2022 Texas Tiddlers Endurance Run May 13-15

[SwampFox]

The 2022 Texas Tiddlers Endurance Run is scheduled for Saturday, May 14, 2022.

The Run will be on State, County and National Forest Service public roads (paved, blacktop and some gravel). Rally central and the start/finish will be again be Boles Field Campground in the Sabine National Forest in East Texas located on FM2694 at google map coordinates 31.77246, -93.96832 Boles Field on Google Maps which is 6.9 miles East of Shelbyville and 3.6 miles West of FM139.

The Run in broken into a morning and afternoon loops of ±100 miles each, both departing and returning to Boles Field. There is generally at least one fuel stop along the morning and afternoon portions of the Run. Lunch is provided during the midday break, along with Tiddler field games.

A food truck may be at the campground for coffee, snacks & meals, but it's best to prepared to be mostly self-sufficient.

Camping is available at Boles Field https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233200. The nearest motels are 8 miles East at Huxley Bay Marina or 15 miles West at Center. WARNING: There is likely limited, or no, cell phone service at Boles Field.

For a little insight re: the general structure of the Tiddler, please see info/pics from the 2020 Tiddler here: https://www.twtex.com/forums/threads/texas-tiddlers-run-october-24-2020.125088/

The Registration/Flyer for the 2022 Tiddler is posted below and attached as a .pdf for easier printing.

In addition to the 5 Competition Classes, you may also register and ride in "Observation" or "Support" class if your ride does not qualify as a Tiddler.

 

[Texasrider58]

Sounds interesting.

 

[Texasrider58]

Can you park a truck and trailer at the campground ?

 

[AlanP]

Can you park a truck and trailer at the campground ?

Yes

 

[Tigerkf]

Is it all paved or is there gravel roads too?

 

[SwampFox]

Is it all paved or is there gravel roads too?

The routes vary from year to year, but customarily ±10% of the route is unpaved. With the exception of some fresh gravel on a couple mile stretch of a national forest road one year, the unpaved portions have been well-packed and relatively easy to ride. As a point of reference, our Zuma 50 has completed several Tiddlers without any particular difficulty.

 

[Texasrider58]

I will try to make plans to attend this.

 

[sandman]

Looks like fun. Luv the pictures from 2020.

 

[SwampFox]

A new take on an old classic

Speaking of Honda's, the Grom, Monkey, Cub, Trail, ADV150, Navi, Ruckus, etc... are all proper Tiddlers.
As is an Icebear Champion 125cc PBZ125-2 which might be available from Cajun Maddog
And CRF250/300's qualify in Class 3.

 

[mr72]

I just wonder how much dirt roads will be required for this? My wife and I could do it but we have 100% street only scooters and riding skills that only work on pavement.

 

[SwampFox]

I just wonder how much dirt roads will be required for this? My wife and I could do it but we have 100% street only scooters and riding skills that only work on pavement.

mr72, the Grom video above is not, in any fashion, representative of the Tiddler route.

Customarily ±10% of the route is unpaved. A good many of the unpaved county roads in this area of East Texas are surfaced with, what i believe is, glauconite aggregate, a softer greenish colored clay rock that breaks down under traffic and absorbs water, making for a reasonably stable unpaved road. The below pic from the October 2020 Tiddler Run was taken on such a road, the 3rd bike up is a modern Vespa.

The route usually traverses a portion of a national forest road or two to complete the loops. These roads are more common gravel with a few more uneven areas/potholes, requiring slower riding. I have not , in prior Tiddlers in this area, encountered significant sandy areas. This pic, also from October 2020, is representative of a national forest service road in the area (tho such roads can be a little "rougher" than this sample):

Our Zuma 50 scooter has completed three Tiddlers with three different riders. Here are pics of other scooters that have completed prior Tiddler Runs, including vintage Vespas, a Spree (won Class 1 in 2019, but DNF in 2020 with a mechanical failure), a Vino and modern Vespas.

If you have no experience riding a scooter on unpaved surfaces, I suggest riding an unpaved area or gravel road, to gain a some experience. In preparation for her 1st Tiddler on the Zuma 50, Mrs. SwampFox worked up to a couple of 60 mile day rides, each time incorporating a couple miles of gravel road with some repetitive starts/stops on unpaved surfaces.

 

[mr72]

I think we'll just skip it this time. No way I trust the Michelin s1 tires on my scooter to handle gravel at all. They are almost 100% slick. Plus there's really nowhere nearby here to practice riding a scooter on gravel.

 

[tex68w]

Man this would be a fun run on the Zuma 50 2T. I might be able to convince my buddy to run it with me on the Zumas. @Kingsize this would be perfect for your modded TW, you in?

 

[tex68w]

I think we'll just skip it this time. No way I trust the Michelin s1 tires on my scooter to handle gravel at all. They are almost 100% slick. Plus there's really nowhere nearby here to practice riding a scooter on gravel.

You don't need to practice it, just go with the flow. I assure you that you won't have any issue with a small scooter in the gravel. Y'all should go, I am currently putting a group together myself, some folks from Austin, Houston and Victoria.

 

[mr72]

You don't need to practice it, just go with the flow. I assure you that you won't have any issue with a small scooter in the gravel.

Well, I don't doubt I could ride my wife's scooter on gravel no problem, but I seriously doubt my scooter will work with the urban/street tires and I don't want mrs72 to have her confidence shaken with a potential spill on gravel since she's only been riding since last fall.

Is there a map of the route, maybe alternatives that skip the gravel sections?

 

[SwampFox]

....Is there a map of the route, maybe alternatives that skip the gravel sections?

Dennis generally hands you a route sheet shortly before you depart, something akin to the one below. In this example, FS108 from mile 33.1 to mile 38.7 was unpaved for 5.6 miles crossing Forse Mountain, the highest point in Sabine County at 584 feet. One of the photos above is FS108. Carter's Ferry Road is also partially unpaved, and there is another 3 or 4 miles of unpaved county road in the vicinity of ...turn Left on CR2919 by black mailbox. (Yes, this route note actually made sense once you arrived at the intersection.) One of the photos above is from this area.

So part of the fun, and challenge, of the Texas Tiddler is navigation. The route may figure eight across itself. Yes, I've made wrong turns and had to back track more than once. I could figure how to route around these gravel sections in this example, but the roads in this area can be quite confusing, as few roads "go straight" anywhere, and several of the FM roads to turn into county blacktop, then may be unpaved for a stretch, then blacktop again. Or there may be a portion thru the Sabine National Forest that is unpaved.

 

[mr72]

Yeah, looks like there would be no avoiding unpaved sections, and no way to know before we loaded the trailer and made a 6 hour trip. Too bad, really would like to try this.

 

[Kingsize]

Man this would be a fun run on the Zuma 50 2T. I might be able to convince my buddy to run it with me on the Zumas. @Kingsize this would be perfect for your modded TW, you in?

This DEFINITELY looks like fun. My little TW would love a bit of leg stretching.

 

[tex68w]

This DEFINITELY looks like fun. My little TW would love a bit of leg stretching.

Four of us are in, you should join. Bring that sweet trailer.

 

[Gravel Guy]

 

[pencil5757]

This is close to me I might have to do it

 

[pencil5757]

 

[grumpy48]

I may do this run with either the PCX150 or the XT250. Looks like a lot of fun.

 

[Texasrider58]

Does the campground have showers there ? Saw water and electric spots available.

 

[SwampFox]

Yes, Boles Field campground has a bath house with a shower.
And plenty of overflow spots for dry camping.