New years day Fannin county dirt road splorin ride

[Photojojo]

I'm thinking about heading to Fannin County up around Bonham and checking out some dirt roads to see if I can come up with a decent dual sport loop.

Anybody intersted in coming? I've got good maps, but have no idea where I'm going. Just making decisions based on the shape of the line on the map and the area I think is prospectful. There is a possibilty of riding in the Sulphur river bottoms as well.

Oh yeah, I ride pretty slow. :rider:

[Sprocket]

I'm in on the 650L...

[Sleepy Weasel]

I think I could make it on the Sherpa.

[STCPO]

As of now, count me in. Where do you want us to meet you and what time?

Pete

[gocatgo]

Hey, I'm interested in splorin some dirt roads to start the new year right.

[Photojojo]

How about 10:00 A.M. at the Mcdonalds on the intersection of Hwy 78 and 82 on the north end of Bonham. GPS coords are N33 36.070 W96 10.562. If your going to trailer there us a grocery store next door that has a big parking lot. I have not asked permission to park trailers there. But Iwould guess it would be ok.

I really have no plan other than to head to the north east corner and go towards the Red River. There is one road near Ladonia thatsomeoen told me the bridge was out on, so we may check it out to see if we can get around, or over, or through, or whatever.

I'm open to starting either earlier or later, voice your opinion.

[Sprocket]

I'll be riding up from Garland/Rowlett and am thinking about hitting some back/dirt roads on the way up. The ones marked with CR look kinda nice...:lol:

IIRC, it's just under an hour ride if I shoot up 78, so heading out around 0800 should give me a little leeway to explore. Gonna be too dry for water crossings, but I think I'll ride by where a few would be anyway. :rider:

Anyone headed north to Bonham is welcome to join me.

[STCPO]

I'll be riding up from Garland/Rowlett and am thinking about hitting some back/dirt roads on the way up. The ones marked with CR look kinda nice...:lol:

IIRC, it's just under an hour ride if I shoot up 78, so heading out around 0800 should give me a little leeway to explore. Gonna be too dry for water crossings, but I think I'll ride by where a few would be anyway. :rider:

Anyone headed north to Bonham is welcome to join me.

Jeff,
I'll be heading to Bonham from McKinney. I maybe be able to meet you someplace around Wylie if you have some good roads in mind. Otherwise I'll just take 121 out to Bonham.

Pete

[Sprocket]

Working on a route now Pete... :)

Right now it looks like a good point to meet would be just east of where Bethany become Lucas Road in east Allen. It then crosses the north end of the lake and becomes 982. Just north of Princeton I'm looking at jumping onto CR roads for the rest of the trip.

[Sleepy Weasel]

Jeff,
I'll be heading to Bonham from McKinney. I maybe be able to meet you someplace around Wylie if you have some good roads in mind. Otherwise I'll just take 121 out to Bonham.

Pete

Is there maybe a spot I could catch you in McKinney on my way out from Lewisville?

[Sprocket]

Is there maybe a spot I could catch you in McKinney on my way out from Lewisville?

MapSource shows a McDonald's just west of the intersection of 380 and 982. I/we'll be comming up 982 and could swing in and pick ya up on the way.

No clue on a time as I've never tried this route, but I'd estimate a window of 0830-0900 to be riding by...

[Sprocket]

Jeff,
I'll be heading to Bonham from McKinney. I maybe be able to meet you someplace around Wylie if you have some good roads in mind. Otherwise I'll just take 121 out to Bonham.

Pete

You could meet me down in east Allen/Lucas at W Lucas Road & Southview Drive. MapSource shows at Lucas Food Mart on that corner...

Or, we can hook up around Princeton at 982 & 380 with Sleepy Weasel...

Either way, the route I've laid out shows just over 64 miles from the Lucas Food Mart waypoint to the 1000 McDonalds meet in Bonham. From the 380 & 982 point on 380 (Princeton), I used roads that MapSource shows to be listed as "CR". I don't profess to be any expect, but I think CR means county road which is gravel or dirt in my experience. There are 8 places where the CR roads cross a stream or creek between Princeton and Bonham too... :)

Other than a GPS, I have zero qualifications for this routing stuff. I can't guarantee the roads are there, what they're like, or the fun factor. Worst case, we can always hop onto 121 or 78 at any point if running late. Being at the McD's in Bonham by 1000 is my goal, exploring is just a bonus on the way. :)

If you have a GPS, shoot me an email addy and I'll send the ride file...

[Sleepy Weasel]

I can't guarantee the roads are there, what they're like, or the fun factor.

Sounds like one of Wabbit's wild wides. You're always guaranteed at least 2 u-turns.

The McDonald's location sounds fine by me. I don't see any reason I couldn't be there before 9am.

What kind of GPS are you using? I'm on a Garmin (.gdb file extension, I think?). I need to go see about swapping the mount over from the SV though.

[STCPO]

Sounds like one of Wabbit's wild wides. You're always guaranteed at least 2 u-turns.

The McDonald's location sounds fine by me. I don't see any reason I couldn't be there before 9am.

