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 
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2005
- Messages
- 4,465
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- 1,228
- Location
- Buda, TX
- First Name
- Rich
- Last Name
- Gibbens
2021 Around the Bend rally
Mar 11 - Mar 14, 2021
Mar 11 - Mar 14, 2021
Around the Bend is an annual 4 day motorcycle rally in the Big Bend region of Texas. For 2019 the rally is scheduled Thursday - Sunday, Mar 11 - 14, 2021. All riders are invited to attend on their street legal motorcycles.
What kind of rally is this? This motorcycle rally is open to one and all. Street-only, adventure, and dual sport riders are all invited to attend. Come by yourself or bring some friends. Ride when you want and where you want. Have an adventure. Got a few extra days off? Then come out early. Or stay a few days late. The main point is to have fun. Please note that there is no legal, public off-road riding in the Big Bend area so all motorcycles have to be properly tagged and registered.
What is riding like in the Big Bend region? There is both paved and unpaved riding all around the Big Bend area.
- Street riders There are some awesome paved roads in the Big Bend area that really shouldn't be missed. For example, Hwy 170, aka "River Road", is one of the top 5 motorcycling roads in Texas.
- Dual Sport and Adventure Riders Lots of dual sport riders show up to ride the Big Bend boonies, so if you've always wanted to play in the dirt at Big Bend but just haven't made it yet, this is a wonderful opportunity to do so.
Where can we ride?
- Street riders: You can ride in Big Bend National Park (BBNP) and various other roads in the area. Some popular riding destinations for street-only riders are BBNP, Presidio, Fort Davis, Marfa, and Mexico (yes, Mexico).
- Dual sport riders: There are a number of primitive dirt roads in both BBNP and Big Bend Ranch State Park (The Ranch). BBNP is the most popular riding choice for most because the dirt riding there is superb but The Ranch has some good stuff too. (Note that riding larger adventure bikes in The Ranch can be quite challenging due to the ruggedness of the roads.) There is also some excellent dirt riding across the border in Mexico too for those who want a bit more adventure.
If you've never been to Big Bend and would like a guide, I sell a Big Bend ride guide with planned routes & GPS tracks. The guide includes pavement-only routes and dual sport/adventure routes. Ordering information can be found on my website, www.texasadventure.net.
Is someone leading a ride one or both days? This year's event is a rally which means there are no planned routes that everyone will be riding. Instead, riders will self-organize into groups each morning and select where they want to ride that day.
Communication: Being able to communicate with other riders in your group while riding is a wonderful thing. In line with that thinking we have a Special Offer for TWT members for the month of March only. Lane Morgan has arranged for TJ's Cycles in Austin to offer participants 15% off Cardo products for the month of March. Ideally you would get one before the Around the Bend rally so you can use it during the rally. Lane recommends the Cardo Bold single or duo packs. They have JBL speakers and are the best on the market currently. You have to make the purchase at the store. Use the code TWTEX at the counter for the 15% off retail Cardo pricing. Thank you Lane!
I’ve never been to a rally before. If you have never attended a rally and don't know anyone, come on out anyway. We are a really friendly bunch of people and welcome new riders. You will easily be able to find a group to ride with. If you are an experienced dirt rider and need a group to ride with, just ask around - you will quickly find a suitable group to join. For those needing a group to ride with, we will be organizing riding groups immediately following the morning riders meeting.
Can we ride in Mexico? Absolutely. There is a really awesome canyon (Peguis Canyon) about 25 miles south of Ojinaga, Mexico that is well worth a visit. You don't need to do any paperwork to visit it either but you will need your vehicle registration to ride into Mexico. On the Mexico side of the international bridge Mexican officials will stop you and compare the VIN of your motorcycle with the VIN on your vehicle registration to ensure they match. Once they have done so, they will wave you through. From there head south through Ojinaga on the main road and about 25 paved miles later you will arrive at the canyon overlook.
Bring your passport or passcard because US Customs will need to see it before they let you back into the United States.
There is also some good dirt on the Mexico side of the Rio Grande for the dual sport adventure riders.
Is it safe? Mexico sure is close, is the Big Bend area safe?. As of this writing all the border drug stuff you've been hearing about on the news hasn't been an issue in the Big Bend region.
Rally Format - Due to covid concerns we are making a few changes to the format to practice social distancing
Thursday, Mar 11th: 5:30 pm - 7 pm, High Sierra Bar & Grill parking lot, Terlingua
- rally check-in
- rider meet & greet
Friday, March 12th
- 6:30 am, breakfast at the Big Bend Motor Inn Cafe, Study Butte
- 7:00 - 7:30 am, late arrival check in, Motor Inn Cafe
- 7:30 am, riders meeting, Big Bend Motor Inn Cafe parking lot
- 8:00 - 5 pm, organize a group and ride wherever you want
- 5 pm - 7 pm, meet on the porch in Terlingua
- 6:30 am, breakfast at the Big Bend Motor Inn Cafe,Study Butte
- 7:30 am, riders meeting, Big Bend Motor Inn Cafe parking lot
- 8:00 am - 5 pm, organize a group and ride wherever you want
- 5 pm - 7 pm, meet on the porch in Terlingua
Where to sleep:
Big Bend Resort, located in Study Butte and just minutes from the west entrance to Big Bend National Park and features two choices for lodging. The Motor Inn has a total of 51 non-smoking rooms spread across seven buildings. Lodging options vary from a small house to traditional motel rooms. The Mission Lodge, located across the street from the Motor Inn has 35 non-smoking motel rooms spread across two buildings. There is also one small apartment. Wi-Fi is available in the Conference Center, Café, and Lobby area. Guests staying in western facing rooms can enjoy spectacular sunset views over Bee Mountain.
The El Dorado motel has been very popular with riders at past rallies and is offering our group the lowest rates in the area. Call them and let them know you are attending the rally to get the special rate.
There are multiple other motel and cabin rentals available in the Study Butte / Terlingua area. A google search will help you locate them.
Wherever you decide to stay, make your reservations now - every motel in the Terlingua area will be completely booked during the rally. If you wait you won't find a room in the area and will have to make other arrangements.
Can I camp? Yes, you can. Camping is available at the Big Bend resort and other pay-to-camp places in the area (a google search will help you locate them).
Registration: $30 per participant, registration is open now.
Early registration: Now - Feb 19 - register early and receive a free custom rally t-shirt.
Late registration: Feb 20 - Mar 11. I am placing the t-shirt order the morning of Feb 20. If you want a t-shirt please pre-register as I do not order extra shirts for those who late register.
How to register: Send your name, email address, t-shirt size and payment to me via one of the methods below. I will add you to the attendee list.
You can register via:
- paypal: send payment to me at richgibbens1@gmail.com
- Venmo: send payment to me @Richard-Gibbens-1
- cash, check, or money order:
Richard Gibbens
12609 Red Bud Trail
Buda, TX 78610
Whichever method for registering that you choose, please include the following information:
- First and last name
- email address
- t shirt size
When I receive your registration I will send you a confirmation email. If you don't receive a confirmation email then something has gone wrong - reach out to me at richgibbens1@gmail.com so we can resolve the issue.
Cancelation: If you need to cancel your rally registration prior to Feb 19th, contact me and I will refund 100% of your registration fee. If you cancel at some point after Feb 19th, you will receive a partial refund.
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