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Motorcycle Grand Tour of Texas (2021 version)

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Congrats!

I have 21 done now, with 3 local ones I still need to get (funny how the closest ones get put off because "I can get them anytime").
I need to get one more so I can at least get to 25 and be a "Tour Finisher".
I think the closest one to me is the Sidecar place in Donie, and that is about a 6 hour round trip.
I could probably do the Palestine and Rusk stops as well with the Donie stop , that is a 420 mile/8 hour day. Should not really be a problem, especially when the weather cools off a little more.
After that, I am into at least overnight trips to get any more.


About 2 months left till it is over, so if you are wanting to get all 50, need to get going on it.
All my stops except one were on overnight trips.
 
Do sponsor points count towards stops, or is that just "extra"?
I forgot about the sponsor points, I stayed at the YO Ranch, so I get that one, and donated to Lone Star Rider.
 
Do sponsor points count towards stops, or is that just "extra"?
I forgot about the sponsor points, I stayed at the YO Ranch, so I get that one, and donated to Lone Star Rider.
Sponsor points are extra, added to the points for the stops.
I’ve hit 23, and will pick up about 13 more next week. I’m making the Burnet, Lampasas, Coleman, Brady, Kerrville, etc loop next week. I couldn’t make the get together last weekend. It looked like a good time.
 
Completed! Actually the dates I ran were from March 15 - July 21, 2021. Got my all accepted note on September 15, 2021! YEAH!
 

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So for those doing this, you only have 16 more day to get it done (submissions end 11/15/21).

I ended up with 27 total.
I had a 2 night trip to Kerrville that got me about 1/2 of those, all the rest were day trips.
The rest of the stops beyond this would really require over night trips, and I just did not plan that out for this year.
I could probably do Hico and Cleburne in a day (and probably would if they were needed to get half done), but that would be 10 hours at least. And, well Addison is only an hour from there, so why not (well, it is at least 2.5 hours more of riding), and since I am up there, why not Bowie and Gainsville, and well Paris is not that far, and ... so those would need to be an overnight trip for sure.
Maybe next year I will plan some of these out more now that I know how well I am able to handle riding (I did 8 hours yesterday from time I left till I got home without issues, but yesterdays weather was just amazing).
I have done an 11 hour day before and was OK at the end.

I got over half this year which was my goal, so I am happy.
 
So for those doing this, you only have 16 more day to get it done (submissions end 11/15/21).

I ended up with 27 total.
I had a 2 night trip to Kerrville that got me about 1/2 of those, all the rest were day trips.
The rest of the stops beyond this would really require over night trips, and I just did not plan that out for this year.
I could probably do Hico and Cleburne in a day (and probably would if they were needed to get half done), but that would be 10 hours at least. And, well Addison is only an hour from there, so why not (well, it is at least 2.5 hours more of riding), and since I am up there, why not Bowie and Gainsville, and well Paris is not that far, and ... so those would need to be an overnight trip for sure.
Maybe next year I will plan some of these out more now that I know how well I am able to handle riding (I did 8 hours yesterday from time I left till I got home without issues, but yesterdays weather was just amazing).
I have done an 11 hour day before and was OK at the end.

I got over half this year which was my goal, so I am happy.
Thanks for the reminder! I forgot it’s winding up earlier this year. No way I’ll get all 50 but if I can squeeze in the loop I had planned last spring before something came up, I could get the badge.

Not sure whether I’ll do it next year. Depends on whether there’s enough new destinations in different areas that haven’t been covered yet. South Texas and the Valley have been largely neglected so far. I submitted suggestions for down that way so we’ll see.
 
Finished up on Saturday, at the end of a 3 day, 17 stop loop through West Texas. 2 overnights, in Lubbock and Big Spring, which were my only hotel stays of the ride. 4805 miles in total. All in all, the 50 stops this year weren’t as interesting as last year, and way too many sponsor stops. I’d be willing to pay more for the entry fee, in order to have no sponsor stops.

