Found out about Uncle's Around the Bend while lurking on the Two Wheeled Texans site. Told my youngest, jqueen, we ought to go. He's in. He talks to oldest, he's in. So.
Had a blast in Terlingua. Tuesday Graham to Sugar Land. Wednesday Sugar Land to San Antonio. Drain gas in McKinley's bike and put in fresh. Go by Walmart pickup Berryman's. Thursday San Antonio to Fort Stockton to Alpine arrive Terlingua Thursday 1,025 miles. Arrive Chisos Mining Co Motel sometime around 4:00. Didn't know quite what to expect at the motel and was pleasantly surprised. Nice room with 2 beds, and bath was very clean and neat and smelled good and fresh towels every day. Pull carb on McKinley's bike and clean jets. Met Walt as he was riding by on his 250. We visited quite a while as we were working on the bike and saw him a few more times throughout our stay. Nice guy. Well the carb went back on the bike and fired up and ran great the rest of the time. Went to the Terlingua Trading Company to look around and I think we visited with tricepilot while there. Not sure though because if it was he doesn't look anything like his picture on Two Wheeled Texans. Headed on over to the High Sierra for registration and a very good meal.
Friday 208 miles Uncle's Desert Challenge (including detours) of gravel, dirt, rocks, sand, dust, prickly pear, Yuccas, Agave, Sotol, and Ocotillo in the National Park. The 208 miles of smiles Friday took roughly 8 1/2 hours including time to detour into Rio Grande Village to get Park passes, refuel, eat lunch ( sardines, viennas and crackers ) and stops for picture taking and snacks ( trail mix and jerky ). We did take a couple of wrong turns early in the ride and had to backtrack to get back on loop, but nothing major and very little time lost as we caught it early. Thought for a little while the guys at the table we joined for lunch were going to get up and leave when I opened the sardines. They didn't. Sardines were good. Another guy took time to photographically record the fine details of our 3 bikes with the “Extended Range High Tech Tank Bag Fuel Carriers” (ERHTTBFC). He may have an idea for some small improvements. Actual time in the saddle 6 1/2 hours ( according to Justin's Odometer ) was the challenge. Riding was an assortment with mostly not terribly difficult up to a few stretches that would certainly get your attention. Altogether not a difficult day, lots of beautiful scenery and tons of fun with some of the best riding I have ever experienced. Breakfast then riders meeting that morning at 7:00. We pulled out at about a quarter to 8 from the Starlight Theater and back in for check-in around 4:15. My thanks to the guy riding the WR250X for picking up Justin's tool belt and bringing it to us. We would not have finished Saturday in the Ranch without it. Back to the motel to load bikes and get ready for Saturday. Undecided about firm plans for riding.
Following a recommendation from Big A we went to Long Draw Pizza Friday night for Pizza and Shiner Bock. Sign on the door no cell phones. We agree. Great pizza, cold beer, nice people and good company. Back to the Starlight for a couple of pictures, pass on the entertainment and hit the sack early. No trouble going to sleep.
Several people recommended the RANCH STATE PARK and being on small bikes even with our ERHTTBFC we didn't want to ride over and not looking forward to trailering all the way in to Sauceda. Visited with Richard that morning at breakfast and decided to trailer to Fort Leaton, ( Justin rode his Versys and then swapped to the KLX450 ) park and get our permits and ride back to Bofecillos road and in to Sauceda. Glad we did. The short highway run and the gravel road in and out were great. It is 30 miles in then we did the loop to the Javelin pens and around to the main road. We did break off the loop to go over to Guale Trail-head and the campsite, where we had lunch ( sardines, viennas, crackers again?). Not sure of the mileage on the loop but it is somewhere between 30 and 40 miles I think.
So Saturday we did 90 miles total of highway (18 ), gravel, rocks, cactus, sand, rocks, hilltop vistas, rocks, cactus, rocks and beautiful scenery in the Big Bend Ranch State Park.
Did I mention rocks in the State Park? So one of the reasons we wanted to go to the Ranch was curiosity because of the comments we read about King Kong Hill. Not curious any longer.
I think total time leaving and returning to Fort Leaton was about 6 ½ hours with about 3 ¼ hours riding time. One tiny incident at the Ranch involved a get off in the deep gravel of one of the washes. McKinley picked his bike up and after kicking the 250 for 15 minutes the monster roared to life. He put er in gear and dropped the clutch and the fire went out.
Twice!
After closer inspection we found gravel between the chain and the rear sprocket. The chain wedged so tight it couldn't be backed off. Well after backing off the axle nut and beating the axle through enough we finally got enough slack to turn the wheel and get the gravel out. We were somewhere about half way through the loop when this happened. Thanks again to the guy that picked up Justin's tool belt on Friday and brought it to us. We would still be there without it.
The loop wasn't all that long but I was kinda glad to see that gravel road again. Back at Fort Leaton we loaded the bikes and headed back to the motel. Justin passed us and was out of sight shortly. Met up at the Ranch sign for pictures. Back at the motel loaded the Versys, cleaned up and headed over to the Starlight for the Banquet.
Wow the Starlight and Trading Co. porch is packed.
Not a rider in sight.
Regroup ask for help and head to the party barn. Enjoy a great meal, watch everybody else win door prizes and really enjoy the fire dancing. Turn in early for a good night sleep.
Sunday, McKinley fires up the Tundra and it starts running rough and check engine light comes on. We're already an hour late ( DST started ). Head out hoping the rough idle and running will clear itself out. It does before we get out of the park and we're headed east ( gotta love computers). Study Butte to Marathon to Del Rio to San Antonio. Unload Versys and load in Chevy, swap trailer over head to Sugar Land. Unload TTR and load in Ford. To bed and up early, load 2 grand kids out on spring break and head out. Sugar Land to Brookshire at McDonald’s grand daughter gets foot stuck between booth and wall, but that's another story. On to College Station to Waco to Hico to Stephenville to Mineral Wells to Graham. + 1000 miles, back home.
Did I mention that we found some rocks at the Big Bend Ranch State Park?
The best part was getting to spend some quality time with my 2 sons. We don't get the opportunity to do that a lot anymore. We'll be back!
AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL.