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 
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2005
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- Location
- Buda, TX
- First Name
- Rich
- Last Name
- Gibbens
I had the Hill Country 500 scheduled for Spring 2016 but rain/bad weather caused me to cancel the event. So, let's try again.
The Hill Country 500 is a two day, 500 mile adventure ride in the Texas hill country suitable for dual sport and adventure bikes. The route will consist of both pavement and off-pavement riding on public roads (there is no off-road riding during the Hill Country 500).
I've planned some really fine roads for us to ride - it will be a great weekend of riding.
This ride is open to all riders who have a street legal motorcycle that can sustain highway speeds (70 mph) and can handle both pavement and off-pavement riding.
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, Nov 5 - 6, 2016
Saturday
The ride will begin at 8 am Saturday, May 21st in Blanco, TX. We will overnight in Kerrville, TX on Saturday evening.
Start: Blanco, TX, 8 a.m.
Meet at the Stripes convenient store on Hwy 281 south of Blanco (address: 1138 US-281, Blanco, TX 78606) at 8 am. Riders meeting at 8:30 am, Stands up not later than 9 am.
If you are coming from out-of-town on Friday evening and need a place to sleep, there are Best Western Hotels in Blanco and Johnson City.
We will organize into small riding groups. Recruit some friends and create your own group. Or show up at the riders meeting on Saturday and I will help groups get together.
The course will be big bike friendly. The dirt sections will be typical hill country dirt roads, mostly class 1 and 2 with numerous low water crossings. (Note, the James River crossing is not included.) You should be comfortable riding off-pavement and ready for two long days in the saddle.
There are multiple places to gas up along the route but it would be best if your bike has a minimum 100 mile range.
You should have all the necessary tools with you to repair a flat (the single most common problem during an adventure ride) or handle typical problems with your particular motorcycle. Please don't rely on others to have the tools and parts to fix your bike in the event it breaks.
Communication: Being able to communicate with the other members of your group while riding is so useful that once you experience it you will not want to do without. I use and recommend the Sena bike to bike communication system. I also use a walkie talkie. This event is just the excuse you have been looking for to get your own bike-to-bike communication system.
Overnight: Kerrville, TX
After riding approximately 300 miles we will arrive in Kerrville for an overnight stay. I am staying at the:
Best Western Sunday House Inn
2124 Sidney Baker Street
Kerrville, Texas
78028-2535, United States
Phone: 830/896-1313
There are multiple other hotel options in Kerrville in the event the Best Western is full. Make your reservations sooner rather than later. You can always cancel them if your plans don't work out. I have not scheduled a group rate at the hotel so negotiate your own best rate.
After checking in at the hotel, cleaning up, and having dinner, we will congregate in the hotel parking lot for story telling (or outright lies) and tire kicking. And maybe consume a few adult beverages and/or smoke a cigar.
Sunday
On Sunday, we will ride about 200 miles north and east, looping through Llano for lunch at the world famous Cooper's BBQ. Our ride will end at Hwy 281 in Round Mountain.
Each group will depart on Sunday morning at whatever time they choose to depart. If you leave by 8 a.m. and you don't have many bike issues, your group will likely finish by mid-afternoon.
GPS Routes:
Download the routes to your computer.
Day 1
Day 2
Rain Decision
I will be checking the forecast and will make a bad weather decision on Thursday, Nov 3rd. If the forecast is for heavy rains and/or lighting storms the event will be cancelled.
Cost = $2
There is a $2 cost to participate in the Hill Country 500 and all of the money will be donated to Two Wheeled Texans. I will collect the $2 at the riders meeting on Saturday morning (if you use and like the Two Wheeled Texans forum and are not a regular contributor to helping pay for the cost of this site, please consider donating more than $2). I'm not running a registration or sign-up for this event - just show up and ride. Bring $2.
Put it on your calendar: Go ahead and make your plans now. After it's all said and ridden, you'll be glad you attended.
The Hill Country 500 is a two day, 500 mile adventure ride in the Texas hill country suitable for dual sport and adventure bikes. The route will consist of both pavement and off-pavement riding on public roads (there is no off-road riding during the Hill Country 500).
I've planned some really fine roads for us to ride - it will be a great weekend of riding.
This ride is open to all riders who have a street legal motorcycle that can sustain highway speeds (70 mph) and can handle both pavement and off-pavement riding.
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, Nov 5 - 6, 2016
Saturday
The ride will begin at 8 am Saturday, May 21st in Blanco, TX. We will overnight in Kerrville, TX on Saturday evening.
Start: Blanco, TX, 8 a.m.
Meet at the Stripes convenient store on Hwy 281 south of Blanco (address: 1138 US-281, Blanco, TX 78606) at 8 am. Riders meeting at 8:30 am, Stands up not later than 9 am.
If you are coming from out-of-town on Friday evening and need a place to sleep, there are Best Western Hotels in Blanco and Johnson City.
We will organize into small riding groups. Recruit some friends and create your own group. Or show up at the riders meeting on Saturday and I will help groups get together.
The course will be big bike friendly. The dirt sections will be typical hill country dirt roads, mostly class 1 and 2 with numerous low water crossings. (Note, the James River crossing is not included.) You should be comfortable riding off-pavement and ready for two long days in the saddle.
There are multiple places to gas up along the route but it would be best if your bike has a minimum 100 mile range.
You should have all the necessary tools with you to repair a flat (the single most common problem during an adventure ride) or handle typical problems with your particular motorcycle. Please don't rely on others to have the tools and parts to fix your bike in the event it breaks.
Communication: Being able to communicate with the other members of your group while riding is so useful that once you experience it you will not want to do without. I use and recommend the Sena bike to bike communication system. I also use a walkie talkie. This event is just the excuse you have been looking for to get your own bike-to-bike communication system.
Overnight: Kerrville, TX
After riding approximately 300 miles we will arrive in Kerrville for an overnight stay. I am staying at the:
Best Western Sunday House Inn
2124 Sidney Baker Street
Kerrville, Texas
78028-2535, United States
Phone: 830/896-1313
There are multiple other hotel options in Kerrville in the event the Best Western is full. Make your reservations sooner rather than later. You can always cancel them if your plans don't work out. I have not scheduled a group rate at the hotel so negotiate your own best rate.
After checking in at the hotel, cleaning up, and having dinner, we will congregate in the hotel parking lot for story telling (or outright lies) and tire kicking. And maybe consume a few adult beverages and/or smoke a cigar.
Sunday
On Sunday, we will ride about 200 miles north and east, looping through Llano for lunch at the world famous Cooper's BBQ. Our ride will end at Hwy 281 in Round Mountain.
Each group will depart on Sunday morning at whatever time they choose to depart. If you leave by 8 a.m. and you don't have many bike issues, your group will likely finish by mid-afternoon.
GPS Routes:
Download the routes to your computer.
Day 1
Day 2
Rain Decision
I will be checking the forecast and will make a bad weather decision on Thursday, Nov 3rd. If the forecast is for heavy rains and/or lighting storms the event will be cancelled.
Cost = $2
There is a $2 cost to participate in the Hill Country 500 and all of the money will be donated to Two Wheeled Texans. I will collect the $2 at the riders meeting on Saturday morning (if you use and like the Two Wheeled Texans forum and are not a regular contributor to helping pay for the cost of this site, please consider donating more than $2). I'm not running a registration or sign-up for this event - just show up and ride. Bring $2.
Put it on your calendar: Go ahead and make your plans now. After it's all said and ridden, you'll be glad you attended.
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