Twisted Sisters, Lucky Helmets, and the Buick Envista!

Ready for a driving adventure that combines family fun with hair-raising curves? Buckle up as we journey through Texas Hill Country to discover the legendary "Twisted Sisters" – a 100-mile loop featuring a breathtaking 15-mile stretch packed with 65 challenging curves. This driving paradise begins in Medina and winds through Leakey, offering spectacular vistas and thrilling hairpin turns that have made it a favorite among driving enthusiasts and motorcyclists alike.

The surrounding Hill Country isn't just for gearheads though. We explore family-friendly destinations including Garner State Park's 1,700 acres with 2.9 miles of the Frio River for floating and fishing, plus 16 miles of hiking trails. Nearby Hill Country State Natural Area offers 40 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Don't miss the mysteriously named "Cave with No Name" near Boerne – a limestone cavern deemed too beautiful to name when opened to the public in 1939.

We also dive into the fascinating world of racing superstitions, from Talladega's haunted reputation to the universal avoidance of green cars and the number 13 in motorsports. These beliefs run surprisingly deep in such a technical sport! 

Our automotive segment features the 2025 Buick Envista, a Korean-built compact SUV offering remarkable value at just $22,900 – less than half the current average vehicle price. With sleek design, comfortable interior, and 30+ mpg efficiency, it's perfect for young families seeking affordable, stylish transportation. Whether you're planning a Hill Country adventure or shopping for a budget-friendly SUV, this episode delivers insights you won't want to miss. Share your favorite driving roads or racing superstitions with us online!

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Transcript

Driving Destination: Twisted Sisters

Speaker 1 0:04

time now for mr mars new feature called driving destinations and today, twisted sisters. You ever heard of that? I have. Oh yeah, it's one of the great drives.

Speaker 2 0:15

now you know we're talking about family things, so we got to get a lot of family stuff in here. So when you go out in that part of the texas hill country there's some things that the family can do. There's Garner State Park Now this is in Concan In the Hill Country 1,700 acres, 2.9 miles of Frio River that you can float on and fish and do all kinds of water things.

Speaker 3 0:36

Well, there's water in it. Can you float?

Speaker 2 0:37

and fish at the same time. Yeah, if you can. 16 miles of trails, including a 500-foot ascent. So there's lots to do there. Or you can go over to the Hill Country State Natural Area and you can do 40 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and you can bring your own horses. You can rent horses. Got lots of things for the family to do in that area. Then you've got the Cave with no Name.

Speaker 1 1:02

Now, this is near Bernie Is that any relationship to a horse with no name.

Speaker 2 1:07

It is. If you're north of Waco you look on the map for Born, but everybody else will know it's Bernie. It's a limestone cave and it was given the name back in the 20's when it was open to the public in 1939. It was considered too beautiful to have a name, so they did not give it a name. So there's all kinds of little family things to do there. But if you need to make a run to the grocery store while the family's busy doing things and you want to make a little 100-mile round, trip of the Twisted Sisters.

Speaker 2 1:36

This is a loop through the hill country that goes around, beginning in Medina, goes up through Lakey, goes through lots of things.

Speaker 1 1:44

That's an interesting look there of the mike.

Speaker 2 1:48

Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, no, I you're fine whatever, continue on, please, so if you get up there, there's one stretch of this 100 mile loop, a 15 mile stretch. It's got 65 curves in it. Now, a lot of this is motorcycles on the weekend. So if you're going, going in the car, in the family car, and you want to make this run, you're kind of better during the week, but you've got to be careful. It's got drop-offs, there's limited guardrails. There's deer come across, there's livestock, there's lots of things that kind of wander out onto this roadway that you're going to be flying around and having lots of fun as a driving experience after you've been out with the family for a few hours and days. Go out to the Twisted Sisters. Are we hung up? No, that's the next shot. Oh, roll on, jeff. Okay, I thought you were going to let it roll Either way. So that's the Hill Country Natural Estate area. Just let it roll on, okay, gotcha Whose house is that.

Speaker 2 2:43

That's a cabin that you can rent out there if you don't want to live in a tent.

Speaker 1 2:47

Are you going to tell us about that or no? No, I think we.

