Tourmeister
05-18-2004, 03:10 PM
Howdy,
:tab The weather reports are looking good for the weekend, upper 70's to mid 80's during the day and low 50's at night, perfect for camping. I have spent the previous weeks getting my bike ready, buying little odds and ends for camping, and generally getting excited about a trip to Big Bend with John "Irondawg" Morin and Bill "Wasabi" Joye. John and I will be on our BMW R1150Gs's and Bill on his V-Strom 1000. This is to be an "Adventure" weekend...
:tab It's Thursday afternoon and I am sitting at work watching the minutes tick away, waiting for 3:00pm to arrive so I can take off for Austin. True to form, a job comes in that is somewhat nasty and might take me a little longer than usual to complete. I really want to get out of here on time because I need to get to Lone Star BMW in Austin before they close so I can get a new turn signal lens, the old one fell off a week or so back. I manange to crank out the job at a record pace, fax it off, toss Dad a wave goodbye and head out the door. It's 2:30pm, 75 F and sunny. :dude:
:tab I swing by Beth's bank to say goodbye. She shoots a few shots of me and the bike. The sun is blinding! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01615.JPG) Then I am off to the gas station to top off and hit the road. I note my odometer for posterity, actually my memeory sucks, so taking a picture (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01616.JPG) is the easy way to remember the reading. Gassed and ready to go, I hit the road... and have to sit for a while because there is an accident on the I-45 overpass. I clear the accident and think, "Finally!!".... Then I sit and wait on the other side of the overpass for another accident :roll: I get clear of the second accident, pass a few more lights, and come upon yet another accident! Sheesh! It takes me the better part of 15 minutes to go a half mile to get out of town :-| However, when I get past the last accident, I finally am on the open highway, the wind in my face, the buzz in my bars, and that nagging feeling that I have forgotten something I will wind up really needing :-?
:tab I head West on Hwy 30 towards College Station. Just before College Station there are some low lying river bottoms that are flooded, evidence of the recent hard rains we have been getting. Everything is green, but most of the wild flowers in the area have finished blooming, those remaining looking a bit faded. Passing through College Station is always a strnage experience. It has been thirteen years since I graduated from here and very little feels familiar. Ahhh change... Change is bad! Comfort is good! That's why I have a huge drawer full of worn out undies :mrgreen:
:tab Snapping back to reality, I head out of town on FM 60. This takes me over the Brazos river and into some seriously flat farming land. A quick shot up FM 50, on wet unpaved gravel sees me to the start of FM 166, a quick fun ride over to Caldwell. There are lots of fast 30mph corners, quick rises and sudden dips, all of the things that really get the blood pumping. Even loaded down with luggage and camping gear, the GS is a hoot in the twisties :twisted: It seems that the ride to Caldwell is a little shorter than I remember from the last time out here :scratch
:tab I pick up Hwy 21 and head West. Normally I would be taking FM 908 out to Rockdale, but a week or so back we came out this way and took FM 696 over to Lexington in the car and it looked like it would be a great ride on the bike. It is. The pavement is not fantastic, but it is not bad either. The scenery is nice rolling hills and woods. Roads like this make the miles melt away under the bike because I quit thinking about things like, "what time is it?", and I just get lost in the groove. What's this...? Lexington already?
:tab I pick up FM 112 in Lexington and make the run Northwest to Taylor. This is just more of the same as 696. It doesn't take long to reach Taylor where I pick up Hwy 79 and head West into Austin. I reach John's place about 5:30pm. Traffic in his area is kind of heavy at this time of day. I hope we don't have trouble getting down to Lone Star before they close! Bill has already arrived earlier in the day. He trailered down from Arlington. We get the bike stowed in the garage and then head out in John's Jeep Cherokee or something like that. He gets a wild bug up his fanny and we wind up offroading on some muddy roads in a construction area near his house. We don't get stuck, but mud is flying everywhere when we make it back to the paved roads, hehe. Is this a taste of things to come?
:tab We get down to Lone Star in plenty of time. I get my new turn signal lens and we are good to do. They don't have any of the new R1200GS's in stock as they have all been sold already. We run into Max955i at the shop. He is picking up his Triumph Daytona. It is a shame I don't have my camera because it is a beautiful bike. It has a really SWEET undertail exhaust system on it. He graciously fires it up for us... very nice :twisted: It is a bit on the loud side, but it sounds incredible. I especially like the flames that shoot out the exhaust when he comes off the gas :shock: We check out a few of the other bikes on the lot and then head for home.
:tab Dinner is had a Jardin Corona's, a small Mexican restaurant near John's place that serves some seriously strong drinks, tasty too! We stuff ourselves and then head to John's to settle in for the evening. We watch "Kill Bill", another of Quintenn Tarentino's (sp?) seedy movies :brainsnap I can't say I am a big fan of his. We upload the GPS routes into my GPS while John regals us with stories (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01618.JPG) of his other adventure rides, and call it a night. We're heading out early in the morning. Despite being a tad excited about finally leaving for the trip, I zonk out pretty quick.
FRIDAY
:tab I am wide awake at 6:30am... A peek out the window doesn't reveal any pigs flying, yet here I am :scratch I'm not feeling particularly anxious about the ride. I've done enough trips to have long gotten over that. So I just lay in bed and listen to the commuters heading into work as they drive by and think how cool it is that I am not one of them :mrgreen: Somewhere around 7:00ish John comes and bangs on the door to make sure I am alive and moving. I've pretty much already got everything packed and ready to go. All I have to do is dress and put the bags on the bike. Ten minutes later and I am ready to roll. We still manage to goof around and waste a lot of time not really doing anything in particular, but we drive off right on time! 8:00am.
:tab It is slightly drizzly and overcast. Hmm... I could swear the weather guessers were predicting decent weather for the entire weekend :-| We head for FM 1431 and go West toward Marble Falls where we plan to stop for breakfast. There's not much in the way of traffic on 1431 at this time of day so the ride is nice and relaxing. John sets a good pace, followed by Bill with me riding sweep. It's nice to sit at the back for a change and not worry about where we are going. Scary as it may seem, we have placed ourselves at the mercy of John's navigating... what could go wrong?
:tab We make good time and roll into Marble Falls around 8:45am. There is another Beemer parked in the lot close by us. When we walk into the restaurant, I spot the rider over in a corner booth at the same time he spots me. He waves us over and invites us to join him for breakfast. Terry is from Seattle, Washington (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01619.JPG) and is here for the Iron Butt Waltz Across Texas rally. He assumes that is why we are here but we tell him where we are heading. Seems he has been on the road for some time and this is just part of his overall adventure. We enjoy a nice visit before it's time to head out again. Out in the parking lot, Terry shows us all the farkles on his bike. This guy is serious about his long distance riding!! Then we take our leave and get back on the road. The drizzle is gone, but I leave the rain jacket on anyway because it is quite cool still.
:tab We cross over the Colorado River on US 281 heading South out of town. I feel a subtle sense of expectancy about the adventure that lies ahead. Two of us are on relatively new bikes (to us anyway), our skills as yet untested in tough conditions. Will we be up to the task? What does John have in store for us? Will he coddle us or throw us in head first to see if we sink or swim? I know where he is taking us, to CR 310... his old nemisis (http://www.twtex.com/viewtopic.php?t=645). With all the recent rain, I must confess that I am a tad bit concerned about the road conditions :-|
:tab The time to enter the crucible is upon me. We turn off of Hwy 71 onto the county road. A quick scan up into the distance and I'm thinking it doesn't look to bad. I'm bringing up the rear so I should have time to react if I see anything screwy going on with John or Bill. I think Bill shares my sense of unease. I know he does not want to drop his bike and test his engine guards, hehe. John of course takes off like he is still on pavement. Bill and I gingerly feel our way along the road. My offroad experience is brief to say the least, I think Bill rode some dirtbikes way back when...
:tab I have been out here before on a nicer and drier day. I was on the VFR then :shock: This can't be much worse. We doges a few wet spots, riding in many of the new ruts from the local ranchers' trucks. There are quite a few loose cattle milling about on the shoulders of the road. Some of the Bulls are FREAKING HUGE!! I feel much better when I get around them and put a little distance between us. There are calves and heffers all around and the thought of one of those giants coming after me in a fit of rage is not thrilling. Seeing them stand up and face me as I get nearer does nothing to settle my nerves!
:tab John is already over the next hill and out of sight. I know there is a nasty downhill right hander coming up soon. This is the one where John tossed his bike about in the mud on his previous ride out here. We get to in in short order and tiptoe through it. I am still not real confident with turning the bike in low traction conditions. The steering just feels completely useless. I am sure there is some technique I should be using, I just wish I knew what it is and how to use it! I do know that I need to stay relaxed and loose on the bars, letting the bike squirm around under me, a feeling I am not totally comfortable with just yet. We press on...
:tab There is a water crossing somewhere up here, I know I remember it. Sooner than I expect, I crest a hill and see John sitting at the edge of the water. This is a section where the road becomes concrete and the water just flows right over the road. Last time there was only a little water. This time there is a LOT! There is a truck going across in front of us and I think John is waiting for him to get all the way across. There are cattle everywhere around us, mooing like crazy and they seem quite distraught by our presence. Niceeee cow... Goood cow...
:tab While I am looking around, I hear the sound of Johns motor rev up as he starts across. I look over, see him enter the water, blink my eyes for a fraction of a second, and in that instant I hear a loud BANG! John is down. I cannot believe how fast that happened! Bill goes out into the water to help him lift the bike up. After confirming he is fine, I whip out the camera for a shot of the scene (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01620.JPG). The water is about 3-4 inches deep, moving quite fast. The concrete is coated in incredibly slick algea. Even walking on it is difficult. After getting the bike up, John refires it and continues on across. Now he has his feet out like outriggers. We thank him for graciously showing us what NOT to do :-P What more can you ask of a ride leader than such selfless sacrifical behavior?!
:tab The truck has stopped on the far side. I guess he is wondering if we need help? We wave to him to assure him we are fine. A few minutes later he drives on up around the next bend. Seeing John go down right off the bat has given Bill pause to be concerned about getting his bike across. I am not exactly thrilled about the idea of getting soaked this early into a long ride, but what the heck? This is an adventure ride right? Off I go...
:tab Seeing John try to make the crossing with his feet on the pegs convinced me that I will just have to suck it up and stick my feet down into the cold water. Normally I would not have been to worried about this. My boots would have kept the water at bay indefinitely. Not anymore! I have finally worn them out and the water seeps in within seconds of them being submerged. I am slipping the clutch like crazy, doing everything I can to keep the rear tire from spinning up on the algea. With my feet out to each side to keep me from tipping over, I can still feel the bike sliding around. The force of the water pushes the tires sideways. I am all the way to the left upstream side of the concrete. Ideally, this will let me slide a long way before the bike drops off the side of the concrete into water that is 3-4 feet deep :shock: I think even Martha would have to say, "That's not a good thing!" After much slipping, sliding, and muslce cramping in my shoulders and arms, I finally get across without dropping the bike. The last five feet has to the be the hardest. Fighting the urge to just gas it and make the last little bit takes all the will power I can muster. Now it is Bill's turn.
Wiser from watching us, Bills depoys the outriggers and starts across! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01621.JPG)
John dumps out the boots and rearranges his gear while waiting on Bill (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01622.JPG)
:tab While we are waiting for Bill to make the crossing, the truck returns and parks next to us. The rugged looking old rancher does not look to pleased. We mosey over to talk with him. It seems he has been rounding up cattle all morning to get them to follow him. I guess they were going to follow him across the water crossing??!! Anyway, in the time that we have been here, most of them have scattered to the four winds. The rancher tells us that he understands this is a public road and we are out just having fun, but his entire morning of effort just got wasted. He's not ugly about it, just very matter of fact. We apologize profusely as we had absolutely no clue what he was up to. He's cool about it but I can tell he is aggravated as he drives away. I feel bad for him. We turn our attention back to Bill as he is about to make that last few feet (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01623.JPG). The look on his face is all business! He makes it and I can see him visibly release the tension in his body as he pulls up next to us :lol: Now that wasn't so bad was it? :chug:
Waiting for John to finish "rearranging" himself (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01624.JPG)
:tab We head on up the rest of CR 310 and pick up 308 to 309. At this point I take the lead for a short bit. I come to another watercrossing. This is just a short 15-20 foot crossing and only and inch or so deep. There is what appears to be a large rock in the middle of the crossing which turns out to be a turtle trying to go upstream. He is fighting the current with all he has when he looks up and sees the bike looming over him. He falters and looses his footing, is swept away in the current and dumped off the side of the concrete into the deep water. I guess I am just destined to ruin a few folks' day today :shrug: I feel kind of bad for the poor critter, hehe. This crossing is a snap. John comes up beside me while we wait for Bill to cross, and then takes off throwing mud up all over the place :pound: He's got a terminal case of squidliness :roll:
:tab I am starting to enjoy myself. Somewhere along the way, I give up worrying about what "might happen" to my bike and make a mental transition to the "Fug it! Let's have fun!" mode. I feel much more relaxed now and the road doesn't seem so nasty anymore. I still have to work on the whole turning thing though, that seems kind of important to get figured out :-| I can see that Bill is having the same issue. Before long we reach pavement. It is short lived. FM 3347 ends about a half mile after we head West on it and becomes Althaus-Davis Rd.
