Big Bend Trip Report
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Joined: Dec 2004
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From: South Texas
Big Bend Trip Report
I all ready went so I'm not looking to organize one, just thought this was the best place to post my "report".
Even tho' I'm a life long Texan, I've never been there. I've flown over it many times and, quite frankly, I would shake my head at disbelief at the desolation of it all. Little did I know how much I was missing from 35,000ft up. It was a great ride and is very biker friendly.
By the end, I racked up nearly 1650 miles on the SuperHawk in 3 1/2 days in which the extra-capacity tank came through with flying colors. This trip was the main reason I tried finding a larger tank. I couldn't have covered the distances between gas stations in a couple of areas on the stock tank and I wouldn't have had room to carry a gas can nor would have I wanted to.
Here's some pics with info captions from the extended weekend trip.
http://tinyurl.com/dryj4
My apologies for the ads and pop ups (heh, it's free).
Even tho' I'm a life long Texan, I've never been there. I've flown over it many times and, quite frankly, I would shake my head at disbelief at the desolation of it all. Little did I know how much I was missing from 35,000ft up. It was a great ride and is very biker friendly.
By the end, I racked up nearly 1650 miles on the SuperHawk in 3 1/2 days in which the extra-capacity tank came through with flying colors. This trip was the main reason I tried finding a larger tank. I couldn't have covered the distances between gas stations in a couple of areas on the stock tank and I wouldn't have had room to carry a gas can nor would have I wanted to.
Here's some pics with info captions from the extended weekend trip.
http://tinyurl.com/dryj4
My apologies for the ads and pop ups (heh, it's free).
Thread Starter
Moderator
MotoGP
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,553
From: South Texas
Re: Big Bend Trip Report
Sorry no girlie girls out there (could have gone to mexico I guess?), my pathetic wheelies were the only stunting, and the guy on the brand new (4 mths) FJR1300 dropped it in a camoflauged mud hole but only suffered a couple of scratches to the prisitine bodywork.
As for cops, we did have one issue coming out of the central Texas Hill country. A local constable in a chevy tahoe coming towards our group pulled across both lanes of the two lane road we were on, turn on his lights, and jumped out signaling us to stop. We weren't hauling *** (75mph or so in a 70) and had plenty of time to come to a slow stop wondering what the hell was going on. I was about 4th in line so I got to hear the conversation.
He was an older gent, big pot belly, chrome .45, sunglasses, cowboy hat, and chompin' on a big ol ceee-gar! Total stereotype. He said he clocked us at 80 and that there had been a 4 person fatal the night before (didn't say it was bikes or cars) and that there were two black & whites (state troopers) on up the road waiting for us. Anyway, he barked at us some more and let us go on our way. We stayed good for a couple of miles or so until we hit the infamous high speed (100ish) sweepers that road is known for. Never did see those "B&W's" he told us about! :wink:
As for cops, we did have one issue coming out of the central Texas Hill country. A local constable in a chevy tahoe coming towards our group pulled across both lanes of the two lane road we were on, turn on his lights, and jumped out signaling us to stop. We weren't hauling *** (75mph or so in a 70) and had plenty of time to come to a slow stop wondering what the hell was going on. I was about 4th in line so I got to hear the conversation.
He was an older gent, big pot belly, chrome .45, sunglasses, cowboy hat, and chompin' on a big ol ceee-gar! Total stereotype. He said he clocked us at 80 and that there had been a 4 person fatal the night before (didn't say it was bikes or cars) and that there were two black & whites (state troopers) on up the road waiting for us. Anyway, he barked at us some more and let us go on our way. We stayed good for a couple of miles or so until we hit the infamous high speed (100ish) sweepers that road is known for. Never did see those "B&W's" he told us about! :wink:
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Re: Big Bend Trip Report
[quote="superbling";p="4602"]I all ready went so I'm not looking to organize one, just thought this was the best place to post my "report".
Even tho' I'm a life long Texan, I've never been there. I've flown over it many times and, quite frankly, I would shake my head at disbelief at the desolation of it all. Little did I know how much I was missing from 35,000ft up. It was a great ride and is very biker friendly.
