A Deep Dive into Texas
A Deep Dive into Texas
Sometimes, it really IS about the destination.
Newly unshackled from my time commitments, a plan was hatched to attend the Austin motogp race: I'd ride a circuitous and as interesting as possible route there. My daughter and a friend would fly in, as would my wife. We'd all explore Austin and attend the race; they'd fly back while I rode home.
Leaving Sunday, my first stop would be Truth or Consequences for a soak in the hot springs water piped right into my room at the Blackstone, along with dinner and a beer at the brewery across the street. New since I was last here: a food truck adjacent to the brewery that has a terrific shredded chicken sub with Persian spices, absolutely delicisous.
Some local T or C color:
This is MY street!!!
The route was through Silver City and over Emory Pass, fun as always, but they had just chipped a large section of 152 which demanded some extra attention.
Day 2, to Alpine, Texas through the legendary Marfa.
Have to say, I don't "get" Marfa. Seems completely overrated and not very interesting. Lots of straight, flat and boring too.
Alpine is a town that is "trying," like Truth or Consequences and many other small, rural towns. There's a Main Street with some businesses making a go of it, others have failed leaving abandoned buildings.
I was originally going to eat here, despite my distaste for anything that can even be remotely associated with the Piaggio Group, because, you know, Italian and motorcycles:
But it was as sad inside as it looks outside, reaffirming my aversion. Instead, across the street is The Holland, a beautifully restored hotel and restaurant substantially more inviting.
Excellent, highly recommended. Some Alpine exploration:
The courthouse
What once looked like a thriving business, now closed
There are train tracks that run through Alpine; if you need to get to the other side you could be in for a long wait, they can be almost a mile long.
I'm at the Maverick Inn, the sister hotel to the Holland.
I tried...c-c-c-cold!!!
Met a very nice couple from Denmark who were also here for the motogp race; her Mugello t-shirt got the conversation going! Small world.
Tucked inn...tomorrow a Big Bend loop.
Today's route, and a funny T-Mobile text that must have come in as I passed near the border.
Big Bend is BIG and today, HOT. It was exactly 100 at the lower elevations, a bit better higher. If I didn't already live in the desert, this would be interesting topography, but frankly, it was a long way to travel to see landscape that looks almost like the area around Tucson.
Lunch at the Chisos Lodge
Ok, but nothing spectacular.
Also did a loop thru the Terlingua Ghost Town
On to the Texas Hill Country and The Twisted Sisters. I was really looking forward to getting off the straight, flat and boring and into some twisties. The "sisters" are 3 Texas ranch roads that have built up a cult following, routes 335, 336 and 337. I threw in a few others on the ride there.
Some low rent art on the way out of Alpine
The first ranch road
Notice the surface? It appears to be an aggregate over tar. In the older sections (many) there are two tire tracks worn in, so it is mostly tar (read slippery especially in the heat or the rain) with the aggregate remaining in the center. It is also difficult to tell if there is also loose gravel in the center making the surface somewhat untrustworthy. Not really good riding, but you play the hand you're dealt.
The roads run across several rivers and here's where you start seeing flood warnings and these depth gauges:
They are ubiquitous and the water is often right up to the edge now; during a rain I imagine it floods pretty quickly.
The gear explosion at the Woodbine Motel in Camp Wood, a surprisingly nice place in a very sleepy small town. Had an interesting conversation with a Diavel rider whose battery just suffered "sudden death syndrome." Dash would light up, flicker, tell him "launch control unavailable" but not a whimper from the starter. Offered a jump or a push but he had already called for a tow. He'd trailered down from Ohio for the motogp race and was also riding the Sisters. We agreed that, at least so far, kinda overrated.
The Twisted Sisters
More river crossings
Beautiful wildflowers
Break time
Sadly, closed today
Threw in a couple of side explorations, but they always ended this way:
A fun day, but certainly not the OMG roads they're touted to be.
Off to Austin!!!
A quick stop at the Hill Country Motorheads Motorcycle Museum
Cool place, friendly people.
Route 16 was also fun in parts; great pavement allowing some lean angle. 😎
Austin traffic is terrible, the last 12 miles were stop and go, at 2:30 in the afternoon! Everyone got in safe and sound, so Saturday's plan was to explore the South Congress area of Austin.
The Marriott had no problem with bikes making their own parking spots
First, though, we'd have to wait for the rain and thunderstorms to subside...the Saturday morning action at the track was halted because of lightning, glad we had made other plans!
By late morning things were starting to clear and it was time for brunch.
