hppants
Well-known member
I recently spent a long weekend with friends riding our motorcycles. Over 3 days, we covered a little over 1000 miles. That’s a little bit farther than I like to ride on a daily basis, but to tell the truth, the miles clicked away so easily, we just went with the flow.
MikeP and I have been touring together for years. Our friend John (JonJonBoo) has been working overseas for a defense contractor. He’d been over there 3 months and just returned home for some much need rest and relaxation. I was glad to hear he was home and ready for some 2-wheeled therapy. Over the past few years, the 3 of us have celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King’s holiday on the bikes, a tradition I shall very much like to continue.
Additionally, I received a private message from forum member NTXFJR (Craig) asking if I had any plans for a trip soon. I’d never met Craig before, but there’s no such thing as a stranger rider, so I convinced him to buy camping gear and give it a shot. Craig was a tad late to the party, as he had to work a full day Friday. But none the less he made it, and the 4 of us had a ball playing in and out of the Sabine, Angelina, Kistachie, and Homochitto National Forests.
A long weekend ride down here in January has to be planned with flexibility in mind. The weather is unpredictable, and the long range forecast kept changing on us. I was game to try anything, and was even willing to bail on the camping in favor of drier accommodations if Mother Nature wouldn’t cooperate. As we got closer to “go time”, the forecast actually looked favorable for camping. A frontal system approaching from the west would bring poor weather late in the weekend, but we felt like if we started in East Texas, and moved east from there, we could stay ahead of the bad stuff. It worked out great. We stayed dry all weekend, and the temperatures were very mild, with overnight lows at 55-60, and highs in the mid-70s. Even Craig made it home to the DFW area just before the bottom fell out Sunday night.
We rode places and ate things. We stopped and looked around at whatever seemed interesting. We built a couple of nice campfires, drank a few cocktails, and shared the meaning of life. We took the longer more curvy ways to get there. Nobody over pushed themselves, but when conditions and the mood felt right, we downshifted a gear and turned the horses loose a little. Nobody got hurt or broke down in the slightest. In the end, it was just a few days for us to enjoy good camaraderie and good riding.
And when you get right down to it, I guess that’s all that really matters.
I hope you enjoy the pics.
Day 1: Lafayette, LA to Boykin Springs Campground, Zavalla, Texas, approx. 375 miles
Mike agreed to meet at my house about 7 am. Work day traffic gets heavy, so we need to be on our way before the morning commute catches us. The coastal fog was thick as we rode out of town. A rural route northwest seemed pretty dangerous, with visibility down to perhaps a quarter mile. So we decided to just hit the slab and make some miles while the fog burned off. The interstate was actually pretty enjoyable as most of the big rig trucks must have slept in that day.
About 70 miles later, we exited near DeQuincy and took a break. Mike recently moved from an FJR to a Versys 1000 and he likes it very much. I think the color is GORGEOUS!
As predicted, the fog burned off and gave way to partly cloudy skies. The roads dried up, and we are off to the northwest riding through the piney woods near Toledo Bend Reservoir. We crossed the border into Texas and things are just fine.
We pull into Milam, Texas, which is really just an intersection of two highways, right about noon. We’ve eaten here before and it is always very good.
Now this is the way to eat on the road! The fried catfish dinners are just fantastic, but it’s really more than I can eat.
While I was pouring my iced tea, this guy asked me if I’m from Lafayette. I said “yes” and it turns out we’ve met before. So we asked him and his friend to join us.
Lunch comes with chocolate cake. I’m living large, friends!!
David and his friend are riding BMW adventure bikes and heading to Dallas for a major motorcycle show. After lunch, they tagged along with us for a short while.
In San Augustine, the Beemer dudes split off, and Mike and I started wandering in and out of the forest. The rural roads of East Texas are well maintained with very little traffic to contend with. I wouldn’t classify them as “twisty”, but they are plenty “curvy” and the scenery among the low hills and ranches is just fine.
“Uh Pants, stop taking pictures and let’s ride, man!”
We looped back around the San Augustine about 3:00 pm and thinking that this might be our last chance, we stopped at a grocery store for some local brew. This one was very good.
From San Augustine, we crossed the Sam Rayburn Reservoir, which was formed by the damming of the Angelina River.
Looking quite fine, my Kawasaki friend!
Meanwhile, John left his central Louisiana home about noon and got to the campground early. He picked a nice spot for us to call home that evening.
I’ve camped here many times and it is a very nice place. The roads are paved, the shower is hot, and the camp sites are very large and private. Mike has the passport card, so we paid a whopping $3 bucks for the site!!
Firewood was a little scarce, but we found plenty in the area adjacent to the camp site. Mike seemed challenged to assemble my camp saw.
But in no time, we loaded up the mules and headed back to camp.
We walked up to the camp pond to look around. The control structure they built at the spring is pretty cool
I believe John is on his 3rd or 4th beer by now. Does it show?
