Nativeson
Member
Just back from eleven days on the road riding from Texas over to Indiana, up to Michigan, down to Wisconsin and back (to Texas).
My Route more or less:https://www.google.com/maps/dir/San+Antonio,+TX,+USA/Lake+Catherine+State+Park,+Catherine+Park+Road,+Hot+Springs,+AR/Hoosier+National+Forest,+Bedford,+IN/Pentwater,+MI/Rapid+River,+MI/Mt+Horeb,+WI/San+Antonio,+TX,+USA/@34.8192418,-97.4189613,6z/data=!4m69!4m68!1m15!1m1!1s0x865c58af04d00eaf:0x856e13b10a016bc!2m2!1d-98.4936282!2d29.4241219!3m4!1m2!1d-97.7120045!2d29.8518464!3s0x8643540e52d3f747:0x36332a2ecef6ec85!3m4!1m2!1d-95.9413723!2d31.5430236!3s0x86489c561e53849d:0x834ec5203c72fe9a!1m5!1m1!1s0x8632cd9e4050424b:0x23fa53b931f3b0c7!2m2!1d-92.925086!2d34.42657!1m5!1m1!1s0x886ea44eed35fc87:0xaa0f94693aa1a420!2m2!1d-86.540067!2d38.476104!1m5!1m1!1s0x881c08844db882b9:0x36be72f82e07400c!2m2!1d-86.4331355!2d43.7816728!1m5!1m1!1s0x4d4dc61b8b268445:0x9dbe137252e0f145!2m2!1d-86.9670603!2d45.9266383!1m20!1m1!1s0x88079777e411ad6d:0x39a5ce3e16cd82a!2m2!1d-89.7384562!2d43.008608!3m4!1m2!1d-91.5382921!2d39.6826506!3s0x87dd95207866b8c5:0xcc3ae1d906c2a69e!3m4!1m2!1d-92.3931501!2d35.2237459!3s0x87d27e6f9936355b:0xab48f47d285c44ad!3m4!1m2!1d-95.6062405!2d31.7659082!3s0x864864328a0094a3:0xcb7604ee01571225!1m5!1m1!1s0x865c58af04d00eaf:0x856e13b10a016bc!2m2!1d-98.4936282!2d29.4241219!3e0
I left early Saturday morning and headed for the 85 mph toll road 131 that begins near Seguin. I would have left the day before, but was rained out. Which brings up two things I should have brought, new rain gear and a way to keep my visor from fogging up at inopportune moments. But I digress temporarily. I managed to ride all day covering 550 miles or so before stopping at the Catherine State Park 12 miles off I-30 in Arkansas. There was a sign posted that said the park was filled, but I, ever the optimist, went in and was told there were no campsites available. Just like the sign said. They called somewhere else and I shuffled my feet and thought about riding another hour when the lady in charge said she was going to cancel a reserved spot because she did not think the person was going to show up. So I was lucky and got a spot.
Campsite.
https://flic.kr/p/tsvxBr
Turns out it is a popular place with lots of families, sounds, and movement. A large gathering across from me was nice enough to invite to partake of their huge crawfish boil so I added a few of them to my soggy sandwich.
https://flic.kr/p/sN8hP6
Sunset at the campground
https://flic.kr/p/tsvLs6
My camping gear was mostly new stuff including a mountain alps tent, a four pound typical sleeping bag, and a thermarest luxury map self inflating air mattress. All worked well enough, especially the Thermarest. Don't know how I ever managed without it.
I also brought a gps, 7 inch tablet, and a sony a3000 camera.
The next morning I set out for the Hoosier National Forest campground of Tipsaw Lake, but first the rain, the rain. I packed up my gear and hit the road only to be hit back by pouring rain during the 12 miles back to the interstate. I holed up for a while at a waffle house until the rain let up and then rode mostly in the rain for about three hours until I started going north. I 30 and I 40 are busy semi filled highways, but they may be necessary to make a little time. I rode all day and somehow made it to the town of Tell City where I knew I was fairly close. I ordered a burrito to go while a nice group of people gave me instructions to the campground. It was a relief to set up camp and eat my dinner.
