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Oct 18 Padre to Mansfield cut campout

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SL350

SL350

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Anyone interested in riding down Padre the afternoon of Friday October 18 and camping near the Port Mansfield cut? We (RickMillerTX) and I plan to ride from the national seashore near Corpus along the beach (50 miles?) and then return the next morning. I will ride my ct90 and Rick plans on using his Suzuki Marauder 250. We will trailer to the National park.

Like this ride but just the North half.

http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87377&highlight=mansfield
 
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I grew up in South TX and we used to camp on the south side of the Mansfield cut. We would cross over to the island at Port Isabel. It was 20 +/- miles from there north up to the cut. My recommendation is that you carry large amounts of water with you. If you have any problems and end up walking out ...you will need it. There is very little traffic that far from civilization. You may only see a couple other vehicles all day. Good luck.
 
Much farther on the path we are taking. Thanks for the water warning.
 
Wonder if there is a backpacking kit for desalination? That would be better for this ride than buckets of water.
 
SL350 said:
2 bikes, trailer full. What bike would you ride?
Click to expand...

Not sure but if I can go I need to get one of the back burner ones running right and up to snuff. I would ride a small one 100-350cc to make it where we could all ride the same speeds. The Connie don't like sand and surf.:nono: The BMW I am saving for Colorado and commuting to work.
 
I've never run across a compact desalinator. The beach north of the cut is really desolate. We took a boat over there once...not a vehicle in sight. I would guess only hard-core surf fishermen, or an occasional camper would venture that far south. Not sure about cell coverage either. It was long ago before cell phones when we would go, but I am guessing that it would be spotty coverage at best once you leave the Corpus area...until you get to the southern end. You will be in a really primative area. Usually plenty of firewood laying around though. The sand crabs come out at night...so if there is anyway to carry a cot to sleep off the sand...consider it. Have fun!
 
What have I gotten myself into? :eek2:

We will have fun. Since I don't have much coastal experience, I hope Mike knows all about tides. I would hate to be snoring and then get hit by a wave.
 
I read some take up to 10 hours to work SL.:eek2: This sounds crazy enough that it is tempting. I have a KE100 and a KZ250 that I may be able to get up to snuff by then. Will there be any street riding or will it mainly be beach?
 
At this point I am planning on taking the ct90, that sorta kills any street riding cause the road to the national seashore is 2 lane high speed. It could be done with a ct, just that you would spend more time looking back than forward. Nothing like doing 40 -45 mph when everyone else is doing 80.

So yes, all beach.

And yes, I have camped there just not that far south. And it is the beach and its isolation that makes it unique and an interesting ride. Where else in the world can you ride on the beach all day and see one car?

I think any bike can handle it. I used to take my Kawasaki 500 triple but had a lot more fun on a monkey bike. The CT90 is kinda in between.

If any road riding is added, I will switch to the sl350. Both are almost ready. Waiting on a new set of front wheel bearings for the sl350. CT90 is ready.

Rick is using his GZ-250. That might be a challenge but it is 15 mph and there is always the hard pack sand at the waters edge.

The real threat is a cold front. When they come in, it can push the tides to the dunes. It will be a bit early for anything that big but it is possible. That is about the only thing that can wash out the ride.


There are crabs! We both have tents and they can't get in.

There can be mesquitoes but USUALLY the stiff breeze that comes off the gulf keeps them at bay.
 
Make sure you are prepared for as much as possible; I don't think there's any cell coverage in that area. I went maybe 5-6 miles south of where the road ends on the beach about a year ago, and there was nothing.

This looks doable with stuff I'd be taking with me anyways:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bokFZ0VI1A&feature=g-all-c"]DIY: Emergency Desalination still (salt water purification) - YouTube[/ame]

I would say, take as much water as you think you'll need, and the stuff to do desalination in case you need it.
 
I grew up in Corpus and have been wanting to organize a DS ride down the island.
With that said im impressed you are gonna try it on those bikes as the conditions get really bad and are completely unpredictable. Ive been down about 25 miles in my 4x4 Tahoe and the sand gets super deep...too deep to steer a typical bike.
Some say its a suicide mission and will swallow your bike like it has many jeeps...However I say it sounds like a blast...and if it trashes a bike then what a tale for the grandkids...

Im gonna consider this one...as I will be spending lots of time down in CC anyway in October...the best sporting, traveling, bikeing, adventuring month of the year....
 
Awesome video of a day that had excellent driving conditions. Remember October has some high tides which may put you doing some of that riding in the dunes.
Im gonna consult the tide charts and make a plan.
T
 
Yes, October can be iffy. It is real possible that we get down there and conditions keep us from riding the distance or riding at all. All we can do at this point is plan for it and be ready to change the ride. I have no desire to ride 45 miles in deep soft sand, that is just not what I am looking for. But like these guys on the video I would run on the hard pack as much as possible as the bike I am running does not have the power like the DR650 does to ride with the read axle buried.

Another factor that worries me is that the soft sand can eat gas mileage. I figure about twice as much gas will be needed. It is ((45 or so miles each way + piddling) X 2 ways) X 2 times as much gas).
 
http://www.nps.gov/shutdown/index.html


If Padre does not open by this Sunday, Oct 14, I am cancelling. I am planning on having good fodder for the small bike camping and the cheap camping threads. Today I am changing oil, tightening the chain and pumping tires on the ct90.

How long does it take for a park to reopen? It may already be too late.
 
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If you do this next year I will try to have my Kawasaki going right by then. Need to do the carb,tires and find a rack for it. Another winter project awaiting funds.
 
OK. As far as a rack, that was the deciding point for me to use the ct90. It has excellent carrying capabilities for this trip.

I did buy a $30 sissy bar for the SL350 since regular racks or panniers require welding skills I don't have. But the sissy bar is EXACTLY what I used to cross much of the country back in the day. The guys talk about travelling light - when I rode a trip from Corpus to central Florida on my Kawa 500 triple, I only had a backpack and it was on the sissy bar. When I camped out, I did not even have a blanket or tent. Half the backpack carried tools, chain lube and and extra quart of Castrol 2 smoke oil. And a LOT of extra plugs. That and a change of tshirt, undies and jeans.

What more do you need? Try getting that bike a sissy bar. There are a lot of packs made for sissy bars.
 
SL350 said:
OK. As far as a rack, that was the deciding point for me to use the ct90. It has excellent carrying capabilities for this trip.

I did buy a $30 sissy bar for the SL350 since regular racks or panniers require welding skills I don't have. But the sissy bar is EXACTLY what I used to cross much of the country back in the day. The guys talk about travelling light - when I rode a trip from Corpus to central Florida on my Kawa 500 triple, I only had a backpack and it was on the sissy bar. When I camped out, I did not even have a blanket or tent. Half the backpack carried tools, chain lube and and extra quart of Castrol 2 smoke oil. And a LOT of extra plugs. That and a change of tshirt, undies and jeans.

What more do you need? Try getting that bike a sissy bar. There are a lot of packs made for sissy bars.
Click to expand...

Wow brave for doing that on a triple.:hail:
 
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