East Texas in December

[hppants]

I'm kicking around the idea of a long weekend in the Angelina National Forest Dec. 11 through Dec 14. If we can catch a stretch of dry skies, the weather should be nice. I figured I would send it up the forum flag pole and see who salutes it.

Let the discussion begin....


Edit - UPDATE, 12/2/15

The following have expressed interest in this:

Pants
MikeP1300
JonJon (ST-Owner, personal friend)
Cav47
RJAMT
Graler
GixxerJason
Petey
Lococnc
FJRaven

 

[Cav47]

Weather permitting for sure. Could be 50 degrees here, could be 5 degrees with 12 in of snow.

I might even trailer with Black and White if the weather is doable further south. Call me a sissy, but I am not riding with the frozen stuff.

 

[hppants]

You ain't no sissy in my book. In the Spring, I had about 45 seconds of riding in frozen stuff and I do not care to do that ever again.

Boykin Springs Campground is a nice place near Zavalla. No showers, but I wouldn't mind staying there again. Martin Dies State Park is really nice - but would be more crowded.

Edit- Boykin has showers

I can drum up some decent loop routes between Angelina, Sabine, and Davy Crockett National Forest. Pretty much all piney woods - not "Tail of the Dragon" riding, but pretty in its own rite. The roads are well maintained and the speed limits are generous as there isn't much traffic out there.

Plenty of inexpensive motels too in Jasper, Nacogdoches, etc.

 

[RJAMT]

Oh sure. I ask you about camping this winter and you go and plan something for the very week my seat will be arriving at Seth Laam's place to get turned into something tolerable?

Not very nice!

 

[Cav47]

Oh sure. I ask you about camping this winter and you go and plan something for the very week my seat will be arriving at Seth Laam's place to get turned into something tolerable?
Not very nice!

Expedited shipping, or just ride one more week without it. You obviously can ride your stock seat. I-70 will be on the way for me. Although I might treat my Trailer Queen to a warm and comfortable ride down there. You know she is sensitive.

 

[RJAMT]

Trailer? So I guess that WAS a little H-D tattoo you were trying to hide back in Arkansas!

Maybe I'll see if I can get bumped up on the schedule or something. Lemme get back to you.

Most likely outcome: I get the seat schedule changed, beg off work, cash in brownie points with the wife, pack the bike and open the garage to see the first inch of a foot of snow start falling.

 

[mikep1300]

Ok.

 

[hppants]

Bump-a-doodle....

This is a nice 275 mile loop ride from the Boykin Springs Campground. Could make a real nice Saturday ride.

https://goo.gl/maps/RmBGYLG15dq

 

[graler]

Thanks for the update. Please be sure to indicate the direction you go if you take this ride. I can't make the overnight but I might be able to make part of the Saturday.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Gotta pitch this to the wifey. This is like the one weekend I have free in the entire month of December. Like Graler, if I can't swing any camping, I might be able to run down and ride part of the route and have lunch though.

 

[petey]

Interesting...if the weather cooperates, I mite show up....

I don't camp, but a hotel/motel in Nacogdoches would be near by.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Ran it past the wifey. It's been put on the calendar...in pencil. So we'll see how that works out.

 

[hppants]

Most excellent, Jason. Sure hope it works out.

There are ACOE campgrounds on Sam Rayburn reservoir. I haven't stayed at these but have every confidence they will be very nice - I've never camped at a ACOE campground that wasn't excellent. The problem is that most of these C/G are closed between Labor Day and March 1. The other problem is that all of these are on the lakeshore. With cold fronts coming through often, it could be windy and that will make for some uncomfortable camping.

OTOH, the Boykin Springs Campground is open year round and is a nice place to camp. They have "tent-only" sites that are tucked in the woods out of the weather and away from the rolling houses, but surprisingly have a paved driveway. There is no electricity, but water is available and there is a restroom/shower. Cheap too - like $6 a night per site. I like this place a lot - the sites are spacious, picnic table and fire ring with a grill, etc. We can cook up some good grub there. There is also nice trail that goes around the park too - I heard that there are some old saw mill ruins on that trail. I may want to venture out and take a walk there if anyone else is game. I recommend this place for our get-together.

URL for the campground description:

https://www.forestcamping.com/dow/southern/angecmp.htm#boykin springs

URL for some pictures (from here, search "Boykin")

https://www.forestcamping.com/dow/pictures/pictures.htm

Hotel/Motel wise, there are quite a few inexpensive and well-reviewed choices in Lufkin, Tx. That is about 40 miles from Boykin Springs campground and maybe only 20 miles from the closest point on the loop I posted earlier (Hunington, TX). So if the motel peeps want to join us for dinner in the woods, and then take the leisurely ride to Lufkin, that's an option. Or meet us on the loop - etc. etc.

Not trying to over plan. Just want those interested to know what we COULD do.

 

[petey]

So, how far is Nacogdoches from Boykin Springs campground ?

 

[hppants]

From the center of town, I'd estimate 65-ish miles. Are you adverse to Lufkin? I've ridden through there several times, but never stopped for the night. I have not heard bad things about it, though.

Edit - Petey, I'm sure you know that you do NOT want to go through DFW. Jason can route you around that cluster.

 

[gixxerjasen]

You mean like "Go to Tulsa, then south through Paris?"

Depending on the time of day and day of the week, riding through DFW isn't bad. Hell, I right straight through every morning I go in to work. I kinda ride around in the afternoon though. Middle of the day..no biggie.

 

[petey]

From the center of town, I'd estimate 65-ish miles. Are you adverse to Lufkin? I've ridden through there several times, but never stopped for the night. I have not heard bad things about it, though.
Edit - Petey, I'm sure you know that you do NOT want to go through DFW. Jason can route you around that cluster.

pans, no problem with Lufkin just would like to pick the nearest place to the camp ground. So would Lufkin be closest to Boykin C.G.?

Absolutely know not to get stuck in traffic in DFW...I made that mistake (once) about 40 years ago and I'm sure it's worse now.

However I been attending the MC show in Dallas for several years, and planning to go again next January.

 

[hppants]

Understood -

Lufkin definitely the closest decent sized city (with motel) to the campground.

 

[petey]

Understood -
Lufkin definitely the closest decent sized city (with motel) to the campground.

Thanks pants , hopefully you'll ride the loop clockwise so to be able to meet up just east of Lufkin.