Post your Day Rides Here!

[M38A1]

Nice scooter Jerry!

 

[Pyrogenic]

Went out today with no plans. Ended up in Conroe then 105 towards Cleveland then down to Baytown across the big bridge and down to la port and Nassau Bay. Then to east beach in Galveston, down the pose-avard to 61st and then toHitchcock and Alvin, then back up 288 and the beltway around west to 249 And back home!

 

[mr-roboto]

Lucky Frog! I had to work...

Yeah, I felt like a motorcycle frog in the fog and rain. It took a long time to clean off the grit and dirt on the bike.

...lot's of spilled gravel at the apex of turns as a result of the large amount of recent rain runoff.

RB

 

[Mudclod]

I had a great day ride on probably the last cool weekend of the summer up to a little known Lake near Mart. Started out in the low 60's! Living near a Military installation, you never know what you might run into in the middle of nowhere. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRXko3nQpzs"]I Love a Parade! - YouTube[/ame]


Less than a mile after that it was into dualsport heaven! [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHYLUc6EUW0"]Let's Ride - YouTube[/ame]


Out around Durango was awesome.

Once near the Lake, I discovered an old Water Treatment Plant. That was several days ago so I guess that wasn't poison ivy after all, whew!


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gyIWh64668"]Explore New Lake Mart - YouTube[/ame]

Then off to explore the trails. I saw one chap fishing the whole day at this lake.

 

[Mudclod]

The roads around the lake soon turned to little used trails, perfect!


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CjUG2d2hWk"]Around the Lake 1 - YouTube[/ame]


Being unfamiliar with the area I did some recon before proceeding a couple of times.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF1JKHLiodU"]Around the Lake 2 - YouTube[/ame]

But alas, I soon began to encounter dead ends. I re-grouped and came up with an exit strategy so I wouldn't have to retrace my steps as well as discover new ground in the process.


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDlq51IClrI"]Around the Lake 3 - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0X0lJgzFJ4"]The Exit Strategy - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgpgCjh3S00"]Dead End! - YouTube[/ame]


Made it out safely and lived to explore another day.

 

[Gravel Guy]

Well done, sir....well done!

 

[Bistineau]

I went out Monday and got on the XR 650 L to head off to work. I hit a couple of gravel roads, and eventually ended up on the banks of the Red River. I decided to stay there ALL day. I think my boss knew where I was, and approved of me being there. He never gave any indication of disapproval anytime during the rest of the week. So I guess it's OK. I didn't do any fishing, but I did see some folks that were.
The pix are where I parked in the morning and where it was still sitting in the afternoon just before I headed off to home.

 

[Pyrogenic]

This evening 7-10: Tomball, Anderson, Willis, Houston, Tomball. Great evening ride (nearly alone) back and forth through Sam Houston forest, lonely dark highways, busy interstate, and back home. DANG it was hot!!

 

[Pyrogenic]

Last Saturday afternoon: Tomball to Bryan via back roads, stopped by TWS and watch sportscar track-day racing, and Navasota to ride 3090 (zero traffic) and back down 149 through the forest, and home. Again... Really hot! I need a cool suit for the next 4 months!

 

[Coolhand]

Hey dudes - I've been badly remiss in not posting to this thread. Extremely busy here, rode my butt off in Oregon and did the Ironman and Desert 100 race in late March. May brought some big changes... moved back to the old homestead in Wyoming and am trying to set up a brewery with my family and a few partners.

Did a nice long going away ride in Oregon before I left and encountered everything from dust to lava to snow... and snow storms.

The Lava part.

The Snow and Snowing parts.

End of an Era

Headed to Wyoming with trailer in tow and saw these jaw droppers.

This is what the 'rent's house and the barn/Brewery looked like as I pulled in...

Got to Wyoming and spent a week in Jackson going to beer school. Met up with Stovebolt from RDS and ADV and did a run up to his cabin at the corner of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.

Running the gravel before jumping into the hills.

Awesomeness along the Warm River.

High speed travel along a turn of the century repurposed rail line.

FOB Stovey - where the Wolves and the Grizzlys Roam (no joke).

Headed back home after a week in Jackson and about to burn back to Bend to pick up the family. Here are a couple Day Ride shots of this area.

Across the street from the house and barn.

Just out of town... pretty much everything you see is BLM.