The pond was very peaceful that evening.
Now dark, I took a shower and after a couple of stiff totties, it was time to get down to some serious business.
MikeP and I have been touring together for years. Our friend John (JonJonBoo) has been working overseas for a defense contractor. He’d been over there 3 months and just returned home for some much need rest and relaxation. I was glad to hear he was home and ready for some 2-wheeled therapy. Over the past few years, the 3 of us have celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King’s holiday on the bikes, a tradition I shall very much like to continue.
Additionally, I received a private message from forum member NTXFJR (Craig) asking if I had any plans for a trip soon. I’d never met Craig before, but there’s no such thing as a stranger rider, so I convinced him to buy camping gear and give it a shot. Craig was a tad late to the party, as he had to work a full day Friday. But none the less he made it, and the 4 of us had a ball playing in and out of the Sabine, Angelina, Kistachie, and Homochitto National Forests.
A long weekend ride down here in January has to be planned with flexibility in mind. The weather is unpredictable, and the long range forecast kept changing on us. I was game to try anything, and was even willing to bail on the camping in favor of drier accommodations if Mother Nature wouldn’t cooperate. As we got closer to “go time”, the forecast actually looked favorable for camping. A frontal system approaching from the west would bring poor weather late in the weekend, but we felt like if we started in East Texas, and moved east from there, we could stay ahead of the bad stuff. It worked out great. We stayed dry all weekend, and the temperatures were very mild, with overnight lows at 55-60, and highs in the mid-70s. Even Craig made it home to the DFW area just before the bottom fell out Sunday night.
We rode places and ate things. We stopped and looked around at whatever seemed interesting. We built a couple of nice campfires, drank a few cocktails, and shared the meaning of life. We took the longer more curvy ways to get there. Nobody over pushed themselves, but when conditions and the mood felt right, we downshifted a gear and turned the horses loose a little. Nobody got hurt or broke down in the slightest. In the end, it was just a few days for us to enjoy good camaraderie and good riding.
And when you get right down to it, I guess that’s all that really matters.
I hope you enjoy the pics.
Day 1: Lafayette, LA to Boykin Springs Campground, Zavalla, Texas, approx. 375 miles
Mike agreed to meet at my house about 7 am. Work day traffic gets heavy, so we need to be on our way before the morning commute catches us. The coastal fog was thick as we rode out of town. A rural route northwest seemed pretty dangerous, with visibility down to perhaps a quarter mile. So we decided to just hit the slab and make some miles while the fog burned off. The interstate was actually pretty enjoyable as most of the big rig trucks must have slept in that day.
About 70 miles later, we exited near DeQuincy and took a break. Mike recently moved from an FJR to a Versys 1000 and he likes it very much. I think the color is GORGEOUS!
As predicted, the fog burned off and gave way to partly cloudy skies. The roads dried up, and we are off to the northwest riding through the piney woods near Toledo Bend Reservoir. We crossed the border into Texas and things are just fine.
We pull into Milam, Texas, which is really just an intersection of two highways, right about noon. We’ve eaten here before and it is always very good.
Now this is the way to eat on the road! The fried catfish dinners are just fantastic, but it’s really more than I can eat.
While I was pouring my iced tea, this guy asked me if I’m from Lafayette. I said “yes” and it turns out we’ve met before. So we asked him and his friend to join us.
Lunch comes with chocolate cake. I’m living large, friends!!
David and his friend are riding BMW adventure bikes and heading to Dallas for a major motorcycle show. After lunch, they tagged along with us for a short while.
In San Augustine, the Beemer dudes split off, and Mike and I started wandering in and out of the forest. The rural roads of East Texas are well maintained with very little traffic to contend with. I wouldn’t classify them as “twisty”, but they are plenty “curvy” and the scenery among the low hills and ranches is just fine.
“Uh Pants, stop taking pictures and let’s ride, man!”
We looped back around the San Augustine about 3:00 pm and thinking that this might be our last chance, we stopped at a grocery store for some local brew. This one was very good.
From San Augustine, we crossed the Sam Rayburn Reservoir, which was formed by the damming of the Angelina River.
Looking quite fine, my Kawasaki friend!
Meanwhile, John left his central Louisiana home about noon and got to the campground early. He picked a nice spot for us to call home that evening.
I’ve camped here many times and it is a very nice place. The roads are paved, the shower is hot, and the camp sites are very large and private. Mike has the passport card, so we paid a whopping $3 bucks for the site!!
Firewood was a little scarce, but we found plenty in the area adjacent to the camp site. Mike seemed challenged to assemble my camp saw.
But in no time, we loaded up the mules and headed back to camp.
We walked up to the camp pond to look around. The control structure they built at the spring is pretty cool
I believe John is on his 3rd or 4th beer by now. Does it show?
The pond was very peaceful that evening.
Now dark, I took a shower and after a couple of stiff totties, it was time to get down to some serious business.
