After the last trip to Big Bend we were talking about taking another trip down there, did we decide if we were going in October or March? If not when does anyone interest want to go?
Looks like we slected the 10th through 12th. We will be leaving Austin on the Morning of the 10th
Some of us are coming from Houston or Dallas on Friday and will spend Friday night in Austin.
We will be riding in Big Bend the 11th if any one wants to meet us there.
We will most likely be spending the night in the Ramada in Alpine, TX, I booked two rooms since there is no cancellation fee with at least 48 hours notice. The cost would be $83.64 per room per night including tax etc. We can fit up to 4 in each room.
2800 W Hwy 90
Alpine, TX 79830
Phone: 432 837-1100
Fax: (432) 837-7032
I'd prefer not having to skip school for this one, but aside from that I'm game for most dates.
Man that sounds awesome!!! count me in!!!
I'm in trade show season till mid Nov. After that, it's a possibility.
yeaaa sounds like a plan . i wont tell the new semister starts :) maybe spring break will fall on the same day for just about everyone. that would be a plan :) maybe no one will break down on the way home this time :) . i'm in waco now so i could way on plusultra then we could all meet in AUSTIN like we where supose to do :cough,cough alpha: then head out. i'd be game for march. october is kinda soon . i forgot about it :oops: sorry i havent been looking in here in a while . but we did relize that we have to meet up early to get there on time . i dont think any of us really wanted to be riding tell dark . just be ready to ride guys !!!! its about a 9 hour trip austin but once we hit I-10 its 90mph from there to the bend ! ! we stop about every 100 150 miles to fill up just to stop and get gas for the guys on the older gs's cuz they dont hold as much fuel . but then once we get there get checked in we grabe a bite to eat then go to sleep cuz theres another all day ride ! big bend is asome !!!!!! we took some pictures last time we went search "big bend" your bound to find somthing ! then on the upon leaving . we just say our good byes and eveyone gose the fastest route back to there home :)
Alright... so pretty much any time after Dec. 20 or later for winter break.
MLK Day is Jan 15, so perhaps ride there Saturday the 13th, ride the roads at Big Bend on the 14th, head back on the 15th?
Spring Break for me is March 12-17.
Last day of finals is May 15, so May 16?
Those are my options, for the most part.
jan. seems a bit early in the winter season. it would not bother me to ride then but i'd rather get there when its a bit warmer . i know theres a yamaha cruiser group that goes up there sometime between feb-march. i'd rather not be there when there there . just because that will limit our options. i'd rather have 3 days ( leave on fri. ride on sat. go home on sunday ) that way where not rushing any thing ..
3 days sounds good, that leaves us one whole day to hang out! I'd even go for four days. I can definitely ride out to waco, meet upwith fared and then go pick alpha up in austin. I think there's more ppl in dallas like nkhona and vfrocket who may come too. anyway by the time we hit austin we should have a fun riding group. January sounds good for riding, but I think it will get cold as hell in the desert at night. I'm voting for march.
It sounds like March it is. I work so I need to do it over a long weekend and with Alpha's constraint of the 12th through the 17th leaves us with two dates. We can leave on Saturday the 10th and get back on Monday the 12th or we can leave on Friday the 16th and get back on Sunday the 18th, which date is best?
Last year we tried to get a cabin six weeks in advance and they were booked up. They seem like the best place to stay, right in Big Bend. Once we pick a date I could reserve one if we want is's only $10 to reserve a cabin. Below is what FearedGS500 found last year.
good god is this sweet or what !! i think i hit the jack pot guys !! they have a stone lodge in big bend . its 95 a night and 10. bucks extra for each person up to 6 ppl .. theres 3 double beds .. heres a link ! http://www.nationalparkreservations.com/bigbend_chisos.htm <--- cant really beat that . your looking at 27 bucks a person .. right on sight.... now thast not with tax .. add some tax. and your looking at what .. at most 35 bucks ?
