March Ramblin'

[bigjohnsd]

Looking forward to some Ramblin' in March.
My plan is to trailer Freya South out of snow country, pick up a friend in Alamosa CO and head into New Mexico.

Kip my riding partner for this trip is the famous Buell Man from my Inuvik and Cabo San Lucas trips.
Great rider and companion, he will be on a new to him Tiger 800 XCA.

We'll drop the truck and trailer somewhere in SE NM and head South and East, want to hit Big bend NP, head down to Brownsville, then up the Gulf Coast towards Louisiana and a rendezvous with a couple of Cajun brethren.

After the rendezvous, we will head back West towards the truck. Haven't really thought too much about the route back other than to stay the hell off of the Slab, been there done that.

Looking for "Not to be missed" roads, places, kitsch, food, and a place to leave the truck and trailer.

Always game for a cup of coffee or a beer along the way.

 

[Pterodactyl]

Check in with Paul and Voni Glaves. They are 52 miles south of Alpine, TX. Combined they have 2 million miles on BMWs; she has more than him. Paul was the tech writer for the BMWMOA magazine for 20 years. Good folks.

Bring Scotch.

 

[Bugnatr]

White Sands Army base has a great rocket garden just inside the gate and then head over for a putt through White Sands National Monument, both are cool places.

Also the ride from I-10 throughFort Davis and on to Alpine are real fun. It will take you by McDonald Observatory at 7,400 feet...in Texas. Who knew??

 

[hppants]

Come hungry, man. We'll leave the light on fer ya!!

 

[escapefjrtist]

Jealous...looking forward to a ful report!

~G

 

[Niehart]

Jealous...looking forward to a ful report!
~G

+1

 

[owsley]

If you come through Oklahoma, give me a ring

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Big Bend you say?





If you don't already know this, lodging in that area is hit and miss. My best advice would be to rent a vacation home well ahead of time.

Please, please let's chat before you make this trip. There are some places I think your big BMW will do great and others I STRONGLY suggest you avoid.

 

[bigjohnsd]

LIKE /\ /\ /\

Plan at the Moment - Going East: https://goo.gl/maps/rXEW6bDKkBG2 "updated by Edit"

Coming back West: https://goo.gl/maps/6rrW3RiqZ762

Always looking for Input

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Unless you are in a rush or have some other reason for swinging north of Beaumont on your way to Joey's, try the coast road instead. Pop and I met Josh at the TX/LA border on the Gulf Coast and led him to Joey's from there and it is an interesting ride. You might enjoy it.

Josh had an issue with one of the Texas ferry boats spraying his bike with salt water but that was a Very Windy Day. Of course you will be doing this in March and I do recall some BS about March Winds...

 

[Bugnatr]

John, how about riding (weather permitting) 82 to Arteisa, down to Carlsbad and jump on 62 down to 54. Takes you through Lincojn National forest and along the Guadalupe Mts. National Park. I enjoyed that route a few years back on the Hippo.

 

[bigjohnsd]

Bugs - I had us going 82-130-24 but somehow it changed Thanks for noting the FUBAR

RFH - Thanks - As long as I get Lunch at the Monument Inn at the San Jacinto Monument Taling the coast route will be fine. thanks Mate.

 

[natehawk750]

Twisted sisters around Kerrvile Texas is good... Can I get in on this meet and eat at Joey's too!?!

 

[hppants]

Absolutely, Nate. There's always room for one more!!

Looks like I'll have 4-ish days with John and Compadre. I'm trying to put something together. Stay tuned...

 

[Proteus1952]

With a slight deviation to Plan A you will reap major scenic benefit. After Van Horn, TX get on I10 for a short ways to then head south to Fort Davis on route 118. It will take you right by McDonald Observatory and thru Davis Mountains State Park. Much better views and interesting roads. Fort Davis is a great place to take a quick historic look around also.

Safe journey. I'm jealous. Hope for a great ride report later.

 

[bigjohnsd]

Ramble Dates coalescing:
Leaving home tomorrow, Freya on the trailer, heading to my friend Kip's in Alamosa CO.
March 1 - loading Kips Tiger 800 and heading to Alamogordo NM
March 2 - Alpine TX via a circuitous route
March 3-4 staying in Terlingua TX while riding in Big Bend NP and environs.
March 5 - Heading towards Brownsville TX along the border staying somewhere along the way
March 6th - Brownsville, Padre Island, up the Gulf Coast to Corpus Cristi
March 7th - @ HPpants
March 8-11 riding with said HPpants and friends TBD - Kip takes off for home
March 12 - depart Lafayette LA for WTF knows
March TBD - Texas Hill Country
March 17 (estimated) Alamogordo
March 19th - Home

Always glad to share the road, a room, coffee, beer, meal or just conversation along the way.
PM me here if interested

 

[NTXFJR]

John, your route takes you within 20 miles or so of some of the best scenic roads Texas has to offer, hwy's 335, 336, and 337 aka the Twisted Sisters. just south of Kerrville. Pm me if you make it up my way.

https://ridermagazine.com/2013/07/08/twisted-sisters-the-texas-hill-countrys-most-famous-trio/

 

[bigjohnsd]

SPOTWalla Link now active https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=1cb445c738055411bf&hoursPast=0&showAll=yes

 

[bigjohnsd]

As you all know, I'm not much for trip reports, photos or other documentation. I lay part of the blame for that on my good friend Festar who constantly harps "It is the ride and the road" so often I don't stop and sniff the Posies near enough. My thoughts have always run towards "I saw it, I remember it, you can't take that away from me"

I'm working on this, the Ramble is training for North to Alaska 2019, trying to do a little better taking some pictures and documenting.

Billy Fitz, Cav47, Pant's, AbercrombieFJR, Tyler and many others, unmentioned, who all set such a high bar and are inspirational in their Sniffing, Capturing the moment for posterity, and their "turn-of-phrase".

So, in an effort to practice I'll detail a bit of yesterday:

It was a "Brisk" morning in Spearfish at 0630 when I backed up to "Freya" and her trailer, ya wouldn't have wanted to lick the trailer tongue. A fresh two inches had magically appeared on the driveway. Actually, Freya had spent the night in the garage on the trailer and she was quite shocked at the dramatic change from 60F to -6F

The roads in and around the Black Hills were a bit snowy and icy, I had visions of Abercrombie and I setting forth a year ago on the same route to Alamosa CO.

However, as I got 60 miles South into Wyoming things improved.

https://photos.smugmug.com/2019-Ramble-/i-CTtsX66/0/3a88fafb/L/20190228_081856-1551415960678-L.jpg


And as I got to Colorado they were even better.

A quick stop for lunch at Nordy's BBQ in Loveland CO was combined with the delivery of a spare seat to a fellow BMW Brother.

(I forgot my phone in the truck so I stole the previous picture

Got through the "Gut" of Denver with nary a slowdown, discovered that I had left my Helmet at home - what a dumbshit move, so I made a quick detour to my friend Chuck's brand new "Strictly Powersports" in Pueblo West, CO for a replacement in case one of Kip's spare lids wouldn't fit.
https://www.chieftain.com/news/20190201/motor-sports-megastore

[/img]As I turned off of I-25 to head west at Walsenburg the Spanish Peaks were basking in the late afternoon sun.
https://photos.smugmug.com/2019-Ramble-/i-cv37Htd/0/7820c19d/L/20190228_164714-L.jpg


Dinner was ready soon after arrival
Miss Patty did one hell-uv-a job - especially with the roasted veggies

Todays Trucking: Spearfish SD to Alamosa Colorado via Pueblo West CO

Alamgordo NM on Friday, then we Ride!