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2012 Texas Adventure/Challenge Ride Reports

First off thanks to Richard for a great ride and Connie and Uncle for the great support. I really wish I'd had a camera that worked but oh well,sometimes it doesn't go my way. And speaking of not going my way................is there anyone else besides me that found that big A washout on Pandale road,about 6.5 miles from Langtry? I swear my life flashed in front of my eyes on the way to auguring in! Honestly.........I thought I could jump it.

I did that road with Richard and some more guys back in November and it was like a freeway out there but unfortunately for me it wasn't this time. When I look at myself in the mirror now,it looks like someone took a stick and tried to beat me to death! But all in all I had a ball.
 
so I went to the fence & told him I did not have cell service; he replied "You don't have AT&T do you?".

I think there is an AT&T exec that has a ranch around there. I was eating at Mac and Ernies a few years back and noticed I had 5 bars of signal. At home in the DFW I usually get 1 if I'm lucky, but in the middle of nowhere I get 5. :headband: Too bad an AT&T exec doesn't live next to me.
 
When my group arrived at the Best Western in Junction on Thursday afternoon there were already a bunch of riders there.

Ivan, ready to ride
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Tim, Donna, and Jack from The Christian Motorcycle Association were in attendance again this year. Thanks to all 3 of you for the help and support.
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The breakfast room and buffet at the Best Western are both very good.
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Lots of visiting going on Friday morning before the 7:30am riders meeting...
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...and a lot of coffee drinking too
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I'm not the only one riding an Italian Supermodel. Jarrett's beauty is the TE450, cosmetically enhanced with an larger aftermarket Safari tank. It's okay if you stare.
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An impromptu platform for the Challenge rider's meeting.
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Would you believe I only took 2 more pictures the entire day? It's true. I was intent on keeping us moving so as to make the 7 pm cut-off time in Del Rio that I just didn't stop to take photos. I grabbed this shot of Dirtbike Dave repairing his clutch cable...
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...and this wildflower shot (also while waiting on Dave to fix his clutch cable)
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Having only taken two ride pictures on day 1 of the Challenge, I decided I needed to take more pictures on day 2. Mission accomplished - I took three pictures on day 2, a 50% increase in picture taking productivity. :)

This is the bridge over the Pecos River
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This is what it looks like with a rider + bike combo posing in front of it. :)
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Group photo at the Eagle's Nest in Langtry.
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That's it for me except for these final comments. My experience with the Challenge was exactly what the name implies - a Challenge. It was two long days in the saddle riding to beat the clock. And while I was quite fatigued at the end of both days, I sure had a good time.

Based on rider feedback I am planning on have the challenge event in conjunction with next year's TAR and also adding a one day challenge event at Uncle's Around the Bend rally. Hope to see all of you at both.
 
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Thank you Richard and your support staff for organizing this outstanding event. It was great having this opportunity to get out of the Florida sandbox for awhile to join all the TWT's on the TAC. Great track, well organized, awesome banquet! I thought you all did an outstanding job putting this together. Also, a special thanks to Howard and Mike (don’t know their handles) for navigating this route for our group. I’d probably have been able to handle the routing, but those cattle gates and riding through folks front yards would have probably messed me up…so thanks!! My only carnage report is my Rotopax bracket snapped in two and I picked up an ancient nail in my rear tire that probably fell off Judge Roy Bean’s paddy wagon in 1859. No big deal, got some help on the mount and plugged the hole with a gummy plug and I was on the road first thing Sunday morning. I racked up 3,285 miles on this trip (including an SS1000) and look forward to doing it again next year.

I am interested to hear from people that did the challenge on how it went, did they like it, do they plan on doing it again? Is it something I could do on my Tenere' or would it have to be done on the WR250.

The Tenere did fine. I was on Heidanau Scouts, but the Raven Tenere behind mine was on stock Battlewings (or Tourances) and did fine, too.

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What happens when you try to pass the Boss....


:lol2: that was fast, bloop!:lol2:
edit: I think I picked it up as fast as it went down...maybe faster.
Shoulda stayed in the gravel, the bedrock tends to get a little slimey.
 
After riding around the Blue Mountains for awhile, we were ready for a break in London. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WBs2-L8aD0"]Nice Landowner in Kimble County - YouTube[/ame]
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[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL8mLBNsJVo"]Tobe Branch near Noxville, TX - YouTube[/ame]
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[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCc5uD2xqLU"]Two Wheeled Texans in London - YouTube[/ame]
 
who's riding the hack?

The 1150GS with the hack is ours. My wife Kel is the pilot, and I am the monkey, navigator, and mechanic...or as she puts it "a reasonable substitute for ballast".

This was only our second time off pavement, but we had a great time. I got a lot of video, here are a couple of the clips...


