A New Dawn

I've been coming to Rocky Hill since shortly after it opened in 1993. I was living in the Big Bend at the time, but my roots were in Fayette County and on a trip home a friend took me out here.

It was brutal, that much I remember. There was a Jeep road, eventually named Fat Chuck's Demise after a guy named Chuck who helped lay out some of the original routes. And yes, he's passed now, but not from working on the trails. It was, and still is if you happen across it, a rugged set of climbs following a fence line Jeep path.

By the time I had crested each of the hills and made it all the way to the top I felt like I was done for the day. That was only the start.

Once on top there were miles of wonderful trails without those brutal climbs one after another.

Some things never change at Rocky Hill. You still have to scale that elevation to reach the Crossroads Rest Stop, but we've spread it out over several more miles of windy trail and made it more fun than Fat Chuck's Demise ever was.

I kept coming back to Rocky Hill whenever I was in the area, and moved back to central Texas a few years later. Having secured a job in Bastrop, I eventually found a place to stay in Smithville, both choices were predicated by a significant desire on my part to be near Rocky Hill.

Those were the glory years of the Rocky Hill Saloon, where you could beat yourself to a pulp on the trails, then visit the Saloon for a Rocky burger, with a giant Jalapeno pinned to the top, and a diverse selection of craft brews from all over the world in the cooler. It was heaven, or, close enough for me.

It didn't take long to become friends with Diane, who ran the place, and Sherry, who cooked the fabulous food. Hoisting a cold Guiness Extra Stout, or a Newcastle after a ride was easy. Landing that dad-blamed washer on the hook on the tree in the Saloon was more challenging.

From there I soon found myself volunteering to help out in any way I could, because this is where my friends were, and those trails kept beckoning me with their siren-song of challenges that I found irresistible.

But time moved on, and the Saloon changed hands a few times, losing a little more of its soul with each new manager until finally the building blew over in a storm, leaving nothing but fond memories, and the massive Bar along with the Restrooms/Showers as a reflection of those days gone by.

After about a quarter of a century of this repeated abuse of riding old favorites and the making of new trails, I try to get out to ride once a week or so. But there was no longer a burger to stop for on the way home from work, nor a place to meet the regulars.

I built a camper van and with it, traveled about to discover new trail in other states. But I always came back to Rocky Hill to continue the (Sado-Masochistic?) relationship we had developed over the years.

Then, around 2020 we got the news that the Hills were selling the back thousand acres. Paul and I used our fingers and toes to add up the remaining trail, only to come up with 6.5 miles. A bit of a setback from the 20+ before.

Around this point I retired from my career and had more time on my hands to spend on trails, both building and riding them.

Thus was begun a project that, to me, was something on the scale of building the Great Pyramids, or maybe the Panama Canal, or perhaps landing a man on the Moon.

Paul and I had to find all the trail we could uncover from what was hidden under brush, buried in hillsides, and in those places we never would have thought there was trail to be found on the remaining acreage. The first trail built was the connector to make the remaining bits into a working loop. Of course it was named Lemonade, cuz, when life gives you lemons, what do you do?

Fortunately, we had the best part of the place to work with. Lots of elevation change and interesting wooded sections to build into new trail.

With the help of enthusiastic volunteers we eventually carved out a 17 mile loop from that six and a half mile starter. A loop that we hope everyone enjoys. The last trail built was Rabbit Hole, Rocky Hill's version of Alice's Wonderland. There's even a Tea Party and a Jabberwok to deal with.

With the creation of these new trails out of the way, we could take a break. Yeah, right. There's still seventeen miles of trail to maintain. (Click Support RHR Trails on the menu for more info about that)

But this is not the end of the story.

Grey and Pam Hill have been finding operating the place to not be as easy and fun as it was when they started the bike ranch over 30 years ago. Situations change and the fate of Rocky Hill now hung in the balance.

Knowing my passion for the place, they asked if I would be interested in running it, otherwise they would be closing Rocky Hill Ranch to the public.

I have accepted this offer, and now face the challenge of making every effort to increase ridership, bring in new events, campers, and who knows, maybe someday we can have burgers and beer again. That is the stuff dreams are made of, and I'm full of dreams. For now, I just want to make enough to keep the bills paid and make improvements as profit allows.

This job is going to be a tough one, and I've been out there nearly every day making the place into the vision I have for it. It has been daunting, working in the 100+ degree heat. The fact that I had a knee replaced in July and the other slated for September has put a slight hitch in my get-along, but I don't think anyone would say it has slowed me down, much.

There is plenty to consider in running a business like this. It is quite a bit more complicated than carving trail to IMBA standards, whacking Yaupon without mercy, bench-cutting, and easy stuff like that.

Building a website, cleaning bathrooms, and clearing a lot of brush around the campgrounds will keep me busy for a while. I look forward to cooler weather so I can work more than four hours without faltering. Though the place is looking better every day.

I promise to do my best to continue this renaissance of Rocky Hill Ranch and hope that the visitors of the ranch find it to be a place they want to return to again and again.

It is a new dawn and there is a bright future ahead. If you see me out there, stop by and say hi. I'm John, the tall guy in the white Transit van.

You might also see Paul, he is the guy in the other white Transit van. Though he has the good sense to Summer in Angel Fire, NM. Let him know if you like the trails, he played an equally huge part in that project as well.

Wow! ... so that's how you make a blog post.

Another baby step accomplished.

More to come.