Big Bend

I've always wanted to visit the Big Bend area of Texas and this past week I made that happen. The plan was to ride through the Texas Hill Country and then ride out to Fort Stockton and spend the night, ride all day Wednesday in the Big Bend area and head back to Fort Stockton to spend the night again and then ride back home the third day.

I left on the morning of Tuesday the 6th and headed for Austin. I wanted to make a quick pit stop at my sister's and hand off some CDs and see her, of course! After gassing up the plan was to just ride through the hill country until I ran into I-10. It didn't quite work out like that, but I had a fantastic time on some must-do roads. Here's the route I carved:

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From Austin take 2244 (Bee Cave) to 71 North. On the west side of Bee Cave head south on 3228. Take 12 South through Wimberly. On the south side of Wimberly catch 32 West all the way to 281. Head south on 281 to 46 West. 46 West has the famed Devil's Backbone stretch. My advice? Go through Devil's Backbone as fast as you can. The rush is incredible. Large sweeping turns one after the other. Very cool road. Catch 16 North to Bandera.

Now, there are a lot of good roads around these parts, but here's a series of kick-ass roads I would ride anytime. Actually, I'd like to be able to ride them anytime, but... On the west side of Bandera take 470 West off of 16. 470 eventually turns in to 187 North. Stay on 187 until 39 East. 39 East is a pure treasure running along creek after creek. In Ingram I caught 27 North to I-10 and from there I headed to Fort Stockton.

If you're in the Bandera area you must ride the roads above. I didn't ride 337 this time, but that is another must-do road if you're ever in the area.

The ride to Fort Stockton that evening was a really cool one. For one, it was colder than a witch's tit and, two, I got pulled over by the Texas DPS and, three, I saw the Milky Way in all of its glory. The cold wouldn't have bothered me too much, but like a dumbass I brought perforated gloves with me. Heated grips to the rescue courtesy of the exceedingly thoughtful engineers and designers at BMW. Thanks fellas and fellettes. I also found an extremely adequate hand-warmer on the r1150rt. When hunched over and resting on the tank, place your hands in front of the dash. Very nice for the hands.

Just outside of Ozona I got pulled over by a kind DPS officer. I noticed him behind me, but didn't pay him much attention because I was hovering around 75 or 80. Should be cool, right? After a few minutes he puts on his lights and I swiftly move over and park the bike. He's a nice guy, I'm a nice guy and when it's all over he's getting a Harley Night Train and I ride off with a warning.

Ahhhhh.... the Milky Way. Growing up in Tyler, Texas provided some opportunities to see the Milky Way, but nothing quite like West Texas does. The darkness in this area of the US rivals that of the Grand Canyon. As a matter of fact, large areas of West Texas are free of light pollution and favored by many astronomers and scientists. I found myself riding down I-10 in the dead of night with my head tilted skyward. The views were cool, but it doesn't take long for a minor bout of idiocy to correct itself when you're on a motorcycle. Given the fact that this part of Texas is some of the best deer country in the entire US and I was witness to carcass after carcass of deer and other assorted critters, I decided it would be best to marvel at the Milky Way from some other vantage point. As luck would have it, the next exit was unlit so I pulled over there, turned off the bike, de-geared my body and stared at all of the stars, the Milky Way and tried to imagine our world from the perspective of someone sitting on a planet many light years away. About the time my body was getting frost bite cold, I decided it was time to mount the bike, warm up and ride on. I also got the feeling I was in the process of being surrounded by a pack of coyotes who were much hungrier than I've ever been.

After spending the night in Fort Stockton I was ready to embark on the day-long trek through the Big Bend area. Here's the map for the day:

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Take I-10 to 17 South near Balmorhea. When you get to Fort Davis I would encourage you to try the ride up to McDonald Observatory. Take 118 up to the observatory. This is one of the better roads in the area and very picturesque. I enjoyed it so much I road it back to Fort Davis. However, you could catch 166 back to 17 South, but you'll have to back track to Fort Davis if you need gas.

In Marfa, 17 ends and turns into 67. Take 67 South all the way to Presidio. Presidio is a border town. Plenty of gas and whatnot there. The best road I was on the entire day and possibly my entire life up to this point is 170 East. This road hugs the Rio Grande and is a real roller coaster. There are so many washes into the Rio Grande that they didn't put bridges over each wash. What this results in is one of those roads that's constantly going up and down and around and it's incessantly this way until Terlingua. That's roughly an 80 mile stretch of the best road I've ridden. There was a little construction just east of Presidio and I did have to manuever over some dirt road, but it was well worth the risk. They should be finished with the dirt part soon. Either way, my advice is to do whatever you need to do to run this stretch of road. You may want to attack it heading west rather than from the east. If the construction is bad you'll just have to turn around and do it all over again! :)

Just outside of Terlingua, catch 118 South into the Big Bend State Park area. Every road inside the park that heads south of 118 is a fantastic road. Ride them all if you're able. You won't be disappointed.

When the sun started to go down, I began the trek back to Fort Stockton. In Panther Junction, catch 385 North all the way to Fort Stockton. Be careful on these roads at night. I saw about 20 jack rabbits run in front of the bike, two coyotes one of which tried to attack my bike until he realized what I was, plenty of deer and a lot of dead deer carcasses strewn along the roads. I was exceedingly concerned about my safety. If I was to go down, there would be no one coming by anytime soon and I may lay there until the morning before anyone came along. I saw two cars all the way to Fort Stockton.

I slept as long as I was able the next morning and got on the road around 7:30. I headed east on I-10 to Sonora. From there, I took 277 North all the way to Abilene where I caught I-20 all the way into the DFW metroplex and back home. It was a beautiful ride and I only wish I could have stayed a little longer.

I was able to get a few good pictures. Check 'em out.

Bun Burner Gold

Note: Since writing the original report, the IBA has updated the extreme rides list and has corrected the issues with multiple BBG rules on the IBA site.

Overview

Since completing my first IBA Event in September of 2001, I couldn't wait for the Iron Butt Association (IBA) to certify the ride so I could move on to the extreme ride series - particularly the Bun Burner Gold (BBG) which is 1500 miles or more in 24 hours or less. Well, a few days ago some of the good folks on the Motorcycle Tourer's Forum were discussing the IBA rides. One person thought the BBG was not an extreme ride. I did a little investigation on the IBA site and, sure enough, the BBG is not in the extreme ride category as it has been in the past. The IBA website has two different BBG rules posted. The unfortunate part is that most people are reading the old rules because the main link to the rules is the older version. For the most current rules go to the IBA Website. Click on 'Event Calendar'. Click on 'SaddleSore 1000'. Click on 'Saddlesore 1000 Rules'. About a page down you'll find a link for the Bun Burner Gold rules. That's the one you want. The revision date is October 1, 2000. I've notified the IBA about the discrepency.

Since I didn't need to wait for certification, I decided to go ahead and run a BBG. This run took place on Friday October 12 and Saturday October 13, 2001.

Route Map

The route starts in Irving, Texas and heads west on I-20; I-10 to Las Cruces, New Mexico; north on I-25 to Albuquerque, New Mexico; west on I-40 to Amarillo, Texas; and TX-287 back into the metroplex and Irving, Texas. Total mileage is 1542.

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Details

When I first woke up I checked the weather. The only suspect information I saw was that it was supposed to be cold in Albuquerque and possibly raining in the metroplex on my return. I almost called off the ride, but I decided to go ahead. I figured I have some cold weather gear and a rain suit that I needed to use. :) So I took a shower, packed up the bike and was off. The official start time in Irving was 7:14 AM Central.

The ride to my first stop in Sweetwater, Texas was a very pleasent, cool one. The wind was picking up, but I thought nothing of it. After Sweetwater the wind began to pick up more and after my stop in Pecos, the wind began to howl and pick up dust. Why is it that when the wind blows it's always a headwind? All the way to El Paso the wind was picking up huge amounts of sand into the air and keeping visibility to about 1-2 miles. My gas mileage suffered because of it. I got 31 MPG rather than the usual 38/40.

When I finally made it through El Paso and started to head north, these fierce winds became cross-winds. I have never, ever experienced cross-winds as brutal as this. On three separate ocassions the wind almost blew the bike out from under me and I almost pulled over to wait out the winds. But I decided that it was best to become one with the bike, lean into the wind and continue to make progress in an effort to pass through this mess and on to calmer conditions. I broke through somewhere around Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. What a relief!

When I stopped in Socorro, New Mexico the winds were calm, but it was starting to get cold. After the hot Texas summer, this was cold. I was going to put on some more cloths, but decided to trudge forward. Next stop Santa Rosa. This was a mistake. The sun began to set a little west of Albuquerque and it was cold, but not cold enough to stop. My jacket, gloves, boots and heated hand grips took the bite out, but I was shivering cold when I got to Santa Rosa - especially after removing my helmet.

I gassed up in Santa Rosa, drank some hot chocolate, warmed up and talked to a few people in the store. I met some folks who arrived from Santa Fe. They have been touring the southwest on their Connie and said they ran into major thunderstorms and snow around Santa Fe. They said it was so bad they pulled into the first ranch they saw and asked the folks there if they could have a little shelter. Luckily, they said the storm was over and not moving this direction. Phew!!! What a relief. While there, I decided to layer on some more clothing. I put on another long sleave t-shirt, some thermals and an extra pair of long socks. I also changed over to some thicker gloves. This made all the difference in the world.

I reached Amarillo around midnight. The skies were clear. I caught the Weather Channel and the forecast called for rain in the metroplex. What a bummer. The cold is one thing. Cold and wet is another. I had another cup of hot chocolate to warm the soul and was off. When I stopped in Wichita Falls I asked the clerk if she had seen the latest weather report. She indicated that some serious storms rolled through northern Texas and spawned a few tornadoes in and around Decatur, Texas. Decatur was in my flight path. She said the storms had passed through. Phew! What a relief again.

The last 150 miles was uneventful. The skies were cloudy, it was cold and you could tell that some serious storms passed through and left their mark. I was thankful for not having to endure this on my ride and sympathized with the folks that lost their lives in the tornadoes in Decatur and everyone else who lost their homes. Despite my inattention, the Lord must like me.

I rolled into the metroplex around 5 AM - 22 hours into the ride. I stopped at my usual ATM and got a receipt for the official end time. That was 5:33 AM.

Trip Statistics

Here are some of the major trip statistics.

Motorcycle	2002 BMW R1150RT
Total Miles	1542
Total Time	22 Hours 19 Minutes
Total Gallons	43.474
Total Gas Money	$63.50
Average MPG	36.44
Average MPH	69.10*

^*Based on Total Time which includes, breaks...

Lessons Learned

While I learned a lot on my last trip, I knew I was in store for more. I guess that's one thing I like about this sport. There's always something to learn.

• Strong headwinds severly impact your MPG. Take this into account in planning your trip by ensuring their are contigency stops along the way or pack an extra fuel cell. I was running on fumes between my stops. The R1150RT's tank holds 6.6 gallons. I filled up with 6.605, 6.635, 6.369 and 6.536 gallons of gas through Socorro, NM. Needless to say, I was running on fumes and pushing the limit. In retrospect, it was foolish to jeapordize the ride in this manner, but in a few instances I had no options to stop as I was in west Texas and southern New Mexico. The only thing that got me through was a little luck, that little bit of extra gas I always get into the tank and knowing what to expect from the R1150RT.
• Cold weather gear is a must. On this ride I experienced the coldest weather I've ever ridden in for an extended period of time. I always layered clothing and, while that works, the proper equipment is in order. So the search begins.
• A pair of spandex-type shorts next to the bottom makes for a comfortable ride. My bottom came through in fine shape.
• The stock windshield on the R1150RT does not provide a large enough pocket for a guy as tall as me. This is especially true and so apparent while riding in cold weather. I bought a tall Aeroflow windshield earlier in the week. My dealer called me Friday while I was on the road and told me it had arrived. Go figure.

Event Log

Date	Time In	Time Out	Location	Odometer	Description
10-12-2001	7:00 AM CT	7:10 AM CT	Irving, TX	8277	Met my begin witness.
10-12-2001	7:10 AM CT	7:15 AM CT	Irving, TX	8277	Stopped at an ATM for an official start time of 7:14 AM.
10-12-2001	9:59 AM CT	10:10 AM CT	Sweetwater, TX	8500	Stopped for gas.
10-12-2001	12:39 PM CT	12:52 PM CT	Pecos, TX	8720	Stopped for gas. Had to back track about 5 miles for gas because I missed the exit.
10-12-2001	1:55 PM MT	2:30 PM MT	El Paso, TX	8914	Stopped for gas and a sandwhich.
10-12-2001	5:10 PM MT	5:30 PM MT	Socorro, NM	9125	Stopped for gas.
10-12-2001	8:45 PM MT	9:30 PM MT	Santa Rosa, NM	9325	Stopped for gas and walked around for a spell.
10-12-2001	11:50 PM CT	10-13-2001 12:15 AM CT	Amarillo, TX	9502	Stopped for gas.
10-13-2001	3:15 AM AZ	3:30 AM AZ	Iowa Park, TX	9718	Stopped for gas.
10-13-2001	5:30 AM CT	5:40 AM CT	Irving, TX	9857	Stopped at an ATM for official end time.
10-13-2001	5:55 AM CT	6:15 AM CT	Carrolton, TX	9863	Met my end witness.
10-13-2001	6:10 PM CT	6:20 PM CT	Irving, TX	9870	Stopped for final gas fill at Texaco. Note that this final fillup did not occur until well after the official end time, but shouldn't effect certification because the official end time comes from the ATM receipt. This fill-up is noted because the mileage, gallons used, etc are part of the trip data.

Talimena Scenic Byway

This past weekend I had the pleasure of riding down to Austin with some folks from the Sabre Group. While stopped at Hut's in Austin to have a good burger someone mentioned the Talimena Scenic Drive and said it was a wonderful, winding road that ran through the Ouachita National Forest of eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas. At the time, I made a mental note because I knew I would be hard up for a ride the following week.

It didn't take long to find some good information on the Talimena on the net. Here are a few links I found:

Ouchita National Forest Website
Mena, Arkansas Website
Dallas Morning News Article

The Talimena is a good one-day trip from the Dallas area. Expect to travel around 600 miles and be gone for at least 12 hours. I left around 6a and arrived back home around 9p. The drive up is ordinary until a little north of Antlers, OK where you begin a gradual ascent into the Kiamichi Mountains. I saw quite a few deer and even had a small group of deer cross the road about a quarter-mile in front of me. Keep your head on a swivel and the brakes covered. The roads are relatively narrow leaving little for reaction if something were to pop out in front of you.

I took 75-N out of Dallas to 70-E in Durant. Then 271-N all the way to Talihina. Stay on 271 out of Talihina to get to highway 1 and the beginning of the Talimena. I had originally intended to ride some roads in Arkansas, but, much to my dismay, the shortcuts I mapped out involved some dirt roads that I didn't have the time to navigate. Plus, I'm not a big fan of dirt roads. Perhaps next trip I will have enough time to go the long way around.

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The Talimena is a wonderful road that runs from Talihina, OK to Mena, AR along the crest of the Kiamichi Mountains in the Ouachita National Forest. It's a road that is made for a motorcycle. Unfortunately, in the fall it's also made for slow-moving vehicles packed full of people who want to look at all of the colors. I can't blame them. The scenery is spectacular. I purposefully went up on a weekday to avoid crowded highways. That strategy worked for the most part. The few cages I saw were easily passed and I was able to enjoy the ride without any issues.

The speed limit is 55 MPH and is marked as a no passing zone. However, I found plenty of places to pass comfortably and without mishap. I don't think I could stand going through the Talimena at 25 MPH like most of the cages and tour busses. The condition of the road was superb. I did find a large amount of leaves and pine needles in various places on the road. Imagine that this time of year! :) As always, use your head and leave yourself a way out.

I stopped in Mena for lunch at the SkyLine Cafe. You can't miss it. It's on the Talimena just on the edge of downtown Mena. I had the chicken fried steak as it came highly recommended. It was worth it. There's a lot of other good ol' down home cookin' to choose from on the menu too. Take your pick. I'm sure it's all good.

On the way back through the Talimena, I stopped at most of the Vistas and took some pictures. There are some pretty good shots of the road and some of the fall foliage. Check 'em out.

Saddlesore 2000

Note: This ride was originally a Saddlesore 1000 combined with a Bun Burner provided I was able to make it. After submitting the paperwork for certification and combined with the recent restructuring of IBA Extreme rides, the IBA certified this ride as a Saddlesore 2000. My compliments to the IBA for this certification. It was totally unexpected.

Overview

I've been running in my R1150RT the past few months in anticipation of my first Iron Butt Association (IBA) event. Eventually, I'd like to get a few of the IBA events under my belt and try my hand at the actual Iron Butt Rally in 2003 or 2005. I reviewed the following IBA events:

• Saddlesore 1000 which is 1000 miles in 24 hours or less
• Bun Burner which is 1500 miles in 36 hours or less
• Bun Burner Gold which is 1500 miles in 24 hours or less

I really wanted to do the Bun Burner Gold, but one of the prerequisites is the successful completion of a Saddlesore 1000 or a Bun Burner. So I decided to go with a Bun Burner. The Bun Burner Gold will have to wait for now.

Previously, the longest one-day ride was on my trip to Palo Duro Canyon this past July. On that trip I gathered some rudimentary statistics that provided a good indication of how both my bike and I would perform on a longer trip. For instance, maximum fuel range of the R1150RT, how long my buns could endure sitting on the stock seat, a good touring speed, etc. Based on the Palo Duro trip I accounted for 200-mile stops for gas and such. I packed the following items:

• Rain gear - Frogg Toggs
• A Change of cloths including several extra shirts for layering
• Snacks. Jerked beef and some good hearty trail mix
• Water - both emergency and normal conditions. I used the plastic water container from my Camelback and stored it in the bottom of my tank bag. Extremely convenient.
• Tool/First Aid Kit.
• Camera

I decided that an early morning start would be ideal and that I should begin my journey down the street at the Albertson's. So I woke up the morning of Wednesday September 5, 2001 around 3:00 AM, took a shower, dressed, packed up the bike, went and gassed up and I was off... Details of the trip follow.

Route Map

The route starts in Irving, Texas and heads west on I-20; I-10 to Phoenix, Arizona; north on I-17 to Flagstaff, Arizona; west on I-40 to Amarillo, Texas; and TX-287 back into the metroplex and Irving, Texas. Total mileage is 2252.

If anyone is looking for a good route for a Back to Back Saddlesore event, this route is not too shabby. I will probably ride it again when I go for the Back to Back Saddlesores after I'm certified.

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Details

The official start time in Irving was 4:47 AM Central. Just as I was about to get on Interstate 635 I saw lightning and heard thunder and knew that I was not going to make it out of the metroplex without getting wet. So I pulled over and slipped on the rain suit. The suit worked out really well and I certainly needed it. I ran into heavy rain until I got to the other side of Weatherford, Texas and then it rained intermittently until Sweetwater, Texas. Riding in the rain wasn't an issue at all - even the heavy stuff. As long as you have a good suit that will keep you dry, you should be able to weather the storm just fine and ride through to clearer skies. My hat's off to Frogg Toggs for making a wonderful suit. After the rain ended it was just a matter of riding out the miles.

My first stop was Sweetwater, Texas - approximately 230 miles into the trip. I used this stop as a personal guage. I felt good, the bike was performing flawlessly and I gassed up and kept on riding.

The ride through west Texas was uneventful. The speed limit is 70 MPH, but I passed a cop or two while doing 80-85 and they didn't flinch. Nor did I as I was just keeping up with what little traffic was on the road at the time. New Mexico was pretty much the same and Arizona wasn't too far behind.

I reached Tucson around 3:30 PM local time and it was getting extremely hot. The ride from Tucson to Phoenix really drained me of a lot of energy and I was ready to stop for a good, long rest. When I saw the Comfort Inn sign in northern Phoenix, I knew that's where I would be spending the evening. I arrived in Phoenix around 6:00 PM local time - roughly 15 hours into the event. My end witness for the Saddlesore was Angela D, the manager of the Comfort Inn. I went out and got some Chinese food, ate, watched a little tube and fell asleep quickly. Only another 500 miles to go and roughly 20 hours to get them in.

I woke up at 3:30 AM in Phoenix, took a shower and hit the road at 4:30 AM. I headed north on Interstate 17 to Flagstaff. I forgot how gorgeous Arizona sunrises are and how early in the morning they come. This was no exception. When I arrived in Flagstaff, I took Interstate 40 East. I thought reaching Albuquerque, NM would be enough to reach 1500 miles, but it wasn't. I decided to just ride and try to make Amarillo before the 36 hour time limit, but time just didn't allow it. I stopped in Tucumcari, NM with 1750 miles behind me and decided to get my end witness there. I found my end witness and an ATM around 3:30 PM MST. That's approximately 34 hours into the event.

The Bun Burner was over and I had options. I considered spending the night in Tucumcari, but I decided to keep on riding. I wasn't that worn out after resting for about an hour and half and grabbing some good Mexican food. While it was a heavier meal than I should have had, it was good and satisfying and that's the feeling I was after.

When I arrived in Amarillo, I decided to keep on riding. I made it home at midnight. At that time, I had traveled roughly 2250 miles in 43 hours. Not too shabby for a rookie. :)

Trip Statistics

Here are some of the major trip statistics. The one I'm most concerned about is the number of pictures taken. I went in with grandiose ideas about taking pictures along the way, but it just never happened. Perhaps next time.

Motorcycle	2002 BMW R1150RT
Total Miles	2252
Total Time	43 Hours 12 Minutes
Total Gallons	54.039
Total Gas Money	$90.44
Average MPG	41.67
Average MPH	52.13*
Pictures Taken	0

^*Based on Total Time.

Lessons Learned

I knew I was going to learn quite a bit from this experience and it certainly didn't fail. Here's what I learned:

• Physical and mental preparation is imperative. I didn't decide to REALLY do this ride until Tuesday. Just FYI... I left on Wednesday. I also didn't start perparing for the ride until around 8pm. As a result, I didn't get to sleep until midnight and only got 3.5 hours of sleep. My usual 6 hours would have been nice before starting the ride.
• I had to make an unplanned pit stop in Sierra Blanca, Texas, but not for gas. I had to relieve a highly pressurized bladder. I gassed up anyway, of course. When I realized I needed to make the stop I couldn't help but think about the Stadium Pal. This is a condom-type catheter with a tube that runs to a plastic bag.
• A bigger gas tank, means more time on the road and that means greater distances in shorter time periods.
• I need a Russell Day-Long. The stock seat on the R1150RT, while comfortable, did not provide the long-term support that I needed. I got through the event alright, but my butt would have been happier on a full-coverage seat like the Day-Long.
• The heat, unforgivingly and with extreme prejudice, drains the body and mind of all will to carry on. I will only ride through the hottest part of the day (+100 F) if absolutely mandatory. I will use the neck wraps and anything else to keep me cool. The best course of action for me would be to pull over and take a short nap, rejuvinate body fluids and ride out -er-a make that sit out - the heat.

Event Log

Date	Time In	Time Out	Location	Odometer	Description
9-5-2001	4:27 AM CST	4:36 AM CST	Irving, TX	4763	Initial Gas Fillup. The is not the official start time.
9-5-2001	4:38 AM CST	4:50 AM CST	Irving, TX	4763	Stopped at the Albertson's to get some snacks for the road, my begin witness and an ATM receipt for an official start time of 4:47 AM.
9-5-2001	7:47 AM CST	8:03 AM CST	Sweetwater, TX	4992	Stopped for gas at Texaco.
9-5-2001	10:28 AM CST	10:52 AM CST	Pecos, TX	5199	Stopped for gas at Texaco.
9-5-2001	11:25 AM MT	11:34 AM MT	Sierra Blanca, TX	5323	Stopped for an unplanned pit stop due to increase bladder pressure and gassed up at Exxon.
9-5-2001	1:56 PM MT	2:20 PM MT	Deming, NM	5517	Stopped for gas at Texaco.
9-5-2001	4:00 PM AZ	4:20 PM AZ	Tucson, AZ	5738	Stopped for gas at Union 76.
9-5-2001	6:00 PM AZ	9-6-2001 4:25 AM AZ	Phoenix, AZ	5862	Stopped to get an end-witness (Angela D, manager on duty) as well as for the evening at: Comfort Inn 5050 Black Canyon Fwy Phoenix, AZ 85017
9-6-2001	4:23 AM AZ	4:45 AM AZ	Phoenix, AZ	5868	Stopped for gas at Texaco.
9-6-2001	6:47 AM AZ	7:00 AM AZ	Flagstaff, AZ	6013	Stopped for gas at Mobil.
9-6-2001	10:10 AM MT	10:25 AM MT	Gallup, NM	6194	Stopped for gas at Chevron.
9-6-2001	12:25 PM MT	12:45 PM MT	Tijeras, NM	6360	Stopped for gas at Chevron.
9-6-2001	2:30 PM MT	3:40 PM MT	Tucumcari, NM	6519	Stopped for gas and decided to get the bun burner end-witness and official end time. The end witness was Eddie U at the Shell station I stopped at. I also got an ATM receipt with an official end time of 2:37 PM MT. I ate dinner at La Cita Mexican Restaurant.
9-6-2001	6:01 PM CST	6:16 PM CST	Amarillo, TX	6646	Stopped for gas at Petro.
9-6-2001	7:50 PM CST	8:10 PM CST	Childress, TX	6758	Stopped for gas at Taylor.
9-6-2001	11:58 PM CST	9-7-2001 12:08 AM CST	Irving, TX	7015	Stopped for final gas fill at Chevron - The same one as prior to the start.

Turner Falls

Turner Falls is west of Interstate 35 just south of Davis, Oklahoma. It's located in the Arbuckle Mountains. Yes, for Oklahoma these are mountains. A lot of people visit the falls on the weekends. If you're a people-watcher, then go on a Saturday. If you prefer a more laid back atmosphere, then go up sometime during the week. There's some ok hiking, an abundance of campsites and plenty of swimmin' holes.

I haven't been throughout the entire Arbuckle Mountain area, but I do not ride to that area of Oklahoma for the twisties. There are some good roads in the area, but it's not enough to attract me on a regular basis from Dallas. Instead, I go for the quiet, relaxing atmosphere and the cool springs that a weekday visit offers up.

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