Hill Country dual sport ride advice

My riding buddy and I just got 1150 Adventures. We are planning a trip to CO in a few months but are itching to do some dirt riding in a couple of weeks in the Hill Country. Are there any routes or combination of routes that will keep us busy for a weekend? Looking for some challenging stuff, but no too crazy....

Thanks!

Go west on 71 into Llano County. About 8 miles past 281 you can take CR310, IIRC, on the left there are several dirt county roads that wander westward from there. Roads of Texas is the best map book for finding the roads since they show wich ones are dirt. Several water crossings and some sandy sections for you to enjoy.

I echo CBAT - the Roads of Texas Atlas by Mapsco is the best source for identifying public dirt roads in the hill country. You can get one at any of the major bookstores and at many convenient stores in the hill country. It is the bible for dual sport adventure riding in Texas.

I have a nice little route of around 380 miles you can do..

it has most of all the fun dirt roads around the hill country

PM me your email and I'll send you a road book if needed.

If you get out by kerrville in the vicinity of the 3 sisters make sure you try the road connecting 335 and 336, honorable mention for hackberry road off of 41 too. Lots of good riding sw of mason to junction as well.

Don't worry about any challenging stuff, there really isn't much in the way of that around Texas. No shortage in CO though.

kingham said:

I have a nice little route of around 380 miles you can do..

it has most of all the fun dirt roads around the hill country

PM me your email and I'll send you a road book if needed.

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Does anyone know how I can copy/convert that file so I can use in mapsource?

JLS1126 said:

Does anyone know how I can copy/convert that file so I can use in mapsource?

Click to expand...

Mapsource should load a .gpx. At least mine does.

Ben

I r/click on the file save the target in my "routes" folder - when in mapsource i try to open the folder with file type .gpx converter and nada...

I tried to copy the file and Firefox said it was a .jpg file. I've saved .gpx files before with no problem.

updated my first post

Size wise that looks better. The first only ended up with the gpx (XML) header info. I don't have mapsource on this computer to check it out though. I'll check on the other machine soon.

Still getting same error. Not a valid Mapsource file.

Crap..

too many ride files..

just remembered I had to divide the garmin route into 4 separate routes because of the size of trip.

fixed my first post

Now we're in busness, it's working. thanks Ken

Yes, many thanks! Looks like a great ride.

When were ya'll planning on doing this ride?

BIG A said:

When were ya'll planning on doing this ride?

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That's a ride that was done a couple of years ago, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. There are ride reports in that section of the forum. The route was provided by Ken on request of good dirt roads close to Austin.

CBAT said:

That's a ride that was done a couple of years ago, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. There are ride reports in that section of the forum. The route was provided by Ken on request of good dirt roads close to Austin.

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That's the one... Maybe we need to do that again this year... it was a blast. think around 30 of us made the run.. and about 20 guys stayed at Crystals bar and Grill for the burgers and beer at the end...

FYI... make sure you fill those GS up as there is no gas stops until Mason..

If anyone else is riding with a smaller tank.. fill at each gas station you see along the route...

CBAT said:

Go west on 71 into Llano County. About 8 miles past 281 you can take CR310, IIRC, on the left there are several dirt county roads that wander westward from there. Roads of Texas is the best map book for finding the roads since they show wich ones are dirt. Several water crossings and some sandy sections for you to enjoy.

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Echo...I would take random roads along the area (off CR310) and relish the ride. Sometimes we get too fixated on knowing the exact GPS path. As long as you have plenty of gas, it is pleasant to not know road you are on!

There is a traveling dude called Dr. Gregory Frazier, who has ridden around the world several times on various bikes and I believe he does not use a GPS but just a map as a reference point.

Yea...I took the road less traveled.

RB

FB
what route are you taking into Colorado?
West Texas into NM and north I bet we got a LOT of ideas.

I am itching to do one from here to the Ruidoso area... finally got the luggage on my DR sorted out...

thanks Ken! you are a charitable soul. I want to do that route in warm weather

FatBuoy said:

My riding buddy and I just got 1150 Adventures. We are planning a trip to CO in a few months but are itching to do some dirt riding in a couple of weeks in the Hill Country. Are there any routes or combination of routes that will keep us busy for a weekend? Looking for some challenging stuff, but no too crazy....

Thanks!

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Hey Zap,

Not 100% sure yet, but that's what we did last time. Heck of a trip and really makes me want to move out that way sometimes. Let me know when you go to NM. If you want company we may join you...

the biggest 'problem' with this route is there is so much to see, so many fine roads to run down, you want to take like a month to do the trip.

I have a longer term fantasy of doing a dualsport rally in the ruidoso area. it is as perfect a spot as there is in the country. There are a number of campgrounds and lodging facilities, as you know. the campground right behind the NFS Ranger station on the north side of Ruidoso [I think its called Cedar Creek] has big group-meet facilities, which is sorta a must for a proper rally. and of course the riding is endless... ghost towns to visit, treacherous mountain passes, easy slab through the hills, rivers, lakes, water crossings... and a thousand miles of dirt roads.

If you haven't run it, the route up Hwy 54 from Van Horn to Guadalupe Mtn's state Park is a 'sleeper'. I dunno why it doesn't get more attention or maybe I'm missing it. A gorgeous 'backroad' drive. Connects to Hwy 180 which you can then take on through Carlsbad and north through NM.

I know some texans find I-10 to be a total bore but to me, from around Comfort all the way to Van Horn area is pretty interesting terrain, with numerous side-trips, some parallel 2-lane scenic roads, and if you're just slabbin', the speed limit is the most generous in texas [on the interstate]. So if nothing else, we make good time

FatBuoy said:

Hey Zap,

Not 100% sure yet, but that's what we did last time. Heck of a trip and really makes me want to move out that way sometimes. Let me know when you go to NM. If you want company we may join you...

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