2013 East Texas 500.... The muddiest one yet!

[bwdmax]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

Great effort by all who tried. I always say you don't know till go.

I am one of those sick type that wish I would have been there to share the experience no matter which group I was in.

Good luck to those still out there trying to finish or just get home.

 

[Rman of 237]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

Rman why didn't you warn us about that mud? Haha

Yeah right, I've heard it all now!

 

[Meriden]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

Done

 

[Rman of 237]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

Done

Awesome, good job y'all, please be careful driving home. That goes for Joel's group as well, they should be pulling into Navasota pretty soon now, I'm sure they're worn out.

 

[Meriden]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

All I can say is this: I rode with some really good guys this weekend, no exceptions. I'm too tired to wax poetic, so I'll just say helmets off to those who rode it and those that made the effort. Film at ten.

 

[TravelDiva]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

These are 1st morning, sans mud start photos for the ETX 500 South Riders. Location: Livingston WalMart parking lot - Friday, Sept. 20, 2013

[/IMG]

 

[Rman of 237]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

Film at ten.

It's ten.

 

[RollingJ]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

Just so you all know, I made it clean through 2565 eastbound, dragged a KTM950 out of the pit, made it clean westbound (there are witnesses, I'm not saying it was elegant), dragged a Vstrom out of the mud, and then fell over when I lifted the kickstand on my CRF after the carnage was over. No one saw me fall over, but I'm man enough to admit (partial) defeat.

More tomorrow, I'm going to bed.

 

[SilverBullet]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

.., made it clean westbound (there are witnesses, I'm not saying it was elegant...

You did it more elegant than even that Razr side by side that came through. He was sliding and fishtailing all over the road (mud pit) more than you before ending up stuck in the ditch for five minutes himself. Only then did I realize why he didn't stop to help pull my bike out. He was in over his head already himself.

_

 

[mtnbikeboy]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

It's ten.

Maybe he meant 10 this morning.

 

[Timbercat]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

Looking more and more like this ET450 is one for the story log and highlight films.
Hope the mud provided for soft landing with only minor bruises and NO serious injuries.

 

[Rman of 237]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

Maybe he meant 10 this morning.

Nah, I was just kidding around. I guaranty M was sound asleep at 10 last night.

 

[IronSpadeCycles]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

Just so you all know, I made it clean through 2565 eastbound, dragged a KTM950 out of the pit, made it clean westbound (there are witnesses, I'm not saying it was elegant), dragged a Vstrom out of the mud, and then fell over when I lifted the kickstand on my CRF after the carnage was over. No one saw me fall over, but I'm man enough to admit (partial) defeat.

More tomorrow, I'm going to bed.

J, I'm not pointing fingers or saying anything really, but I think, had you been riding in it, fresh like we were, with pouring rain, you might not be so bold to brag that you made it though unscathed. My6 made it too, although he was the first to go and basically just didn't slow down, but the rest of us stayed together as a group and helped each other out.

As the group leader, I was afraid of what might be to come after this little down hill stretch. If we all got stuck at the bottom and couldn't even push our way out, my GF sure as heck wouldn't have been able to drive down to pull us out. I was trying to think ahead, so far the roads had been mostly sandy and wet, which in a pinch could be driven over in the chase truck if necessary, but this stuff was so mucky, it would have taken a farmers 4x4 tractor to pull us out, not something I wanted to do after we had all but ruined his stretch of road.

All that said, I'm glad you guys made it through. I'm off to ride the RTB Rally on Oct 25-27 to satisfy my riding needs, since this weekend was a total bust for us. Anyone want to join me?

 

[Rman of 237]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

You did it more elegant than even that Razr side by side that came through. He was sliding and fishtailing all over the road (mud pit) more than you before ending up stuck in the ditch for five minutes himself. Only then did I realize why he didn't stop to help pull my bike out. He was in over his head already himself.

_

Good to know, for awhile there I was pondering if I could get my Jeep back in there if we completely ran out of other viable options. I was even eyeballing which trees to hook the winch up to.

 

[grasshopperXR650R]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

SO here are a few of the pics that I was able to take before the rain kicked in...
it started off nice

the chase truck/trailer

After the first set of mud naps on the slippery red mud

after RMANS classic dismount

Rick on the CRF 230L

then the mud road from He**

finally out of the mud and eating a burger

he looks so happy

It was a great group of guys to ride with. As stated in earlier posts..i think we would have continued if not for all the effort exerted on the mud road. Thanks Travis for planning a great ride, just stinks that the weather and mud conspired against us Next year consider me in.

