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Post your Day Rides Here!

Riding southeast from Beaukiss, I was not sure what to think of this tunnel until I realized I was close to the strip mines east of Elgin

Yes there are two tunnels that the conveyor that carried lignite to Alcoa smelter. They removed all the conveyor. Who knows where it went. I really like the area you rode I live near that area.. I like Granny's restaurant in Lexington.
 
Great mini ride report!
Thanks. It was a nice ride down memory lane.
Riding southeast from Beaukiss, I was not sure what to think of this tunnel until I realized I was close to the strip mines east of Elgin

Yes there are two tunnels that the conveyor that carried lignite to Alcoa smelter. They removed all the conveyor. Who knows where it went. I really like the area you rode I live near that area.. I like Granny's restaurant in Lexington.
Impressive - that conveyor must have been really long. I forgot how pretty it is back there with all the trees and canopy. Next time, I will touch base with you. Perhaps we can meet for lunch at Hunt brothers. :eat:
 
By the way, I forgot to mention that "Deep Sand" road just outside of Elgin is still open. It is an ATV width public road few people know about. It is only a couple miles long but fun with some pretty deep sand traps along the way.

 
Ran out of fair weather luck yesterday at SHNF. With 4 or 5 miles left it started raining. Got soaked and being on Zebra trail it was greasy. No pics I just wanted out of there. Offroad clothes spread all over the railings in back yard, lol!
 
Rode up 1600 to Cameron. It has some great curves. Always rest at the courthouse it has great chairs and benches under live oak shade. Here is a picture of a friends yard art. He is ready if it floods. :)
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I agree with you. I stopped by there yesterday and was kind of disappointed. I think the Diablo burger at Pecan Grove is better.

The ride through Crabapple and Alamo Springs was nice though - Thanks for the motivation FXDS1340. :thumb:

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The weather was so nice again today I could not help but get back out on two wheels. This time I headed east of Austin where my motorcycle shenanigans first began. My childhood friend "Ken" lived a half mile down the road from New Sweden church. I would ride my XL75 from Elgin to his place. He had an XL100 and we spent many days riding between the boundaries of 290, 79, 95 and I35.

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A few miles closer to Elgin is the granary and cotton gin near where I grew up. As a 12-15 year old, I drove many bobtail trucks full of wheat, maze (sorghum) and corn to here. Still in operation today, it looks the same as it did in 1980.

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A couple of miles and forty two years later, the hillside in the background still has the sharp terraces I enjoyed jumping one after another as a kid. Jumping downhill could get quite lofty and many times things went wrong. But, I never let that stop me from doing it again. The white water tower in the distance is Lund, Texas.

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Riding further eastward into the post oaks where my Grandmother grew up - Beaukiss, Texas. The Masonic lodge is the only building left standing from those days.

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Riding southeast from Beaukiss, I was not sure what to think of this tunnel until I realized I was close to the strip mines east of Elgin.

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Rather than keep heading towards Lexington, I turned southeast towards more family history and good memories. Parked on the side of my great Grandfather's store in McDade, Texas.

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The old store where my great Uncle would take the empty coke bottles to get new ones. I think cokes tasted much better back then. Don't you think?

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As a young boy, I remember my great Uncle bringing me here to Dungan grocery. At this age, it is a strange experience peering inside - back in time. What I would do to go back there.

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Anyone that grew up in central Texas in the 60s and 70s will recognize this.

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So, had it not been for the McDade Historical Museum, I would have known the town had such a violent past.

