Big Bend 50th Birthday Ride

Day 1

I woke up and looked at the clock and it showed it was 4:50 am, Oh Crap, we are suppose to be on the road by 5:15. It is rare that I oversleep but on occasion it does happen. I woke Liz up and told her that she has about 15 minutes to get it together and be on the bike ready to go.

Fortunately every thing was packed, and all we had to do was load the trailer. We managed to pull out of the driveway by 5:15, so getting up late or not, we were still on time.We arrived at the Chevron station at approximately 5:40 am, where we were to meet the rest of the group.

This is my 50th Birthday ride so I decided to head to Big Bend National Park with some close friends who decided celebrate my birthday with me. The line up is as follows; My wife (Liz) and I on a Gl1800 Goldwing Trike, John and Lydia same thing but a newer version, Dan on a Gl1800 two wheel version, and later we would meet up with Dick who will be riding a FJR1300.

By the time we arrived at the Chevron station John, Lydia and Dan were there. After getting some drinks we loaded up and headed out. Being semi retired, John has been on me the last several months to slow down and smell the roses. I usually run a pretty fast pace, but this trip I decided to run in retirement mode and take it easy. I set the cruise on about 60 and headed to Columbus , TX where we were to meet Dick at breakfast.

Breakfast in Columbus was at Schobles Restaurant, where as usual the breakfast was excellent. Dick arrived soon afterward and after some good conversations and with full stomachs we headed out. The plan was simple for the day. We are to ride I-10 to San Antonio and then pick up US 90 and head west until our planned overnight stop in Sanderson, TX.By the time we left the restaurant the day was overcast with a bit of high fog. The temperature was a bit cool, but not to cool. The ride to San Antonio was uneventful, but we did stop and take a break a the new Rest Stop located just east of San Antonio.

The weather changed quickly and by the time we hit San Antonio a light rain started.We were caught between a rock and a hard place. We were riding through the middle of San Antonio when the rain started and there is no convenient place to stop. It was a light rain so I decided to keep going and at least get to the west side of San Antonio where it would be more convenient to pull over. The light rain continued until Castroville where it started to pick up a bit. We pulled into the local Shell Station where we topped off the tanks and put on our rain suits.While at the Shell Station we heard from at least two other people that there had been softball size hail in the direction we were going. My thoughts were hopefully it would be gone by the time we get there.

As soon as we pulled out of Shell Station it really started to rain. We basically rode in the rain until Uvalde where it pretty much ended. The sun came out and the temperature rose, and it turned into a beautiful day.We made a short stop in Del Rio at Wall Mart to pick up some items for a picnic lunch at the Pecos River Overlook. As usual we bought more than we needed.

Stocked up and ready to ride we continued west on US 90 arriving at the Pecos River Overlook about 45 minutes later. When had a lengthy lunch and some good conversation. We then decided to hit the road for Sanderson. We only had about 70 miles to go and I think all of us were ready to call it a day.We arrived in Sanderson at approximately 5:00 pm and checked into the Outback Osias Motel.

This is an old motel that has large rooms that are really clean. The price isn’t bad for $60.50 including tax. It turned out Lydia really liked this motel. After checking in and unloading the bikes it was time for out evening toddies. With drinks in hand and chairs set up in the shade it led to some great conversation.I had to do some checking on the bike because our electric clothing wasn’t getting power. John and I checked the fuses and connection and all had power except the plugs. My suspicions is that the relay stuck or went bad. I don’t think it was going to get cold enough for me to need the gear, but I knew Liz would need it, so Dan came to the rescue with an extra power cord that I hooked directly up to the battery. We already have an on-off switch, so Liz was good to go.

Dinner was burgers from the local Town and Country Truck Stop located across the street. The burgers are pretty tasty despite the location. After we ate, we sat outside socializing until about 9:30 when we all decided to call it a night. In spite of the rain it was a great day to ride.

Day 2

Day two of the ride started around 8:00 am when we pulled out of the motel parking lot and across the street to fill up out tanks. After filling up we drove a short distance down the street to the only open restaurant in town to have breakfast. Breakfast was excellent except the portions were a bit small, and the prices were a bit high. Other than that is was a good meal.

The plan for the day was another simple ride. We planned to head west on 90 to US 385, turn south and head into Big Bend National Park. We planned to have lunch in the Basin and then head out and visit Sainta Elena Canyon. We will then head to our motel which is located 13 mile north of Study Butte.

We ended up heading west around 9:00 am. Did I mention that it was windy? Are you sure that I didn’t mention that it was windy? Let me tell you the wind was blowing just a bit. As we were heading out of town the wind was blowing so hard it actually blew me into the oncoming lane. Part of this I was not used to driving the trike in high winds, the other reason was it was blowing really really really hard. I even gave some thought to turning around, but since turning around is not my style, I decided to keep on going.

