• 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 register so that you can join the community and use the numerous features on the site. After registering, don't forget to post up an introduction!

East Texas 450 (500 + actually) Nov 11-13 2011

Joined
Oct 26, 2010
Messages
1,045
Reaction score
8
Location
Lipan, TX USA
First Name
Lee
Last Name
McDowell
What a great group of riders that just finished the most fantastic 3 days of Texas DS riding.
We started Friday with 34 riders.

I got back home a little before 10pm. Thanks to all the Group leaders and sweep riders for the great job.
And to Patrick great job inn handling our chase truck.

And to all that contributed to the map preparation a very big thanks. You hard work and time made this ride the great ride it became.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner
 
Last edited:
I have been waiting for a ride report and some pictures. You really need to watch out for the Clear Lake group they are a wild bunch....lol
 
Re: EasTex 450 November 11-12-13 2011

Here are a few pictures that I captured, in no particular order..

Gary

Friday morning at Wallmart, ready for the off
IMG_5929Medium.jpg


IMG_5928Medium.jpg


Some fun guys on a pair of TW200's the youngest was having a blast sliding that bike around on the sand.
IMG_5931Medium.jpg


The man that made the whole ride possible (A huge thanks to Patrick for driving all our gear to each stop and being a backup truck for anyone with mechanical issues. I hope we see you on 2 wheels next year..
IMG_5933Medium.jpg


The Boss himself..
IMG_5934Medium.jpg


IMG_5939Medium.jpg


IMG_5942Medium.jpg


IMG_5946Medium.jpg


IMG_5954Medium.jpg


One of our two TW200 riders clearly stressed out!! :lol2:
IMG_5956Medium.jpg


Travis our great leader taking a well earned pause!!
IMG_5957Medium.jpg


Last break on Saturday before the KOA
IMG_5961Medium.jpg


Never stand in front of a female rider!!
IMG_5962Medium.jpg


My better half (Sylvie) getting a break Sunday morning.
IMG_5968Medium.jpg


First or second break Sunday morning
IMG_5971Medium.jpg


Lee explaining the Egyptian style of dancing..
IMG_5972Medium.jpg


Brian's little spill just before lunch Sunday, Brians only damage was to his pride.
IMG_5975Medium.jpg


IMG_5974Medium.jpg


IMG_5977Medium.jpg


Another spill trying to stop before hitting Brian's bike!! Again no-one hurt
IMG_5976Medium.jpg


Lunch on Sunday
IMG_5983Medium.jpg


IMG_5982Medium.jpg


IMG_5981Medium.jpg


I might find a few others, but that's most of them.. It was great meeting and riding with everyone, but a huge thanks to Lee and Travis for arranging and leading our group..

Gary
 
Ok, you started with 34. How many did you finish with?

We only had bruised ego's no serious accidents, everyone that turned up was able to ride home after the 3 days!! A few had additional bruises, but chicks dig scars and bruises (so I am told!!).. :lol2:

Gary
 
Our original plan to get an “alpine start” and ride by moonlight was tempered by dinner the night before and the need to get fuel and breakfast the next morning. 5am found us getting ready to ride and by 5:40 we had made it almost 2 miles to the Exxon for gas and What-A-Burger for breakfast.

Mototex on his KTM 950 took the call to lead us through the early morning darkness. We had used Friday afternoon to familiarize ourselves with the section we would be riding in the dark so our most difficult challenge was coping with the 50 degree temperatures. Four bikes riding the darkened lanes was a surreal experience, especially for me riding sweep and watching the headlights against the road and forest. We all of us enjoyed watching a beautiful red sunrise.

We had decided to tough it out in the early part of the ride so we wouldn’t have to stop and take off gear as the day heated up, but by the time we reached the Weches cemetery cold fingers brought out the glove liners for a couple of us.

DSCN1425s.jpg


Mototex led us the rest of the way to Apple Springs where we stopped for fuel. There was a group of high schoolers selling baked goods for a fund raiser and RollingJ was the first to go over and support the local economy with a purchase. (The cookies were good!)