:tab This new little road meanders around through some really beautiful countryside. There are lots of rock outcroppings surrounded by short scrub Oaks. There are wildflowers scattered all over the place and it hits me all of a sudden how green it is out here! I wonder what is hitting those poor morning commuters right about now? A few miles up the road we encounter a few other riders. They are on street bikes. We stop while John informs them of the water crossing conditions on CR 310 and advises them to just stick with FM 3347 back to US 281. Moments later we are winding off into the woods again. The road evenutally becomes a little lane and a half paved road that is remarkably smooth and fun. We drop out onto FM 1323 a few miles East of Willow City. There are so many Blue Bonnets in the fields along the side of the road that the sweet smell is almost overwhelming.
:tab We run FM 1323 West to Hwy 16 and then pick up the start of Eckert Road, another tiny mostly paved road. These little back roads are really fun. There is virtually no traffic at all. They follow the contours of the local topography without any cut and fill areas like you would see on more developed roads where the road goes through the hill instead of over or around it. Eckert dumps us out onto Crabapple Road. We head South and wind up in Fredericksburg back on Hwy 16. I pull up next to John at a light and tell him I need to pull over for a quick stop to get rid of the rainsuit as it is starting to get a bit warm.
:tab While we are stopped, the smell of cooking cowpie hits me really strong. While running through some of the open range areas, I hit a really big one in the middle of the road and actually heard and saw it as it splattered up both side of the bike, covering the engine and my legs :puke: It was a fresh one :-| Did I mention it was a really big one? The crap is literally everywhere! Bill and John just laugh at me. Nothing like the understanding sympathy of friends eh?
:tab Relieved to be out of the stuffy rainsuit, I am happy to see the clouds begin to thin out and some sunshine breaking through. We are running South out of town on Hwy 16 looking for the start of the Old Kerrville Highway. This is yet another of the little narrow winding country roads that criss-cross the country side. John has obviously spent a lot of time running around out here and knows the good ones! We head off on the old highway and then turn off onto Center Point Rd and continue South. The last time I was out here was on the VFR chasing John around all these tight little curves and over the quick little hills. The GS just eats up this kind of stuff :twisted:
:tab I think the road name changes a few more times, I'm not really watching the road signs as I am trying to keep John in sight. The morning air feels great blasting through my mesh jacket and makes my skin tingle. I cannot believe how lucky I am to be able to get out and ride with friends on such cool roads on such a nice day?! We crest a few more hills and then the road dead ends into FM 1341 just East of Kerrville and I-10. This is going to be fun :twisted:
:tab FM 1341 Runs East/West out of Kerville. It is like a roller coaster with fast hill crests and deep draws. There are a lot of corners where we top a hill and get real light, then have to lay the bike over and pray for traction to make it down the other side while rolling on the gas to make the corner. It is a nice challenge for my road reading skills. Scan for loose sand, watch for critters in the high grass on the shoulders, figure out which way the road goes after the next fast hill... It's a real blast.
:tab We reach the outskirts of Kerrville and see some of their finest lecturing a local on the ettiquette of Kerrville driving. The give us a funny look as we cruise on by headed into town. I'm thinking we are just going to hop on Hwy 16 and head South out of town, but I'm not leading so I just follow the leader. I have no clue where he is going?! It seems like every turn we make takes us a little farther away from Hwy 16? Does John have another of these cool little roads in store for us? I'm game! Somehow we wind up on Hwy 27 headed East then back on FM 173 headed West and eventually back to Hwy 16. Hmm... Seems to have been the scenic route :shrug:
:tab Finally on Hwy 16, we head South. If you have never been out here on a bike, you really owe it to yourself to try it sometime. A few miles after clearing the outer fringes of Kerrville, the highway starts to get twisty. Then it gets REAL twisty. I remember scaring the mess out of myself the first time I came busting through here some years ago. There was a dropping lefthander that immediately went into a tight 180 degree dropping righthander. I was totally taken by surprise :eek: I did not lose it, but I certainly must have taken a year or two off of my life! Now that I know what to expect, I really enjoy the challenge of coming through here and trying to be real smooth. John and Bill get around a truck and take off. I get behind because there really isn't a good place to pass. As I come down out of the twistiness to the point where the road opens back up into sweepers I see them cruising kind of slow up ahead waiting for me. As I pull in behind them, we take off for Medina.
:tab Right about now, I am thinking I really want to get off the bike for just a few minutes. I am good for about 100 miles or two hours, whichever comes first. After that, my legs, particularly my knees, really start to bother me. If I get off the bike and just walk around for a few minutes, I am good to go. As long as I do this all day, I can pretty much ride indefinitely. If I don't do it, the discomfort becomes cumulative and I soon reach the point where getting off for a while doesn't help. Then the rest of the day pretty much sucks! I'm hoping we might stop in Medina, but somehow I know John is headed for Leakey as a stopping point. That is still another 30 miles or so. John likes to ride tank to tank and not do any stopping in between. We turn West on FM 337 and head for the hills (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01626.JPG).
:tab We've been on the bikes now for about three and half hours non stop. We'll there was the brief stop in Fredericksburg while I stowed my rainsuit. My knees are getting pretty sore despite me loading up on Ibuprofen last night and this morning. Getting old sucks and I'm just getting started! Apparently, John is not expecting me to stop for pictures, hehe. As I finish putting the camera away and start to pull back out onto the road, he comes zooming back down the hill to look for me. I take off as he turns around. I pass Bill sitting on the shoulder waiting and I take the lead... woohoo!! I really like not having someone in front of me when I am running the twisty stuff because I find it distracting. I lead through all the fun stuff and then John takes over again as we near Vanderpool.
:tab We head North on FM 187 to Vanderpool and then continue West on 337 to Leakey. Despite the recent rains, the low water crossings are dry wher the road is under construction. Bill still seems a little hesitant on the gravel and John just blasts right on through like it is not even there. I still have mixed feelings but am starting to like it. We hit some more twisties and I hang back a little. We soon reach Leakey and stop for gas. I take the opportunity to explain my knee problem to John and he reluctantly agrees to stop occasioanlly :lol: There is a bike friendly rest stop at the intersection of FM 337 and US 83 where we hang out for a bit, get drinks and a snack. The pack of Harley riders are looking at us like we just beamed down from the Mother ship :roll: The smell of sunscreen burns my nostrils... We hang out and visit with a few of them for a bit, and then it is time to hit the road again!!
:tab Back on 337, we head for Campwood. Have I mentioned how green it is out here? I am so used to everything being a dull shade of creme brown and crispy dry. I really should be stopping and taking some pictures but I know that will just throw off our pace, hehe. Shoot, it is already after noon and we have hardly even made it half way out to Sanderson, our destination for the night. I think we are done with the little backroads and dirt stuff for today so I expect our moving average speed will go up significantly, especially out here in the middle of nowhere :angel:
:tab We reach Campwood and head North on Hwy 55. I find myself already getting excited with anticpation of what is to come. Bill has no clue what we are about to do :twisted: Hwy 55 runs up to Barksdale where FM 335 splits off and heads straight North. FM 335 is a fantastic ride in and of itself. However, we head Northwest on 55 for fun of a different kind. I am sure there is a name for it but I have no clue what it is. A few miles up the road, a large escarpment looms on the horizon. Hwy 55 winds its way up and through it before coming out onto a large plain. Those few miles are sweeper heaven!!!
:tab At this point, I am still bringing up the rear. The fun begins as we start into a long sweeping right hander. I can see that Bill is still holding back a little. That is understandable. He's on a relatively new bike and an unfamiliar road. So I just ease into the left lane and cruise on by him. John sees me coming and we start creeping up the pace. Before long we are both in our own lane and laying the big GSes over for all they are worth. Visibility through the corners is excellent. The pavement is smooth and clean. Oddly, John's bike is bouncing all over the place :eek: As we lean into a particularly fast leftie, I see a huge puff of grey smoke come from the road as his left saddlebag touches down :shock: :shock: There is a long white scratch left on the pavement... Oh my?! He never mises a beat and keeps right on running.
:tab We finally reach the top and pull over in the shade of the only tree around for miles. John is giggling like a little kid. A quick check of the bag reveals that the front outside corner is ground down pretty good but it did not go all the way through. It turns out, John has his rear shock preload set real soft still from our earlier offroading. He forgot to crank it back up for the pavement. No wonder he was bouncing everywhere like he was riding one of those old Hippity-Hops we played on as kids :lol: Bill pulls alongside a minute later to see what all the excitement is about. Seems he really enjoyed the road as well.
:tab Unfortunately, the rest of Hwy 55 leaves a little bit to be desired. It straightens out and runs to Rocksprings. We pass through Rocksprings and keep heading Northwest until we reach US 277 where we head North for a few miles until we reach the start of FM 189. I've never been out this far West on the bike so from here on out, everything is a new adventure. Cool!
:tab FM 189 is a nice smooth strip of asphalt that runs smack dab thorugh the middle of nothing, except scrub brush, weeds, short trees, open range, some hills and more cow poop :-? It really is a fun road though because it has fast curves that are sharp enough to keep my attention focused on the task at hand. There are cactus plants everywhere mixed in with Blue Bonnets, Indian Paintbrushes and a vast mix of other floral stuff. But now the terrain is looking a little more like desert. It's rocky and grass is pretty much nonexistent.
:tab There is something about being out in the middle of nowhere that I like. Perhaps it is the sense of being disconnected from the rest of the world. All the worries and problems that plague our daily existence just don't seem to matter much out here. I can really start to see whay some people move out here and basically become hermits. I find the idea strangely appealing. Of course I would have to get a proper offroad motorcycle :mrgreen:
:tab FM 189 runs Southwest until it ends onto Hwy 163. North of this intersection, Hwy 163 is closed for construction. The roadbase is being completely redone so it will probably be a long while before the road reopens. We decide to pull over for a quick break here. I spy a Historical Marker and head over to see what could possibly have happened out here that would be of interest. It seems some Commanches and Cavalry mixed it up out here with ugly results (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01627.JPG). I always wonder what the actual reality is behind stories like this. We all know the victors slant the story. I guess it will all be worked out in the Final Judgement by the Man that watched it all from above. We down some water and munchies then get moving again.
:tab Hwy 163 is a really fun ride. The terrain is large rolling hills and this highway just flows up, down and around them. For a long section, it follows alongside the Devil's River. This is a narrow strip of lush greenery. Many of the cacti are blooming like crazy with bright yellow and fiery red blossoms set among the long prickly thorns. Again I get the urge to stop and take pictures and again I resist so we can make time. At the pace we are running, I would not be able to stop for a minute or two and then catch up with the others down the road. Given the remoteness of the area John and Bill are understandably reluctant to let me fall from sight in their mirrors for too long. The air down in the river valley is cool and refreshing as it blows through my jacket. It's a real shame this great road is so far from home. I guess that is a double edged sword though. At least the remoteness keeps the traffic down to almost nothing.
:tab Gas is starting to become an issue. The extreme end of Bill's range on the V-Strom 1000 seems to be right at 200 miles. I have never really pushed the GS much beyond that either, especially when running at sustained gas guzzling speeds. We're trying to make it to Comstock and hopefully they will have an open gas station. We do, they do, and it ain't cheap! The 89 Octane grade is selling for about $2.15 a gallon out here. I put in 4.7 gallons in a 5.5 gallon tank. I think I am actually getting right at 40mpg!! Groovy! Topped off, we head West on US 90, the fun roads for the day being behind us. Now we are just going to slab the rest of the way to Sanderson.