On a little solo rip the night before last.

More goodness.

I can get used to this.

Unfortunately on my last ride with my bro before he went to work we had a little "interaction" and I jacked up my ribs on the right side. Riding the night before last was awesome but may not have been the smartest thing. Trying to rehab it up now so I don't kill myself loading the U-Haul truck next week.

I'm out, have a good one!

 

[The Bruce]

Wyoming, good riding, beer equals awesome. Heal up quick and keep riding/posting. Wyoming is a treat state with lots of diverse terrain.

from the phone

 

[mr-roboto]

Nothing like western US riding in a few weeks, but in the meantime, I went romping in the Texas Hill Country today and found a very large luxury subdivision still in the stages of being subdivided within a 50 mile radius of Austin. I was amazed how pleasant the terrain was; scenic, elevation changes, sweepers, tight & kinky switchbacks, beautiful vistas, wonderful tree covered tunnels and gorgeous, and even filled creeks and rivers that invite the occasional wading party like my GS.

I took a few snaps with my cell phone.

RB

 

[_RG_]

Did a nice long going away ride in Oregon before I left and encountered everything from dust to lava to snow... and snow storms.

I'm out, have a good one!

Beautiful looking country! Let's see...endless beer AND riding...

 

[Mudclod]

Following our lovely weather pattern over the last few months, I concluded that the I-20 corridor has been receiving rain more often than most of us and decided to seek out some greenery. Erath and Palo Pinto counties were not disappointing. This old bridge I found has to be the coolest ever. It was tiny, barely wide enough for a Model-T. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D_kOHYA7qU"]Old Erath County Bridge - YouTube[/ame]

Around Gordon I followed some old roads that were really grown up but scenic. Took a break around beautiful Palo Pinto Lake and Lone Camp.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu3Q5085Fr0"]Coalville Road - YouTube[/ame]

Palo Pinto

 

[Mudclod]

The highlight of the day ride was Pleasant Valley road crossing the Mighty Brazos River. The water was very clear and flowing good. Many were out recreating and swimming on such a lovely day.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o08ONG8GCHM"]Brazos River Watercrossing - YouTube[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH5oFKW7RCU"]Explore the Brazos River - YouTube[/ame]

After a short recon I decided not to press my luck.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQ7ItFILqp4"]Dead end at the Brazos River - YouTube[/ame]


I crossed once more in the opposite direction and found the deep line but the Z proved waterproof.


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfPg58ZGypI"]Pleasant Valley Road - YouTube[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvYcQnIKxwg"]Brazos River Crossing - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Mudclod]

Headed back south through Santo I followed Panama road to Elkins for the biggest excitement of the day in a four-legged form.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTcvO8E6_rE"]Panama Road - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARjWBXBcetA"]Deer in Palo Pinto County - YouTube[/ame]


Spent eight hours or so to travel 200 miles, great day!

 

[The Bruce]

 

[kojack06]

Great report! Thanks!

 

[mr-roboto]

Great report! I like the deer chasing episode. It looks like the little fella was doing about 30-40 mph.

I am always amazed at how much more lush and diverse the terrain just outside of the the Dallas/Ft. Worth area is compared to Austin.

RB

 

[Mudclod]

Thanks gents. I don't take the deer lightly as I've had far too many friends injured around here, just happened to have camera on. Around Hico and Stephenville was very dry then near I-20 things became super green!

 

[TexBiker]

For the past two years, I've driven down Hwy 21 between Crockett and Nacogdoches three days a week. I always saw the sign that point to "Neches Bluff Overlook" (between Weches and the Neches river bridge) and wondered what was down that road. But 5 minutes later, I'd forget about it until the next time I went back to Nac.

Well, this morning I was skipping church since my hearing aids aren't compatible with their new sound system (yet....working on it) and I finally remembered that dirt road. It was cool, breezy morning, so I put on my gear and headed out on the F650. The road was rougher than I expected, but didn't present any problems. The morning dew kept dust down, too. I spent about an hour exploring all the different paths back there and was happy to find quite a few hiking trails that I plan to visit next week with the kids. Probably wouldn't be a fun road to try after a heavy rain, though. At least not with a 450lb dual-sport bike.

 

[Downs]

Thought I was going to get to be out all weekend camping. Turns out I had a 24 hour duty today (Saturday) so I only went out for one night. This go round I picked the Black Mountain Yellow post sites just north of Idyllwild, Ca.

