Austin Texas Hill Country Dual Sport Day Trips

Yes, it has several and is an awesome road N and E of Lampasas near Adamsville, CR127/128. This one out near Junction kicked our butt! It was a different design and very heavy duty. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/HcQYdkrxeKA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Yeah, I've seen gates like this west and sw of junction. They really are a lot easier, and faster, when you team up on them with a leap frog routine. There were a couple we needed two bikes to push open. :)

Well, you just have to see my "technique". It involves velocity and mucho mass. Works well 9/10 times and only takes one bike and everybody else shoots the gaps. Usually 2 to 4 bikes can get thru. The tenth time is when I hit the gate that's made from 3/4" steel plate and leaf springs from a one-ton truck (or, even worse, the time I found one that was "locked"). :eek1 It ain't real pretty to watch. Most especially from my seat. Then I have to employ my secondary technique which consists of bull-dozing it open leaving my clutch smelling like a cat on fire. Yeah. Big fun. lol

BTW, around here we call the road "Bumpgate Road". It's a mainstay at the RTB Rally.

I guess those locked ones are kinda hard to bump open! ha!

Yup. But you get an interesting view of your rear wheel when it is up there, shoulder height .

08042012 ATHCDSDT<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>​

Another awesome ride today.


We went down a few dead end roads that were well worth it.


Matter of fact they were so good we rode them twice&#8230;&#8230;..once down and once back.


Only a few little wet creek crossing&#8230;..they&#8217;re still slimey&#8230;..but no falls&#8230;&#8230;.and no falls in any loose stuff on the roads.


rlcanon, Lamar568, GlockPointer and I met up at Backwoods in Bee Cave Texas&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;





We rode out 962 to CR301 to Hwy 281 and met up with Infidel at the Shell in Round Mountain Texas (on Hwy 281)&#8230;&#8230;..





Mini Enchanted Rock&#8230;&#8230;.





Cave in a cliff in the distance&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;




Random pics along the ride......















Bikes at the quarry lake&#8230;&#8230;.




GlockPointer demonstrating how to turn around on a hill&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;

I will be shopping for a new cage for my wife this weekend.........so I will not be able to get out and ride.

Saturday....August 18, 2012...Ride to the James River

When: Saturday August 18, 2012

WhereTo Meet: Meet at Backwoods, located in the western end of the Hill Country Galleria, 12921 Hill Country Blvd Ste D2-145, Bee Cave, TX 78738.....in the rear parking lot (near Hwy 71) at 8:30 a.m. There are plenty of parking spaces to leave your truck/vehicle and trailer.

Kick stands up at 9:00 a.m.

Please let me know if you plan on riding by replying to this post.

If we know someone is coming, and they haven't arrived by 9:00 a.m.....we will wait approximately 15 to 20 minutes for them to show up. If you need to contact me........please call five 1 two - 4 two three - zero 8 8 nine.

There is gasoline near the meeting area to top off your tank.

Destination: Into the heart of the hill country to ride some dirt roads.

bring water......stay hydrated.....drink plenty of water starting days prior to any outdoor activities.

We will stop somewhere for lunch.......Probalbly Doss Country Store......there is gas there too.

You may want to bring a snack as well.

As always.........this is a no drop ride. Please read the first page of this thread for general info regarding no drop rides.

Rider List.........

In.......
rlcanon
GlockPointer
bikejones
Lamar568
Mudclod
Infidel

Have your cameras at the ready for the crossing.

awwww now that i dont live in austin anymore. now yall ride around up there im jealous.

Ride to the James River......08182012

It never ceases to amaze me of the mechanical and riding skills of dual sport riders.

Although, after reading this ride report……..some of you may be in disbelief…….but as a True Native Texan, I can honestly say……..it is all true…….…and that ain’t braggin’….…..especially since there are photos to prove it. Some of you may call this a Tall Tale……..and that’s your right……but here in Texas…….Tall Tales are legends.