Great shots of your trip. Doug. Even though I live in IL, I have been to Big Bend several times. The HSTA has an event there each Feb and several of us from this area trailer our bikes there so we can get out of the snow and do some riding. For several years we stayed at the resort at Lajitas, and it was perfect. Take a nice 50 mile ride west on the River Road to Presidio for a Mexican breakfast each day, ride norh, do the observatory road, work our wayeast, then south back to Study Butte and stop in Terlingua for a cool one at the end of the day. Lajitas was sold a couple years ago and the new owner's prices are way higher than before, so the event is now headquartered near Terlingua. I have ridden several bikes there, including my SH one year. Had a video camera mounted to the gas tank lid and and a remote mic in the tail pack to pick up that wonderful music the Hawk makes. Got some great footage of a beautiful place.
Fred Z.
Even tho' I'm a life long Texan, I've never been there. I've flown over it many times and, quite frankly, I would shake my head at disbelief at the desolation of it all. Little did I know how much I was missing from 35,000ft up. It was a great ride and is very biker friendly.
Great shots of your trip. Doug. Even though I live in IL, I have been to Big Bend several times. The HSTA has an event there each Feb and several of us from this area trailer our bikes there so we can get out of the snow and do some riding. For several years we stayed at the resort at Lajitas, and it was perfect. Take a nice 50 mile ride west on the River Road to Presidio for a Mexican breakfast each day, ride norh, do the observatory road, work our wayeast, then south back to Study Butte and stop in Terlingua for a cool one at the end of the day. Lajitas was sold a couple years ago and the new owner's prices are way higher than before, so the event is now headquartered near Terlingua. I have ridden several bikes there, including my SH one year. Had a video camera mounted to the gas tank lid and and a remote mic in the tail pack to pick up that wonderful music the Hawk makes. Got some great footage of a beautiful place.
Fred Z.
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MotoGP
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,553
From: South Texas
Re: Big Bend Trip Report
Fred,
Yeah, the "Ride the Rio" event has been on my list for about 3 years but alas it falls during the busiest month of the year at work for me and I can never get away.
I saw that resort you're talking about. It looks very nice. Coming up to it I was near that horse farm with all that lush green grass (what the hell?) when I see a group of 20-30 harleys (all choppers or baggers) pulling out of the resort headed for the river road. Ahh, crap!!! I was doing about 50mph or so when we cued up behind them and slowed way down. One curve was enough evidence to prove that we were in for a long slow ride behind these guys. I dropped it down into 2nd and gave the SuperHawk the spurs passing about 90% of them on the double yellow (it was open) before then next curve. About 3rd in line was a guy on a FXHTCFUWTF with the biggest pair of engine guards I've ever seen and highway pegs bolted on them at a height nearly even with the tank! I pulled in behind him with the VTR's pipes on the decel. You should have seen him yank his sunburned shins (yes, shorts and tennis shoes) off those pegs when he got an eyefull of me and the SuperHawk! Still laffing about that one.
Pat,
Man, I would LUUVVV to get back up there to the Ozarks. The TWT group is going on memorial day like we did last year. Unfortunately, I'm taking the family to England/Europe this summer (have you seen the exchange rate?!)
so no more trips for me for quite a while. 
Yeah, the "Ride the Rio" event has been on my list for about 3 years but alas it falls during the busiest month of the year at work for me and I can never get away.
I saw that resort you're talking about. It looks very nice. Coming up to it I was near that horse farm with all that lush green grass (what the hell?) when I see a group of 20-30 harleys (all choppers or baggers) pulling out of the resort headed for the river road. Ahh, crap!!! I was doing about 50mph or so when we cued up behind them and slowed way down. One curve was enough evidence to prove that we were in for a long slow ride behind these guys. I dropped it down into 2nd and gave the SuperHawk the spurs passing about 90% of them on the double yellow (it was open) before then next curve. About 3rd in line was a guy on a FXHTCFUWTF with the biggest pair of engine guards I've ever seen and highway pegs bolted on them at a height nearly even with the tank! I pulled in behind him with the VTR's pipes on the decel. You should have seen him yank his sunburned shins (yes, shorts and tennis shoes) off those pegs when he got an eyefull of me and the SuperHawk! Still laffing about that one.
Pat,
Man, I would LUUVVV to get back up there to the Ozarks. The TWT group is going on memorial day like we did last year. Unfortunately, I'm taking the family to England/Europe this summer (have you seen the exchange rate?!)
so no more trips for me for quite a while.
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