Day 2—The day before was a long one, so we slow rolled a bit, no alarm setting. Couldn’t hit breakfast at our normal place, closed down, older couple threw in the towel cause of covid limitations. Shifted a gear and went to the only open place we could find, The Bean I think it was. Was minding my own business waiting on the food and an older guy rolled up, in his mid 70s. I could see him looking the bikes over outside. He walks in, doesn’t say a word, whips out his smart phone and puts it in my face. I was a little taken aback, then I read the meme, Fourstrokes are for xussy’s. Ahh, now I see, I’m all in, had a good laugh. Good morning to you too sir!! The fella started talking to us about riding and then Rob recognized him. It was Paul Rodden from a cool youtube video with Graham Jarvis and Colton Haaker, Checkpoints. Give it a look if you haven’t seen it. I’m a Jarvis fan so I had seen it as well. What were the odds of running into that guy. Well, Paul hangs out in Presidio several weeks a year to ride across the border on his Beta 300. Phone numbers were exchanged, next trip to the desert already on my mind. And…..a bit of background on Chispa Rd—I had been wondering why it was called that, means Spark in Spanish. Rob and I had discussed fires, perhaps sparks off the blade of the equipment that cut the road etc. Well a local set me straight in broken English…..the guy that cut the road was from Marfa and his last name was Sparks. There you have it. Starting the morning off good, cool people and being educated. We shrugged off our weak bike choices, after all only a wuss would ride a 500cc dirt bike over 600 miles in 3 days.
We stopped at Ft. Leaton to doublecheck the State Park 4wd road closures, making sure there was no talking them into letting us ride the Cienega’s. Dang it, denied, really stupid, government, covid, limited public lands in Texas, no more stick shift 3/4 ton trucks being made, def fluid.......rant over, not having it, glass will be half full by darn......rolled on east to enjoy the day. There are worse things than having to ride that stretch of pavement in to Terlingua, could be at work reading about you riding somewhere, ha ha. BTW, I think Rob is color blind, but I didn't say anything. Don't tell him, I'm curious to see what he wears next time.
Made it to Terlingua/Study Butte, checked into the motel early, dropped some gear off. Left straight up at noon to head into the National Park. Now what. Been there done that many times. Rob had been here once a few years back on a KLR, did Old Ore and the pavement to Santa Elena/Maverick loop it sounded like. Now he is on the 501. Kind of like going up Pike’s Peak in a Pinto one time, then the next time in a Z06. You know Black Gap was on my mind, wish there was more of that unimproved section. The entrance booth was shutdown, no worries, we will stop at Panther Junction. We did, they informed me you only pay at the entrance booth. I'm like....but it was closed......Ranger annoyingly said since it was shutdown when we passed through (after noon), it is free for us today. I'll take it, but don't know why he was so grumpy, I think his pants were too tight from sitting around doing nothing. Decided to make a mini loop of Glen Springs, River Rd back around Mariscol Mine, then Black Gap back to Glen Springs. Normal stuff. Took a little break at the Mine, didn’t hike up, just enjoyed the shade of one of the old worker cabins.
Then back around via Black Gap. I didn’t even get a pic or Go Pro of the gap, it’s not really hard. Right in that gap area, Rob almost cased it on a rock, but he recovered last second. Glancing skid plate blow.
But the main hill heading out of that zone.....it is getting worse. Earlier in the day I told Rob about the story of a guy on a KLR several years ago that launched off the side and broke ribs etc. I went first, hugged the left to avoid the drop off side, I was a little messy but it went ok and I pulled it off. Rob…..he saw the right line was cleaner, till it wasn't. Must have been the gravitational KLR forces pulling him, about lost it down the side. He hopped off just in time and held it till I could scramble back to help get it back on the trail. I had big bikes on my mind. I sold my 701 a month ago and replaced it with a bigger bike, Africa Twin. All through this trip I was thinking about my ability to ride the Africa Twin on this exact 3 day route. This is the only spot that would give me pause, at least when it is brand new.....
Looking down on the bad spot, Rob giving his stuff happens signal. Then a pic looking up the trail after the bikes were up the worst of it.
We took a break at the top, it is an awesome view.
We stopped at Glen Springs and dunked our armor again, every little bit helps to keep you cool and the stamina up. Pulled out of that creek and ran into this guy, Big Jim, he was taking a nap. He was out of gas, stock tank on a Honda 450. I had plenty in the 500, gave him 3 water bottle's worth of gas, made sure it started and then rode out with him till he was good. I made him pose with his bike, told him it was going in the report….he was like, great, I’m the what not to do guy. It’s all good, enjoyed helping someone out....and taking their picture feeling stupid
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Rob hadn’t been in the Basin, so we detoured up there right quick. Lodge was closed, no cold beer. Total bummer. Snagged a pic and rolled out. The Porch was calling. I could smell cold beer and weirdos, kept me motivated for the rest of the slab we had to drone.
Porch was crazy crowded, the wait for the Starlight was too much, it was not a relaxing scene up there....and the sunset was not overly impressive. Drank one beer and rolled back down the hill a bit. Ate at Milagro’s Taco or something like that, new to me place. Had 5 tacos for $10 and had a couple BYOB beers. Then back to our digs, holed up at the Chisos Mining Inn. My first time in the motel section, usually in one of the Easter Eggs up the hill or good ole cabin 19. They have new management, don’t have to send a check anymore to make reservations. Use to piss me off, now I am kind of sad they got all sophistimicated. Hope they don’t fix the floors, replace the mattresses or remodel the bathroom in cabin 19, that will change the experience too much.
That cabin is something everyone should experience, with 3 other riders. That's the spot several years ago that Silver Bullet exposed us to “ain’t nobody got time for that”. I was crying. Good times. Sweat dreams, tomorrow’s ride is the good stuff.
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. As usual, no one around to help so it was just one old guy to lift the GS.