It all started as a routine ride, rlcanon, Lamar568, GlockPointer and I met up at Backwoods in Bee Cave Texas……Kickstands went up at 9:05 a.m.

We were planning to meet Mudclod* and Infidel** in Eckert, Texas on Hwy 16, at 10:45 a.m.

*Mudclod was trailering from Killeen to Llano and would be riding south on HWY 16 to meet us.

**Infidel was riding from San Antonio and would be riding north on HWY 16 to meet us.



Lamar on the stealth DR650…..



We rode West out FM962 to CR301 to Hwy 281 (North)….then left on CR307 ( a nice CR that starts off paved then becomes dirt, then becomes paved again before intersecting with FM1323). After turning right onto FM1323, we rode for a few miles until we came to a place where we had some fun at on the last ride.

After checking the official ride clock (a Timex strapped to GlockPointer crossbar pad), and seeing that it was only 10:25 a.m., we determined that there was enough time to play around a little before we were supposed to meet up with Mudclod and Infidel at 10:45 a.m.








We got back to the business of heading down FM1323 into Willow City (BTW, Harry’s is for sale. Any investor types out there could buy this. It makes for a great watering hole on the Loop. I know it needs an approved septic system, that’s what got them shut down, and maybe more) and then over to Eckert.

We arrived at 10:50 a.m., a respectable 5 minutes late, but seeing that Mudclod and Infidel were nowhere in sight…….we were on time.

I pulled out my phone and had a message from both Mudclod……… and Infidel…………

Mudclod: “Dude……..…....it’s raining really hard here in Llano and has been raining non-stop for an hour.” :storm: I’ll keep the rain up north so that y’all can have a rain free ride***.

***And rain free it was ‘til we crossed north of the wet/dry boundary later on in the ride……which was no fault of Mudclods.

Infidel: “I’m at I-10 and HWY 87……..I’ll be there in 30 minutes and I’m riding like the wind.****

****And ride like the wind he did because I received the text message at 10:55 a.m., and when Infidel met up with us it was 11:00 a.m.





After saying our Howdy Do’s and Whuz Up’s……. : ……..and after Infidel telling us about his upcoming adventure riding he will be doing on the back roads and trials in Arkansas*****………..we were on our way to the Doss Country Store for lunch……………….and for desert……….we were planning to have a good heapin’ helpin’ of crossing the James River.

We were only a few minutes and a few miles into this portion of the ride, when as luck would have it, Infidel verbally expressed his sincere displeasure……i.e., words that the mods may not allow…..but words you normally hear on cable TV……and therefore the ride came to an abrupt stop.

After rlcanon’s astute observation……..Infidel had a broken clutch cable.

Many folks might see this as an opportunity to pack it up and go home……..but noooooo………not this crew.

Out came the tools from my handy dandy farm implement owner’s manual tube……and lo and behold………rlcanon has a freakin’ spare clutch cable……….yes folks……..it was pure magic…..it may not have been the OEM cable for a DR650 (Infidels bike)…….but it was a clutch cable nonetheless……..and a Barnett High Quality clutch cable at that!!!!!!!!!!!

*****Better it happen here with tools and a spare cable than the backwoods of Arkansas……which led everyone in the group to agree that a spare clutch cable and a spare throttle cable are probably good things to have with you on your bike while riding.











Once the roadside repairs where complete…….and the clutch cable adjustment was “better than stock”…………as stated by Infidel himself………we were off again……..and hungry.

But just outside Doss the ride came to another abrupt stop………but a worthwhile stop it was. As you see, we had to take pics of one of the coolest signs in Texas…..and as far as I’ve seen….these signs only exist on this road………….



First things first after arriving at the Doss Country Store………we all topped off our tanks and then went in to the Doss Country Store for some cold beverages and some grub……….and mighty fine grub it is.