Also I like plusultra idea of a four-day trip so I will suggest that on the third day we can say are good byes to anyone who needs to leave on the fastest route back home. The rest of us can stay another day, leave in the afternoon and find a hotel room part way home, then split up some time the next morning. We might even be able to find a more interesting road than the interstate for part of the trip.
Yea,
Money is going to be a little tight next few months, so cheaper is better. Maybe we can camp out. Has anyone figured out how to sleep on the bike?
lol yea i was gonna say that today CSS about the hotel . we need to pick a date and who all is really gonna go . i say i'm in but it all depends on what happens i'll start putting money back for it now so that i will have enough . as we learned earlyer we have to leave early to get there before dark . i'm on the 16-17 run but i'd like to meet up in austin about 8 or 9am so that we can be there by 6pm that night . for you guys that are thinking of going with us be ready for a ride. its about 500 miles from austin and most of it is boring old highway . but its worth it ! big bend is pretty cool to me. its not just desert its desert mountins !!! ( ok well .... that not as tall as mouintans but there pretty dang big for texas ! )
How does this plan sound on the room? First we pick a date, whatever weekend you all have off school in March. I reserve a room for that weekend since I have a credit card. Anyone who knows they are coming can claim a bed in the room at any point. But If you don't know you can wait and see if you have the money etc. The week before the trip we can do a head count, if we have more then six some of us can camp in a tent but we could all use the cabin to take a shower and lock are stuff in for the day. As a worst case if we call the trip off I would only have to pay a $10 cancellation fee.
As far as a leaving time I am coming from Houston, I think the people coming from Dallas will agree we can't get to Austin at 8AM we would have to get up at like 3:30 in the morning. I can see two solutions to this, the first one is that we spend the night in Austin, I know Stray wants to keep the costs down so we could camp for the night, there are lots of campsites around Austin. The second option would be to leave at 11:00 or 11:30 in the morning and get to Big Bend in the dark. We could discuses riding preferences before hand and choose a speed at which everyone wants to travel then it might be ok. Should be mostly expressway on the way down.
So the first question is what date, we can leave on Saturday the 10th and get back on Monday the 12th or we can leave on Friday the 16th and get back on Sunday the 18th.
ok .. ummm .. i'd say i'm in for the 10th-13th my springbrake is from 12-17 so .. what ever is really fine with me . i'm a myabe on the go :) well see how things go that i know of it should be good but you know how life treats us sometimes . 2nd plusultra if it ends up just being you that comes down you can come down the night before and camp out on my futon if all of you can i'd let all of you stay but my 1 room apt. can only hold so many :P but if you guys wanna come down the night before so your not riding alllll day the day we leave out . same goes for you CSS and stray you guys might want to see if you can stay with alapha or some where close the night before if you can ( that way he cant forget this time and ditch us for his gf :P )
Yeah yeah, I'll try and remember this time.
I've got a spare couch someone can crash on, and plenty of floor space provided it's only for one night.
Count me in. Just let me know when and how much. I'll be coming from Arlington so anyone that wants to ride to Austin together let me know.
ok ok i could not help my self i had to add photos . this is for you guys that are just going to go this year . and this is for the guy that missed it last year :P :kiss3: i have 104 pictures from last time we went so if you have a came bring it !!!!
(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k286/fearedgs500/Picture069.jpg)
(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k286/fearedgs500/Picture064.jpg)
(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k286/fearedgs500/Picture039.jpg)
(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k286/fearedgs500/Picture024.jpg)
(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k286/fearedgs500/Picture019.jpg)
read the sign !!!! ^^^^^^^
(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k286/fearedgs500/Picture016.jpg)
(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k286/fearedgs500/Picture015.jpg)
sorry for all the pics but i could not help my self :P
cool cool jarrett you could tag along with plusultra to meet up with me in waco. then we could ride down to austin to meet everyone ealse :)
Sweet pics! Jarret, what feared said. I also like the idea of camping, but i can also go for the cabin.
