toward the horizon, and let the smoke be your compass. This is not about rushing from point A to point B. It is about savoring the ride, rolling through towns with stories older than the highways that now bypass them, and ending each journey at a pit where patience, wood, and time do all the talking. Three road trips, three small towns, and three barbecue joints that turn a simple lunch stop into a destination.

1775 Texas Pit BBQ, College Station, Texas

Just off the Raymond Stotzer Parkway on the edge of Aggieland is 1775 Texas Pit BBQ, which specializes in Hill Country smoked BBQ using a Moberd Pit. Founded by Brad Doan and his mom Belinda and father Mark, 1775 is the culmination of decades of experience. Before launching 1775, Brad spent almost a decade working for a statewide BBQ restaurant chain but he wanted to return to his roots and bring authentic Texas BBQ to the Brazos Valley.

Can-Am Ryker Rides: Three Texas BBQ Restaurants Worth The Road Trip. 1775 Texas Pit BBQ

An Army veteran, the name 1775 is a nod to the founding year of the U.S. Army, but many people try to guess what happened in Texas in 1775. While everything is good, their brisket has been described as “the holy grail of brisket” so be sure to try it.

Climbing aboard the Can-Am Ryker, we will be enjoying some special roads and historic landmarks in Texas history. Starting in the historic city of Navasota, head west towards Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site, home to Texas Independence Hall where in 1836, 59 representatives from across Texas voted to declare independence from Mexico and form The Republic of Texas. The site is also home to The Star of the Republic Museum, the historic Barrington Plantation, and the former townsite of the city of Washington.

From Washington, head back out on TX 105 towards Brenham, taken in all of the murals and quaint downtown shops, if you take this route back the Blue Bell Creamery is another great stop for some desert. From Brenham head north on Old Independence Road, towards the village of Independence. A beautiful ride through beautiful pastures and rolling hills. The Can-Am Ryker is comfortable and easy to ride on the back roads on the way to Independence.

Independence was once one of the most important cities in Texas, but today the small village has just 140 residents. The original home to Baylor University and the former home of Sam Houston, the city was eventually bipassed by the railroad, but it does have a small gas station and shop where you can top up your tank and get a cold drink.

Leaving Independence on the La Bahia Trail (TX 390) heading southeast towards the town of Somerville and Somerville Lake, turn off of TX 36 and take a slight detour along the lakeshore on LBJ Drive, the road eventually connects back to the highway and continues north towards the town of Lyons where FM 60 takes you all the way back to the banks of the Brazos River and directly to 1775 Texas Pit BBQ.

The Menu at 1775 features all your classics, Turkey, Brisket, Sausage, and Pork Ribs. Sides include Red Skin Potato Salad, Cowboy Pinto Beans, Loaded Mash Potato, and more. Sandwiches and desserts are also available and also homemade. If you have a group, get the Sampler Platter, but you haven’t brought an army yourself, can’t go wrong with the Prime Brisket Sandwich.

Website: 1775 Texas Pit BBQ
Address: 8203 Raymond Stotzer Parkway, Suite C
Phone: (979) 492-6241
Hours: Thursday–Saturday 11–4

Mimsy’s Craft Barbecue: Crockett, Texas

Wade and Kathy Elkins have been in the barbecue business for just years, but in that short time, Wade has worked at some of the top-rated barbecue joints in the Houston area before launching Mimsy’s Craft Barbecue, in the small East Texas town of Crockett. Mimsy’s has quickly made its way on to the top of barbecue restaurant lists and if you stop in for lunch or dinner you’ll understand why.

I was excited to ride the Can-Am Ryker out to Crockett, which is named after Texas hero Davy Crockett, who camped in the area on his way to the Alamo. A monument has been erected near the spot where Crockett and his men camped at 100 E. Goliad Avenue. It is a great place to stop for photos.

Situated in Deep East Texas, the ride out to Crockett is a beautiful one as backcountry roads take you through pine trees, over rivers, and through quaint small towns. From Austin and Bryan/College Station you’ll come to the small town of Normangee, if you are feeling extra adventurous, jump off the main road and head towards Langley’s Grocery in Centerview, make your way northeast towards Highway 7. This route is mostly small single-lane roads and eventually turns to dirt before you get to the highway.

From Houston head north and enjoy the Sam Houston National Forest before heading across Lake Livingston on U.S. Highway 190, from there head along the back roads along the lakeshore towards Sebastopol and Trinity. Once in Trinity pick up Prospect Drive TX 19, and take that through the small town of Lovelady, for more adventure leave TX 19 and take Lovelady Rd (CR 4020) which is gravel/dirt through cultivated pine forests and farmland. Lovelady Rd dead ends into FM 2712 which takes you directly to Mimsy’s.