Taken from their website:

The first business in McDade was a tent saloon, where a tin cup of whiskey sold for 10 cents. With the coming of the railroad McDade became a shipping center for cotton and freight going to and from Austin, Bastrop, and Smithville. By the time the town was incorporated in 1873 it had a post office, a cotton gin, and a twelve-member Baptist congregation. The next year the first school was established. In 1879 McDade was called a "thriving depot town" of 150 people, but following the Civil War lawlessness and violence in the area had become a serious concern. The area was a stronghold for a group of outlaws known as the "Notch Cutters," and county law enforcement was far away and ineffective. By 1875 local citizens took the law into their own hands and hung two suspected outlaws, provoking retaliation with the murder of two vigilantes, which led to the hanging of a third outlaw. Early in 1876 two men were caught with a skinned cow, and the skin showed the Olive brand. Both men were shot on the spot. Five months later 15 men, believed to have been led by the son of one of the men shot, attacked the Olive ranch headquarters, killing two men of the ranch and burning the ranch house. On June 26, 1877, vigilantes stopped a dance, took four men out and lynched them. For five years after there was little crime or trouble. However, in November 1883 two men were murdered in Fedor, and in a separate incident another man was beaten, robbed and left for dead. Shortly afterward the deputy sheriff investigating these crimes was shot to death in McDade. A vigilante committee hung four of the suspected perpetrators. But the violence continued with the McDade Christmas hangings on Christmas Eve 1883, when three more suspected outlaws were executed. This event led to a gunfight in front of a McDade saloon on Christmas Day that left three more men dead. This ended the vigilante "justice," but violence and gunfights continued until 1912.
Did you try any of their pie?
 
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So, had it not been for the McDade Historical Museum, I would have known the town had such a violent past.

Taken from their website:

The first business in McDade was a tent saloon, where a tin cup of whiskey sold for 10 cents. With the coming of the railroad McDade became a shipping center for cotton and freight going to and from Austin, Bastrop, and Smithville. By the time the town was incorporated in 1873 it had a post office, a cotton gin, and a twelve-member Baptist congregation. The next year the first school was established. In 1879 McDade was called a "thriving depot town" of 150 people, but following the Civil War lawlessness and violence in the area had become a serious concern. The area was a stronghold for a group of outlaws known as the "Notch Cutters," and county law enforcement was far away and ineffective. By 1875 local citizens took the law into their own hands and hung two suspected outlaws, provoking retaliation with the murder of two vigilantes, which led to the hanging of a third outlaw. Early in 1876 two men were caught with a skinned cow, and the skin showed the Olive brand. Both men were shot on the spot. Five months later 15 men, believed to have been led by the son of one of the men shot, attacked the Olive ranch headquarters, killing two men of the ranch and burning the ranch house. On June 26, 1877, vigilantes stopped a dance, took four men out and lynched them. For five years after there was little crime or trouble. However, in November 1883 two men were murdered in Fedor, and in a separate incident another man was beaten, robbed and left for dead. Shortly afterward the deputy sheriff investigating these crimes was shot to death in McDade. A vigilante committee hung four of the suspected perpetrators. But the violence continued with the McDade Christmas hangings on Christmas Eve 1883, when three more suspected outlaws were executed. This event led to a gunfight in front of a McDade saloon on Christmas Day that left three more men dead. This ended the vigilante "justice," but violence and gunfights continued until 1912.

Hard times during that period. The McLemore brothers are buried in the Baker Cemetery west of McDade. They were (are) my wife's grandmother's family.
 
Ran out of fair weather luck yesterday at SHNF. With 4 or 5 miles left it started raining. Got soaked and being on Zebra trail it was greasy. No pics I just wanted out of there. Offroad clothes spread all over the railings in back yard, lol!
😆💦Nothing like a mc soaking, pickled skin and all. Still, I never dare complain about rain here in sotex.
 
Hard times during that period. The McLemore brothers are buried in the Baker Cemetery west of McDade. They were (are) my wife's grandmother's family.
It certainly is a small world and it always seemed like hard times out there. I am not sure if my family was in McDade or Beaukiss then but I am going to check. Did your wife's family continue to live in the area after the 1880s? If so, our families may have known each other.
 
It certainly is a small world and it always seemed like hard times out there. I am not sure if my family was in McDade or Beaukiss then but I am going to check. Did your wife's family continue to live in the area after the 1880s? If so, our families may have known each other.
We like that Beukiss area. That turn at the community center will take you to Thorndale. Wonder how it got it's name? Probably a family name.
 
It certainly is a small world and it always seemed like hard times out there. I am not sure if my family was in McDade or Beaukiss then but I am going to check. Did your wife's family continue to live in the area after the 1880s? If so, our families may have known each other.
If y’all want some proper history on that area Jerry runs Powell’s printery in Elgin. He put together a great book on the local area. Also ( out of print ) Ladder of Rivers is a great book about the Olive family from near there, thick with history. 👍🏻
 
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If y’all want some proper history on that area Jerry runs Powell’s printers in Elgin. He put together a great book on the local area. Also ( out of print ) Ladder of Rivers is a great book about the Olive family from near there, thick with history. 👍🏻
As much time as I spent out there, I know very little about the history. Most of what I have found is fragmented so I appreciate the book suggestions. I just found Ladder of Rivers and will probably get it.
 
Went for a putt yesterday north Milam county. Mr. Peabody's coal train is in the process of hauling this rural county away :-( I think that bull is fixing to mosey down to those six cows next to the stock tank. Had to hit fuel reserve for first time. I was startled when she died. Thinking about a long walk :doh: I have a red twist wire nut affixed to my gas cap vent for rain and to vent tank. Wish I had left it red. Cheap
Saw Jesus as a baby with his mother Miriam and her husband Yosef they visit downtown Thorndale every Hanukkah and Christmas. From the cradle to the cross.
Thorndale car show Saturday 11-12-22 will be cool



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Spent the night in Ft Stockton. Beautiful ride today through Marathon. Had lunch at the Chisos restaurant and then to Terlingua. Weekend getaway.
 

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So much so...that I hadta cool off a bit

Im takin the long way back home
FM309..FM934..Blum..FM933..TX174..FM56..Kopperel.. FM927..Morgan.. CR1130/FM2840..Meridian..FM1991.. FM219..FM182..FM217..CR223..FM215..Old Mosheim Rd.. E Middle Bosque..etc

Got back as the sun was setting..
Perfect
 

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I got a 80ish mile test run heading up towards Granbury this morning to see how flushing and changing the coolant, installing a Neutrino Black Box, and telling it how to run my heated jacket would go. The bikes thermometer said 31F when I left the house.

All went well but I may need to dial back how aggressive it is with the heat because I started getting hot coming home around noon.

The biggest win however, aside from not overheating, is the latest suspension tweaks were in the right direction so I'm starting to really enjoy this bike in the twisty bits instead of just out on the open road.

An enchilada plate at 7-11 made for a quick and convenient lunch and was surprisingly tasty for $5.99. The charro beans were really good too.

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I got a 80ish mile test run heading up towards Granbury this morning to see how flushing and changing the coolant, installing a Neutrino Black Box, and telling it how to run my heated jacket would go. The bikes thermometer said 31F when I left the house.

All went well but I may need to dial back how aggressive it is with the heat because I started getting hot coming home around noon.

The biggest win however, aside from not overheating, is the latest suspension tweaks were in the right direction so I'm starting to really enjoy this bike in the twisty bits instead of just out on the open road.

An enchilada plate at 7-11 made for a quick and convenient lunch and was surprisingly tasty for $5.99. The charro beans were really good too.

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Were you on 79 yesterday ? just past the big flee market ?
 
Nah, I stayed over in the area between Glen Rose and Granbury. I was on hwy 144 for a bit.
Saw a FJR pulling out and thought it was a IBA member making a run thanking about it again he had more stuff on his FJR than you do .
I miss my FJR sometimes
 
Sunday ride to the New York Hill Restaurant near Thurber TX
Hey boys and girls, hope you were able to have a good outing today!
Awesome 50-something degree day that included beautiful sunshine.
Started in Bedford but ended up riding down some back country roads through Weatherford, Brock, Lipan and Morgan Mill with places where the falling leaves swirled around the bike. They accentuated the slow motion, 3-D effect I experienced while peering through my visor.
Blue skies with wispy painter's stroke high clouds, worthy of any canvas massaged by the Happy Painter, Bob Ross.
They were "Happy Little Clouds." And so was I.
Ride topped off with a Bowl-of-Red at the New York Hill restaurant near Thurber before kinda slabbing back on 16 and 180 back through Weatherford.
Yeeha!

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