• Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to register so that you can join the community and use the numerous features on the site. After registering, don't forget to post up an introduction!

A quick ride out of Ponder.

KenH

0
Inactive Member
Forum Supporter
Joined
Feb 18, 2007
Messages
11,737
Reaction score
9
Location
Lost in space
First Name
Ken
Last Name
Haley
Okay, North Texas simply doesn't have much in the way of scenery. We had a fun ride, anyway--bets the heck out of working. :lol2: Part of the crew met up at the Snooty Pig for a hearty breakfast, another part met early in Ponder.

After a quick rider's meeting ("Everybody done eating?" "Yup." "Let's go!") we headed out to find out how closed the roads really are. We found out that closed roads generally are not. I only took 4 pictures and the only one I'm going to post is of the crew at the first water stop.

100_3442.jpg


No significant crashes, no gnarly obstacles, just a nice, dusty ride through North Texas for 15 guys.
 
I wound up with 147 miles for the ride. Several of us started out with Breakfest at the Snooty Pig and then it was on to Ponder for the DS ride.



Quick Trail Side break:



This could be bad::eek2:



No problem for a mighty KLR:




Somebody worked up a big appetite on the ride. Can you say industrial sized chicken fried steak? :eat:

 
Fantastic time and a great ride. I will try to post the gpx file if anyone is interested.
Thanks again,
Zilla
 
I went ahead and posted a gpx file on the "Favorite stomping grounds" thread. Let me know if it works. The first part of course is from my place to Ponder. Just insert your directions from your place.
Thanks,
Z
 
After getting home (and hosing my clothes off!), I pulled the air cleaner out of the bike. It sure stopped a lot of white dust. Now that I've got that and all the other household chores finished, I'm sucking down the martini eqivalent of that chicken fried steak!
martini.jpg



Hats off to those responsible for organizing such a fine day. Well, the neighbors are on the way over expecting dinner on the grill, so I'm off. Take care, gentlemen.
 
Here are the pics I took, I wish I had video of that second bridge crossing. I know we had a couple of guys eat it, but thankfully it was at low speed and something we could all joke about.

I had a great time guys, that was my inaugural DS run and I look forward to more. We'll put together a grasslands run here in the next month before it starts to get hot.

-Chris

DSC01520.jpg

DSC01521.jpg

DSC01523.jpg

DSC01524.jpg

DSC01525.jpg

DSC01526.jpg

DSC01527.jpg

DSC01529.jpg

DSC01530.jpg



And videos (I'll have 3 up tomorrow)


th_MOV01531.jpg



th_MOV01533.jpg


th_MOV01532.jpg
 
Everyone, I had a good time yesterday. The weather couldn’t have been better. I route could have had more dirt…may be next time. It was good to meet everyone. I look forward to riding with you again.

I posted the track from my GPS in “Ponder & beyond GPX” in Favorite Stomping Grounds.
 
This looks like it was a lot of fun. But, most of what I see in the pictures is everyone "marking their territory!" :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
 
2 Things....

1. Where can I find that CFS? :eek2: WOW!
2. Whats the story with the bridge?

Oh.. and third... Thanks for sharing, looks like a fun little ride!
 
That was my plate full of deep fried cow. Made a pretty good dent in it before giving up to save room for hot pecan pie and ice cream. We all met up at Ranchman's in Ponder, Tx where the local Pie Run is held around here. We ended up back there for lunch.
http://www.ranchman.com/

Honest, those piles of dirt at the bridges(yup, two) were *merely* bumps on the road to chicken fried steak on the GPS tracts.
 
Here's the story about the CFS and Bridge.

The Ranchman's Cafe is a World Famous down home Country Cafe.
The Chicken Fried Steaks are a PLATE FULL, as you can see.
The Burgers are almost as big.
Heck, Playboy has even done a Photo shoot there once. (News article is framed on the men’s bathroom wall if you want to read the details about it.)
It's not a fancy place to eat. You can walk in there in your dirty work clothes and feel right at home. Or come in off the trail in your dusty motorcycle clothes and they don't give you a second glance about the dust cloud you have trailing you.

The bridges here in Wise County are nearing the 100 year old mark. And, if you remember last spring we had a LOT of rain that wiped out most of them. Well, if they stay in place more than 100 years then they become Historical sites and cannot be torn down and redone. So the State of Texas is hurrying to get all the old, vital to traffic bridges, replaced before they are declared Historical Landmarks. Which if fine with those of use who live out here because they are getting very rickety and need replacing anyway. That bridge was one of many under reconstruction. And we happened to find our route blocked by barricades, saying "road closed, bridge out ahead."

Being the true Adventurers, and Semi Hardcore Dual Sport Rider that we were. We decided to check it out for ourselves. I was hoping to get in some creek bottom time, but the bridges were almost finished. Those little mounds of dirt sure weren’t enough to stop us. So we rode over them one at a time. Just in case the bridge guys left some vital bolts out of the mix. :eek2: It made our day anyway, just knowing we were on a real live honest to gosh Dual Sport Ride.

Had a blast and I even took my turn at riding drag. Man, 14 bikes can sure kick up the dust. Can you imagine what it must have been like in the 1800's with a 1000 head of cattle, up wind from you, driving them to Kansas?
I actually live on part of the Historical "Old Chisholm Trail" that went from Fort Worth Texas to Kansas City Kansas..

I had a blast.

Happy Trails!

Curtis
 
First of all thanks for putting the ride together I think it was Chris and Mark, but it seems that everyone was involved in some shape or form to get this ride together. It was my first DS ride and hopefully many more will come. Everyone at the ride was great and it just makes you feel safe while riding you guys.
I have some pictures to share. Hope to ride again with all of you guys, it was fun.

Eddie.
 

Attachments

  • Ponder 3.jpg
    Ponder 3.jpg
    83.8 KB · Views: 172
  • Ponder 2.jpg
    Ponder 2.jpg
    92 KB · Views: 162
  • Ponder 1.jpg
    Ponder 1.jpg
    79.2 KB · Views: 157
What is really funny about all of those bridges in Denton Co getting closed is that the signs showed up within 10 days of that major highway bridge collapse up north. Figure some lawyers in somewhere in that. There are more than one or two bridges "closed" in Denton Co now. Mighty inconvienent to those who now have to travel the long way around. Sorry thing is that some of those bridges wont be replaced making for less road. I know where there are two old bridges that never reopened in Denton Co. already.
 
update on bridges

One of the bridges over Clear Creek at Nicholson rd has new pilings up but no bridge. The bridge over Sam Bass Rd is finished despite the sign.
 
Back
Top