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I talked to David at the get together in September (actually several riders were talking to him) about the number of sponsored stops, because he had mentioned that there may be 2-3 more added next year.
They too mentioned the sponsored stops were not as interesting to go to, they would rather visit some obscure museum that they had never heard of than a motorcycle dealership.

I don't really know a solution to it because the sponsors do help with the event. I guess paying more would be an option, but how much more?
The current $30 fee was fine IMO, but what am I really getting for that $30? A patch that I will stick on my wall? a 1 in 1,200 chance at winning a gift card?
I could do the exact same stops on my own if I wanted to without paying anything, so why would I pay more than $30?

No way am I knocking the Tour, it definitely got me out riding more to places I had never been, and would like to get more than 27 next year, but there comes a point when the registration fee is not worth what you get, but on the other hand, if there are no real interesting spots to visit other than sponsors, not as fun.

I know several also complained about the number of repeat stops this year vs last year (aside from the sponsor stops).
David had said he had about 10 "new" stops he was riding to before next years list comes out, and has a link on the tour site to suggest new stops.
 
I talked to David at the get together in September (actually several riders were talking to him) about the number of sponsored stops, because he had mentioned that there may be 2-3 more added next year.
They too mentioned the sponsored stops were not as interesting to go to, they would rather visit some obscure museum that they had never heard of than a motorcycle dealership.

I don't really know a solution to it because the sponsors do help with the event. I guess paying more would be an option, but how much more?
The current $30 fee was fine IMO, but what am I really getting for that $30? A patch that I will stick on my wall? a 1 in 1,200 chance at winning a gift card?
I could do the exact same stops on my own if I wanted to without paying anything, so why would I pay more than $30?

No way am I knocking the Tour, it definitely got me out riding more to places I had never been, and would like to get more than 27 next year, but there comes a point when the registration fee is not worth what you get, but on the other hand, if there are no real interesting spots to visit other than sponsors, not as fun.

I know several also complained about the number of repeat stops this year vs last year (aside from the sponsor stops).
David had said he had about 10 "new" stops he was riding to before next years list comes out, and has a link on the tour site to suggest new stops.

I guess you and I don't have the same problem with the $30 that David charges, considering I would pay more than that, if there was an OPTION for a 50 stop tour with no sponsors. Let's face it, I have now been to the leather shop in Borger exactly two times more than I ever needed to, or wanted to... ;-) David puts the work in, and I'm fine with paying him for that work, but at the same time, especially with the 1200+ people that signed up this year, he is pulling in some cash, before any sponsor involvement. And I'm not knocking the guy's hustle, I'm glad to have been a 50 stop finisher for both Tours, but probably am done if the changes for 2022 are to add even more sponsors.

And I'm guilty for not suggesting new spots, while also not too thrilled about repeats from the first year. I'll make some suggestions in the next few days, and maybe suggest to David that he doesn't have to ride to all the new stops before they get added. That's what Google Earth and Streetview are for...
 
This was my first year to joint the Tour and enjoyed participating (did all 50). The $30 felt like a fair price, because I am certain that it takes a fair amount of work on his part to keep it all organized. All of the dealerships really did kind of take away from the value of some of those stops, but places like the Motorheads Museum was interesting, and the Harbord Kourt was the best nights sleep I got on one of my multi-day trips. I guess I am like many others, I hope to see many new stops next year and less dealerships if I plan on doing it again. ~$36,000 seems like more than adequate compensation to negate the need for a bunch of sponsors, but what do I know I am just a gristle head motorcycle rider. :rider:
 
I’m excited to give it a try for 2022. I’ve sent 5-6 nonsponsor type stops that requires us to ride to the very edges of the empire…I mean state. If the 50 stops is made up of a bunch of Harley dealerships or shops I have no interest in I will skip those and go to places I want to go instead. This is supposed to be fun, and there’s plenty of places in Texas to see to make it fun.
 