 

[Meriden]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

Nah, I was just kidding around. I guaranty M was sound asleep at 10 last night.

Too true. Just making a play on an old joke. (Carlin I think.)

I have a lot of video so it will take some time to get through.

m

 

[Meriden]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

As the group leader, I was afraid of what might be to come after this little down hill stretch.

That is a reasonable concern. As a note for future rides, there was another section very similar to the one where the south group was stuck. It's on CR3325 about around point 0169 on the tracks. For the southbound group it would have been a long, sticky downhill. For us, it was a long sticky uphill and an example of what to expect. The difference between the two was the the grade (3325 being steeper), the length (2565 being longer) and how easy they were to access from pavement. Planning in the future may want to route around 2565 if there is rain by simply taking going up to 2565's other intersection with 287. the only fix for 3325 would be to slab up 69 to 1014 and then over to 3400.

The only other terrain issues on the regular route were some big washouts in a couple of places including some serious cross rutting around Hamilton Road. The rest of the ride was mostly packed sand.

The route from Livingston to Carmona does not go through. There was a locked gate when the route leaves FM350. We piddled around for some time trying to punch a route through to the west of 59, but eventually failed. I suggest going back to Old Jeruselem Road on the east side of 59.

Finally Badtex's detours were pretty cool. We road one that was some very entertaining double track and turned back on one that had a lot of promise, but was not going to be doable considering the conditions.

 

[RollingJ]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

J, I'm not pointing fingers or saying anything really, but I think, had you been riding in it, fresh like we were, with pouring rain, you might not be so bold to brag that you made it though unscathed. My6 made it too, although he was the first to go and basically just didn't slow down, but the rest of us stayed together as a group and helped each other out.

First up, I want to applaud all of you for setting out in the pouring rain. I don't know if I would have done the same if the forecast called for 1 1/2 days of the stuff. Starting on Saturday meant only 1/2 day of rain, and as it turned out we were only lightly sprinkled on.

As far as making 2565, it was almost all momentum and luck. I kept enough speed to clear my front tire, somehow. I was plain stupid to try it a second time the other direction.

There had been more rain since y'all went through, so most of your tracks were gone or severely reduced. I can't say we had better or worse conditions than you, but we weren't soaked to the bone either.

Doug asked me to ride his KTM out and I tried, but with the Recluse, the Left Hand Rear Brake, and his front tire not turning anymore, all I could do was make it 10 ft and fall over. Twice.

Time to edit the vids and write a proper report!

 

[wildernessrider]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

Congrats to all those who braved the mud & wetness. Great pics and stories already. Can't wait to see and hear all the others. After reviewing those pics, I must admit to not regretting bailing. Just wasn't ready to put such a hard mud slogging trip on my new Terra. Maybe if my older 511 had been in working order... but even then I really don't fancy putting a bike thru that much of the red goop. Hopefully our upcoming rides will prove a to be bit more hospitable for machine and rider.

 

[IronSpadeCycles]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

The route from Livingston to Carmona does not go through. There was a locked gate when the route leaves FM350. We piddled around for some time trying to punch a route through to the west of 59, but eventually failed. I suggest going back to Old Jeruselem Road on the east side of 59.

Sorry about that guys, I was trying to find a kinder gentler way around the 20+ mile stretch of I-59. I thought I searched via Google maps but I couldn't anticipate any locked gates.

 

[IronSpadeCycles]

Ok can I get everyone to start posting or repost all the pictures and stories here. Thanks. Looking forward to seeing all the carnage since I was out front most of the time...

 

[IronSpadeCycles]

Re: September 20-22 2013 East TX 500 early planning stages....

Ok so I just started the post ride thread. Please if I could get everyone to start posting pictures and stories there, as well as those who already posted pictures here, repost them there. Thanks.

http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1189295#post1189295

 

[RollingJ]

Sorry SB, I had to post it.

[ame="http://youtu.be/HcDXWt6AXEw"]Silverbullet crossed up in the mud - YouTube[/ame]

 

[IronSpadeCycles]

Yep, I do.... That's awesome!

 

[JMZ]

Silverbullit " yeah I do ". Lol.


Signatures ?????? We don't need no stinking signatures !!!!!