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Gotta love the panhandle!!!

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Valker

Valker

0
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
Messages
2,811
Reaction score
715
Location
Pampa
First Name
Eric
Last Name
West
Saturday and Sunday were beautiful riding days: About 80*, but right now (Monday) the ground is snow covered, it is coming down sideways, temps are in the 20s AND it is supposed to be in the 70s tomorrow...:trust:
 
You are tough critters living up there. I chickened out and moved South.
:pirate:
 
holy cow! you're in Pampa?

wow - that's just strange...

here's why...

My grandmother, grandfather, and their families are from Pampa

Monte (my fiance) is from Pampa, as is his family

My mother is up there right now (from houston) for her Aunt Goldie Bennett's funeral...

strange

so I guess I shold try and call my mom and make sure she made it ok since she HATES driving in snow or rain...
 
It's completely unknown to most Texas motorcyclists, but there's some wonderful and unique riding in the area, up and down the caprock and through the Canadian River breaks.

Tom
 
I lived in Amarillo in 98 and 99. I rode the whole area but I found it to be disappointing road wise. Although going to Palo Duro Canyon was fun and the great roads of New Mexico and Colorado were just around the corner. When I was living there we had 96 deg weather one day and 12 inches of snow the next...I was loving it...lol
 
I did 21 years in Canyon, Texas before I escaped to the south. Dropping off the caprock is about the only chance for something other than straight flat roads. But, in defense of the area. You can go on an evening ride and go for miles without worry of a cage plowing into you.
 
So is there any good dualpsort riding around the Caprock? :trust:

Hey Brian :wave: Good to hear from you!
 
We were in Pampa from 26 dec to 31 dec I did'nt see any bikes I did how ever see 2 thrift stores a Hastings and a Sonic,,,,,
 
SRADkneedragger said:
We were in Pampa from 26 dec to 31 dec I did'nt see any bikes I did how ever see 2 thrift stores a Hastings and a Sonic,,,,,
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Shoulda hollered...I was here ;-):eat:
 
Scott...there is some great DS riding around the panhandle. The huge open area on a map that runs from Caprock Canyons State Park on the south to Highway 287 on the north, and from State highway 70 on the East to nearly I-27 on the west is full of wonderful roads. Note: most of the locals bypass some of the bridges by going through the creek beds when it is dry. I think the bridges are marginal for cars ;-)
There is more great DS riding along the Canadian river from OK to NM. "Roads of Texas" is a good source.:thumb:
 
I wouldn't recomend the Panhandle for a riding vacation - but other than BB and the 33X area of the hill country, what national reputation does riding in Texas have? I'd say most Texas riders are all too familiar with loop rides made up of fun parts and transit sections.

bdmpastx said:
I rode the whole area but I found it to be disappointing road wise.
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(I don't have my map with me and this is from memory, and off the cuff.) I think there's a lot of fine riding in the Panhandle beyond Park 5, and I'm surprised to hear you were disappointed with 136 between Amarillo and Fritch, 1061 between Amarillo and Old Tascosa, 687 and 1319 between Stinnett and Bunavista, 207 between Claude and Silverton, 70 between Turkey and Clarendon, 283 from Miami to the junction with 70, and Route 66 from Shamrock to the Cadillac Ranch.

Just one guy's opinion,
Tom

"Deals Gap has become known as the Mecca for twisty lovers. Some day, as word gets out, owners of Hayabusas and ZX14's will talk of US54 between Dalhart and Stratford the same way."
 
:tab Tom, that quote at the end of your posts sums it up. "Good" riding or road is highly subjective. For some, the roads cannot be tight enough and technical enough, for others fast sweepers are heaven, some like the scenery and could care less about the actual road, others like those in your quote long for the straight drag strip roads. When I see someone disparage an area for riding or praise it, I always try to get a feel for the riding they like to do so I have a better idea of their perspective. Brian's perspective is that of tight/technical = fun!

Geez, there are a LOT of squiggly little county roads in that area Valker! I may have to plan a trip out there sometime!
 
Tourmeister said:
:tab Geez, there are a LOT of squiggly little county roads in that area Valker! I may have to plan a trip out there sometime!
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Find "Palo Duro Settlement" or whatever it's called on the Roads of Texas map SE of Claude down in the middle of those squiggly roads. That is actually just the main house of the old JA ranch that used to cover over 100,000 acres way back when. That was Col. Charles Goodnight's ranch. It is a full working ranch, and if you enjoy historical stuff, you can SOMETIMES find an old ranch hand at one of the home shops who will tell it like it is and used to be. Those roads are fantastic scenery. The surface runs from "I think this used to be asphalt" to "Whoa! Is this Dakar?" You could certainly make a nice vacation in the area. If you do that, I recommend the famous old Turkey Hotel in Turkey as a staying point. They have a web site. It is VERY reasonable and a wonderful experience-good food also. There are two drive in theaters in that area also. One is called the Midway and is halfway between Turkey and Quitaque. The other is a mile north of Clarendon. This is in case you like the old drive in experience (I do).:eat:
 
I'm still looking for better roads to ride around lubbock. Any ideas?
 
jiffy said:
I'm still looking for better roads to ride around lubbock. Any ideas?
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Have you ridden highway 256 just east of Silverton? If not, that is just an awesome set of twisties.:clap:
 
Tourmeister said:
When I see someone disparage an area for riding or praise it, I always try to get a feel for the riding they like to do so I have a better idea of their perspective. Brian's perspective is that of tight/technical = fun!
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Well, there's a whole heck of a lot more of Texas than just the Panhandle that's not going to be fun for him. ;)

Tom
 
Valker said:
Saturday and Sunday were beautiful riding days: About 80*, but right now (Monday) the ground is snow covered, it is coming down sideways, temps are in the 20s AND it is supposed to be in the 70s tomorrow...:trust:
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btw - what's your name?

my mom was telling me last night that she ran into someone who knew Bill Bennett and borrowed his Aprilia trials bike way back in the day...or something along those lines, wondering if that's you.
 
This is really off road but fantastic riding. Canadian river. Enter just north of Amarillo and head west towards Boys Ranch. Great riding (water, sand, small jumps, for miles). The other great off road area is the Red River. Jump in just outside of Memphis. It goes forever both directions.
 
DucGirl said:
btw - what's your name?

my mom was telling me last night that she ran into someone who knew Bill Bennett and borrowed his Aprilia trials bike way back in the day...or something along those lines, wondering if that's you.
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Eric West-Yeppers, I had borrowed Bill's bike. We rode trials together for several years.:thumb:
 
wow - small small world -

Monte (my fiance) seems to think that the bike might have actually been his bike. He wasn't living in pampa any more at the time.

He says he knows you, used to ride with you.

remember him at all?
 
DucGirl said:
wow - small small world -

Monte (my fiance) seems to think that the bike might have actually been his bike. He wasn't living in pampa any more at the time.

He says he knows you, used to ride with you.

remember him at all?
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Probably, but with my memory...never can tell. I've trained over 3000 riders here in Amarillo through the MSF classes-all riders kind of blend together to me since I hit 50 :rider:
 
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