:tab A few miles West of Comstock, we cross the Pecos River where it dumps into the Rio Grande. The river has formed a huge canyon here so I have to stop for pictures. John and Bill turn around to join me without protest and get out their own cameras, hehe. You can see in these shots that the river is out of its' normal banks. If you look closely at the pictures with the bridge in it, you can see the old highway snaking down the side of the canyon and under the bridge. You can see it come up the other side as well. The crossing though is underwater. It looks like the old highway has been closed off for sometime.
Looking North up the Pecos River (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01628.JPG)
Looking North and zoomed in a little more (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01629.JPG)
Looking North with a better view of the nearby cliffs (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01630.JPG)
Bill and his beast of burden (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01631.JPG)
The GS and the river (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01632.JPG) / A better shot (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01633.JPG)
See the old road curving around from the right? (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01634.JPG)
Looking South down river - see the road in the upper right? (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01635.JPG) Also notice the little rest stop overlook upper center. Those cliffs are pretty high!
:tab After shooting all our pics, we get back on the highway. Bill has to pull over for something so I loop back to see what's up with him. Seems a little sunscreen has found its' way into his eyes and is burning. After wiping off his face thoroughly, we take off to catch up to John. Just a mile or so up the road he is pulled over on top of another bridge that straddles a really cool "little" canyon. Of course I have to get out the camera ;-)
Old Hwy 90 and a train trestle cross above the big bowl (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01636.JPG)
John taking pics down into the canyon (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01637.JPG)
Scale is hard to see in pics - those are full sized trees in the lower left (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01638.JPG)
A better pic to show scale - John upper left and 18 wheeler upper right (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01639.JPG)
Another of the really really long trains we have been seeing out here (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01640.JPG)
:tab We pass right by the Judge Roy Bean visitor center in Langley. We're on a mission now, just get there! The remaining miles droning down US 90 are almost hypnotic. I'd kill for a throttle lock right about now. The GS has a pretty good pull for the throttle return spring and my right hand is getting quote tender and sore. Looks like I'll be hitting the drugs tonight... We finally roll into Sanderson and cruise through town. John knows a decent place to stay so we just keep following him. He leads us to a quaint little motel across the street from a truck stop. The room is only $60 for the night with three queen beds. It's about as nice as I might expect for that price :roll: But it will do just fine.
:tab I forgot to check the mileage at the start/end of the ride so I am not real sure how far we have come. John guesses around 450-500 miles. At the suggestion of the motel owner we head back into town to the Dairy King for dinner. The burgers are HUGE and really good. It takes us a while to muster up the strength to get out of our chairs, get back on the bikes, and head to the hotel. Once there, John lasts about five minutes before going catatonic in the easy chair. It's a beautiful but windy evening outside. I move outside to the front porch for a bit but eventually I am driven back inside by these really pesky little gnats that like to fly up my nose, in my mouth, in my eyes and ears... Good grief!!
The beasites in front of the room (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01641.JPG) / second shot (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01642.JPG)
Bills Vstrom 1000 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01643.JPG)
A nice front porch but for those annoying gnats! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01644.JPG)
:tab I step back outside later for a quick look at the sunset and then head inside for good. We're all whipped from the ride today and tomorrow promises to be even more challenging. John has managed to move to his bed and is face down looking like someone just shot him. It does not take long to nod off, even with the sounds of idling diesels across the road just outside the window. I wake a few times during the night, the sounds of thunder and flashes of lightning fill the room! Uh oh...
:tab We roll out just about 7:00am. Bill has long since been up and went exploring. He forgot the room key and has been patiently waiting outside for us to wake up and let him in :lol: It is cold outside, probably in the low fifties or high forties :-| But it is clear with a high overcast that looks like it will probably blow out by noon. We pack and get ready to go pretty quick, then stop across the street for gas, water, and mental preparation. Once we're all ready to roll, we head back East on US 90 to the start of our off roading.
:tab Draw a straight line on a map from Sanderson over the mountains and desert to Big Bend and that is generally how we plan to get there, well... except for the straight part. We stop at the turn off of US 90 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01645.JPG) to kill the ABS and soften up the suspension settings. The cool crisp morning desert air feels invigorating. If I had not heard the thunder and seen the lightning last night, I would never have known a storm had come through. The only clue is the big drop in temperatures! Before heading off into the wild, John gives us some wise instruction, "If I stop, you stop..." Yeah, like that is going to be a problem :roll: I'm all for watching him do something first :mrgreen:
:tab As we head off on a gravel road that appears to lead straight off across the desert floor towards distant mountains, I am thinking this is not too bad. A hundred miles of this and we'll be at the park in no time at all. Then I see John slow. A further look up the road reveals a long stretch of wet mud. The scrub bushes, cacti, and other stuff grows so thick out here that there is not much chance of getting off the road to go around. So John takes off and goes on through. Bill follows with much less exuberance than John. I can see his bike slipping and sliding as he struggles to keep it upright and moving forward. As soon as he clears the first big patch, I plop the GS in gear and start in...
:tab The odd thing is that it doesn't hurt at all when I hit the ground. I land on my right knee and the armor and padding absorbs the impact. I think I was going maybe 5-10mph tops with my feet up on the pegs and my butt firmly planted on the seat. Now the bike is sitting on its' right side, the right GIVI bag popped off when my right leg hit it, and there is this god awful clingy mud everywhere! The front end washed out instantly followed by the back end coming around me in a lowside. I never even had a chance to react!!?? Bill sees me in his mirrors and stops to come back and help me right the big cow. I might have been able to do this on the pavement, but not in slidk mud with a full load of luggage and a full tank of gas. Thank goodness I am not alone!
The big pigs do like to wallow in the mud (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01647.JPG) :roll:
Just walking in this mess is a challenge (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01648.JPG)
:tab I get the luggage remounted, grab a stick and dig out a lot of mud from the front of the bike, and I'm ready for more. Now that I have that first drop out of the way, I'm kind of giddy with anticipation of the rest of the day. Bill is not so excited as he does not want to drop his bike, hehe. Bill, Bill, Bill... He get's as far as the next bad puddle when I see the back end of the bike fishtail side to side in a moment, then he's on the ground. Now it's my turn to park the bike and go help him pick up his. This is kind of funny. Here we are not even three miles into the hundred mile day and we look like circus clowns dropping our bikes and covered in mud. I can't think of very many places I'd rather be right now.
:tab Once Bill is upright, I pass on by him and try to just get set at a steady pace and slush my way through. The bike is squirming and sliding all over the place. I leave my feet out as outrigers to catch myself. If I try to let the clutch all the way out, the back tire instantly breaks free and starts trying to come out from under me. Now I understand when the lower first gear on the Adventure model GS is such a big deal, hehe. I finally clear all the bad stuff and park next to John. I grab the camera and look back to see Bill sliding all over the place (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01649.JPG) trying to get just a little bit of traction, John is having to do a lot of pushing to keep him moving. Looking back at the aftermath, the road is a mess (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01650.JPG)! The bikes are pretty messy as well :dude: My rear tire is totally caked (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01651.JPG) in this superglue mud. The worst seems to be over now, so we press on...
:tab A short ways ahead, the road bends and drops down into a small canyon. Now it is quite rocky. I still don't have the hangn of sliding the rear in the loose stuff and trying to negotiate fairly sharp corners, going down hill on loose rocks is a little unnerving. We manage it, only to be greeted by what looks like an easy water crossing. John stops to take a look (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01652.JPG). The impatience of inexperience makes me wonder what is taking so long and why aren't we going through?
:tab John tosses a big rock in the water to get an idea of how deep it is. How that is supposed to work is beyond me :shrug: I get off the bike and head down to join the powwow. It seems that this is the least of the water crossings on the route and it should not have anywhere near this much water in it. The storm last might must have really dropped a lot of rain. We had already been told by some locals that they are already above the total yearly rainfall for the area. John is of the opinion that if this crossing is this deep, then the bad ones are likely to be impassible. Doh!! Realizing that pushing on may be foolhardy we turn back. I must confess to being somewhat disappointed. But we get to do the mud again!!
:tab And so it begins again... This time I am mentally ready for it! John leads the way, making it look easy. About a third of the way through, Bill starts the death wiggle again and hits the ground. We get him righted. His wheels are caked with mud. John has almost reached the end and looks like he's made it... PLOP!! Denied! :lol: With Bill back up, I decide to just go for it. Slipping the clutch wildly and scraping up bucket loads of mud with my boots. I'm doing better than last time, I feel a teeny bit more relaxed, I'm almost through... and down I go! With all the mud on my boots there is nothing I can do to stop it because my feet are just sliding out from under me. John has walked back to where Bill is stopped. I look at my bike laying there on its' right side. Then I see smoke... :shock:
:tab Seeing smoke coming from the deep recesses of my beloved bike is an unsettling thing to behold. At this point I am wonder how bad I may need to take a leak?! Then the smell hits me... nasty! It smells like someone is burning plastic bottles in their garbage. I try to pick up the bike, but I have no strength left after the two runs back and forth through the mud. Realizing that there is not much I can do, I just walk back to John and Bill to see how things are going.
:tab They are using sticks to dig the mud out away from the tires, chain, and suspension. It seems the front wheel is not turnung. John hops on and takes off for a short bit. The wheels spins somewhat reluctanly. Bill gets back on and start to take off again. I can see that the wheel is not turning and once again the bike hits the ground. At this point we have to take a breather. We get my bike upright and I ride back to where John and Bill are parked. We spend the next fifteen minutes digging mud out from every nook and cranny of our bikes. It is just everywhere. Once it dries, it is hard as a rock! We finally have to remove Bill's front fender (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01654.JPG) so we can get all the mud out. It's cold out here still but I am sweating like crazy! Looks like I may need to think about visiting the gym if I plan to keep doing this adventure stuff :-|
:tab Turned back in shame, we head for the highway. When we get there, mud starts flying in all directions off our tires. Bumps in the road knock chunks off the bikes sending small shrapnel all over the following rider! When I get up to about 80mph, I start getting a real bad front end wobble. I pull over on the shoulder and have to get all the mud off the front rim and spokes. When I catch back up to John and Bill, they are parked on the side of the road doing the same thing, hehe. Looks like we are just going to have to run US 90 over to Marathon and then head South into the park from there.
:tab I had not really noticed while we were out goofing off in the dirt, but it has gotten REALLY windy! The ride West on US 90 is not fun. We are really having to struggle to keep the bikes in our lane and to just get on down the road. While trailing John I notice that his rear tire looks low. I flag him over so we can check it and it is about 10 psi low. While he gets out the pump to air it up, Bill and I are standing on the shoulder just trying to keep from being blown away. I shoot a quick video with my digital camera so everyone can see how windy it is, several times I loose my footing when hit by a really strong gust. [link to vid coming soon]. Some bikes coming the other way slow to make sure we are okay and then we are back on the road. It is 50F according to John's little gauge. Combine that with the wind and it is downright chilly out here. This is MAY!!??
:tab By the time we arrive in Marathon, I am ready to just get off the bike for a bit and wander around aimlessly. My shoulders and neck are pretty tense, from the cold and from fighting the wind. We gas up, at $2.15/gal for 89 octane :shock: These guys are the only game in town so what the heck? We meet a fellow from Monahans, Tx., a small town North of Ft. Stockton. He's heading to Big Bend on his Goldwing, pulling a little trailer, and travelling with his little dog. After a good rest and some chatting, we head South on US 385.
:tab Almost as soon as we head South of US 90, we start seeing more of what I would expect in terms of mountains. There are big rugged looking peaks in the hazy distance. The wind is at our backs now so the riding is not too bad. The sky has cleared and the sun is shining and it is warming up a bit. The Santiago Mountains are off in the distance, with Santiago peak towering above them all at about 6500 ft in elevation. It's funny how no one ever thinks of Texas as having and "real" mountains. This one peak is taller than anything East of the Mississippi.
These four images are supposed to make a panorama shot of the range:
Shot 1 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01656.JPG) / Shot 2 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01657.JPG) / Shot 3 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01658.JPG) / Shot 4 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01659.JPG)
They go 1 - 4, left to right. I don't have any stitching software.
:tab The run down to the Park entrance is not real curvy. There are a few places where we cross over and around some low lying hills and the road is a series of big FAST sweepers. For the most part, I am just chilling, taking in the scenery. I'm not sure why, but I got stuck leading. Eh... no biggie. The strange thing out here is how my scale perspective is totally out of whack! Mountains that look to only be a few miles away are really 30-40 miles off on the horizon. Since the distant scenery doesn't really change that much, it makes me feel like we are getting no where really fast.