We had a strong cross wind until we reached Marathon. We then turned south on US 385 which put the wind to our backs, and ride suddenly turned very pleasant. About 10 miles south of Marathon on 385 there is a fairly scenic picnic area. We stopped and took a short break along with the obligatory pictures. We then continued south to the park entrance where we took some more obligatory pictures.

With that all done we headed into the park at a blazing 45 miles per hour to Panther Junction. By the time we arrived in Panther Junction the temperature has risen significantly. We stopped at the Visitors Center where we shed some clothing and a couple got their National Park Passport stamped. We then headed to the Basin where we were to have lunch. Lunch at the Basin, let me say this, go there for the scenery not the food. John and others tried to order Chicken Fried Steak, but was informed they were out, we all ended up getting hamburgers, except for Dick who elected to go with the Chile. The food was ok, and as usual for what you got the prices were high, but the scenery was great. Need I say more?

After lunch we headed out for Santa Elena Canyon. The ride to the canyon is one of the most scenic rides in Texas. It is a must if you are a motorcyclist. The canyon is at the dead end of one of three park roads. It is about a three quarter of a mile hike to the canyon. Since I have bad legs, and having seen the canyon a number of times I elected to stay with the bikes while the others went sight seeing. Lydia also decided to stay since she was just getting over a sprained ankle.

The fearsome four took off, and then one by one they started to return. John first because he met the steps of doom, and then Dan, well, no reason for Dan, he just decided to turn around. Dick and Liz kept on and as it turned out they made it to the end.

After the stroll to the canyon, it was then time to head out for the motel. We were to stay at the Longhorn Ranch Motel located about 13 miles north of Study Butte on Highway 118. We arrived at the motel around 4:30 pm. I have never stayed in this motel, but after reading about it in a couple of ride magazines, I decided to give it a shot since it was the most inexpensive motel I could find in the area.

After checking in we drove to our room, and Liz and I both became concerned when we saw the doors labeled shower and restroom at the end of the building. I never asked but by any chance are there not bathrooms in each room. Not much we can do about it now, but I headed straight for the room and to my relief it did have a bathroom. I have no idea who uses the outdoor restroom and shower. There didn’t appear to be a campground on site, so who knows.

My next concern was after getting all our stuff unloaded Liz noticed a large sign by the sink that stated not to drink the water. The sign stated the water is not potable. This could be an issue for Liz and John, but after talking to the owner it turns out the water is drinkable, it just taste bad. The owner stated she sends in a sample every month and they are always up to standards. I guess they do not want to invest in a water filtering system.

We decided to eat at the restaurant on site, since the next closest place was 13 miles away. It turns out there was another group of motorcyclist staying at the motel and when we arrived at the restaurant we got the last table. After taking a peek at the menu we all could see this was going to be an expensive meal.

John, Lydia and Liz decided to get the Chicken Fried Steak. The waiter told them it would be a long wait because they do not deep fry the steak, instead they do it the traditional way by pan frying. I ordered the beef enchiladas and Dick and Dan ordered burgers. The waiter was right, it was a long wait, it took over an hour for our order to arrive. John and the rest said the CFS was good, but I got the impression that it wasn’t worth the wait. My enchiladas were ok, but they were so salty I couldn’t eat them all. I never did hear Dan or Dick make a comment about the burgers.

After dinner we returned and sat outside our rooms drinking some toddies and having some great conversation. We all eventually retired to our room respective rooms around 9:00 pm.

Day 3

We are now on day 3. The ride so far has been great. Sure we hit a little rain and had to endure some slight windy conditions, but in all we couldn’t ask for a more perfect ride.Day three started around 8:00 am, when we pulled out of the motel parking lot. We decided not to chance the motel’s restaurant, but instead go into Study Butte and see if we can find an open restaurant.

We found the Chile Pepper Restaurant just off 118 near the intersection of 170. It’s a small place, but after receiving our food we knew we made the right choice. A tasty mean at a somewhat reasonable price. After breakfast we headed west on 170, the famous River Road. There is no describing the River Road. As far as I am concerned it is the best motorcyclist road in Texas. The scenery is unbelievable and the twisty road is fantastic for motorcycling. We made one stop on the road at the scenic overlook at the top of a large hill. As usual the view was great and the weather was perfect except for it being a bit cool.

We eventually arrived in Presidio where we stopped at the local grocery store to pick up some lunch supplies. We planned to have lunch at a picnic area on the Davis Mountain Loop. The ride up to Marfa was great weather perfect, scenery perfect, and road perfect. After a short gas stop in Marfa we headed to the Loop.

As we headed out of Marfa I noticed the wind was starting to pick up again. I also noticed it was starting to get a bit cooler. When we arrived at the picnic area located on 166 just west of Highway 17 it was a bit windy and cool, but the sun was shining so we decided to give it a go for lunch.

It was a windy lunch. John and Liz looked like they were on an Artic Tour by the amount of coats they had on. Liz was trying to figure out how to run the wires from the bike to the picnic table to use here heated jacket. All in all it was a pleasant lunch, but it would have been better with less wind and warmer temperatures.

