They Paved Paradise (HC500 2023)

[woodsguy]

@dannyboy , no more 500?

 

[dannyboy]

Quote "no more 500?"
Too much vibration. I installed everything to dampen it but no luck and arthritis in my hands and feet is killing me.
So a T7 and the 500 will be sold.

 

[SpiritAtBay]

Quote "no more 500?"
Too much vibration. I installed everything to dampen it but no luck and arthritis in my hands and feet is killing me.
So a T7 and the 500 will be sold.

Yay for so smooth twins!

 

[G-Mans-World]

I like to say thank you Andi for leading our group and the rest of the group for just being awesome.Also those who did actually all the scout work and GPX files this is some work and I like to say thanks for this as well.
I did record some videos from our 2 days and you can find them on my little YouTube channel.

I really did enjoy any minute and will be back next year.

 

[LicketySplit]

Nice videos Gunter.

 

[SpiritAtBay]

I like to say thank you Andi for leading our group and the rest of the group for just being awesome.Also those who did actually all the scout work and GPX files this is some work and I like to say thanks for this as well.
I did record some videos from our 2 days and you can find them on my little YouTube channel.

I really did enjoy any minute and will be back next year.

You are welcome! We met briefly but I didn’t get the chance to see the Teppezario (sp) seat cover. Darnit.

Glad you had a good weekend

 

[G-Mans-World]

You are welcome! We met briefly but I didn’t get the chance to see the Teppezario (sp) seat cover. Darnit.

Glad you had a good weekend

Next time around we should have a beer or 2

 

[SpiritAtBay]

Next time around we should have a beer or 2

Definitely

 

[Hail]

Unfortunately we did not get a ton of photos or videos.

I put 1056 miles on the 790 Adv over this weekend. Door to door that is.

We had a great time out there. We rode in from Waco, Humble, Tomball, Katy and picked up some a straggler in College Station on Thursday. Stopped for BBQ in Blanco. Had dinner at Billie Gene's

Old 300 BBQ in Blanco


The Gang at Billy Gene's Thursday Night


The view from Billy Gene's Patio


We were a bit beat from Thursday and did the shorter Tarpley Loop Friday. We were a mixed( 250cc - 790cc) group on Friday. Everyone stayed upright. The only incident was me stalling out in the very middle of a crossing that was about 2' 5" deep in the center. Needless to say my feet were pruned up the rest of the day but I survived.

Looked over the railing from upstairs to make sure my bike was till at Lone Star Inn when I woke up Friday morning...


Tarpley Loop - 1st Rider is Glen. 2nd is Rick. This is where I stalled in the center. I was leading so no video of me!

Somewhere on Tarpley Loop


Saturday we were again a mixed ( 250cc - 1250cc) group. We did most of the West loop counter clockwise but opted to take 337 back rather than cut across back to 336. Saw a lot of you between CampWood & RockSprings.

Somewhere after Camp Eagle Retreat on CC West Loop

Ditto on Location - Dan on his Honda 250 & Steve on his DR-Z 400


After Rock Springs close to 55 - No bluebonnets but plenty of flowers out there.


Dinner Saturday Night - One of the best ribeye's I have had in a long time!!!


For Sunday I had decided to take it easy and do the Willow City Loop and do a little motosploring around Fredericksburg. The day started out bad. Most of my group decided to head home. The one that was going to ride with me didn't get any sleep and decided to stay at camp. I ran to Walmart early to get some supplies and noticed my rear tire looked a little odd. I checked my tire pressure and it was ZERO. Didn't take much searching to find a nail. The Heidenau K60 Ranger is so stiff I was still able to ride back to the hotel. Some good gentlemen from Dallas on their 690s helped me get my tube changed. In my frantic packing, moving stuff from another bike to my 790 I forgot my axle wrench. It had been years since I had to change a tire so I was out of practice. The tire got fixed up and I did what I planned to do.

I should mention that the person that got no sleep came to help me with my tire anyway!!!!!

Almost done with that tire...


Willow City Loop - Sunday starts to get better!







Beer at Altdorf Biergarten in Fredericksburg

 

[SpiritAtBay]

cute pic of you Brad. bet your wife will love it

Thanks for the write up and pix/vids.

i still need to do mine. Eeek!

 

[sweatmachine]

I was majorly bummed to see the glorious water crossing on Middle Creek Road get paved over. I flipped off the sign that says "Bridge donated by X". This is part of my near-home "therapy loop" and they ruined it!!!

 

[sweatmachine]

Our group had a fantastic time. For a few of us it was our 2nd HC500, but we had some first timers also. Safe to say we’ll all be back for more. We had a couple minor spills and one flat, but nothing could wipe the smiles off our faces.

Thanks to @SpiritAtBay and @JT flr organizing the event. I can’t wait for next year!

PS I live in Blanco so much of this is basically my back yard. If anyone wants to revisit these routes soon please hit me up!