:tab We finally reach the park entrance. It is just a sign out in the middle of a lot of nothing. I pull over for the obligatory pictures ;-)
Our faithful beasties (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01660.JPG) / The macho adventure dudes (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01661.JPG) :lol:
The gate into the park is unsupervised. I stop to make sure we don't need to sign in or something and John waves me onwards. Like most Federal Park areas, the speed limit is 45mph. That seems just a tad unrealistic out here. I mean, there are no side roads for the next 25 miles. We can see all the way around and through every corner. This is torture! Without realizing it, my speed starts creeping up again. We've been running pretty good since leaving Marathon and to drop down to 45 mph makes it feel like we aren't even moving! Then a white truck comes over the hill... What are those bumps on the cab? Ahhh... they're colored flashing lights. Doh!! :brainsnap The Ranger seems to be in a good mood. He just sticks his arm out the window and motions for us to slow down. I give him a long flash of the brake light to let him know I got the message.
:tab Have I mentioned there is a whole lot of nothing out here? I mean it is just miles and miles in any direction you chose, desert scrub close by and mountains in the distance. I like the feeling of solitude though. It makes me feel like the rest of the world is in a mad scramble all over nothing. Everyone's priorities are so screwed up. As a whole, it seems like the world at large has really lost sight of what is important in life. Sure, I'm probably being totally naive and unrealistic, but I have that luxury when I am sitting out here in the middle of nowhere with not much to worry about except the next gas stop.
:tab About 25 miles into the park, we finally reach Panther Junction, the location of the main Visitor center. I have no clue where we need to be going. John takes the lead and heads for Chisos Basin. I'm happy to drop back to the rear of the group again. As we head West for the road up into the basin, I as struck by how colorful it is out here. It's not a wild hawaiin shirt colorful, it is much more subtle than that. But if you really look, there is color just busting out all over the place. There are even Blue Bonnets still blooming out here! There's that itch to stop and take pictures again...
The Bike, the Ocotillio cactus, and the Basin mountains (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01662.JPG)
It has become a beautiful day! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01663.JPG)
Some f the color I mentioned, a close up of the Ocotillio blooms (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01664.JPG)
I take off again and find John and Bill waiting for me at the turn off for the Basin road. This is a nice ride! The road works it's way up into a ring of mountains which form the Basin. In places it is quite twisty. A prudent speed here is easily the posted 25mph limit. I can feel the temperature dropping and my ears popping from the gain in altitude. Not having a temperature gauge on the GS yet, I can only guess that we are dropping back into the low sixties at best. Here are a few shots leading into the basin before it gets tight.
I think this is Pulliam Peak which forms the North side of The Window (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01665.JPG)
Looking South as we approach the outside of the Basin (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01666.JPG)
The last bit of "straight" road before climbing into the Basin (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01667.JPG)
:tab I want to stop and take some pictures of the road as we descend down into the basin, but there really aren't any safe places to pull over and there is a good deal of traffic. I spot John and Bill way down below me heading for the lodge. So I head the same direction and catch up to them. No camping sites or lodge rooms available. Hmm... Well, it is only 1:45pm or so and already it is pretty chilly here in the Basin. I am thinking it will get REALLY cold here at night. The consensus is to head for the Rio Grande Village camping area down near the river, about 3000 feet lower!
:tab So we start the climbback out, head back to Panther Junction and start the 25 mile ride across the park to the Village. As soon as we get down out of the Basin and start heading East, the scenery opens up into what looks like a vast flat plain with a long range of mountains on the far side. Que another attempt at a panorama picture:
Left (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01668.JPG) / Middle (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01669.JPG) / Right (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01670.JPG)
The horizon is hazy, partially obscuring the long ridge. Again, it looks like the other side of the desert plain is only a short distance away, but after thirty minutes of riding, it really doesn't look a whole lot closer. Also, it is not a plain after all. There are numerous canyons, gullies, and mini mountain ranges. The road is actually quite fun with some really nice curves. As a group we seem to settle into a nice pace a little above the 45mph, but nothing like what we were doing when we first encountered the nice Ranger ;-) This pace is good for checking out the scenery and for keeping an eye on the road. We finally reach what I think is the far side of the desert plain and find a tunnel through a small gap in the ridge.
John and Bill waiting for me to take a picture as usual, hehe (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01671.JPG)
Some cool stonework, would be neat on a house! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01672.JPG)
:tab Just outside the other end of the tunnel is the Rio Grande Overlook. We pull in to check it out. There is a trail wandering off to a nearby small peak. So off we go. It turns out that this ridge sits in between two plains and we still have a ways to go to actually reach the river area!! I cannot get over how BIG this place is :-? A few artsy fartsy pictures and a nature break and we are back on the road.
You don't want to fall on this! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01673.JPG) :shock:
I am also amazed at the variety of cacti in the area, some kind of pencil thin cactus here (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01674.JPG[/url)
:tab We finally reach the Rio Grande Village and start looking for a good campsite. We run into our friend on the Goldwing with the little dog. We find a nice spot back away from the entrance a bit, somewhat sheltered by the trees. The wind is really whipping the tops of the trees all over the place. I just hope the measely little tent stakes I have will hold my tent in place :-| John settles in for lunch (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01675.JPG) while Bill and I continue setting up camp (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01676.JPG). The smeall of John's cooking soon attracts the local beggar. (Shot 1 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01678.JPG) / Shot 2 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01679.JPG)) These guys are all over the park. They're not shy either!
:tab It is about 2:30pm when we get to the camp. With so much of the day remaining, I really want to get over to the other side of the park and ride the infamous River Road, Hwy 170. I have read of it in so many other ride reports and seen some intriguing photos from the area. I can't fathom coming this far, with such nice weather and not riding the road. Even if John and Bill decide they are done for the day, I will still go. When I bring up the subject, the only concern is that we be back before dark, which seems prudent and reasonable given the remoteness of the area. So our plan is to ride out 2-1/2 hours or 80 miles, whichever comes first and then head back. This way we won't exceed our gas range and we'll be back before 8:00pm, leaving plenty of time before dark.
:tab We leave right at 3:00pm. Once again we set off across the big open desert plain heading towards the Chisos Basin mountains. When we reach Panther Junction, we fill up the bikes at the Chevron station. The ride across the Western half of the park is more mountains, huge cacti, and not much else. Still, the road is fun, even if we can't go quite as fast as we'd like ;-) As we leave the park, the road becomes Hwy 118 to Study Butte. Then we turn West towards Lajitas. It is not until we get beyond Lajitas that the real fun begins!
:tab Having been warned of the treacherous nature of this road, I am riding a nice cautious pace. I am not blasting into any corners. I'm trying to practice what I preach, "Slow in... Fast out!" This turns out to be a good thing because there are quite a few curves with loose gravel and sand. Some curves are of the decreasing radius variety, and some you just aren't sure which way the road will go until you crest the hill. It really is great fun. As we are heading up a hill, we come upon several horses in the road. They take their time getting along the road and finding a place where they can run off to the side. I'd hate to come around the corner at speed and meet one of these dudes!!
:tab The scenery here is really awesome. Like so much of the scenery in this area, it is just really hard to get a grasp on the scale of things. And as usual, pictures hardly seem to do justice to it. Nonetheless, here are my efforts:
Looking Northwest upriver from a scenic overlook, Mexico on the left side of the river. (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01681.JPG)
Obligatory bike shot (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01682.JPG) / Or two... (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01683.JPG) / Doh! Okay so three... (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01684.JPG) :oops: I just can't help it, hehe.
Looking Southeast downriver (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01685.JPG)
The road to Presidio (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01686.JPG)
John rides out to the edge of the cliff (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01687.JPG) / "Me mighty adventurer... You wuss!... Grunt Grunt!" (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01689.JPG)
A beautiful clear blue sky! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01688.JPG)
Yet another bike shot (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01690.JPG) / Up close and personal! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01691.JPG)
:tab We run all the way out until we just clear the edge of the Big Bend Ranch State Natural Area and then turn around. The run back is just as much fun, after all, it is like a whole new road when we are coming the other way :dude: There's not much traffic out here. We do see some other bikes, mostly friendly packs of rumbling Harleys. At a stop, Bill begins to ponder our dinner plans. We have all brought the food in a bag, just add water, makes it own sauce. He suggests that since we are already out and about, perhaps we might grab a bite to eat in Terlingua. John and I don't put up any resistance. We stop in some Cafe/Gas station. The burgers are big and good. The burrito thing that John gets is freakishly large :eek: We thought the waitress was exaggerating, apparently she was serious! Glad I'm not sharing a tent with John! :suicide: :-P
:tab Stuffed and feeling lazy, we gas up the bikes and head back into the park. I'm really getting the itch to get some good scenery pics, or at least try. So I stop and tell John and Bill to go on ahead to the campsite and I will be along later. No point in having them constantly stopping and waiting for me to take pictures. Off they go. Now I can just take my sweet time and enjoy myself. Besides, there is just something very peaceful about being the only person out here, totally alone. It is a little after 6:00pm and the sun is starting to cast long shadows. It's perfect for taking pictures.
Another panorama set: The Chisos Mountains
North side, pic 1 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01692.JPG) / Pic 2 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01693.JPG) / Pic 3 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01694.JPG) / Pic 4 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01695.JPG) / South side, Pic 5 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01696.JPG)
I should have included the bike, DOH!! Here's another panorama set take closer to the Basin mountains.
Left (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01698.JPG) / Middle (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01699.JPG) / Right (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01700.JPG)
Beauty and the Beast (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01701.JPG)
The cacti are blooming everywhere! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01703.JPG) / Another (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01704.JPG)
:tab When we were coming down the Devil's River valley yesterday, there were tons of these along the side of the road and the fence lines. Many of them were sporting blooms of three or four different colors, ranging from the bright yellow shown above to a fiery red. SMack me for not stopping and taking some pictures :mad: I have to pick a few needles out of my gloves and jacket sleeve after getting the close up shots above.
A nerdy self portrait (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01705.JPG)
:tab I figure the setting sun will make for some really neat pictures on the road up into the Basin. So I decide to ride on up and see what I can find. What I quickly find is that it gets cold here in a hurry once the sun starts to get low on the horizon! I don't get to far before I decide to stop, take a few shots and head for warmer parts.
Nearly a full moon over Panther Peak (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01706.JPG)
I've never seen it so green here! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01707.JPG)
A serious warning! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01708.JPG) I believe a motorcycle rider was mauled by a mountain lion recently at the park and died from the attack. However, I don't know the details.
More of the Ocotillio (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01709.JPG) / Shot 2, diff exposure setting (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01710.JPG) / Another (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01712.JPG)
The Ocotillio can get quite tall - a few are pushing 15-20 feet! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01711.JPG)
:tab I pass through Panther Junction and head off across the plain back towards the campsite. Now I find myself doing 45mph with no trouble at all. I am in no particular hurry to get back as I am really enjoying the solitude. I have seen only one or two other cars since parting with John and Bill. I glance back over my shoulder and catch this neat glimpse of the Chisos Mountains (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01713.JPG). The setting sun makes it possible to take artistic liberty (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01714.JPG) with the scenery shots ;-) I just can't help myself.
:tab Interestingly, as the sun gets lower, the air gets clearer. I guess there is less light reflecting and refracting off the dust in the air. It makes for some nice shots.
The big ridge line in the back is Mexcio, maybe another 20 miles away? (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01715.JPG)
A neat looking dry wash area... if only I could get an ATV down there... (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01716.JPG) :twisted:
I think this is Tornillo Creek (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01717.JPG)
:tab After crossing over the creek, I spot a sign I had seen earlier in the day pointing off the road. "Hot Springs -->" It's gravel, there is still several hours of light left, it doesn't look to bad... What the heck, this is supposed to be an adventure right? As soon as I turn off onto the gravel there is a sign warning that only 4WD and other offroad vehicles should attempt this drive, no dualies!! I soon see why! The road is very narrow, winds around blind hillsides and has a lot of loose gravel. I go verrry slow and carefully, not wanting to dump the bike while I am out here alone.
The raving on the left is deeper and steeper than it looks here! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01718.JPG)
The return route on the far side of the ravine (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01719.JPG)
I'm not a geologist and haven't stayed in a Holiday Inn Express, but the rocks look cool! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01720.JPG)
:tab
:tab The weather reports are looking good for the weekend, upper 70's to mid 80's during the day and low 50's at night, perfect for camping. I have spent the previous weeks getting my bike ready, buying little odds and ends for camping, and generally getting excited about a trip to Big Bend with John "Irondawg" Morin and Bill "Wasabi" Joye. John and I will be on our BMW R1150Gs's and Bill on his V-Strom 1000. This is to be an "Adventure" weekend...
:tab It's Thursday afternoon and I am sitting at work watching the minutes tick away, waiting for 3:00pm to arrive so I can take off for Austin. True to form, a job comes in that is somewhat nasty and might take me a little longer than usual to complete. I really want to get out of here on time because I need to get to Lone Star BMW in Austin before they close so I can get a new turn signal lens, the old one fell off a week or so back. I manange to crank out the job at a record pace, fax it off, toss Dad a wave goodbye and head out the door. It's 2:30pm, 75 F and sunny. :dude:
:tab I swing by Beth's bank to say goodbye. She shoots a few shots of me and the bike. The sun is blinding! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01615.JPG) Then I am off to the gas station to top off and hit the road. I note my odometer for posterity, actually my memeory sucks, so taking a picture (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01616.JPG) is the easy way to remember the reading. Gassed and ready to go, I hit the road... and have to sit for a while because there is an accident on the I-45 overpass. I clear the accident and think, "Finally!!".... Then I sit and wait on the other side of the overpass for another accident :roll: I get clear of the second accident, pass a few more lights, and come upon yet another accident! Sheesh! It takes me the better part of 15 minutes to go a half mile to get out of town :-| However, when I get past the last accident, I finally am on the open highway, the wind in my face, the buzz in my bars, and that nagging feeling that I have forgotten something I will wind up really needing :-?
:tab I head West on Hwy 30 towards College Station. Just before College Station there are some low lying river bottoms that are flooded, evidence of the recent hard rains we have been getting. Everything is green, but most of the wild flowers in the area have finished blooming, those remaining looking a bit faded. Passing through College Station is always a strnage experience. It has been thirteen years since I graduated from here and very little feels familiar. Ahhh change... Change is bad! Comfort is good! That's why I have a huge drawer full of worn out undies :mrgreen:
:tab Snapping back to reality, I head out of town on FM 60. This takes me over the Brazos river and into some seriously flat farming land. A quick shot up FM 50, on wet unpaved gravel sees me to the start of FM 166, a quick fun ride over to Caldwell. There are lots of fast 30mph corners, quick rises and sudden dips, all of the things that really get the blood pumping. Even loaded down with luggage and camping gear, the GS is a hoot in the twisties :twisted: It seems that the ride to Caldwell is a little shorter than I remember from the last time out here :scratch
:tab I pick up Hwy 21 and head West. Normally I would be taking FM 908 out to Rockdale, but a week or so back we came out this way and took FM 696 over to Lexington in the car and it looked like it would be a great ride on the bike. It is. The pavement is not fantastic, but it is not bad either. The scenery is nice rolling hills and woods. Roads like this make the miles melt away under the bike because I quit thinking about things like, "what time is it?", and I just get lost in the groove. What's this...? Lexington already?
:tab I pick up FM 112 in Lexington and make the run Northwest to Taylor. This is just more of the same as 696. It doesn't take long to reach Taylor where I pick up Hwy 79 and head West into Austin. I reach John's place about 5:30pm. Traffic in his area is kind of heavy at this time of day. I hope we don't have trouble getting down to Lone Star before they close! Bill has already arrived earlier in the day. He trailered down from Arlington. We get the bike stowed in the garage and then head out in John's Jeep Cherokee or something like that. He gets a wild bug up his fanny and we wind up offroading on some muddy roads in a construction area near his house. We don't get stuck, but mud is flying everywhere when we make it back to the paved roads, hehe. Is this a taste of things to come?
:tab We get down to Lone Star in plenty of time. I get my new turn signal lens and we are good to do. They don't have any of the new R1200GS's in stock as they have all been sold already. We run into Max955i at the shop. He is picking up his Triumph Daytona. It is a shame I don't have my camera because it is a beautiful bike. It has a really SWEET undertail exhaust system on it. He graciously fires it up for us... very nice :twisted: It is a bit on the loud side, but it sounds incredible. I especially like the flames that shoot out the exhaust when he comes off the gas :shock: We check out a few of the other bikes on the lot and then head for home.
:tab Dinner is had a Jardin Corona's, a small Mexican restaurant near John's place that serves some seriously strong drinks, tasty too! We stuff ourselves and then head to John's to settle in for the evening. We watch "Kill Bill", another of Quintenn Tarentino's (sp?) seedy movies :brainsnap I can't say I am a big fan of his. We upload the GPS routes into my GPS while John regals us with stories (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01618.JPG) of his other adventure rides, and call it a night. We're heading out early in the morning. Despite being a tad excited about finally leaving for the trip, I zonk out pretty quick.
FRIDAY
:tab I am wide awake at 6:30am... A peek out the window doesn't reveal any pigs flying, yet here I am :scratch I'm not feeling particularly anxious about the ride. I've done enough trips to have long gotten over that. So I just lay in bed and listen to the commuters heading into work as they drive by and think how cool it is that I am not one of them :mrgreen: Somewhere around 7:00ish John comes and bangs on the door to make sure I am alive and moving. I've pretty much already got everything packed and ready to go. All I have to do is dress and put the bags on the bike. Ten minutes later and I am ready to roll. We still manage to goof around and waste a lot of time not really doing anything in particular, but we drive off right on time! 8:00am.
:tab It is slightly drizzly and overcast. Hmm... I could swear the weather guessers were predicting decent weather for the entire weekend :-| We head for FM 1431 and go West toward Marble Falls where we plan to stop for breakfast. There's not much in the way of traffic on 1431 at this time of day so the ride is nice and relaxing. John sets a good pace, followed by Bill with me riding sweep. It's nice to sit at the back for a change and not worry about where we are going. Scary as it may seem, we have placed ourselves at the mercy of John's navigating... what could go wrong?
:tab We make good time and roll into Marble Falls around 8:45am. There is another Beemer parked in the lot close by us. When we walk into the restaurant, I spot the rider over in a corner booth at the same time he spots me. He waves us over and invites us to join him for breakfast. Terry is from Seattle, Washington (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01619.JPG) and is here for the Iron Butt Waltz Across Texas rally. He assumes that is why we are here but we tell him where we are heading. Seems he has been on the road for some time and this is just part of his overall adventure. We enjoy a nice visit before it's time to head out again. Out in the parking lot, Terry shows us all the farkles on his bike. This guy is serious about his long distance riding!! Then we take our leave and get back on the road. The drizzle is gone, but I leave the rain jacket on anyway because it is quite cool still.
:tab We cross over the Colorado River on US 281 heading South out of town. I feel a subtle sense of expectancy about the adventure that lies ahead. Two of us are on relatively new bikes (to us anyway), our skills as yet untested in tough conditions. Will we be up to the task? What does John have in store for us? Will he coddle us or throw us in head first to see if we sink or swim? I know where he is taking us, to CR 310... his old nemisis (http://www.twtex.com/viewtopic.php?t=645). With all the recent rain, I must confess that I am a tad bit concerned about the road conditions :-|
:tab The time to enter the crucible is upon me. We turn off of Hwy 71 onto the county road. A quick scan up into the distance and I'm thinking it doesn't look to bad. I'm bringing up the rear so I should have time to react if I see anything screwy going on with John or Bill. I think Bill shares my sense of unease. I know he does not want to drop his bike and test his engine guards, hehe. John of course takes off like he is still on pavement. Bill and I gingerly feel our way along the road. My offroad experience is brief to say the least, I think Bill rode some dirtbikes way back when...
:tab I have been out here before on a nicer and drier day. I was on the VFR then :shock: This can't be much worse. We doges a few wet spots, riding in many of the new ruts from the local ranchers' trucks. There are quite a few loose cattle milling about on the shoulders of the road. Some of the Bulls are FREAKING HUGE!! I feel much better when I get around them and put a little distance between us. There are calves and heffers all around and the thought of one of those giants coming after me in a fit of rage is not thrilling. Seeing them stand up and face me as I get nearer does nothing to settle my nerves!
:tab John is already over the next hill and out of sight. I know there is a nasty downhill right hander coming up soon. This is the one where John tossed his bike about in the mud on his previous ride out here. We get to in in short order and tiptoe through it. I am still not real confident with turning the bike in low traction conditions. The steering just feels completely useless. I am sure there is some technique I should be using, I just wish I knew what it is and how to use it! I do know that I need to stay relaxed and loose on the bars, letting the bike squirm around under me, a feeling I am not totally comfortable with just yet. We press on...
:tab There is a water crossing somewhere up here, I know I remember it. Sooner than I expect, I crest a hill and see John sitting at the edge of the water. This is a section where the road becomes concrete and the water just flows right over the road. Last time there was only a little water. This time there is a LOT! There is a truck going across in front of us and I think John is waiting for him to get all the way across. There are cattle everywhere around us, mooing like crazy and they seem quite distraught by our presence. Niceeee cow... Goood cow...
:tab While I am looking around, I hear the sound of Johns motor rev up as he starts across. I look over, see him enter the water, blink my eyes for a fraction of a second, and in that instant I hear a loud BANG! John is down. I cannot believe how fast that happened! Bill goes out into the water to help him lift the bike up. After confirming he is fine, I whip out the camera for a shot of the scene (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01620.JPG). The water is about 3-4 inches deep, moving quite fast. The concrete is coated in incredibly slick algea. Even walking on it is difficult. After getting the bike up, John refires it and continues on across. Now he has his feet out like outriggers. We thank him for graciously showing us what NOT to do :-P What more can you ask of a ride leader than such selfless sacrifical behavior?!
:tab The truck has stopped on the far side. I guess he is wondering if we need help? We wave to him to assure him we are fine. A few minutes later he drives on up around the next bend. Seeing John go down right off the bat has given Bill pause to be concerned about getting his bike across. I am not exactly thrilled about the idea of getting soaked this early into a long ride, but what the heck? This is an adventure ride right? Off I go...
:tab Seeing John try to make the crossing with his feet on the pegs convinced me that I will just have to suck it up and stick my feet down into the cold water. Normally I would not have been to worried about this. My boots would have kept the water at bay indefinitely. Not anymore! I have finally worn them out and the water seeps in within seconds of them being submerged. I am slipping the clutch like crazy, doing everything I can to keep the rear tire from spinning up on the algea. With my feet out to each side to keep me from tipping over, I can still feel the bike sliding around. The force of the water pushes the tires sideways. I am all the way to the left upstream side of the concrete. Ideally, this will let me slide a long way before the bike drops off the side of the concrete into water that is 3-4 feet deep :shock: I think even Martha would have to say, "That's not a good thing!" After much slipping, sliding, and muslce cramping in my shoulders and arms, I finally get across without dropping the bike. The last five feet has to the be the hardest. Fighting the urge to just gas it and make the last little bit takes all the will power I can muster. Now it is Bill's turn.
Wiser from watching us, Bills depoys the outriggers and starts across! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01621.JPG)
John dumps out the boots and rearranges his gear while waiting on Bill (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01622.JPG)
:tab While we are waiting for Bill to make the crossing, the truck returns and parks next to us. The rugged looking old rancher does not look to pleased. We mosey over to talk with him. It seems he has been rounding up cattle all morning to get them to follow him. I guess they were going to follow him across the water crossing??!! Anyway, in the time that we have been here, most of them have scattered to the four winds. The rancher tells us that he understands this is a public road and we are out just having fun, but his entire morning of effort just got wasted. He's not ugly about it, just very matter of fact. We apologize profusely as we had absolutely no clue what he was up to. He's cool about it but I can tell he is aggravated as he drives away. I feel bad for him. We turn our attention back to Bill as he is about to make that last few feet (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01623.JPG). The look on his face is all business! He makes it and I can see him visibly release the tension in his body as he pulls up next to us :lol: Now that wasn't so bad was it? :chug:
Waiting for John to finish "rearranging" himself (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01624.JPG)
:tab We head on up the rest of CR 310 and pick up 308 to 309. At this point I take the lead for a short bit. I come to another watercrossing. This is just a short 15-20 foot crossing and only and inch or so deep. There is what appears to be a large rock in the middle of the crossing which turns out to be a turtle trying to go upstream. He is fighting the current with all he has when he looks up and sees the bike looming over him. He falters and looses his footing, is swept away in the current and dumped off the side of the concrete into the deep water. I guess I am just destined to ruin a few folks' day today :shrug: I feel kind of bad for the poor critter, hehe. This crossing is a snap. John comes up beside me while we wait for Bill to cross, and then takes off throwing mud up all over the place :pound: He's got a terminal case of squidliness :roll:
:tab I am starting to enjoy myself. Somewhere along the way, I give up worrying about what "might happen" to my bike and make a mental transition to the "Fug it! Let's have fun!" mode. I feel much more relaxed now and the road doesn't seem so nasty anymore. I still have to work on the whole turning thing though, that seems kind of important to get figured out :-| I can see that Bill is having the same issue. Before long we reach pavement. It is short lived. FM 3347 ends about a half mile after we head West on it and becomes Althaus-Davis Rd.