All right, so I put my keyboard fingers where my mouth is, and suggested these 5 stops for 2022:

1. Cadillac Ranch - Amarillo
2. Groom Cross - Groom
3. Beer Can House - Houston
4. Dr. Pepper Museum - Waco
5. Prada Marfa - Valentine

Whether these will be added or not is not up to me, but I think they would be interesting. I went to the Cadillac Ranch last year, while on the 2020 Tour, and have driven by the Prada Marfa in a cage...
 
I’m excited to give it a try for 2022. I’ve sent 5-6 nonsponsor type stops that requires us to ride to the very edges of the empire…I mean state. If the 50 stops is made up of a bunch of Harley dealerships or shops I have no interest in I will skip those and go to places I want to go instead. This is supposed to be fun, and there’s plenty of places in Texas to see to make it fun.

We think alike! Not only in terms of the tour, but we both ride F6Bs!
 
We think alike! Not only in terms of the tour, but we both ride F6Bs!
Well maybe we’ll meet up at some point and show the rest of these folks what a classy ride looks like 😉

I’m enjoying the cooler weather before winter, but I am mostly looking forward to MANY miles on the F6B starting in spring. The is grand tour thing, plus TM’s top 50 BBQ joints, plus all the other places in between offer plenty of excuses to get out and ride.
 
Well maybe we’ll meet up at some point and show the rest of these folks what a classy ride looks like 😉

I’m enjoying the cooler weather before winter, but I am mostly looking forward to MANY miles on the F6B starting in spring. The is grand tour thing, plus TM’s top 50 BBQ joints, plus all the other places in between offer plenty of excuses to get out and ride.

If you're on the Honda - F6B forum, I organized the No Frills Rally to Montrose, CO last year, and this year, organized a No Forum Rally to Russelville. Great times both years, and we are tossing around some ideas for 2022. If you're interested, shoot me a PM.
 
All right, so I put my keyboard fingers where my mouth is, and suggested these 5 stops for 2022:

1. Cadillac Ranch - Amarillo
2. Groom Cross - Groom
3. Beer Can House - Houston
4. Dr. Pepper Museum - Waco
5. Prada Marfa - Valentine

Whether these will be added or not is not up to me, but I think they would be interesting. I went to the Cadillac Ranch last year, while on the 2020 Tour, and have driven by the Prada Marfa in a cage...
You need to go to the tour site to add your suggestions. They're not likely to get noticed by the organizer here.
 
You need to go to the tour site to add your suggestions. They're not likely to get noticed by the organizer here.

I did add them in the Tour site. I was just mentioning them here because I had stated I was guilty as anyone of bitching about the stops without suggesting new ones, and that I had rectified that (in)action.

Odd that David isn't sending the round patches to those of us that have completed at least 25 stops in both 2020 and 2021, just the rectangular patch this year. I guess that action saves him money... :thumbd:
 
After doing the first two tours and falling short of getting even half the stops both years, I share some of the complaints posted. While I applaud David's efforts, I believe there's room for improvements including:

1 - Less or no sponsor stops and more that are historical, quirky, wildlife-related, or just of general interest. I'd support an alternative option of stops like this, although not sure I'd pay more for it unless it was justified. Like others, I could give a rat's behind about visiting dealerships, and I'm not particularly interested in eating at places with a reputation for being biker friendly.

2 - More stops in South Texas and the Valley - I've suggested several on the tour site.

3 - Lengthen the time allowed to complete the tour. The current 8 month length seems to favor retirees or those with more vacation/free time and/or fewer competing demands on their time. Most of Texas allows for year-round riding and I think the tour stop and start dates could better reflect that. Even if for administrative purposes Jan. 1 through Dec. 31 isn't feasible, I would think something considerably longer than 8 months is.

Those are my gripes/hopes/suggestions. Right now I'm leaning towards just creating my own "tour" for next year, and visiting places I've never been without worrying about getting a badge or my money's worth. That said, I think David has done an admirable job getting a lot of people out to destinations they may not have otherwise thought of going to.
 