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csHt8-g41Jg&feature=BFa&list=PL26C785F3AEF925DC"]Day 3 Part 1.wmv - YouTube[/ame]


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYG2LBib-ig&list=PL26C785F3AEF925DC&index=3&feature=plpp_video"]Day 3 Part 2.wmv - YouTube[/ame]


Enjoy,

Dave
 
Sander I hope who ever hit the fence is OK?

here are few photos from the ride from Waco to Junction

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this is Cecil and his pack mule DRZ, I saw him first headed north and he south, then later on I was snacking and he rolled up and we talked about a few roads and went different ways

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this is Fields Creek Rd

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Art-Hedgewig Hill Rd

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James River

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JAMES RIVER!!!

This is hysterical! Thanks!
 
Thanks to everyone who made Sidecar Sadie's first TAR a very happy adventure! So much fun! She really enjoyed every second of it.
Special thanks to Rusty and CMA Jack from San Saba for fixing my nail magnet on Salt Branch Rd. And feeding me. I was totally unprepared...
Ki (on my old XR200R) did great. It was a big surprise to see him there and lots of fun to ride with. Great recovery after freezing rain and hail on Friday am. Sorry about that... Next time I will definitely check the radar!
New friends Misha and Rob, and fellow sidehacks Kellye and Dave, old friends Walt and James, and many others I can't name. Can't wait for next year!
PS- I need a new avatar. If anyone got a good still pic of Sadie riding in the sidecar, I'd like to check it out. Thanks!
 

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a funny story about Mr Tommy who rode a XR650L with a stock tank the first day

he had to detour to Fredericksburg early from the TAC route, kinda of felt bad for not going with him ... but heck this is a challenge

so he waits for TAC riders to ride by and low an behold a couple of dirt bike riders ride past and apparently he chases them for some time

at some point they all stop and take break, and Mr Tommy ask "are you guys riding the TAC?"

poor Mr Tommy had caught up to Scott and Izz, so Izz looks him dead in the eye and says "TAC?, what is a TAC?"

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

a lot funnier to hear Mr tommy tell the story
 
We encountered the world's toughest bumpgate in my opinion, man this one had a tough spring! After heading west we criss-crossed the North Llano river several times. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcQYdkrxeKA"]Tough Bumpgate - YouTube[/ame]
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[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmcYUe8Zjfg"]North Llano River Crossing - YouTube[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S63n8LvRwXY"]North Llano River - YouTube[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nkg2bbdwQ4"]North Llano River 2 - YouTube[/ame]
 
Here is our little group crossing the James River. Hamp and I had been across before but this was Garland's first try at it.

[ame="http://youtu.be/Gmhx6ReKMRE"]James River Crossing.wmv - YouTube[/ame]
 
Rich, it was another great ride. Good route, good folks, good food and a good time all around. Thanks.

And, some of the people I met -

Jeff - thanks for the help fixing my flat in the parking lot of the Best Western Thursday night. Sorry to hear you had trouble. You deserved better Karma than that.

Rich (Simmons) - thanks for spotting the hunk of metal stuck in my tire. If not for your eagle eye I would have been changing a tube much farther from the A/C and cold beer.

Yardracer - I didn't realize who you were at the time, good to meet you. But you have to get over this thing about heavy German bread for breakfast. Go for the biscuits & gravy next time - Breakfast of Champions!

And the Best Western, Brandy & Beatrice - talk about motorcycle friendly. Great place

My buddy Tim and I rode a 990 ADV and my F800GS. Perfect for the route. We only took three pics, and here they are -

Tim at Polly Chapel Road above Privilege Creek

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He Went Thataway!

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And Sadie -

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We took our final break of the day in Roosevelt at Simon Bros. Mercantile and Feed Store. What a cool place!
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[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YZhPKqYJMw"]Roosevelt, Texas - YouTube[/ame]
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[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNTcvbXqdDg"]Cleo, Texas - YouTube[/ame]
 
We encountered the world's toughest bumpgate in my opinion, man this one had a tough spring! After heading west we criss-crossed the North Llano river several times.

...one little trick I used with bumpgates, is to quickly get off the bike, open the gate, place a small stick (you'll find them often around the bumpgate) at the end of the gate and prop it open. Hop on the bike and ride past slowly with your foot out and push the stick out and the door will close. This approach is naturally when riding solo. In a group the front guy get's off the bike, props open the gate with a small stick. Then the sweep rider comes along and put's his foot out and allows to the gate to swing shut after all riders have passed through.

Since some roads around Junction/Llano have lot's of bumpgates, it is best to alternate with individual members of the group in order to give a chance for everyone to share in the "burden" of opening/closing the bump gates.

RB
 
^ or turn into the gate as it swings then swing the opposite direction away from it and GO! Always works. Well, for me anyway YMMV ;-)
 
Nice pictures like these and scenery, almost makes me wish to try the 'dirt riding' thing, but then the algae in your boots and bikes taking a bath in the river.... bring me back to reality!
;-)
 
Great stuff folks! Great to see water out there as well... and some willing to "bathe" in it. :trust:

Can't believe somebody rode from FLORIDA?? :eek2: :giveup:

Wow...
 
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riding adds spice to life

one thing about the James River, that is a cool road to the south
 
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