DSCN1429s.jpg


I led through the next section down to Moscow. During our ride in August the section along Sailor and Hamilton road was completely torn up by the logging trucks and it was the first section where we expected to be slowed by road conditions this time. Rain from the previous week and local traffic had packed the sand and instead of finding a foot of fluffy sugar we found solid ground with good traction. Since we had been led off course by the GPS in past we ignored any suggestion to cross fences or run off into the brush and kept to the road and other than wet feet from the water crossing we made Moscow without any trouble.

The ride from Moscow to Colmesneil was quick and uneventful. We had agreed to stop for fuel once we had passed 75 miles and those stops would be our only breaks. This choice was the only downside to the ride because to keep pace we left many a Kodak moment behind.

At Colmesneil we encountered a problem that was to plague us the whole way. It seems that Exxon keeps track of how often a credit card is being used at their stores and frequent use requires face to face authorization with the clerk in the store. This first happened to me at Colmesneil, but Silverbullet was caught by the same problem by the time we reached St. Augustine.

Mototex led the next section from Colmesneil to The Stump for lunch where we stuffed ourselves before heading off toward Hemphill and fuel. The section of road up to Sandy Hill Cemetery was in good shape and riding through the open cuts gave us some perspective on the land that we had missed in the more forested areas in Crocket National Forest.

DSCN1430s.jpg


RollingJ led us through the beginning of the final leg from Bean’s Camp back to Rusk. We started with a spirited run through the potholes down 9 Mile road. I stopped to video some of our ride but sadly the quality makes it not worth sharing.

By the time we neared St Augustine we I was running low on gas so we decided to take the short detour into town. There we had the problem with the Exxon gas pumps that we had experienced earlier. Mototex took over and led us up and along the caliche roads through the oil fields.

The caliche was a major problem and those at us at the back of the line were catching a lot of dust. It was here that we ran into a hunter on a four wheeler who was doing all he could to keep ahead of us. Sadly he just didn’t have the horsepower to get the job done and we passed him two by two, unintentionally turning his camo a stark white with the dust.

There was surprisingly little traffic. Few dogs chased us and apart from a couple of incidents, deer were seen but no real threat. All but one driver that we caught allowed us to pass once they realized they were blocking the narrow roads.

We stopped one more time in Garrison for a final fuel stop then rode on through the dappled light of sunset and into the darkness, negotiating the last few dusty roads in the cool evening air. As a group we were torn between finishing up quickly and taking our time on this last stretch. In balance we kept about the same pace we had carried throughout the day. We had talked about going back to the Exxon in Rusk to complete the circle but decided that idea was overkill.

Other than me leaving Colmesneil without buckling my helmet and RollingJ leaving his camelback in Garrison we rode the whole trip cleanly. Weather during the ride was pleasant and we had no breakdowns to slow us.

We rode with a minimum of stops for sightseeing, routing checking or other business. In the end our overall average speed was 35 mph and our moving average was 41.5. We were on the road for a little over 12 hours and spent almost 11 of that in the saddle.

It was good to see everyone at Rusk and nice to meet a few faces I had known only form the internet. I’d like to say thanks to Timbercat for organizing the trip. Also thanks to RollingJ, MotoTex and Silverbullet for sharing the ride.

m
 
Last edited:
Was there no where to get gas other than Exxons? :scratch:
 
I posted a ride report in the wrong place, so unless and until someone merges it with this one, here's the link.

Really liking all the pics! I have a few at home I haven't looked at yet. I'll post them up soon.

It was a pleasure meeting all the folks at Rusk and visiting with a few I had met before.
 
By the time I had sorted out that it was Exxon and not VISA we were almost finished. I just need a bigger tank.

Having seen the fun you guys had, I am hoping to join you next year if you do it in 1 day, but Sylvie said she wants to ride the ET450 again next year and she is not up to a 1 day pace, so I might not make the one day next year if she wants to come, but hope to ride the 450 one way or another.. See you all again soon..

Gary
 
Having seen the fun you guys had, I am hoping to join you next year if you do it in 1 day, but Sylvie said she wants to ride the ET450 again next year and she is not up to a 1 day pace, so I might not make the one day next year if she wants to come, but hope to ride the 450 one way or another.. See you all again soon..