The bikes in front of Revival Cycles:
On the restaurant wall
Decent food, terrible service from a waitress who "doesn't do brunch." Go figure.
Lots of street performers, cool shops and two Defenders for sale!
A fun afternoon.
Time for motogp!!
Sunday was beautiful, and we got to the track early.
Ducati Island, stage and special parking
Number 269, mine is 238!
Now is the time for a shout out to Ducati and my local dealer, On Any Moto. OAM's sales manager, James Bautista, was at COTA and hooked us up with Ducati Island passes, as well as introducing me to Ducati's national sales manager, Kris O'Hare. I had been corresponding with Kris about carbon fiber belt covers for the Anniversario...long story short, he approved them as what should have been original equipment, no cost to me, and I got to thank him personally. Great customer service all around; the Ducati Island passes made for a memorable time, including meeting the US CEO Jason Chinnock and Claudio Domenicali, their worldwide CEO. Both were serving lunch to the fans at Ducati Island, pretty cool.
Showing off our new Ducati swag from the upstairs VIP lounge:
Jason interviewing Dovi and Petrucci
Lunch being set up
Food prep instructions I presume...
Jason and Claudio getting ready to dish...
Really delicious, Ducati does it right! Mille Grazie!
Krisanne staking out our position for the start:
The grid starts to assemble
Dana and Christina at the fence
Almost ready
The front row, Marquez, Rossi, Crutchlow
It was a good race with Marquez crashing out from a comfortable lead, Rossi looking like he was taking the win only to have Alex Rins chase him down for his first ever premier class victory. Wish Rossi could have won, he almost pulled it off on the last lap. Jack Miller on a Ducati completed the podium. Congrats to all.
The ride home was a two day straight, flat, boring and mostly ugly ride, but it got the job done. Just under 2000 miles total, pretty much square tires now and ready for the 48k service. The GS, as always, took me there and back in comfort without one hiccup.
Only homeward bound photo stop:
A bit presumptuous, don't you think?
Shortly after I returned home got a text from On Any Moto with this photo:
The Anniversario gets her carbon fiber belt covers installed this Saturday...a fitting end to a wonderful trip! E fantastico! Numero 238 thanks you!
20 April update...all is right with the world, it's Ducati Carbon Fiber Belt Cover Day!!
Soooo much lighter! 👏👏
Sometimes, it really IS about the destination.
Newly unshackled from my time commitments, a plan was hatched to attend the Austin motogp race: I'd ride a circuitous and as interesting as possible route there. My daughter and a friend would fly in, as would my wife. We'd all explore Austin and attend the race; they'd fly back while I rode home.
Leaving Sunday, my first stop would be Truth or Consequences for a soak in the hot springs water piped right into my room at the Blackstone, along with dinner and a beer at the brewery across the street. New since I was last here: a food truck adjacent to the brewery that has a terrific shredded chicken sub with Persian spices, absolutely delicisous.
Some local T or C color:
This is MY street!!!
The route was through Silver City and over Emory Pass, fun as always, but they had just chipped a large section of 152 which demanded some extra attention.
Day 2, to Alpine, Texas through the legendary Marfa.
Have to say, I don't "get" Marfa. Seems completely overrated and not very interesting. Lots of straight, flat and boring too.
Alpine is a town that is "trying," like Truth or Consequences and many other small, rural towns. There's a Main Street with some businesses making a go of it, others have failed leaving abandoned buildings.
I was originally going to eat here, despite my distaste for anything that can even be remotely associated with the Piaggio Group, because, you know, Italian and motorcycles:
But it was as sad inside as it looks outside, reaffirming my aversion. Instead, across the street is The Holland, a beautifully restored hotel and restaurant substantially more inviting.
Excellent, highly recommended. Some Alpine exploration:
The courthouse
What once looked like a thriving business, now closed
There are train tracks that run through Alpine; if you need to get to the other side you could be in for a long wait, they can be almost a mile long.
I'm at the Maverick Inn, the sister hotel to the Holland.
I tried...c-c-c-cold!!!
Met a very nice couple from Denmark who were also here for the motogp race; her Mugello t-shirt got the conversation going! Small world.
Tucked inn...tomorrow a Big Bend loop.
Today's route, and a funny T-Mobile text that must have come in as I passed near the border.
Big Bend is BIG and today, HOT. It was exactly 100 at the lower elevations, a bit better higher. If I didn't already live in the desert, this would be interesting topography, but frankly, it was a long way to travel to see landscape that looks almost like the area around Tucson.
Lunch at the Chisos Lodge
Ok, but nothing spectacular.