Don’t let the dirt roads scare you off from really seeing some beautiful country, these roads are well maintained and the Can-Am Ryker handled them beautifully, plus with the three-wheel stance, you don’t need to worry about sliding around as much as you would on just two wheels. We did dirt and country roads on the way and enjoyed a fully paved route on the way back. If you have time and want to explore more, Crockett has a number of historic homes, the Houston County Museum, and is not far from Mission Tejas State Park.

Mimsy’s can be busy so I recommend getting there before the lunch rush, while the meat is amazing the sides are also a major attraction, I highly recommend the Smoked-Queso Poblano Mac-n-Cheese and Smoked Maple Sprouts. They also have what they call their “Fun Menu” which features specials like Brisket Tacos, Pulled Pork Salads, and of course classic sandwiches.

Website: Mimsy’s Craft Barbecue
Address: 1979 S. Fifth Street, Crockett
Phone: 936-544-7000
Hours: Wednesday–Thursday 7–3, Friday–Saturday 11–8, Sunday 11–3

Jack’s Bar B Que: Cut and Shoot, Texas

For our final BBQ road trip on the Can-Am Ryker, we are headed towards the town of Conroe, Texas. Just north of the Houston metropolitan area, Conroe has been one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas, Jack’s Bar B Que is still as country as they come, located just outside the city in the community of Cut and Shoot. With plywood walls, an old jukebox, and rolls of paper towels Jack’s is your classic roadside BBQ joint.

As the name would imply, Cut and Shoot is named after a confrontation in 1912 at a local church, there are various versions of the story but the most popular one seems to about a young boy. Apparently, a boy at the scene of the confrontation shouted at the adults “I’m going to cut around the corner and shoot through the bushes in a minute!” Another version says that the church members had rushed to their wagons to get their weapons to “cut and shoot” each other over the dispute. Regardless of the story, the unusual name was chosen and the town has been called Cut and Shoot ever since. Today, however, it is mostly known for being home to the East Texas Elephant Experience.

Getting to Jack’s from Houston is easy, but if you are looking to enjoy the ride/drive like I am on the Can-Am Ryker take the long way up towards Cleveland, Texas. For this trip, we start in the small town of Anderson, in Grimes County. Heading out along FM 149 through rolling farmland and pastures. Just past the town of Richards, the pine forest of the Sam Houston National Forest starts to thicken until you are surrounded by tall trees as far as you can see. Turning right on FM 1375, the trees only break when you come to Baker Bridge, crossing the northern end of Lake Conroe. As the trees start to thin again as you approach Interstate 45 and the town of New Waverly.

While the fastest route would have you turn down TX 75, stick to TX 150 heading towards Old Waverly, and take the turn off down FM 1725 a beautiful road that is a mix of forest and farmland. A right on FM 3081 takes you south along Peach Creek before turning on Browder Traylor Road. One more left turn on TX 105 and Jack’s is just down a few miles on the left side. The ride from Anderson to Cut and Shoot is just about 65 miles and the perfect way to spend a morning or afternoon.

Just as the aesthetic would suggest, Jack’s serves up traditional Bar B Que, with brisket, chicken, ribs, sausage, and pork. Sides include potato salad, pinto beans, and coleslaw. But if you are truly looking for some Southern comfort food, order fried okra or fried pickles from the appetizer menu. Sandwiches can be made with your choice of meat and their extended menu has something for everyone, even fried catfish. If you are not a connoisseur of Southern cuisine, you might want to stick to the Bar B Que basics, but for sure order the okra.

No Website: Jack’s Bar B Que
Address: 17560 TX-105, Cut and Shoot TX 77306
Phone: 936-445-1372
Monday-Saturday 10:30-8, Sunday 11-7

Why The Can-Am Ryker?

The Can-Am Ryker turns the simple joy of riding into its own kind of road trip. With its three-wheel layout and automatic CVT transmission, it doesn’t ask you to master gears or clutch levers – just twist the throttle and go. Its lightweight chassis and accessible power make it surprisingly engaging on Texas backroads and sweepers alike, with the Rotax engine delivering smooth, linear acceleration that keeps the fun rolling whether you’re darting through small towns or cruising between BBQ stops. Built with stability in mind and equipped with modern safety aids like ABS and traction control, the Ryker lets riders of varied experience enjoy the open road with confidence. It may not have the plush comfort of a full-blown touring machine, but that’s part of its appeal: it’s a purpose-built roadster that emphasizes simplicity, grin-inducing performance, and the pure pleasure of the ride.