Speaker 2 2:52

I was trying to watch the clock. This is a cave with no name.

Speaker 1 2:54

Why you never do anyway?

Speaker 2 2:56

I'm trying to get better. Okay, so this is actually the Twisted Sisters portion that goes around there and that's part of what it looks like, if you can imagine going down through there at about 140. Oh yeah, baby, look at that.

Speaker 1 3:08

It's beautiful.

Speaker 2 3:09

No, I'm not doing 140 on that. It's a beautiful area. Well, that's why you don't want to go on the weekend, when the motorcycles are out there.

Speaker 1 3:15

Well, they're going fast, probably, but not at 140. There's the Lone Star Motorcycle Museum motorcycle museum there you go 14, that's good there's a great picture to have in there.

Speaker 2 3:26

Yeah, yeah, yeah, so that you know that it is can be dangerous. It's kind of like that race over in england, uh, on that isle of man. Yeah, yeah, that's a man I'd love to go see that. I don't think I would ever have the guts to be in it, but I would love to go see it.

Hill Country Family Activities

Speaker 1 3:42

Well, I've been posting things about mainly in the old country, great Britain, where they have buggies and old little cars that the kids drive Makes your own sick. No, they start up at the top of the hill and grown men try to ride the car all the way down there without being thrown off and that never works. But it's absolutely hysterical. Yes, I'll have to share those with you next time I run across one. Yeah, yeah, I post them on my Facebook page. People know there you go. Show now Jeff's car culture and racing superstitions, from red underwear to baloney.

Speaker 3 4:29

That's full of baloney, but confidence is essential to succeed in motor racing, whether it's on two wheels or four wheels. Even people who claim they don't really believe in superstitions have admitted that certain pre-race rituals can calm the jitters. Now our first one here is Talladega. How about that? Rumored to be built on a Native American burial ground, which isn't really true. The track nevertheless has a spooky aura. It's the largest, fastest super speedway of NASCAR's calendar and consequently the site of some horrific crashes. It was on the track in 1970 when Bobby Isaac, one of the most haunted NASCAR drivers ever, stopped in the middle of a 1973 race, got out of his car and quit why? A voice told him to do that. Earlier in the race, a rookie, larry Smith, had died of a massive head injury in a solo crash, but it was not reported that the individual died. So he was told that and quit the race just by parking his car. So that's one of the superstitions.

Speaker 3 5:28

The next one we have is the color green. Some are pretty solid. Colors based on green can become unlucky early on. Arguably the first occurrence in 1911, when the driver, lee Oldfield no relation to Barney crashed in the stands at Syracuse, new York, killing 11 spectators in a green car. Oldfield was thrown clear and went on to design the first rear-engine cars for the Indianapolis 500. Another year, the death of Gadsden Chevrolet yes, the family of Chevrolets killed on a boardwalk in Beverly Hills, california, in 1920 in a green car. So that's part of the mystique of being unlucky.

Racing Superstitions and Rituals

Speaker 3 6:05

The next one is eating specific foods. Eating the same thing before every race isn't unusual. The two-time Daytona winner, sterling Marlin, ate a bologna sandwich before each of the races that he won. Some late model racers and for some reason it's only late model racers have a thing about chicken bones around a race car. Sometimes it's what you don't eat is the important legendary sprint car racer galen fox and his son ate mcdonald's right before a race. They went out and tore up all their equipment and lost. Never eating at mcdonald's before a race again, uh. Next one is a lucky helmet. Every drug, every driver who has won a race has a lucky helmet. The one when they won the race is the best. The best known example is Alberta Escari, a two-time world champion. Hey y'all, hey y'all.

Speaker 3 6:56

Hey forget about it With his favorite blue helmet, which wouldn't allow anybody else to touch it or handle the helmet. And he made an exception after his crash in Monaco in 1955, when the helmet was damaged, he had it repaired and had it repainted blue and decided that he's going to use it. Well, in the time that the helmet was in the shop, he went to Monza and was killed. He was in a test crash and was wearing his friend's white helmet. So that's an unlucky thing there. And lastly, the number 13. We know these.