hehe well if you guys want to camp you go for it . but i'll get a hotel if you guys plan on camping i'll take a bed :) after all day riding . then all day riding again ... i'll take a nice confy bed . :)
u got a point there. no excuses of the money sort, since we can save for a few months! :icon_mrgreen:
yup :) well thats also right around tax return time to !!! just make sure you have it ready for the first day you can send it in and do a direct deposet !! :) thats how i got to go last time !! hehe and thats what i will do this time more then likley to :P
ok ok .. so have we desided on a date yet ? and we need a head count on who wants to camp and who wants a hotel ....
*edit* ohhh yea .. we need a date ASAP becuase there gonna be full soon i know we tryed this last time . we need a head cout on whos gonna stay in and who wants to camp . if we all get the cabin it will run us like 29 with taxs but just to be safe for now think of it as 35 per person . if you guys click on the link to the cabin look at where its at . it took us 9 hours just to get to our hotel last year and its right off the highway . i'm only pushing for the early leave out because big bend can get pretty curvy ask CSS he knows . i wont fill comfy with trying to lead everyone in and not know the road. (not saying i'm gonna be the one leading its just i normaly do when i ride with ppl cause i know where i'm going . we normaly rotate leaders so everyone kinda gets a brake :P ) this cabin is deep in to big bend . we need to find out if you guys want to just stay in big bend or stay in the same hotel we did last time and ride the same route as last time *edit**
The deeper into big bend the better! I've always been very big into camping and roaming around nature, so I'm biased toward that kinda scenery, but also I've always had either wranglers or 4x4's. Will we be able to get to the cabin on the bikes? If so, I don't see why anyone would ever rather stay by the busy highway than on the beautiful place we're traveling so long to visit! I bet the cabin has an awesome view!
http://www.nationalparkreservations.com/bigbend_chisos.htm <----theres the site to the cabing where trying to get if you guys want to go there :) check it out . i might invite my causin along (hes on a GSXR600 but dont ride it like a 600 :icon_lol: )
date guys !!! we need to get it in by october to see if we get it in time .. we will be lucky if there not booked already :|
Soooo...... might not be going... Might be going to Kansas to hang out with Turd Ferguson instead, depending on what he's up to. But yeah.
ok so we have 5 that are pretty sure going then ? i'll ask my cusin if he wants to join us . that way we have six (keeps the cost on the place we stay down . ) so .. we going to do the 10th-13th then ?
are you guys not checking on this ? .. well .. css if you see these see if we can get a room at that cabin for 6 ppl . my cusin said he would go .. ( or try )
10-13 sounds good to me. Just let me know when to show up. How detailed are you getting with the logistical planning? I'm just currious if we've got break down immediate action covered. Are we going to buy some extra gear and spread load it amongst ourselves ie chains, tire plug kits, CO2 inflate cartrages, head light bulbs, clutch plates, shift levers, 100mph tape, handles, levers, spacers, C-clamps, nuts and bolts? Do we know where the dealerships are along the route that we can get a busted bike to to do some parking lot wrenching at if we need parts? just currious because we'll all be a long way from our respective homes. Buddy of mine went to New Hampshire to pick a bike a up a month ago to ride back to Texas. Made it to Deals gap and front forks gave out. I was in the military and have alot of experiece planning logistics so I can help out. Might be nice to have a couple of bigger bikes on the ride with us if someone's bike takes a shaZam! on them and we can't get it fixed on the road. I'd hate for someone to ride 500 miles with my 210lbs ass on the back of thier GS. Everyone got tank and saddle bags, and camelbacks? Do we want to do a group buy for those of us who don't? OK, that's enough questions for now. We need to get maps to all the hospitals along the route. I can start a folder with all this info in it if somebody tells me what route we're taking. I'm alittle anal when it comes to stuff like this. Do we have any expereiced wrenchers going along? I can fix just about anything, but I don't have much experience working on the GS.