 

[sweatmachine]

 

[kimphill]

Had a blast, possibly the best since I've been attending (I still have the 2009 paper Texas Adventure Ride Guide for the Junction-based event that IMO the HC 500 succeeds . Most thanks to hosts JT, Gina (how do you guys do it?!), my fans for Saturday Bandera-Utopia (a shorter Tarpley?) route [apologies if names haven't survived all the beers I've had since then]: Steve (leader), his father Greg (sweeper), Nish, Dallas Dan (who made me feel at home the instant I pulled a chair up to the table Friday night), H-D Kevin, Kevin's bud (so we could continue despite the H-D not restarting after a deep water dip), and Sunday: Ken (leader), Pat, David (GS) who would actually slow down for Greg and thus me - Greg is my speed kinda guy - there's no keeping up with Ken! Thanks all for a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious long weekend! Hope to see Austin-based people on the Monthly first Saturday rides, starting tomorrow!
[Note: Photo uploading shows them in reverse chronological order: Last picture is sunset over river - Sunday dinner @ The Boat, First picture is interior table shot at Friday night dinner at Mexican place]

 

[Iceman Jack]

I enjoyed 2 days of riding and hanging with folks.

Thanks to everyone for coming out.

Why title this "They Paved Paradise"?
1. Perhaps the only complaint, if you could even call it that, was people asking for more dirt.

2. One of my very favorite creek crossings has been paved over. Middle Creek Rd (east of Johnson City).

More later.

Y'all post your stories and pix!

I sure miss riding with that guy in the white helmet and you too Gina.

 

[jackh1466]

As one who was trying to maximixe my dirt time, I was wrong. The route you and JT prepared and published were amazing. I road the West route on Saturday and the Almost Pontotoc on Sunday. Not sure I could have handled more offroad and the roads were amazing. So glad I came to the rides. The people in the groups were fantastic.

My only regret is I live so far away from these routes. Thanks to everyone, but especially to JT and Gina.

I agree completely.Had all I wanted (638 miles total).I appreciate all who made this a fun trip.

 

[SpiritAtBay]

I agree completely.Had all I wanted (638 miles total).I appreciate all who made this a fun trip.

Great pix!

 

[Thrasherg]

I thought someone said there was only 40 miles of dirt? That was the main reason Sylvie and I didn’t attend, all these photos make it look like there was a lot more than 40 miles? I feel I have been cheated!!

 

[LaserDave]

What a fun read!

I was trying to envision some of those routes on either of the HD's, which then brought visions of a helicopter ride to an ER.

 

[SpiritAtBay]

I thought someone said there was only 40 miles of dirt? That was the main reason Sylvie and I didn’t attend, all these photos make it look like there was a lot more than 40 miles? I feel I have been cheated!!

Hey now, Gary, let’s get the story straight, earlier you said you hadnt heard about the event.

“Can I ask what ride this was (sorry guys, didn’t réalisé this was the HC500, hope you all had a great time)? I don’t recall see any announcements, any chance you could share a gpx file for others to ride?”

Now you say yall didn’t come because there wasn’t enough dirt?

Wish y’all had made it to Kerrville, woulda been nice to visit.

Maybe we can schedule a 2 day adventure in the not too distant future. Hope yall can make it

 

[Boulder Ed]

I just wanna know do ya'll wave at other dirt bikes when you meet em on the dirt roads?

 

[Thrasherg]

Hey now, Gary, let’s get the story straight, earlier you said you hadnt heard about the event.

“Can I ask what ride this was (sorry guys, didn’t réalisé this was the HC500, hope you all had a great time)? I don’t recall see any announcements, any chance you could share a gpx file for others to ride?”

Now you say yall didn’t come because there wasn’t enough dirt?

Wish y’all had made it to Kerrville, woulda been nice to visit.

Maybe we can schedule a 2 day adventure in the not too distant future. Hope yall can make it

when I first saw all the pictures I thought it was a new dirt ride event that I had not seen (due to all the dirt Pictures!) then someone said it was the HC500, so I corrected my original post (I’m an old guy with bad memory ) I recognized my mistake in not realizing the pictures were from the HC500, but am still surprised by all the dirt shown (as someone had said how little dirt there was on the HC500, I figured all these pics where from another ride I hadn’t heard about!), will definitely have to attend the next one and see what we missed!! Would love to attend a 2 day adventure ride (soon or later on this year!). I also have the GPX files, so Sylvie and I might just have a dirty weekend alone and ride the routes!!

 

[sweatmachine]

I thought someone said there was only 40 miles of dirt? That was the main reason Sylvie and I didn’t attend, all these photos make it look like there was a lot more than 40 miles? I feel I have been cheated!!

well that's your misfortune. There's plenty of fun to be had, off pavement and on!

 

[SpiritAtBay]

In no particular order....

Good times!

 

[Boulder Ed]

So who won with the most stream crossing baths baths? This looks like soo much fun.