:tab This new little road meanders around through some really beautiful countryside. There are lots of rock outcroppings surrounded by short scrub Oaks. There are wildflowers scattered all over the place and it hits me all of a sudden how green it is out here! I wonder what is hitting those poor morning commuters right about now? A few miles up the road we encounter a few other riders. They are on street bikes. We stop while John informs them of the water crossing conditions on CR 310 and advises them to just stick with FM 3347 back to US 281. Moments later we are winding off into the woods again. The road evenutally becomes a little lane and a half paved road that is remarkably smooth and fun. We drop out onto FM 1323 a few miles East of Willow City. There are so many Blue Bonnets in the fields along the side of the road that the sweet smell is almost overwhelming.
:tab We run FM 1323 West to Hwy 16 and then pick up the start of Eckert Road, another tiny mostly paved road. These little back roads are really fun. There is virtually no traffic at all. They follow the contours of the local topography without any cut and fill areas like you would see on more developed roads where the road goes through the hill instead of over or around it. Eckert dumps us out onto Crabapple Road. We head South and wind up in Fredericksburg back on Hwy 16. I pull up next to John at a light and tell him I need to pull over for a quick stop to get rid of the rainsuit as it is starting to get a bit warm.
:tab While we are stopped, the smell of cooking cowpie hits me really strong. While running through some of the open range areas, I hit a really big one in the middle of the road and actually heard and saw it as it splattered up both side of the bike, covering the engine and my legs :puke: It was a fresh one :-| Did I mention it was a really big one? The crap is literally everywhere! Bill and John just laugh at me. Nothing like the understanding sympathy of friends eh?
:tab Relieved to be out of the stuffy rainsuit, I am happy to see the clouds begin to thin out and some sunshine breaking through. We are running South out of town on Hwy 16 looking for the start of the Old Kerrville Highway. This is yet another of the little narrow winding country roads that criss-cross the country side. John has obviously spent a lot of time running around out here and knows the good ones! We head off on the old highway and then turn off onto Center Point Rd and continue South. The last time I was out here was on the VFR chasing John around all these tight little curves and over the quick little hills. The GS just eats up this kind of stuff :twisted:
:tab I think the road name changes a few more times, I'm not really watching the road signs as I am trying to keep John in sight. The morning air feels great blasting through my mesh jacket and makes my skin tingle. I cannot believe how lucky I am to be able to get out and ride with friends on such cool roads on such a nice day?! We crest a few more hills and then the road dead ends into FM 1341 just East of Kerrville and I-10. This is going to be fun :twisted:
:tab FM 1341 Runs East/West out of Kerville. It is like a roller coaster with fast hill crests and deep draws. There are a lot of corners where we top a hill and get real light, then have to lay the bike over and pray for traction to make it down the other side while rolling on the gas to make the corner. It is a nice challenge for my road reading skills. Scan for loose sand, watch for critters in the high grass on the shoulders, figure out which way the road goes after the next fast hill... It's a real blast.
:tab We reach the outskirts of Kerrville and see some of their finest lecturing a local on the ettiquette of Kerrville driving. The give us a funny look as we cruise on by headed into town. I'm thinking we are just going to hop on Hwy 16 and head South out of town, but I'm not leading so I just follow the leader. I have no clue where he is going?! It seems like every turn we make takes us a little farther away from Hwy 16? Does John have another of these cool little roads in store for us? I'm game! Somehow we wind up on Hwy 27 headed East then back on FM 173 headed West and eventually back to Hwy 16. Hmm... Seems to have been the scenic route :shrug:
:tab Finally on Hwy 16, we head South. If you have never been out here on a bike, you really owe it to yourself to try it sometime. A few miles after clearing the outer fringes of Kerrville, the highway starts to get twisty. Then it gets REAL twisty. I remember scaring the mess out of myself the first time I came busting through here some years ago. There was a dropping lefthander that immediately went into a tight 180 degree dropping righthander. I was totally taken by surprise :eek: I did not lose it, but I certainly must have taken a year or two off of my life! Now that I know what to expect, I really enjoy the challenge of coming through here and trying to be real smooth. John and Bill get around a truck and take off. I get behind because there really isn't a good place to pass. As I come down out of the twistiness to the point where the road opens back up into sweepers I see them cruising kind of slow up ahead waiting for me. As I pull in behind them, we take off for Medina.
:tab Right about now, I am thinking I really want to get off the bike for just a few minutes. I am good for about 100 miles or two hours, whichever comes first. After that, my legs, particularly my knees, really start to bother me. If I get off the bike and just walk around for a few minutes, I am good to go. As long as I do this all day, I can pretty much ride indefinitely. If I don't do it, the discomfort becomes cumulative and I soon reach the point where getting off for a while doesn't help. Then the rest of the day pretty much sucks! I'm hoping we might stop in Medina, but somehow I know John is headed for Leakey as a stopping point. That is still another 30 miles or so. John likes to ride tank to tank and not do any stopping in between. We turn West on FM 337 and head for the hills (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01626.JPG).
:tab We've been on the bikes now for about three and half hours non stop. We'll there was the brief stop in Fredericksburg while I stowed my rainsuit. My knees are getting pretty sore despite me loading up on Ibuprofen last night and this morning. Getting old sucks and I'm just getting started! Apparently, John is not expecting me to stop for pictures, hehe. As I finish putting the camera away and start to pull back out onto the road, he comes zooming back down the hill to look for me. I take off as he turns around. I pass Bill sitting on the shoulder waiting and I take the lead... woohoo!! I really like not having someone in front of me when I am running the twisty stuff because I find it distracting. I lead through all the fun stuff and then John takes over again as we near Vanderpool.
:tab We head North on FM 187 to Vanderpool and then continue West on 337 to Leakey. Despite the recent rains, the low water crossings are dry wher the road is under construction. Bill still seems a little hesitant on the gravel and John just blasts right on through like it is not even there. I still have mixed feelings but am starting to like it. We hit some more twisties and I hang back a little. We soon reach Leakey and stop for gas. I take the opportunity to explain my knee problem to John and he reluctantly agrees to stop occasioanlly :lol: There is a bike friendly rest stop at the intersection of FM 337 and US 83 where we hang out for a bit, get drinks and a snack. The pack of Harley riders are looking at us like we just beamed down from the Mother ship :roll: The smell of sunscreen burns my nostrils... We hang out and visit with a few of them for a bit, and then it is time to hit the road again!!
:tab Back on 337, we head for Campwood. Have I mentioned how green it is out here? I am so used to everything being a dull shade of creme brown and crispy dry. I really should be stopping and taking some pictures but I know that will just throw off our pace, hehe. Shoot, it is already after noon and we have hardly even made it half way out to Sanderson, our destination for the night. I think we are done with the little backroads and dirt stuff for today so I expect our moving average speed will go up significantly, especially out here in the middle of nowhere :angel:
:tab We reach Campwood and head North on Hwy 55. I find myself already getting excited with anticpation of what is to come. Bill has no clue what we are about to do :twisted: Hwy 55 runs up to Barksdale where FM 335 splits off and heads straight North. FM 335 is a fantastic ride in and of itself. However, we head Northwest on 55 for fun of a different kind. I am sure there is a name for it but I have no clue what it is. A few miles up the road, a large escarpment looms on the horizon. Hwy 55 winds its way up and through it before coming out onto a large plain. Those few miles are sweeper heaven!!!
:tab At this point, I am still bringing up the rear. The fun begins as we start into a long sweeping right hander. I can see that Bill is still holding back a little. That is understandable. He's on a relatively new bike and an unfamiliar road. So I just ease into the left lane and cruise on by him. John sees me coming and we start creeping up the pace. Before long we are both in our own lane and laying the big GSes over for all they are worth. Visibility through the corners is excellent. The pavement is smooth and clean. Oddly, John's bike is bouncing all over the place :eek: As we lean into a particularly fast leftie, I see a huge puff of grey smoke come from the road as his left saddlebag touches down :shock: :shock: There is a long white scratch left on the pavement... Oh my?! He never mises a beat and keeps right on running.
:tab We finally reach the top and pull over in the shade of the only tree around for miles. John is giggling like a little kid. A quick check of the bag reveals that the front outside corner is ground down pretty good but it did not go all the way through. It turns out, John has his rear shock preload set real soft still from our earlier offroading. He forgot to crank it back up for the pavement. No wonder he was bouncing everywhere like he was riding one of those old Hippity-Hops we played on as kids :lol: Bill pulls alongside a minute later to see what all the excitement is about. Seems he really enjoyed the road as well.
:tab Unfortunately, the rest of Hwy 55 leaves a little bit to be desired. It straightens out and runs to Rocksprings. We pass through Rocksprings and keep heading Northwest until we reach US 277 where we head North for a few miles until we reach the start of FM 189. I've never been out this far West on the bike so from here on out, everything is a new adventure. Cool!
:tab FM 189 is a nice smooth strip of asphalt that runs smack dab thorugh the middle of nothing, except scrub brush, weeds, short trees, open range, some hills and more cow poop :-? It really is a fun road though because it has fast curves that are sharp enough to keep my attention focused on the task at hand. There are cactus plants everywhere mixed in with Blue Bonnets, Indian Paintbrushes and a vast mix of other floral stuff. But now the terrain is looking a little more like desert. It's rocky and grass is pretty much nonexistent.
:tab There is something about being out in the middle of nowhere that I like. Perhaps it is the sense of being disconnected from the rest of the world. All the worries and problems that plague our daily existence just don't seem to matter much out here. I can really start to see whay some people move out here and basically become hermits. I find the idea strangely appealing. Of course I would have to get a proper offroad motorcycle :mrgreen:
:tab FM 189 runs Southwest until it ends onto Hwy 163. North of this intersection, Hwy 163 is closed for construction. The roadbase is being completely redone so it will probably be a long while before the road reopens. We decide to pull over for a quick break here. I spy a Historical Marker and head over to see what could possibly have happened out here that would be of interest. It seems some Commanches and Cavalry mixed it up out here with ugly results (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01627.JPG). I always wonder what the actual reality is behind stories like this. We all know the victors slant the story. I guess it will all be worked out in the Final Judgement by the Man that watched it all from above. We down some water and munchies then get moving again.
:tab Hwy 163 is a really fun ride. The terrain is large rolling hills and this highway just flows up, down and around them. For a long section, it follows alongside the Devil's River. This is a narrow strip of lush greenery. Many of the cacti are blooming like crazy with bright yellow and fiery red blossoms set among the long prickly thorns. Again I get the urge to stop and take pictures and again I resist so we can make time. At the pace we are running, I would not be able to stop for a minute or two and then catch up with the others down the road. Given the remoteness of the area John and Bill are understandably reluctant to let me fall from sight in their mirrors for too long. The air down in the river valley is cool and refreshing as it blows through my jacket. It's a real shame this great road is so far from home. I guess that is a double edged sword though. At least the remoteness keeps the traffic down to almost nothing.
:tab Gas is starting to become an issue. The extreme end of Bill's range on the V-Strom 1000 seems to be right at 200 miles. I have never really pushed the GS much beyond that either, especially when running at sustained gas guzzling speeds. We're trying to make it to Comstock and hopefully they will have an open gas station. We do, they do, and it ain't cheap! The 89 Octane grade is selling for about $2.15 a gallon out here. I put in 4.7 gallons in a 5.5 gallon tank. I think I am actually getting right at 40mpg!! Groovy! Topped off, we head West on US 90, the fun roads for the day being behind us. Now we are just going to slab the rest of the way to Sanderson.
:tab A few miles West of Comstock, we cross the Pecos River where it dumps into the Rio Grande. The river has formed a huge canyon here so I have to stop for pictures. John and Bill turn around to join me without protest and get out their own cameras, hehe. You can see in these shots that the river is out of its' normal banks. If you look closely at the pictures with the bridge in it, you can see the old highway snaking down the side of the canyon and under the bridge. You can see it come up the other side as well. The crossing though is underwater. It looks like the old highway has been closed off for sometime.
Looking North up the Pecos River (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01628.JPG)
Looking North and zoomed in a little more (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01629.JPG)
Looking North with a better view of the nearby cliffs (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01630.JPG)
Bill and his beast of burden (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01631.JPG)
The GS and the river (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01632.JPG) / A better shot (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01633.JPG)
See the old road curving around from the right? (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01634.JPG)
Looking South down river - see the road in the upper right? (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01635.JPG) Also notice the little rest stop overlook upper center. Those cliffs are pretty high!
:tab After shooting all our pics, we get back on the highway. Bill has to pull over for something so I loop back to see what's up with him. Seems a little sunscreen has found its' way into his eyes and is burning. After wiping off his face thoroughly, we take off to catch up to John. Just a mile or so up the road he is pulled over on top of another bridge that straddles a really cool "little" canyon. Of course I have to get out the camera ;-)
Old Hwy 90 and a train trestle cross above the big bowl (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01636.JPG)
John taking pics down into the canyon (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01637.JPG)
Scale is hard to see in pics - those are full sized trees in the lower left (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01638.JPG)
A better pic to show scale - John upper left and 18 wheeler upper right (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01639.JPG)
Another of the really really long trains we have been seeing out here (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01640.JPG)
:tab We pass right by the Judge Roy Bean visitor center in Langley. We're on a mission now, just get there! The remaining miles droning down US 90 are almost hypnotic. I'd kill for a throttle lock right about now. The GS has a pretty good pull for the throttle return spring and my right hand is getting quote tender and sore. Looks like I'll be hitting the drugs tonight... We finally roll into Sanderson and cruise through town. John knows a decent place to stay so we just keep following him. He leads us to a quaint little motel across the street from a truck stop. The room is only $60 for the night with three queen beds. It's about as nice as I might expect for that price :roll: But it will do just fine.
:tab I forgot to check the mileage at the start/end of the ride so I am not real sure how far we have come. John guesses around 450-500 miles. At the suggestion of the motel owner we head back into town to the Dairy King for dinner. The burgers are HUGE and really good. It takes us a while to muster up the strength to get out of our chairs, get back on the bikes, and head to the hotel. Once there, John lasts about five minutes before going catatonic in the easy chair. It's a beautiful but windy evening outside. I move outside to the front porch for a bit but eventually I am driven back inside by these really pesky little gnats that like to fly up my nose, in my mouth, in my eyes and ears... Good grief!!
The beasites in front of the room (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01641.JPG) / second shot (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01642.JPG)
Bills Vstrom 1000 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01643.JPG)
A nice front porch but for those annoying gnats! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01644.JPG)
:tab I step back outside later for a quick look at the sunset and then head inside for good. We're all whipped from the ride today and tomorrow promises to be even more challenging. John has managed to move to his bed and is face down looking like someone just shot him. It does not take long to nod off, even with the sounds of idling diesels across the road just outside the window. I wake a few times during the night, the sounds of thunder and flashes of lightning fill the room! Uh oh...
:tab We roll out just about 7:00am. Bill has long since been up and went exploring. He forgot the room key and has been patiently waiting outside for us to wake up and let him in :lol: It is cold outside, probably in the low fifties or high forties :-| But it is clear with a high overcast that looks like it will probably blow out by noon. We pack and get ready to go pretty quick, then stop across the street for gas, water, and mental preparation. Once we're all ready to roll, we head back East on US 90 to the start of our off roading.
:tab Draw a straight line on a map from Sanderson over the mountains and desert to Big Bend and that is generally how we plan to get there, well... except for the straight part. We stop at the turn off of US 90 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01645.JPG) to kill the ABS and soften up the suspension settings. The cool crisp morning desert air feels invigorating. If I had not heard the thunder and seen the lightning last night, I would never have known a storm had come through. The only clue is the big drop in temperatures! Before heading off into the wild, John gives us some wise instruction, "If I stop, you stop..." Yeah, like that is going to be a problem :roll: I'm all for watching him do something first :mrgreen:
:tab As we head off on a gravel road that appears to lead straight off across the desert floor towards distant mountains, I am thinking this is not too bad. A hundred miles of this and we'll be at the park in no time at all. Then I see John slow. A further look up the road reveals a long stretch of wet mud. The scrub bushes, cacti, and other stuff grows so thick out here that there is not much chance of getting off the road to go around. So John takes off and goes on through. Bill follows with much less exuberance than John. I can see his bike slipping and sliding as he struggles to keep it upright and moving forward. As soon as he clears the first big patch, I plop the GS in gear and start in...
:tab The odd thing is that it doesn't hurt at all when I hit the ground. I land on my right knee and the armor and padding absorbs the impact. I think I was going maybe 5-10mph tops with my feet up on the pegs and my butt firmly planted on the seat. Now the bike is sitting on its' right side, the right GIVI bag popped off when my right leg hit it, and there is this god awful clingy mud everywhere! The front end washed out instantly followed by the back end coming around me in a lowside. I never even had a chance to react!!?? Bill sees me in his mirrors and stops to come back and help me right the big cow. I might have been able to do this on the pavement, but not in slidk mud with a full load of luggage and a full tank of gas. Thank goodness I am not alone!
The big pigs do like to wallow in the mud (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01647.JPG) :roll:
Just walking in this mess is a challenge (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01648.JPG)
:tab I get the luggage remounted, grab a stick and dig out a lot of mud from the front of the bike, and I'm ready for more. Now that I have that first drop out of the way, I'm kind of giddy with anticipation of the rest of the day. Bill is not so excited as he does not want to drop his bike, hehe. Bill, Bill, Bill... He get's as far as the next bad puddle when I see the back end of the bike fishtail side to side in a moment, then he's on the ground. Now it's my turn to park the bike and go help him pick up his. This is kind of funny. Here we are not even three miles into the hundred mile day and we look like circus clowns dropping our bikes and covered in mud. I can't think of very many places I'd rather be right now.
:tab Once Bill is upright, I pass on by him and try to just get set at a steady pace and slush my way through. The bike is squirming and sliding all over the place. I leave my feet out as outrigers to catch myself. If I try to let the clutch all the way out, the back tire instantly breaks free and starts trying to come out from under me. Now I understand when the lower first gear on the Adventure model GS is such a big deal, hehe. I finally clear all the bad stuff and park next to John. I grab the camera and look back to see Bill sliding all over the place (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01649.JPG) trying to get just a little bit of traction, John is having to do a lot of pushing to keep him moving. Looking back at the aftermath, the road is a mess (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01650.JPG)! The bikes are pretty messy as well :dude: My rear tire is totally caked (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01651.JPG) in this superglue mud. The worst seems to be over now, so we press on...
:tab A short ways ahead, the road bends and drops down into a small canyon. Now it is quite rocky. I still don't have the hangn of sliding the rear in the loose stuff and trying to negotiate fairly sharp corners, going down hill on loose rocks is a little unnerving. We manage it, only to be greeted by what looks like an easy water crossing. John stops to take a look (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01652.JPG). The impatience of inexperience makes me wonder what is taking so long and why aren't we going through?
:tab John tosses a big rock in the water to get an idea of how deep it is. How that is supposed to work is beyond me :shrug: I get off the bike and head down to join the powwow. It seems that this is the least of the water crossings on the route and it should not have anywhere near this much water in it. The storm last might must have really dropped a lot of rain. We had already been told by some locals that they are already above the total yearly rainfall for the area. John is of the opinion that if this crossing is this deep, then the bad ones are likely to be impassible. Doh!! Realizing that pushing on may be foolhardy we turn back. I must confess to being somewhat disappointed. But we get to do the mud again!!
:tab And so it begins again... This time I am mentally ready for it! John leads the way, making it look easy. About a third of the way through, Bill starts the death wiggle again and hits the ground. We get him righted. His wheels are caked with mud. John has almost reached the end and looks like he's made it... PLOP!! Denied! :lol: With Bill back up, I decide to just go for it. Slipping the clutch wildly and scraping up bucket loads of mud with my boots. I'm doing better than last time, I feel a teeny bit more relaxed, I'm almost through... and down I go! With all the mud on my boots there is nothing I can do to stop it because my feet are just sliding out from under me. John has walked back to where Bill is stopped. I look at my bike laying there on its' right side. Then I see smoke... :shock:
:tab Seeing smoke coming from the deep recesses of my beloved bike is an unsettling thing to behold. At this point I am wonder how bad I may need to take a leak?! Then the smell hits me... nasty! It smells like someone is burning plastic bottles in their garbage. I try to pick up the bike, but I have no strength left after the two runs back and forth through the mud. Realizing that there is not much I can do, I just walk back to John and Bill to see how things are going.
:tab They are using sticks to dig the mud out away from the tires, chain, and suspension. It seems the front wheel is not turnung. John hops on and takes off for a short bit. The wheels spins somewhat reluctanly. Bill gets back on and start to take off again. I can see that the wheel is not turning and once again the bike hits the ground. At this point we have to take a breather. We get my bike upright and I ride back to where John and Bill are parked. We spend the next fifteen minutes digging mud out from every nook and cranny of our bikes. It is just everywhere. Once it dries, it is hard as a rock! We finally have to remove Bill's front fender (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01654.JPG) so we can get all the mud out. It's cold out here still but I am sweating like crazy! Looks like I may need to think about visiting the gym if I plan to keep doing this adventure stuff :-|
:tab Turned back in shame, we head for the highway. When we get there, mud starts flying in all directions off our tires. Bumps in the road knock chunks off the bikes sending small shrapnel all over the following rider! When I get up to about 80mph, I start getting a real bad front end wobble. I pull over on the shoulder and have to get all the mud off the front rim and spokes. When I catch back up to John and Bill, they are parked on the side of the road doing the same thing, hehe. Looks like we are just going to have to run US 90 over to Marathon and then head South into the park from there.
:tab I had not really noticed while we were out goofing off in the dirt, but it has gotten REALLY windy! The ride West on US 90 is not fun. We are really having to struggle to keep the bikes in our lane and to just get on down the road. While trailing John I notice that his rear tire looks low. I flag him over so we can check it and it is about 10 psi low. While he gets out the pump to air it up, Bill and I are standing on the shoulder just trying to keep from being blown away. I shoot a quick video with my digital camera so everyone can see how windy it is, several times I loose my footing when hit by a really strong gust. [link to vid coming soon]. Some bikes coming the other way slow to make sure we are okay and then we are back on the road. It is 50F according to John's little gauge. Combine that with the wind and it is downright chilly out here. This is MAY!!??
:tab By the time we arrive in Marathon, I am ready to just get off the bike for a bit and wander around aimlessly. My shoulders and neck are pretty tense, from the cold and from fighting the wind. We gas up, at $2.15/gal for 89 octane :shock: These guys are the only game in town so what the heck? We meet a fellow from Monahans, Tx., a small town North of Ft. Stockton. He's heading to Big Bend on his Goldwing, pulling a little trailer, and travelling with his little dog. After a good rest and some chatting, we head South on US 385.
:tab Almost as soon as we head South of US 90, we start seeing more of what I would expect in terms of mountains. There are big rugged looking peaks in the hazy distance. The wind is at our backs now so the riding is not too bad. The sky has cleared and the sun is shining and it is warming up a bit. The Santiago Mountains are off in the distance, with Santiago peak towering above them all at about 6500 ft in elevation. It's funny how no one ever thinks of Texas as having and "real" mountains. This one peak is taller than anything East of the Mississippi.
These four images are supposed to make a panorama shot of the range:
Shot 1 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01656.JPG) / Shot 2 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01657.JPG) / Shot 3 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01658.JPG) / Shot 4 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01659.JPG)
They go 1 - 4, left to right. I don't have any stitching software.
:tab The run down to the Park entrance is not real curvy. There are a few places where we cross over and around some low lying hills and the road is a series of big FAST sweepers. For the most part, I am just chilling, taking in the scenery. I'm not sure why, but I got stuck leading. Eh... no biggie. The strange thing out here is how my scale perspective is totally out of whack! Mountains that look to only be a few miles away are really 30-40 miles off on the horizon. Since the distant scenery doesn't really change that much, it makes me feel like we are getting no where really fast.
