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Uncle's Around the Bend
"Non-Event" Event
Dual Sport and Street Riding in the Big Bend
February 19 - 22, 2009
Terlingua, TX
Dual Sport and Street Riding in the Big Bend
February 19 - 22, 2009
Terlingua, TX
Big Bend is full of fantastic motorcycling adventures. From one of the best twisty paved roads in Texas (Hwy 170 from Terlingua, TX to Presidio, TX) to the most scenic dual sport road in Texas (Pinto Canyon Road), Big Bend is a motorcycling paradise. It doesn't matter whether you ride a street-only motorcycle, an adventure touring bike, or a true "street legal dirt bike" there are a wealth of riding opportunities for all motorcyclists in the Big Bend area.
Uncle's Around the Bend Non-Event: Uncle is pleased to sponsor this 2nd annual "non-event" event and invites all motorcyclists to join him the last weekend in February for a long weekend of motorcycling adventure. Ride, trailer, or otherwise get you and your bike out to Big Bend on or around Thursday, Feb 19th. Spend Friday and Saturday exploring the Big Bend. Head home on Sunday. If your schedule permits, you can even show up early or stay late.
What is a "non-event" event? It means this ride isn't like other organized rides & rallies. No sign up. No registration fee. No banquets. No set schedule to follow. Just show up, ride, and have a great time. Whether you attend by yourself or bring your friends, there will be others to ride with. Ride when you want, where you want, in the middle of winter and in the middle of nowhere. Team up and head out on an adventure. Got a few extra days off? Then come on out early. Or stay a few days late. Uncle will be around and he's a friendly guy. He can recommend roads to ride, or ride with you, or drink a beer with you, or even toss a few horseshoes with you in the evening (especially if you are buying the beer).
Rider Meeting: Riders are invited to converge each morning at 9 a.m. at Kathy's Kosmic Kowgirl Kafe to meet up, find someone to ride with, and/or select the day's route. Come early if you want breakfast or to enjoy Kathy's campfire (highly recommended).
If possible, please bring some firewood with you to Big Bend. Kathy always needs firewood and there just isn't a lot of firewood available in the desert.
Evenings: Each evening at 6 p.m. there will be an informal rider gathering on the front porch of the Starlight Theater / Terlingua Trading Company to drink a few beers, grab a meal, and share the adventures of the day.
Hanging Out at Uncle's Place: Uncle says stop by his place and say hello. The grid coordinates to Uncle's place are 29°18'49.32"N 103°36'33.39"W. Most evenings you can find Uncle and lots of riders hanging out at his campfire, having an adult beverage or three. Bring a chair if you don't want to sit on the ground.
Sleeping: Need a place to sleep? Grab a room at one of the local motels; there are several to choose from. Uncle suggests the El Dorado hotel in Terlingua as the "Uncle approved" hotel of choice. It is a nice place to stay and is centrally located. The last time Uncle checked single rooms were $79 per night and doubles were $89 per night. Their phone number is 432-371-2111. Tell 'em Uncle sent you.
Camping: Uncle has some camping at his place and lots of overflow next to his place at Gareth Park. Most campers end up at Gareth Park, which can be good and bad (good = lots of folks to hang out & visit with; bad = might be a little too close to snoring campers; the good probably outweighs the bad).
There are camp sites at the Study Butte Motor Lodge where you could pitch a tent for a few dollars.
Dirt or Street? Is this a dual sport event or a street bike event? Yes! It is both. It doesn't matter what you ride, there will be places to ride and people to ride with, so come on out. You won't regret it.
There are some awesome paved roads in the Big Bend area that really shouldn't be missed, especially if you are a Texas motorcyclist.
Uncle got has a nice DR350 dual sport bike and usually leads small groups off into the Big Bend boonies, so if you've always wanted to go play in the dirt at Big Bend this is a wonderful opportunity.
What if you don't have a motorcycle? That's okay, come on out anyway. There is lots of cool stuff to do in Big Bend in the middle of the winter and the weather is nice. Besides, we are probably going to need a designated driver or two each evening.
Who's In Charge Here? No one. You are. This is a non-event. No one is in charge and there isn't anyone to complain to if things aren't organized the way you would like them to be.
Will it be Fun? Absolutely! No question about it! We are going to have a blast. If you haven't ridden in Big Bend before you simply don't know what you are missing. If you have, then you already know how much fun it is. In any case, if you miss it, you only have yourself to blame.
T-shirts? You betcha! Sweat shirts too. Mrs. Dirtbike Dave (Demra) was kind enough to design a cool logo for this year's event and orders are being taken. Place your order for a t-shirt or sweat shirt here.
Can we ride in Mexico? Not only can you ride in Mexico, but we think you should seriously consider it. Actually, 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 any paperwork to visit it either; just cross the border and head south, you can't miss it. Bring your passport or birth certificate though, so you can get back into the US.
For you dual sport riders, I've heard there is some good off-road riding in the desert outside Ojinaga. Somebody needs to go explore that area and get back to us with a good ride report.
Mark your calendar. Hope to see you there.
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