Also did a loop thru the Terlingua Ghost Town
On to the Texas Hill Country and The Twisted Sisters. I was really looking forward to getting off the straight, flat and boring and into some twisties. The "sisters" are 3 Texas ranch roads that have built up a cult following, routes 335, 336 and 337. I threw in a few others on the ride there.
Some low rent art on the way out of Alpine
The first ranch road
Notice the surface? It appears to be an aggregate over tar. In the older sections (many) there are two tire tracks worn in, so it is mostly tar (read slippery especially in the heat or the rain) with the aggregate remaining in the center. It is also difficult to tell if there is also loose gravel in the center making the surface somewhat untrustworthy. Not really good riding, but you play the hand you're dealt.
The roads run across several rivers and here's where you start seeing flood warnings and these depth gauges:
They are ubiquitous and the water is often right up to the edge now; during a rain I imagine it floods pretty quickly.
The gear explosion at the Woodbine Motel in Camp Wood, a surprisingly nice place in a very sleepy small town. Had an interesting conversation with a Diavel rider whose battery just suffered "sudden death syndrome." Dash would light up, flicker, tell him "launch control unavailable" but not a whimper from the starter. Offered a jump or a push but he had already called for a tow. He'd trailered down from Ohio for the motogp race and was also riding the Sisters. We agreed that, at least so far, kinda overrated.
The Twisted Sisters
More river crossings
Beautiful wildflowers
Break time
Sadly, closed today
Threw in a couple of side explorations, but they always ended this way:
A fun day, but certainly not the OMG roads they're touted to be.
Off to Austin!!!
A quick stop at the Hill Country Motorheads Motorcycle Museum
Cool place, friendly people.
Route 16 was also fun in parts; great pavement allowing some lean angle. 😎
Austin traffic is terrible, the last 12 miles were stop and go, at 2:30 in the afternoon! Everyone got in safe and sound, so Saturday's plan was to explore the South Congress area of Austin.
The Marriott had no problem with bikes making their own parking spots
First, though, we'd have to wait for the rain and thunderstorms to subside...the Saturday morning action at the track was halted because of lightning, glad we had made other plans!
By late morning things were starting to clear and it was time for brunch.
The bikes in front of Revival Cycles:
On the restaurant wall
Decent food, terrible service from a waitress who "doesn't do brunch." Go figure.
Lots of street performers, cool shops and two Defenders for sale!
A fun afternoon.
Time for motogp!!
Sunday was beautiful, and we got to the track early.
Ducati Island, stage and special parking
Number 269, mine is 238!
Now is the time for a shout out to Ducati and my local dealer, On Any Moto. OAM's sales manager, James Bautista, was at COTA and hooked us up with Ducati Island passes, as well as introducing me to Ducati's national sales manager, Kris O'Hare. I had been corresponding with Kris about carbon fiber belt covers for the Anniversario...long story short, he approved them as what should have been original equipment, no cost to me, and I got to thank him personally. Great customer service all around; the Ducati Island passes made for a memorable time, including meeting the US CEO Jason Chinnock and Claudio Domenicali, their worldwide CEO. Both were serving lunch to the fans at Ducati Island, pretty cool.
Showing off our new Ducati swag from the upstairs VIP lounge:
Jason interviewing Dovi and Petrucci
Lunch being set up
Food prep instructions I presume...
Jason and Claudio getting ready to dish...
Really delicious, Ducati does it right! Mille Grazie!
Krisanne staking out our position for the start:
The grid starts to assemble
Dana and Christina at the fence
Almost ready
The front row, Marquez, Rossi, Crutchlow
It was a good race with Marquez crashing out from a comfortable lead, Rossi looking like he was taking the win only to have Alex Rins chase him down for his first ever premier class victory. Wish Rossi could have won, he almost pulled it off on the last lap. Jack Miller on a Ducati completed the podium. Congrats to all.
The ride home was a two day straight, flat, boring and mostly ugly ride, but it got the job done. Just under 2000 miles total, pretty much square tires now and ready for the 48k service. The GS, as always, took me there and back in comfort without one hiccup.
Only homeward bound photo stop:
A bit presumptuous, don't you think?
Shortly after I returned home got a text from On Any Moto with this photo:
The Anniversario gets her carbon fiber belt covers installed this Saturday...a fitting end to a wonderful trip! E fantastico! Numero 238 thanks you!
20 April update...all is right with the world, it's Ducati Carbon Fiber Belt Cover Day!!
Soooo much lighter! 👏👏