Campsite at Tipsaw Lake campground, Hoosier National Forest.
https://flic.kr/p/tGCw7b
https://flic.kr/p/tsnqAu
My Route more or less:https://www.google.com/maps/dir/San+Antonio,+TX,+USA/Lake+Catherine+State+Park,+Catherine+Park+Road,+Hot+Springs,+AR/Hoosier+National+Forest,+Bedford,+IN/Pentwater,+MI/Rapid+River,+MI/Mt+Horeb,+WI/San+Antonio,+TX,+USA/@34.8192418,-97.4189613,6z/data=!4m69!4m68!1m15!1m1!1s0x865c58af04d00eaf:0x856e13b10a016bc!2m2!1d-98.4936282!2d29.4241219!3m4!1m2!1d-97.7120045!2d29.8518464!3s0x8643540e52d3f747:0x36332a2ecef6ec85!3m4!1m2!1d-95.9413723!2d31.5430236!3s0x86489c561e53849d:0x834ec5203c72fe9a!1m5!1m1!1s0x8632cd9e4050424b:0x23fa53b931f3b0c7!2m2!1d-92.925086!2d34.42657!1m5!1m1!1s0x886ea44eed35fc87:0xaa0f94693aa1a420!2m2!1d-86.540067!2d38.476104!1m5!1m1!1s0x881c08844db882b9:0x36be72f82e07400c!2m2!1d-86.4331355!2d43.7816728!1m5!1m1!1s0x4d4dc61b8b268445:0x9dbe137252e0f145!2m2!1d-86.9670603!2d45.9266383!1m20!1m1!1s0x88079777e411ad6d:0x39a5ce3e16cd82a!2m2!1d-89.7384562!2d43.008608!3m4!1m2!1d-91.5382921!2d39.6826506!3s0x87dd95207866b8c5:0xcc3ae1d906c2a69e!3m4!1m2!1d-92.3931501!2d35.2237459!3s0x87d27e6f9936355b:0xab48f47d285c44ad!3m4!1m2!1d-95.6062405!2d31.7659082!3s0x864864328a0094a3:0xcb7604ee01571225!1m5!1m1!1s0x865c58af04d00eaf:0x856e13b10a016bc!2m2!1d-98.4936282!2d29.4241219!3e0
I left early Saturday morning and headed for the 85 mph toll road 131 that begins near Seguin. I would have left the day before, but was rained out. Which brings up two things I should have brought, new rain gear and a way to keep my visor from fogging up at inopportune moments. But I digress temporarily. I managed to ride all day covering 550 miles or so before stopping at the Catherine State Park 12 miles off I-30 in Arkansas. There was a sign posted that said the park was filled, but I, ever the optimist, went in and was told there were no campsites available. Just like the sign said. They called somewhere else and I shuffled my feet and thought about riding another hour when the lady in charge said she was going to cancel a reserved spot because she did not think the person was going to show up. So I was lucky and got a spot.
Campsite.
https://flic.kr/p/tsvxBr
Turns out it is a popular place with lots of families, sounds, and movement. A large gathering across from me was nice enough to invite to partake of their huge crawfish boil so I added a few of them to my soggy sandwich.
https://flic.kr/p/sN8hP6
Sunset at the campground
https://flic.kr/p/tsvLs6
My camping gear was mostly new stuff including a mountain alps tent, a four pound typical sleeping bag, and a thermarest luxury map self inflating air mattress. All worked well enough, especially the Thermarest. Don't know how I ever managed without it.
I also brought a gps, 7 inch tablet, and a sony a3000 camera.
The next morning I set out for the Hoosier National Forest campground of Tipsaw Lake, but first the rain, the rain. I packed up my gear and hit the road only to be hit back by pouring rain during the 12 miles back to the interstate. I holed up for a while at a waffle house until the rain let up and then rode mostly in the rain for about three hours until I started going north. I 30 and I 40 are busy semi filled highways, but they may be necessary to make a little time. I rode all day and somehow made it to the town of Tell City where I knew I was fairly close. I ordered a burrito to go while a nice group of people gave me instructions to the campground. It was a relief to set up camp and eat my dinner.
Campsite at Tipsaw Lake campground, Hoosier National Forest.
https://flic.kr/p/tGCw7b
https://flic.kr/p/tsnqAu
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