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After doing the first two tours and falling short of getting even half the stops both years, I share some of the complaints posted. While I applaud David's efforts, I believe there's room for improvements including:

1 - Less or no sponsor stops and more that are historical, quirky, wildlife-related, or just of general interest. I'd support an alternative option of stops like this, although not sure I'd pay more for it unless it was justified. Like others, I could give a rat's behind about visiting dealerships, and I'm not particularly interested in eating at places with a reputation for being biker friendly.

2 - More stops in South Texas and the Valley - I've suggested several on the tour site.

3 - Lengthen the time allowed to complete the tour. The current 8 month length seems to favor retirees or those with more vacation/free time and/or fewer competing demands on their time. Most of Texas allows for year-round riding and I think the tour stop and start dates could better reflect that. Even if for administrative purposes Jan. 1 through Dec. 31 isn't feasible, I would think something considerably longer than 8 months is.

Those are my gripes/hopes/suggestions. Right now I'm leaning towards just creating my own "tour" for next year, and visiting places I've never been without worrying about getting a badge or my money's worth. That said, I think David has done an admirable job getting a lot of people out to destinations they may not have otherwise thought of going to.

Agree on most of your points/comments here. I guess on #3, there was more than enough time for me to complete all 50 stops both years, with minimal (3 in 2020, 2 in 2021), overnight stays. I retired on 8/31 of this year, so pretty sure that wasn't a factor, but I don't have any kids, and do have a wife that encourages me to get the **** out of her hair, so maybe you're on to something with the competing demands thing. Some of the runs were kinda long, like my 815 mile RT to the Northeast part of the state in 2020, but that kind of stuff is easy peasy on the Feejer.

I'm 99% sure I won't do this next year; too many sponsor stops/repeats.
 
Right now I'm leaning towards just creating my own "tour" for next year, and visiting places I've never been without worrying about getting a badge or my money's worth.
I am doing a charity drive that will offer what you’re talking about. I will post it here and other forums most likely the day after Thanksgiving.
 
Agree on most of your points/comments here. I guess on #3, there was more than enough time for me to complete all 50 stops both years, with minimal (3 in 2020, 2 in 2021), overnight stays. I retired on 8/31 of this year, so pretty sure that wasn't a factor, but I don't have any kids, and do have a wife that encourages me to get the **** out of her hair, so maybe you're on to something with the competing demands thing. Some of the runs were kinda long, like my 815 mile RT to the Northeast part of the state in 2020, but that kind of stuff is easy peasy on the Feejer.

I'm 99% sure I won't do this next year; too many sponsor stops/repeats.
Your starting location makes a huge difference in the amount of overnight stops.
The high number of stops in the hill country are easy day trips for you, for me, requires multi night stops. I never got near Dallas, since all those are also overnight (unless I want to have a 14+ hour day).
 
Agree on most of your points/comments here. I guess on #3, there was more than enough time for me to complete all 50 stops both years, with minimal (3 in 2020, 2 in 2021), overnight stays. I retired on 8/31 of this year, so pretty sure that wasn't a factor, but I don't have any kids, and do have a wife that encourages me to get the **** out of her hair, so maybe you're on to something with the competing demands thing. Some of the runs were kinda long, like my 815 mile RT to the Northeast part of the state in 2020, but that kind of stuff is easy peasy on the Feejer.

I'm 99% sure I won't do this next year; too many sponsor stops/repeats.
I'm still working for a few more years, but looking back on this year my biggest constraint wasn't other commitments per se, but that my wife, who is retired, was gone much of the time taking care of her parents. And since our son is away at college I had to stick around to take care of the pets. Those things limited me to what I could conquer in day trips. But even if I could afford to board the critters so I could take extended trips, it's tough finding a place that takes both dogs and 10" red-eared sliders. :-D
 
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