After lunch we continued on the loop taking in the scenery eventually ending up in Fort Davis. After a short stop in Fort Davis for Dan to get his park passport stamped, we headed for the motel in Alpine. We arrived at the motel around 3:30 pm.

We checked into the Antelope Lodge located on Highway 90 on the west side of town. The rooms are duplex cottages, and each have a small kitchenette. You can tell the motel is old, but it is well kept and the rooms are very clean.

After some late afternoon toddies we decided to walk to dinner at a nearby restaurant. Did I say nearby? NO IT WASN'T! The walk was probably three quarters of a mile, but with my bad legs it seem like ten miles. I did make it there and back to my surprise. Dinner was pretty good most ordered the Chicken Fried Chicken or Steak. I didn’t hear anyone complain.

Being the last to arrive at the motel, my honey seeing that I was about to collapse fixed me a toddie. After the refreshing drink, my mood was better, and we all sat out in front of the room for some time socializing. Eventually one by one the group headed off to bed. First Liz, then Dick, Dan and Lydia. John and I stayed out a bit longer discussing our planned Alaska trip this summer, but it was really getting cool so we eventually retired to our rooms.

Day 4

I woke up this morning and didn’t even realize it was my birthday. When Liz woke up she started singing happy birthday to me and I suddenly realized that this is the day I become a half a century old. Funny thing is I don’t feel any different than yesterday.

Today we start to head back towards home, so it begins on a bit of a downer. After seeing so much pretty country in the last couple of days, I already know there is no way today can top them.

Were in Alpine, Texas and we are all up and packed by 7:30 am. We head to the Shell Station just down the street and top off the tanks to the bikes. Were not sure where we are going to eat, but while on the way to our fall back plan to the local McDonalds we see an open restaurant. I don’t remember the name of the restaurant, but that’s not important because it’s not worth mentioning. The only thing you could get was a small buffet, and for the most part it wouldn’t have been bad if the food would had been a bit warmer. Everything was luke warm at best. If they would turn up the burners a bit, it probably wouldn’t have been a bad meal. Of course it was over prices as most meals in this part of Texas.

We hit the road around 9:00 am heading east on US 90. Our plan for the day was to run 90 to Del Rio, then turn north on US 277 to 377 to Rocksprings. At Rocksprings we would take Highway 55 south to Camp Wood where we would stay the night. All in all it would be a short day.

Our first stop was in Sanderson to take a break and let a couple of the bikes top off their tanks. We then continued east (into the sun) to Del Rio. We took another short break at Langtry where we watched a couple of bus loads of kids pull into the Judge Roy Bean Visitors Center. Turns out they were on a week long adventure to Big Bend. Watching all those kids makes me happy my children are now adults.

After the break we made another stop just west of Del Rio to fill our tanks again which included a quick stop at Amistad Reservoir where Dan and Lydia obtained another stamp for their park passports. We then continued on to Rocksprings where we stopped for lunch. I really need to put a little note pad on the bike so I can write down some of the names of the places we stop at. Blogging is new to me, so I guess as time goes I will get a little better at documenting the names of the restaurants we stop at.

We stopped at a restaurant where a couple of years ago a friend and I stopped for lunch. I remember the restaurant having blue plate specials, and I remember it being really good. When I pulled up to the restaurant I suddenly realized that it might be a bit different this time. The building had really changed and it didn’t look like anything it did before. We decided to give it a go and see what happens. That was a good decision, to date on this trip that has to be the best meal we have had so far.

After lunch we headed to Camp Wood where we checked into our motel. John has been on me to test ride his trike since he has done some suspension modifications. I decided to give it a go this afternoon, and Dick decided to ride with me on my trike since he has never driven one before. Well, thanks John for making me spend another couple of thousand for some upgrades. The modifications he had done results in a better ride and steering. It will be in my future plans.

For the next couple of hours we sat around and had some toddies while talking about the world in general. Liz and John decided to take a short nap, not together of course, before dinner. Around 6:00 pm we decided to walk down to the local restaurant for dinner. Chicken Fried Steak was on the menu, and that is what most of us had. Everyone enjoyed their dinner.

After dinner John and Lydia presented me with a birthday card that included a gift certificate to Wings and Things. This is Johns and my favorite lunch spot, so I know it will be put to good use. Thanks John and Lydia.

After a short social hour we decided to call it a day. All in all it was a great days ride. The weather was perfect except for a bit of wind. Sometimes it just doesn’t get any better than this.

Day 5

We woke up and remembered this is the final day of our journey. We had breakfast across the street from the motel, and soon afterwards we headed for home.

Dick departed us at Bandera and we continued south until we picked up Hwy 90. We then continued on 90 to San Antonio until we dropped down onto 90A.We had a pleasant lunch in Shiner, and then it was just a short ride home.

We arrived at the house around 4:00 pm. It was a great ride, and Liz and I have decided to make this an annual trip for us.