I think i might just pick a camelbakc for the trip! good call! seriously, on the other very important stuff I think the rule of thumb is to just wing it and pray for the best, but we should have protection against the most common stuff, like flat tires and the such.
I might be in, I might not. Unsure at this point.
I'm an experienced wrencher on the GS. And to be honest, I'm not sure I want to kill my Pilot Powers on the way out there by riding nothing but high speed interstate. If we do, I'm at minimum going to have to go back to stock gearing.
well .. where riding over 9 hours from austin (cuz where going in to big bend it self . we where off the highway last year and it took us 9 hours ) the only thing we took last year was . stuff to shower with . extra close and rain gear !!! PACK SOME RAIN GEAR we ran in to it twice last year so just be ready . if you want to plan it out that would be nice man . heres the route .. 35 to austin then from austin to big bend . if you go to yahoo maps and put austin -bigbend,tx you will have our route . it would be nice to take a diffrent route but at nine hours ... we would have to leave early ( like i said about 8-9am . i'm cool with that .. but you guys from dallas houston would have to get closer to austin in order to get up and ride out that early . big bend is pertty much in the middle of no where so theres not much around but sand,dirt,big big hills and trees ........ so be ready . if you have your tool kit that came with the bike you should be alirght cuz i think thats what stray used when he went down .... another thing is .. where going to have a pretty big group with us this time .. we might think about spliting up in to two or so groups .. say ones that are there to just see what its like and then ppl like me :) that like to look but like to move to ! ask CSS and Stray .. i mean i stop every so often to make sure everyone is ok . .. oh ... and about pit stops on the way .. we stop about every 100 miles for the guys with the older gs's that dont have that big tank :) i know i can get 150 easy out of my bike but you know .. besides .. its gives everyone a chance to get off there back and wake up a little !
I cannot get a cabin for the 11th they currently have one for the 10th. We could stay at one place for the first night and a second place for the second night or Stay at one place for both nights.
I looked into camping, it is first come first serve for the campsites and I am concerened about them filling up since it is spring break. Also I would hate to leave all my stuff at a camp site and have someone take it while I was out riding.
The closest place I could find with a room for both nights was the Ramada in Alpine, TX, I booked two rooms since there is no cancellation fee with at least 48 hours notice. The cost would be $83.64 per room per night including tax etc. We can fit up to 4 in each room.
2800 W Hwy 90
Alpine, TX 79830
Phone: 432 837-1100
Fax: (432) 837-7032
How is this plan?
Meet in Austin the morning of March 10th
we can ride there the night before or that morning but we can figure that out later
Ride on a TBD route to Alpine TX,
Jarrett if you are good with the maping software, or anyone else knows a fun route post it up otherwise we
can take I10
On march 11th we ride to Big Bend
Feared, you had a map last year did you save it?
We end back at the hotel spend the night
On the 12th we can head home, I am going to look up a fun route along the boarder, mabey 90 will be interesting.
might have not sure .. i think theres a picture of the river ride on the old big bend post ....do you still have that old map i left at the hotel ? if so use that one it was outstanding :)
edit* heres a link on the board to some of the ride in big bend http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=23554.30
this is the road me and CSS took last year http://img236.imageshack.us/my.php?image=terlinguapresidio4ih.jpg
hey CSS could you not get the swiss inn at fort stockon again ?
The Swiss inn screwed me last year so I would rather not go there again.
Last year we left Austin around 3:00PM as we were waiting for Alpha and still got there before 10:00PM, driving in the rain.