Speaker 3 7:27

The number 13 is considered unlucky practically there. And lastly, the number 13. We know these. The number 13 is considered unlucky practically everywhere. But the superstition has some interesting consequences in the world of racing NASCAR numbers. They pit so that the no crew member or no crew or race team gets stuck working in the number 13 spot. Championship driver Joe Weatherly once qualified 13th for a race, but nascar allowed him to use the starting position of 12a instead of the 13, and formula f1 driver michael schumacher established a presence for odd numbers, but 13 wasn't among them. Weird, yeah, how about that?

Speaker 1 8:02

that that's it. That's a great story there. Unlucky numbers, thankucky numbers. Thank you.

Speaker 1 8:09

Jeffrey Time now Today's average marketed price of a vehicle, average as of yesterday $50,157. Oh man, $50,000 for average price of a car. So now, with that in mind, here's a review of the 2025 Buick Invista. Can't wait. It is built in the final assembly location at Byupyong, korea. This is a Korean vehicle, believe it or not. Available trim levels preferred sport touring and Avenir. I got to drive the Avenir Top of the line. This is a small, what they consider a small station wagon. We'd like to consider it more of a SUV, but they still have a station wagon designation for whatever reason. I don't get all that, that's your government, I guess.

Speaker 1 9:01

So Seats five it's a small SUV, all new for 2023. Ours was a 25 model. Simple shark nose front fascia. It's sleek, modern and yet aggressive looking. Fastback rear hatch adds to its wind cheating look. Sculpted sides with a sharp lower body crease draws your eyes down there to the big 19-inch Avenir wheels. What I liked about it? Everything Sporty, high-zoot looks. What could use improvement? Beats me. I don't know. I love this thing.

Speaker 1 9:41

Interior highlights Two displays in one attractive, well-vetted display. Draws your eye to that on the top of the dash HVAC controls and center vent below the touchscreen. Nice little touch there. Comfortable seating made with upscale materials. Yes, believe it or not, legroom for backseat passengers. Cargo room is small. With the rear seat up, obviously. With the rear seat down, plenty of room for most people. What I liked about it? The overall high marks for use of such a small space. What could use improvement? Anything that raises the price is an absolute no-no, and I'll tell you about that coming up here in just a second.

Speaker 1 10:25

The engine questionable 1.2 liter, itty bitty, teeny weeny, turbocharged three-cylinder horsepower, 137 whopping horsepower with 162 pound-feet of torque through a six-speed automatic transmission. It it's front-wheel drive, only Miles per gallon. Score some points here. 28 miles per gallon in the city Highway of 32 for a combined of 30. I got 30.7 over 320.4 miles. What I liked about it? Fuel economy. What could use improvement.

Speaker 1 11:06

At times the engine and transmission don't like to dance together nicely, and I say that because if you're trying to squirt across an intersection or you know, like a two-way boulevard and you've got to get to the middle and it could take a second or two depending how quick you are, from the brake to the accelerator pedal, and if there is any movement in the car, it doesn't quite understand it. If you start from a dead stop, not a problem, but you know how you kind of creep just a little bit. Don't do that. No creeping, no creeping. And you know all about creeping. Yeah, you get in trouble with that, I'm a white man. And you know all about creeping. Yeah, you get in trouble with that, I'm a white man. But other than that, you know, I am an aggressive two-foot driver in an automatic transmission and I will readily admit to that.

Speaker 3 12:00

So part of the problem there is me Well most of the problem is me Ride and handling sporty.

2025 Buick Invista Review

Speaker 1 12:06

What could use any improvement? Well, a little more Buick compliance would be okay with me because it's sporty. It's got a sporty ride to it and you know, being old school that I am, I'm used to a more compliant ride, but it's not, it's a today's style ride. Base trim price $28,600. Let me repeat that. Base trim price that's the600. Let me repeat that Base trim price that's the Avenir 28.6. Price is tested $30,690. Remember I told you what today's average price of a vehicle is $50,000. If you want to get into one of these, the base model price drum roll $22,900. Howdy, doody. Yeah, they've hit the sweet spot as far as I'm concerned.