:tab We finally reach the park entrance. It is just a sign out in the middle of a lot of nothing. I pull over for the obligatory pictures ;-)
Our faithful beasties (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01660.JPG) / The macho adventure dudes (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01661.JPG) :lol:
The gate into the park is unsupervised. I stop to make sure we don't need to sign in or something and John waves me onwards. Like most Federal Park areas, the speed limit is 45mph. That seems just a tad unrealistic out here. I mean, there are no side roads for the next 25 miles. We can see all the way around and through every corner. This is torture! Without realizing it, my speed starts creeping up again. We've been running pretty good since leaving Marathon and to drop down to 45 mph makes it feel like we aren't even moving! Then a white truck comes over the hill... What are those bumps on the cab? Ahhh... they're colored flashing lights. Doh!! :brainsnap The Ranger seems to be in a good mood. He just sticks his arm out the window and motions for us to slow down. I give him a long flash of the brake light to let him know I got the message.
:tab Have I mentioned there is a whole lot of nothing out here? I mean it is just miles and miles in any direction you chose, desert scrub close by and mountains in the distance. I like the feeling of solitude though. It makes me feel like the rest of the world is in a mad scramble all over nothing. Everyone's priorities are so screwed up. As a whole, it seems like the world at large has really lost sight of what is important in life. Sure, I'm probably being totally naive and unrealistic, but I have that luxury when I am sitting out here in the middle of nowhere with not much to worry about except the next gas stop.
:tab About 25 miles into the park, we finally reach Panther Junction, the location of the main Visitor center. I have no clue where we need to be going. John takes the lead and heads for Chisos Basin. I'm happy to drop back to the rear of the group again. As we head West for the road up into the basin, I as struck by how colorful it is out here. It's not a wild hawaiin shirt colorful, it is much more subtle than that. But if you really look, there is color just busting out all over the place. There are even Blue Bonnets still blooming out here! There's that itch to stop and take pictures again...
The Bike, the Ocotillio cactus, and the Basin mountains (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01662.JPG)
It has become a beautiful day! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01663.JPG)
Some f the color I mentioned, a close up of the Ocotillio blooms (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01664.JPG)
I take off again and find John and Bill waiting for me at the turn off for the Basin road. This is a nice ride! The road works it's way up into a ring of mountains which form the Basin. In places it is quite twisty. A prudent speed here is easily the posted 25mph limit. I can feel the temperature dropping and my ears popping from the gain in altitude. Not having a temperature gauge on the GS yet, I can only guess that we are dropping back into the low sixties at best. Here are a few shots leading into the basin before it gets tight.
I think this is Pulliam Peak which forms the North side of The Window (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01665.JPG)
Looking South as we approach the outside of the Basin (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01666.JPG)
The last bit of "straight" road before climbing into the Basin (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01667.JPG)
:tab I want to stop and take some pictures of the road as we descend down into the basin, but there really aren't any safe places to pull over and there is a good deal of traffic. I spot John and Bill way down below me heading for the lodge. So I head the same direction and catch up to them. No camping sites or lodge rooms available. Hmm... Well, it is only 1:45pm or so and already it is pretty chilly here in the Basin. I am thinking it will get REALLY cold here at night. The consensus is to head for the Rio Grande Village camping area down near the river, about 3000 feet lower!
:tab So we start the climbback out, head back to Panther Junction and start the 25 mile ride across the park to the Village. As soon as we get down out of the Basin and start heading East, the scenery opens up into what looks like a vast flat plain with a long range of mountains on the far side. Que another attempt at a panorama picture:
Left (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01668.JPG) / Middle (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01669.JPG) / Right (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01670.JPG)
The horizon is hazy, partially obscuring the long ridge. Again, it looks like the other side of the desert plain is only a short distance away, but after thirty minutes of riding, it really doesn't look a whole lot closer. Also, it is not a plain after all. There are numerous canyons, gullies, and mini mountain ranges. The road is actually quite fun with some really nice curves. As a group we seem to settle into a nice pace a little above the 45mph, but nothing like what we were doing when we first encountered the nice Ranger ;-) This pace is good for checking out the scenery and for keeping an eye on the road. We finally reach what I think is the far side of the desert plain and find a tunnel through a small gap in the ridge.
John and Bill waiting for me to take a picture as usual, hehe (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01671.JPG)
Some cool stonework, would be neat on a house! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01672.JPG)
:tab Just outside the other end of the tunnel is the Rio Grande Overlook. We pull in to check it out. There is a trail wandering off to a nearby small peak. So off we go. It turns out that this ridge sits in between two plains and we still have a ways to go to actually reach the river area!! I cannot get over how BIG this place is :-? A few artsy fartsy pictures and a nature break and we are back on the road.
You don't want to fall on this! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01673.JPG) :shock:
I am also amazed at the variety of cacti in the area, some kind of pencil thin cactus here (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01674.JPG[/url)
:tab We finally reach the Rio Grande Village and start looking for a good campsite. We run into our friend on the Goldwing with the little dog. We find a nice spot back away from the entrance a bit, somewhat sheltered by the trees. The wind is really whipping the tops of the trees all over the place. I just hope the measely little tent stakes I have will hold my tent in place :-| John settles in for lunch (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01675.JPG) while Bill and I continue setting up camp (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01676.JPG). The smeall of John's cooking soon attracts the local beggar. (Shot 1 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01678.JPG) / Shot 2 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01679.JPG)) These guys are all over the park. They're not shy either!
:tab It is about 2:30pm when we get to the camp. With so much of the day remaining, I really want to get over to the other side of the park and ride the infamous River Road, Hwy 170. I have read of it in so many other ride reports and seen some intriguing photos from the area. I can't fathom coming this far, with such nice weather and not riding the road. Even if John and Bill decide they are done for the day, I will still go. When I bring up the subject, the only concern is that we be back before dark, which seems prudent and reasonable given the remoteness of the area. So our plan is to ride out 2-1/2 hours or 80 miles, whichever comes first and then head back. This way we won't exceed our gas range and we'll be back before 8:00pm, leaving plenty of time before dark.
:tab We leave right at 3:00pm. Once again we set off across the big open desert plain heading towards the Chisos Basin mountains. When we reach Panther Junction, we fill up the bikes at the Chevron station. The ride across the Western half of the park is more mountains, huge cacti, and not much else. Still, the road is fun, even if we can't go quite as fast as we'd like ;-) As we leave the park, the road becomes Hwy 118 to Study Butte. Then we turn West towards Lajitas. It is not until we get beyond Lajitas that the real fun begins!
:tab Having been warned of the treacherous nature of this road, I am riding a nice cautious pace. I am not blasting into any corners. I'm trying to practice what I preach, "Slow in... Fast out!" This turns out to be a good thing because there are quite a few curves with loose gravel and sand. Some curves are of the decreasing radius variety, and some you just aren't sure which way the road will go until you crest the hill. It really is great fun. As we are heading up a hill, we come upon several horses in the road. They take their time getting along the road and finding a place where they can run off to the side. I'd hate to come around the corner at speed and meet one of these dudes!!
:tab The scenery here is really awesome. Like so much of the scenery in this area, it is just really hard to get a grasp on the scale of things. And as usual, pictures hardly seem to do justice to it. Nonetheless, here are my efforts:
Looking Northwest upriver from a scenic overlook, Mexico on the left side of the river. (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01681.JPG)
Obligatory bike shot (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01682.JPG) / Or two... (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01683.JPG) / Doh! Okay so three... (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01684.JPG) :oops: I just can't help it, hehe.
Looking Southeast downriver (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01685.JPG)
The road to Presidio (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01686.JPG)
John rides out to the edge of the cliff (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01687.JPG) / "Me mighty adventurer... You wuss!... Grunt Grunt!" (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01689.JPG)
A beautiful clear blue sky! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01688.JPG)
Yet another bike shot (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01690.JPG) / Up close and personal! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01691.JPG)
:tab We run all the way out until we just clear the edge of the Big Bend Ranch State Natural Area and then turn around. The run back is just as much fun, after all, it is like a whole new road when we are coming the other way :dude: There's not much traffic out here. We do see some other bikes, mostly friendly packs of rumbling Harleys. At a stop, Bill begins to ponder our dinner plans. We have all brought the food in a bag, just add water, makes it own sauce. He suggests that since we are already out and about, perhaps we might grab a bite to eat in Terlingua. John and I don't put up any resistance. We stop in some Cafe/Gas station. The burgers are big and good. The burrito thing that John gets is freakishly large :eek: We thought the waitress was exaggerating, apparently she was serious! Glad I'm not sharing a tent with John! :suicide: :-P
:tab Stuffed and feeling lazy, we gas up the bikes and head back into the park. I'm really getting the itch to get some good scenery pics, or at least try. So I stop and tell John and Bill to go on ahead to the campsite and I will be along later. No point in having them constantly stopping and waiting for me to take pictures. Off they go. Now I can just take my sweet time and enjoy myself. Besides, there is just something very peaceful about being the only person out here, totally alone. It is a little after 6:00pm and the sun is starting to cast long shadows. It's perfect for taking pictures.
Another panorama set: The Chisos Mountains
North side, pic 1 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01692.JPG) / Pic 2 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01693.JPG) / Pic 3 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01694.JPG) / Pic 4 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01695.JPG) / South side, Pic 5 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01696.JPG)
I should have included the bike, DOH!! Here's another panorama set take closer to the Basin mountains.
Left (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01698.JPG) / Middle (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01699.JPG) / Right (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01700.JPG)
Beauty and the Beast (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01701.JPG)
The cacti are blooming everywhere! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01703.JPG) / Another (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01704.JPG)
:tab When we were coming down the Devil's River valley yesterday, there were tons of these along the side of the road and the fence lines. Many of them were sporting blooms of three or four different colors, ranging from the bright yellow shown above to a fiery red. SMack me for not stopping and taking some pictures :mad: I have to pick a few needles out of my gloves and jacket sleeve after getting the close up shots above.
A nerdy self portrait (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01705.JPG)
:tab I figure the setting sun will make for some really neat pictures on the road up into the Basin. So I decide to ride on up and see what I can find. What I quickly find is that it gets cold here in a hurry once the sun starts to get low on the horizon! I don't get to far before I decide to stop, take a few shots and head for warmer parts.
Nearly a full moon over Panther Peak (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01706.JPG)
I've never seen it so green here! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01707.JPG)
A serious warning! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01708.JPG) I believe a motorcycle rider was mauled by a mountain lion recently at the park and died from the attack. However, I don't know the details.
More of the Ocotillio (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01709.JPG) / Shot 2, diff exposure setting (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01710.JPG) / Another (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01712.JPG)
The Ocotillio can get quite tall - a few are pushing 15-20 feet! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01711.JPG)
:tab I pass through Panther Junction and head off across the plain back towards the campsite. Now I find myself doing 45mph with no trouble at all. I am in no particular hurry to get back as I am really enjoying the solitude. I have seen only one or two other cars since parting with John and Bill. I glance back over my shoulder and catch this neat glimpse of the Chisos Mountains (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01713.JPG). The setting sun makes it possible to take artistic liberty (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01714.JPG) with the scenery shots ;-) I just can't help myself.
:tab Interestingly, as the sun gets lower, the air gets clearer. I guess there is less light reflecting and refracting off the dust in the air. It makes for some nice shots.
The big ridge line in the back is Mexcio, maybe another 20 miles away? (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01715.JPG)
A neat looking dry wash area... if only I could get an ATV down there... (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01716.JPG) :twisted:
I think this is Tornillo Creek (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01717.JPG)
:tab After crossing over the creek, I spot a sign I had seen earlier in the day pointing off the road. "Hot Springs -->" It's gravel, there is still several hours of light left, it doesn't look to bad... What the heck, this is supposed to be an adventure right? As soon as I turn off onto the gravel there is a sign warning that only 4WD and other offroad vehicles should attempt this drive, no dualies!! I soon see why! The road is very narrow, winds around blind hillsides and has a lot of loose gravel. I go verrry slow and carefully, not wanting to dump the bike while I am out here alone.
The raving on the left is deeper and steeper than it looks here! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01718.JPG)
The return route on the far side of the ravine (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01719.JPG)
I'm not a geologist and haven't stayed in a Holiday Inn Express, but the rocks look cool! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/043004BigBend/DSC01720.JPG)
:tab