Austin to Fort Stockton is 5 ½ hours, 340 miles to Alpine is only another 1 hour 10 minuets or 60 miles. Making a 400 mile day. I would rather have the extra 2 hours 20 minutes on the second day by staying that much closer. If someone has time it would be good to map a way with less I10.
http://maps.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTExNmIycG51BF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEc2VjA2ZwLWJ1dHRvbgRzbGsDbGluaw--#mvt=m&maxp=location&q2=30.358656,-103.661774&q1=30.274546,-97.735817&trf=0&lon=-102.31842&lat=30.066717&mag=10
Below is a map of a possible second day; I think 170 is river road, I tried to avoided all dirt and 4x4 roads by referencing a map that delineated them and stuck to paved roads.
I think it is close to what we did last year, works out to 400 miles. Last time we rushed a lot to avoid riding in the dark and we still ended up riding through part of big bend in the dark. I was hopeing that by staying in Alpine we could avoid this, cut 2+ hours of the days travle.
http://maps.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTExNmIycG51BF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEc2VjA2ZwLWJ1dHRvbgRzbGsDbGluaw--#mvt=m&maxp=location&q11=30.369913,-103.625141&q10=29.473087,-103.08215&q9=29.36198,-103.045415&q8=29.189941,-103.015374&q7=29.044919,-103.105406&q6=29.086934,-103.208837&q5=29.269344,-103.301027&q4=29.165653,-103.434923&q3=29.199826,-103.604381&q2=29.542551,-104.321026&q1=30.362271,-103.649208&trf=0&lon=-103.503571&lat=29.696404&mag=9
Third day I was thinking of doing something like this but I have to give it more thought.
http://maps.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTExNmIycG51BF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEc2VjA2ZwLWJ1dHRvbgRzbGsDbGluaw--#maxp=location&q3=29.547625,-95.100583&q2=29.363027,-100.904068&q1=30.358656,-103.661774&mvt=m&trf=0&lon=-95.136108&lat=29.554345&mag=11
The Dallas and Austin People could hop on 77 in San Antonio or something.
ohh ok i did not know they did you like that .. well remeber we where not that far up the road from the way to the other route .. do you not plan on going to the mcdonalds obser? i mean i think we still missed alot of big bend .. some of it we took wrong turns rember :oops: but eather way .. yea ...
**edit** i dont think we road river road last year :( i think we just road 170 and i think thats why we missed out on alot of good. stuff .. i think we sould just ride right down to it and find river road and ride it .. that was the piont of going last year .. if you find big bend go to the lowest point in the green area .. clck it once .. then go to lvl 3 and king of move around to your right and up a little .. until you findriver road ...... i'm pretty sure we missed it :(
any updates? I'm currently doing the whole job search thing, but I should be in Houston by then. Sounds like a nice trip, list me as questionable
cool cool
I don't want to go to mcdonalds obser, unless you really want to.
I would rather dedicate the time to Big Bend,
what do you think is Ramada good or should we find a place in Fort Stockton?
yea thats fine .. riding river road this year will take alot of time so thats what we should to .. you already have the place set .. alpine is fine we can take 90 or 118 right to the start of it and keep on going
hey guys !! hope were closer to things .. i'm not sure if i ever posted but i got engaged earlyer this year ! we plan on having the wedding some time in mid oct. of 2008 ( i knew it seems far away but its coming fast :) ) you guys are all invited .. it will probly be in austin texas :)
Feared, congratulations
Ok, we have a room, well I suggested it, Feared said it was ok and no one else said anything. The place's information is below.
The closest place I could find with a room for both nights was the Ramada in Alpine, TX, I booked two rooms since there is no cancellation fee with at least 48 hours notice. The cost would be $83.64 per room per night including tax etc. We can fit up to 4 in each room.
2800 W Hwy 90
Alpine, TX 79830
Phone: 432 837-1100
Fax: (432) 837-7032
Last year we gave two options, sleep on the floor for $5 less or sleep on the bed for $5 more. The cost per night will be
For four people to a room; floor $15.91, bed $25.91
For three people to a room; floor $21.21, bed $31.21
For two people to a room; $41.82
The number in a room will depend on how many are going.