What kind of GPS are you using? I'm on a Garmin (.gdb file extension, I think?). I need to go see about swapping the mount over from the SV though.

If you wanted to meet me a littler earlier here at the house in McKinney, we could ride over to Allen/Lucas and meet him Sprocket there.

Pete

[Sprocket]

Garmin, why, is there some other kind? :)

PM me an email addy and I'll shoot you the gdb file. I just sent it over Pete's way. He's meeting me down in Lucas/Allen and then're we'll head up your way.

[Sleepy Weasel]

Turns out the gps format is irrelevant. I have ONE spot on the bars where I can fit it, and it puts the antenna right in front of the key.

I've got a set of bierdo's risers ordered. They'll generate the room I need to reposition the mount, but not by Sunday, I'd bet.

I'll just try to keep up, eh?

[Sleepy Weasel]

Pardon the bump, but I keep losing track of this thread because I expect to find it in one of the dirt/dualsport forums.

[Sprocket]

Pardon the bump, but I keep losing track of this thread because I expect to find it in one of the dirt/dualsport forums.

Shhhhh! Type it too loud and somebody will move it and less folks will be exposed to "the Dirt Side" <insert Darth Vader breathing here>... :)

[Sleepy Weasel]

Shhhhh! Type it too loud and somebody will move it and less folks will be exposed to "the Dirt Side" <insert Darth Vader breathing here>... :)

Yes, Annakin, give in to the dirt...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kurt1305/Pictures/evil20pope.jpg

[Photojojo]

Here are .gdb and .gpx files for the ride. I just kind of randomly selected some roads that looked good on the papper map. Not sure how these will pan out but at least a couple of them are bound to be good. Honey Grove is about 80 miles into the ride. They have a Kwik Check gas station that will be open. I think they sell pizza as well.

There is a little more pavement towards the end guessing by road numbers, but I'm not sure if some of the others are pavement or dirt. This route has us passing through Bug Tussle, so if there are any Geocachers in the group we can stop there. www.geocaching.com (http://www.geocaching.com) Or if you just want to take a picture of yourself in Bug Tussle that will work to.

I'm new to this route planning thing so I'm open to any suggestions.

[Photojojo]

Ok here they are this time for real...I promise.

[Sleepy Weasel]

Interesting note...

Turns out bierdo's spacers showed up yesterday.

But the bars on the Sherpa are wider than the originals, and don't leave enough cable length to add the spacers.

By swapping riser caps, though, the spacers fit on the new DR just fine.

But there isn't enough room for the GPS between the riser caps and the crossbar.

I ordered a Touratech vibration damping mount the other day, should be here next week. Looks like I'll just follow you guys tomorrow. I hope it's not going to be as windy as they claim.
:nono:

[STCPO]

Guys, I'm not going to be able to make this one. After doing a walk around of the bike today I seem to have a coolant leak and I don't want to risk it.

Have fun and stay safe. Maybe we can get together again in a few weeks.

Pete

[Sprocket]

Guys, I'm not going to be able to make this one. After doing a walk around of the bike today I seem to have a coolant leak and I don't want to risk it.

Have fun and stay safe. Maybe we can get together again in a few weeks.

Pete

Bummer Pete. I was riding with 2 KLR's up at Rocky Ridge today and was impressed in how well the bikes (and riders) did. One did do a low speed drop and smashed up the left rad quite a bit. :(

Sleepy you still gonna meet me at the McDonald's just west of 380 and 982? Say between 0830 and 0900? If it's not there, we can meet at that intersection (can't be *that* big, can it?). :)

[Sprocket]

Honey Grove is about 80 miles into the ride.

80 miles into the ride? Wholly carp Batman! I'm gonna be at 70 miles before I even get to Bonham. Should be a full day...

(off to take a peek at the gps file)

[Sleepy Weasel]

Bummer Pete. I was riding with 2 KLR's up at Rocky Ridge today and was impressed in how well the bikes (and riders) did. One did do a low speed drop and smashed up the left rad quite a bit. :(

Sleepy you still gonna meet me at the McDonald's just west of 380 and 982? Say between 0830 and 0900? If it's not there, we can meet at that intersection (can't be *that* big, can it?). :)

Yup... see you there. Just not sure which DS to ride.
:ponder:

[Sprocket]

Riding that far? No brainer. The six-fiddy. You'll be soooo much more comfortable at speed...

[Sleepy Weasel]

Riding that far? No brainer. The six-fiddy. You'll be soooo much more comfortable at speed...

At what speed? :nono:

The first weekend after I got the Sherpa, I wandered out towards Justin, and then decided I'd hit a few of the dirt county roads out there. Next thing I knew I was gassing up in Decatur. Good thing about the Sherpa is I already know what she feels like on dirt, and it sits a little lighter & lower if I had to put down an outrigger.

I'll probably decide at the last possible moment in the morning.

[Sprocket]

I meant considering you have to ride over from Lewisville. Just figured that would be easier on a 650 than 250. :)

After a full day at Rocky Ridge, I just got the trailer unloaded and am off to a HOT shower. See ya in the AM!

[Tourmeister]

Trip report move here ;-)

http://twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6988