Gary

Gary, I'm always happy to ride with you as long as you're willing to wait at the crossroads. I'm not Thrasherg fast. If Sylvie wants to ride, three days would be good too. At least I could get in a couple of photos that don't look like I was shooting from a moving bike.

On the way home we were kicking around a one day 500 mile section of the TAT or maybe a good loop through the Hill Country. JThompson called it the "Dirty Butt" but I think "Dirty Iron" may work too. I wish I could get a kitchen pass for the three day trip coming up.:rider:
 
Re: EasTex 450 November 11-12-13 2011

Looks like the fund raisers picked the wrong day to sell cookies.:lol2:

I snagged some peanut butter chocolate chip there that were real tasty when we reached the next gas stop.

It seemed kinda odd to me how every time we wanted fuel that Exxon seemed to be the first (or only) place we found.
 
The East Texas Dirty Butt 450 Charter Members
Silverbullet, Meriden, RollingJ, and MotoTex
SAM_0161.jpg
 
Re: EasTex 450 November 11-12-13 2011

Another spill trying to stop before hitting Brian's bike!! Again no-one hurt
IMG_5976Medium.jpg

This picture belies an amazing finish to coming hot around the corner and being surprised by 20 bikes in the middle of the road. Down into the ditch sliding, you can see the brake marks on the edge of the ditch, then back out still sliding sideways and finally to a stop before hitting the KTM. Had he not laid it down (lowside), I am sure he would have received a standing ovation. :-) As such we could only give him a 9.5 (half a point deduction for missing the landing).
 
Here's my contribution.

Our first stop, just after sunrise. It was terrible. When I turned off my bike my heated vest turned off too. :trust: The opportunity did present itself for SilverBullet to get his cold weather gloves out of the box on my bike.
DSC00137.jpg



Just riding along . . .
DSC00138.jpg



Another "off the bars" shot.
DSC00139.jpg



The Stump, voted the best CFS on the trip (beat out Moosehead in Crocket by a nose, so to speak)
DSC00140.jpg



A stop for fluid adjustment. Interesting tree roots in the background.
DSC00141.jpg



Another shot by the professional camera juggler of our proud moment.
DSC00145.jpg
 
Slow Patrol

Nice video! 9 mile was fun for sure.

Well I lead the slow group. We were slow but steady and had a great time. Thanks so much to all of those who pulled this together.

I got just a few photos:

9 MIle Road. One of our group came close to dropping in to that mud hole. I could not get the camera out to get a pic.

9_mile_road.jpg


Somewhere in Davey Crockett National Forest......I think. That is my trusty WRR.
Davy_Crockett_Forest.jpg


Some east Texas fall folige in the background. And that is a brand new KTM on its maiden voyage.

East_Texas.jpg
 
Thank you to everybody that came out for the ride. Even though I did get a little jealous while driving the chase truck, mingling with all the riders was very enjoyable, I hope I can make next ride out there.
 
Great ride! :thumb:

Big thanks to all who contributed; Lee for putting it together, Patrick for hauling all our gear, Rick for the right-on GPS routes and all the ride leaders/sweepers and lesser mortals for participating. Couldn't have asked for better riding/camping conditions.

Rode up with Joe and Chuck, and we made it back safe and sound. Hope everyone else did also.

Got some good video, but got back to working nights, so will post as soon as I get a chance.
 
Thank you to everybody that came out for the ride. Even though I did get a little jealous while driving the chase truck, mingling with all the riders was very enjoyable, I hope I can make next ride out there.

Hey Patrick, It was great meeting you, Sylvie and I were very grateful for you taking all our stuff in the expedition. We hope you can join us next year (you can still carry our gear if you want!! :lol2:) it would be great to have you on 2 wheels.. You can show your grandfather the right lines!! :giveup:

Have a great time next week with your bike and if you are ever stuck for something, just let us know (Tools, help, a room, etc) we will be more than happy to oblige.. I tried to get some pictures of you with the expedition, but I always saw you too late to get the camera out and take a picture.. Hope to see you again soon.

Gary
 
Your welcome!!
And thank you very much!! It wa great meeting y'all!
It looks like next weeks rides are going to be done in the rain. In which It makes it more challenging for me which is a plus. :D
 
Back
Top