Now that we have the room and more or less a plan, we need to know who is in. If you are unsure that is cool, we will try to accommodate you when you make up your mind. If you are sure post that you are coming and whether you would like to sleep on the floor or in a bed. That way we can get a head count and if these two hotel rooms fill up I will try to get a third.
Also I will send a pm to all interested to make it fair for those who do not check often.
For March 10-12, I'm out.
Codger
I'd like to say I'm in. But I'm in the process of starting a new job, so I'm not sure how my schedule will look.
Also, I would be fine with taking the floor at the hotel.
ill say i'm in but i wont know tell closer tell time .. i need a new set of tires on my bike (front and back ) but i have alot coming up .. xmas and birthdays and anviersy ( bla i cant spell) and all that comeing up fast and hard .. but luckly thats about the same time as tax returens :P
90% Sure I can swing it. As long as my job let's me post vacation that week. I'll know by the first of the year.
think i have some bad news guys :( dont think i'm gonna be able to make it this year .... and it sucks cuz i really want to go .... but if things change i'll keep you posted !!!
man you guys have a big ride coming up you better start planing !!!!!
Uh. Dude. My tank range is 80 miles. I'd be boned. :laugh: That doesn't even take into account the fact I can barely take an hour on the seat before I want to stop and rub my butt.
alpha .. you hush .. i know you ride longer then that .. heck .. we rode the whole way down there last time .. made it in 9 hours :) .. it only took that long cuz .. we only did about 80 ... then once we hit I-10 and CSS took charge in the night time .. he kicked it up to 90 ! :) but it was fun !!!!
Quote from: FearedGS500 on February 06, 2007, 10:16:11 PM
alpha .. you hush .. i know you ride longer then that .. heck .. we rode the whole way down there last time .. made it in 9 hours :) .. it only took that long cuz .. we only did about 80 ... then once we hit I-10 and CSS took charge in the night time .. he kicked it up to 90 ! :) but it was fun !!!!
My DRZ doesn't exactly have the most comfortable seat for long distance touring. My bike starts running out of steam around 80.
I think this trip is dead. We might be able to get something else going tho. What about a TX GStwin track day?
Quote from: Jarrett on February 06, 2007, 10:32:16 PM
I think this trip is dead. We might be able to get something else going tho. What about a TX GStwin track day?
I'll be at GrandSport Speedway in Houston, TX on April 21 or 22, riding with RideSmart.
I wanted to go to Eagles Canyon Raceway (a new track) in Denton, but the ice and rain has thrown them off schedule, so they don't think it will be open in time for the March 24 track day that was originally planned. Bummer.
I was thinking it might be dead as well but I still have the rooms and found some tips on interesting ways to get down there if we want to go. I will hang on to the room until the 23rd. If we don't have at least 2 or 3 say they will go by then I will cancel the reservation.
I'll give Robert (plusultra) a call and see if he is still wants to go.
Hey guys...
I have a trip planned to be in Big Bend leaving on March 15th, and return Sunday March 18th. Got a hotel booked in Ft. Davis for 3 nights.
So far... I will be riding out there alone. Does someone want to tag along with me errrrrrr.... me tag along? Gonna be a lonely ride if I have to go it alone. *Sniff :oops:
I'll buy someone 1 tank of fuel. *No jerry cans please. I will be leaving from Houston, TX.. and will have some spare room on my bike so I can help tote someones gear for them. Im riding a BMW 1150 GS out.
Update!
I got a truck and a trailer! Dual Cab Ford Dually and MC trailer. Anyone want the spare slot on the trailer?
well man did you go !?
ok ok .. so this anual GS500 Texas Big bend ride got off to a bad start :| first off someof us went and a few had to back out ...*cough* alapha *cough* and then this year it seems as if everyone backed out . :( sooo ... how about next year ? or one good last ride before the winter hits ? hoping to get my soon to be wife on her HD sporster :) if so going is even more possible !