Despite the nomenclature sometime used by certain ambitious riders, I have a hard time calling a ride in Central and West Texas, including the towns that I grew up in, an “adventure”, which is defined as "an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, activity". That description might apply to the remote parts of Mexico...or Central America...or Central Asia...but not Texas. So this one's obviously going to be simply "dual sport", which is in keeping with the two-lane blacktop and gravel and rocky county and ranch roads it’ll include. However, if “off-road” riding in West Texas and return via the Hill Country is an adventure to some, by all means call it that.
We hate to pass on the Trail Boss-organized ride to the NMBDR, which we’ve already done about half of, but my friends and I are opting for this little four-day dual sport ride. And in this instance, "West Texas" does not mean Big Bend, rather the western edge of the Edwards Plateau, an area bounded on the northwest by Ozona, on the south by the Rio Grande, and on the east by Rocksprings. We plan to ride the uncharted Pecos and Devil's River areas south of Ozona and Sonora, with their rugged mesas, canyons, dry washes, rocky roads, storied “resorts” (meaning swimming holes), the Law West of the Pecos, high bridges, little-known (and short) Devil’s River, raucous border town of Del Rio, etc., before returning via the ever-fantastic Hill Country to Bandera.
We’re all on “ginormous GS’s”, which have taken some of us as far north as Alaska and the Arctic Ocean, as far south as the Panama Canal, as high as Colorado’s 13,000+ ft passes, and as low as Death Valley. These big bikes are meant to “go wherever you dare”, regardless of distance, obstacles, or weather. Granted, they can go down hard when you have a “get off”, and are not easy to pick up, but it happens. To everyone. Thankfully, no serious damage or injuries through many obstacles and a bunch of miles in a boatload of countries.
The ride looks something like this:
Michelle crossing the creek approaching Mike's Sky Rancho in Baja California:
Minutes Meryl and yours truly in Tuktoyaktuk with the Arctic Ocean in the background (the two on the left):
So we're off Memorial Day, expecting rain in Central Texas, but not West Texas (it's freakin' WEST TEXAS, after all).
We hate to pass on the Trail Boss-organized ride to the NMBDR, which we’ve already done about half of, but my friends and I are opting for this little four-day dual sport ride. And in this instance, "West Texas" does not mean Big Bend, rather the western edge of the Edwards Plateau, an area bounded on the northwest by Ozona, on the south by the Rio Grande, and on the east by Rocksprings. We plan to ride the uncharted Pecos and Devil's River areas south of Ozona and Sonora, with their rugged mesas, canyons, dry washes, rocky roads, storied “resorts” (meaning swimming holes), the Law West of the Pecos, high bridges, little-known (and short) Devil’s River, raucous border town of Del Rio, etc., before returning via the ever-fantastic Hill Country to Bandera.
We’re all on “ginormous GS’s”, which have taken some of us as far north as Alaska and the Arctic Ocean, as far south as the Panama Canal, as high as Colorado’s 13,000+ ft passes, and as low as Death Valley. These big bikes are meant to “go wherever you dare”, regardless of distance, obstacles, or weather. Granted, they can go down hard when you have a “get off”, and are not easy to pick up, but it happens. To everyone. Thankfully, no serious damage or injuries through many obstacles and a bunch of miles in a boatload of countries.
The ride looks something like this:
- Day 1: Austin to Ozona (no, not including I-10), stop for lunch, then south on Pandale Rd's pavement (in Crockett County) and dirt (in Val Verde County), to Langtry, followed by US 90 to Del Rio for two nights.
- Day 2: Devil's River dirt to the similarly-named State Natural Area, exploring north of Del Rio, across to Juno and Pandale.
- Day 3: Back into the Hill Country from Del Rio to Rocksprings to Bandera, via many of the best dual sport roads, bump gates, and water crossings in Texas (thanks to RR's and tracks by Trail Boss and other TARA riders).
- Day 4: Return to Austin.
- No camping - this time
- No sharing motel rooms - except when there's no other choice, as in the Arctic
- SAG wagons, trucks, and trailers not welcome - practically always
- There’s “no crying in baseball”, and no whining in dual sport riding - most of the time
- There’s help close by if (when) you fall - if they feel like it
Michelle crossing the creek approaching Mike's Sky Rancho in Baja California:
Minutes Meryl and yours truly in Tuktoyaktuk with the Arctic Ocean in the background (the two on the left):
So we're off Memorial Day, expecting rain in Central Texas, but not West Texas (it's freakin' WEST TEXAS, after all).
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