Speaker 1 12:53

And I think that this would be a great ride for a newer family, just got married, got a baby perhaps, and you need a little bit more room. This is something you definitely want to consider. Now, its cousin is the Chevy Trax, yeah Okay, which I think is bigger, and it starts at $20,500. I like the little.

Speaker 2 13:16

Trax. I don't think it's got as much flair as the Buick. By any means, I agree.

Speaker 1 13:22

Well, Chevy branded yeah, it's the same vehicle, basically, just a little bit different body style. So that's $25,000. I'm sorry, $20,500. Mazda CX-30 is a competitor. It starts at $24,995. And the VW Taos is also a competitor and it's the same starting price as the Mazda CX-30 at $24,995. The Taos I saw one the other day. That's a pretty good-looking little vehicle. It $995,000. The Taos I saw one the other day. That's a pretty good looking little vehicle. It is, it is, it's a Volkswagen. But you know what, if I had my choice, I'd buy that Buick.

Speaker 3 13:53

Yeah, I would too, particularly for that price and that review is so good. Can you do it again?

Speaker 1 13:57

Yeah, Wait till we get to your car. I think I've already reviewed your car.

Speaker 3 14:03

We're going to need a four-hour show for that yeah.

Speaker 1 14:06

I really think that it's worth considering If you're looking for a small SUV.

Speaker 3 14:12

it's screwed together really well, the SUV moniker doesn't do anything. Mine is more of an SUV because I've got the Envision, which is the step. It's the second. Yeah, it's a step up from those.

Speaker 1 14:23

It's a little bit bigger than this one, Right right, the Envision investor.

Pricing and Competition Comparison

Speaker 2 14:25

This would be more like, maybe, a hatchback. Yeah, yeah, yeah, well, and it's got that fastback rear hatch, yeah, and it.

Speaker 1 14:33

Look at that. I guess that's why they come up with the station wagon designation for it. I'm going a station wagon now. I don't believe I've driven a station wagon in a long time until this.

Speaker 2 14:45

This is called a station wagon I know, but that's what I'm saying. So so you know you're trying to convince, convince somebody like my wife that this would be a car you'd want to drive and the station wagon she would. It's gone.

Speaker 3 14:56

But, it's a hot hatchback Well now maybe it's like the old Mazda 3.

Speaker 1 15:00

SUV.

Speaker 3 15:00

Mazda 3 hatchback.

Speaker 1 15:02

Do they make any hot hatches anymore?

Speaker 2 15:05

No, I think the Volkswagen Golf is about gone. I think it was about the last one. That's now the GTI. Maybe they're trying to rename it.

Speaker 1 15:15

And the only thing with the GTI is that they're not making a manual transmission in that anymore. You have to buy the automatic.

Speaker 3 15:20

And I noticed on the pictures that you're showing it had the shifter on the console between the seats, whereas mine is up on the stick, the push button up on the stick, which is a big difference. So you have a stick Up. It's on the turn signal area. Well, it's the shifter Right. It's like a three on the tree.

Speaker 2 15:41

Right right right, yeah.

Speaker 1 15:43

That great, big, huge Suburban that I've got out there.

Speaker 2 15:46

That's the size of a football field. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 15:48

That thing is so big I can't believe it, but it's got the same kind of shifter that you're referring to.

Speaker 3 15:52

Well, cadillac has that too, cadillac had the thing before where you had the ball on the yeah.

Speaker 1 15:58

You know my idea of the shifter. Unless it's a real sports car, you don't need the paddle shifters in it. No, no, Although the Suburban's got paddle shifters in it, I don't.

Speaker 3 16:11

Mine does too Is it four-wheel drive, that one.

Speaker 1 16:15

I don't recall. Probably it's the high country, so it's loaded up with everything.

Speaker 2 16:19

I'll bet you, that's why.

Speaker 3 16:20

You got the paddle shifters, you know plus and minus, and then underneath that, on the left side, is the radio changing channel and then you have the volume. So if you miss the volume you're in fifth gear, dropping down to sixth. I've done that a couple of times, whoa.

Speaker 1 16:35

Crazy. Well, good stuff, you know. This is a great buy in my opinion, and if you're out looking for a small SUV, check it out. The Buick Invista. Buick, that's my review. Okay, in Vista, that's my review.