Okay, back to business...
Here is a screen shot of the track:
And here is the GPS track file in .gdb format. (
Right click, save as) and in .gpx format (
Right click, save as)
It is pretty damp and chilly as we start off. The sky is clear and bright. Even though I am nicely bundled up now, I know it will get toasty soon and I'll be looking for a chance to shed layers. We start of heading East on Hwy 7 and then cut North on some county roads. The sand starts early... I learned to ride sand on my R1150GS
Ironically, it felt more stable in the sand than my KLR does. I finally figure out that the KLR wants to be going about 40-45mph in deep sand and then for the most part, it is quite happy to wiggle its way down the road with no worries.
James waiting for the crew to get moving
Sand, gravel, sand, red clay, sand, some rocks, sand... and so it goes...
Scott waits while a few of us snap pics...
Most of the ride was in the shade through tree lined tunnels
Bruce "COMBO" scooting on down the road
One of the less dusty roads
It was a brutal day for riding, but we braved it and took one for the team that had to stay home today...
A nice rest stop... LOTS of crickets still chirping at full blast... strange to hear them so late into the morning
One of the mild, somewhat packed, sand roads
Around 10:30-11:00, I was starting to get a bit warm. Peeled off the layers at noon while stopped again
Just another great road. There were so many that I missed taking some great shots because I was just having so much fun
I don't know exactly where we are, but as we turn off a paved road, the county road immediately goes to DEEP loose sand. Bruce is in front of me and his KLR is soon doing the end swap dance and it looks like he might be going down any moment... with me entirely too close in the same track! I gun the KLR, jump the center berm into the left rut and get on the gas... Hopefully, I don't hose him too bad, but there was just no way for me to slow in time to avoid him without plowing in myself. When the bike stops squirming like a greased pig, I catch a glimpse of him still upright and slugging along behind me
No doubt he is wishing he had some knobbies on his bike right about now...
We stopped for lunch just before 1:00pm at the Burlap Bag Cafe just outside of Arbor. It doesn't look like much, but the service was friendly and the burgers quite good!
Desmo loves having his pic taken. I can't keep him from getting in the shots
The Burlap Bag Cafe in all its glory... Dang! There he is again!
Half of Bryan, James, Scott and Bruce
Steve had to have his own shot... such a ham...
Our gracious cook
Sorry, no pics of the food. It was gone so fast I forgot to take pics
After lunch, Bruce had to head on home so he peeled off and the rest of us continued on, suffering such horrible riding conditions...
The after lunch stuff was more of the same great back roads. More sand and dust like a sandstorm in the middle of the Sahara
At times the bike in front of me just disappeared into the brown haze. I seldom could see where the road was going and had to really slow down to wait for the dust to clear enough to see. A few times corners snuck up on me, but I was able to keep the bike under me and upright despite some flopping around in the loose stuff. At one sharp corner, Bryan made such a cloud I lost the road completely and just had to stop and let it clear. I thought he had gone down, but as the cloud drifts off to the side, I see the tail end of his bike zip off down the road... I set off in pursuit.
We finally finish up with the dirt stuff, hit the pavement and make for Crockett for a run through town and then out Hwy 7 back to camp. While cruising through the town square, we spot a small car show and stop for a peek.
There was a cool Gold Wing there as well
And now for you car buffs out there... Name that Car!!
This one was being raffled off at something like $65 a ticket!! Too rich for me
Outfitted with 4 wheel disc brakes
After getting our fill of the cool oldies, we hit the road and headed out of town on Hwy 7 West.
That dark dot on the top hill center right is Bryan testing the offroad worthiness of his KLR, hehe.
We make it back to the cabin after a bit of "spirited" riding and get to working on dinner.
Bryan's sweet Toyota and James' nice Ford "sleeper"
A few views of the pond, note the nice ducks
Looking back toward the cabin from the pond
One of Scott's ATV trails?
The first course...
If you like to eat, invite James on your ride!!
Desmo and Dbdolan enjoying the dust removal medicine...
Bryan loading up for the drive home
Note that hand over there on the end of the bed by the tailgate...
It ALMOST got smushed... Desmo has some fast reflexes!!
Scott is still dazed from staring through the dust all day, the medicine has yet to take effect
And so the sun begins to set on a fantastic day of riding. James cooks up some pork tenderloins to go with the sausage...
The man knows his food!! By the time Demo's enchiladas are ready for eating, I am stuffed and feeling the lazy thing coming on hard... The beer probably did not help
After eating, we hang out a bit longer. Bryan is going to be heading home and offers to let me toss my junk in the bed of his truck and haul it to the house for me so I don't have to mess with loading up the bike. Some time around 8:00pm we head out and I follow him down I-45 back to Huntsville. It is good to be home and to sleep in my own bed. With the kids still gone, I don't roll out until around 1:00pm the next afternoon
Been a LONG time since I have been able to get away with that
Sooo.... When is the next get together?