I left the barracks early Thursday Morning and stopped by Palomar so I could meet up with some folks from ST.N. I waited up there for about an hour then decided to bounce and head North. Traffic on the mountain was light and I wasn't 100 percent for sure if they were going to show up.

No pics going up. The roads are pretty nice but don't start to get really twisty till you get closer to Idyllwild. Made a quick fuel stop in Idyllwild then up the mountain I went. About 5 miles of gravel/dirt to get to the first of the yellow post sites.

Most of them were occupied since it was 4th of July weekend but I managed to find one towards the top before the road started making its way back down again.

I setup camp then made my way the rest of the way along the road with a lighter bike since I left most of my gear back at camp. The roads dead ended anyway so I figured I wouldn't be gone longer than an hour or so.

Really Great views from up here.

From there down I didn't get any pictures because I felt like I was getting a little over my head. This bike (and myself) do not like sand very much. Everything down from that picture was very sandy and the front end was constantly feeling like it was going to wash out. The sand itself was deceptive. You could walk on it and it felt firm but as soon as the bike rolled across it it would give way. Turning any any speed had the front end almost tucking. I dropped it twice but no pictures didn't even think to take a picture until I had already picked the bike back up.

There were some points where I was wondering how I was going to get back up though the sand as even on some spots of flat ground I was having a hard time getting forward progress if I stopped. Going back up turned out to be easier than going down. I guess because there was less weight on the front tire. There were a few stepper sections that required some judicious use of throttle especially with the rear Anakee 2 almost to the wear bars but the ol' girl made it up and out.

I made it back to camp around 4 and just kinda went into lazy mode. But first I hit up a spot I saw while riding up and loaded down. I passed it and said I'd go back after I was lighter.

That's the city of Banning in the distance I'm pretty sure.

The bike next to the rock formation I was taking the pictures from. I thought it would be a plain ol rock formation but apparently the Forest Service put a railing up to keep people from falling off or something.

Being lazy back at camp

There was a rock a short ways from camp that offered a little "window" of a view. I walked there for the end of the day then again the next morning and drank my coffee on top of it.

Planning my route back to the barracks for the next morning.

Reading a book in the tent. The nats were bothersome :thumbdown:

Got up around 630 the next morning and was rolling down the hill by 7. Stopped off on a spur and shot this picture.

Nice little restaurant in Idyllwild ran by a Korean Family. Pretty good stuff and they serve a wide variety of food from all over.

Something different at the bottom of 273 I think.

Headed over towards the Ortega Highway then south towards the base.

On what Butler Maps calls a "Paved Mountain Trail"

Really neat road. It's almost like they just threw some pavement down on a jeep trail and let it roll.

After that it was down some amazing roads (including a jeep trail of some kind) around some orange plantations then on to the barracks where my weekend effectively ended :argue:

 

[Downs]

Mudclod you were all over my old stomping grounds out there I've used the Pleseant Valley Road/ Oaks Crossing Road river crossing many times. Usually from the way you come down you would follow the bank to your left (where that vehicle was parked) and cross right there as it's got a rockyish bottom and rarely changes depth.

The white gas station looking building you took a picture of in palo Pinto was (might still be) an insurance office that's where I had my vehicle insurance though when I was a kid.

I think I posted that crossing to the DFW area dual sport map but don't know if it ever made it on there.

 

[Mudclod]

Hey downs, great report. I'd love to ride some Cali! I had never been to the Palo Pinto area, what a surprise. Yes, still an insurance agent. I plan to venture towards the Possum Kingdom next, any suggestions?

 

[Downs]

Not for dirt roads really. I didn't get back into multi-surface bikes till about the time was about to get stationed out here.

Park Road 33 (paved) comes to mind it dead ends at a state park but the ride is nice. Probably still looks like a moonscape from the fires last year. A volunteer Fire Fighter lost his life out there. Guess they got in a big hurry to get out of the way of a fast moving fire and someone accidentally hit him with a truck knocking him unconscious (at leas they think that's what happened.

Fortune Bend Road just north of Palo Pinto off of FM4 is a good gravel road ride. I'm not sure if it dead ends though. I do know it just keeps going and going. It also goes out by a Boy Scout Camp.