Even though I was somewhat pressed for time to be back at the house by 5:30 p.m. ……… (it was already 2:00 p.m. when we finished eating. You can do the math if you want to, but true “numbers” people have already figured it out)…………..to let the little pup out of her kennel to go outside…..and the big pup out of the house so he could go outside as well******……….I was severely pressured by my peers to ride on to the James River.

However, I am not one to succumb to peer pressure….and therefore I refuse to be subjected to such nonsense no matter how harsh it is.

So I did what any upstanding respectable Texan would do…….I owned up to my obligations and responsibilities.
Now......if you have been paying attention to this Tall Tale………..the title of which is……all together now......”Ride to the James River”…….so “Ride to the James River” we did!!!!!!!!!!

******Upon arriving home at 9:15 p.m. the dogs were real troopers……… not poopers…….for being in the kennel and house for over 12 hours. Good thing I have kennel trained them to hold their…….uuuhhhhhhh…..what’s a word the mods will let me use…….oh there it is……”bodily functions” for up to 16 hours.

Now folks……… this is where the story gets exciting…… opcorn: …..the part you have all been waiting for…… opcorn:opcorn: ..…and believe me…………the very part most of you, if not all of you, will not believe……….yes that’s right…….you will not believe this next part.

This fine outstanding group of men, with untold talents and skills proceeded to ride the James River crossing backwards……..yes……..backwards…….Some folks may tell you that only 2 out of the 5 riders dropped their bikes in the river. But actually, 2 of the guys just layed their bikes down in the river to wash them.

Now if you don’t believe me that we rode backwards across the James River……the proof is in the pics below.

As a side note……while taking these pics, a local rancher stopped his pickup next to me at the rivers edge. We exchanged greetings and then his exact words were “I love a good comedy show”…..in which I responded……..”And this is the perfect place for it.” Isn’t it nice to know that there are people that are not in such a hurry that they can’t enjoy a little laughter and humor in life……..especially at the expense of others, like ourselves? :mrgreen:

Lamar568 washing his bike in the river when he got about half way across……then proceeded to keep riding backwards to the other bank of the river…….. The number of photos have been reduced for this thread........















After seeing how clean Lamar568’s bike was….rlcanon decided he would wash his bike too…..sorry Robert, I didn’t get any photos of your clean bike.

Like myself………Infidel and GlockPointer decided to leave the dirt on their bikes……..because it adds character…….. Additional photos removed for this thread.















Then………..to get back to the other side………and not wanting to show-off…..we rode forward across the river………..you know…………like everyone else.

So on down the road a piece we stopped briefly at a cool little place where the water flows across the road and into a little canyon draw. The water crossing was pretty much dry…..but the draw the water flowed into was really awesome and had some awesome natural habitat……….





There is a confession that I feel I must make to my riding compadres……After riding James River Rd and few other paved and un-paved roads on the way back home……..Remember when we turned from CR110, left onto FM2323, and we rode past CR112 and turned around at CR106 where I said I went the wrong way??????…….I didn’t really go the wrong direction…..I just wanted to see some of the other CR’s we usually ride………Just wanted to get that off my chest……and keep this Tall Tale true to form. :trust:

So once we were back on track, after our impromptu excursion mentioned above, we turned onto Keese Rd/CR111 and the rain came down. Yes, as Infidel mentioned earlier……there was some lighting……and ok….a couple of them were a few hundred (maybe a couple hundred) yards away…….I knew we would be out of it eventually……..I just didn’t know when and where eventually would be.

We gassed up again in Freds’burg where Infidel headed back to SA and the rest of us decided to take 290 east…….rlcanon would take it all the way to Austin………and Lamar568, GlockPointer and I would take it to Johnson City/FM2766.

Lamar568, GlockPointer and I went down FM2766 and it eventually becomes Fitzhugh Rd in Hays County……where “eventually” it finally stopped raining and the rest of the roads on our way home were dry…………. : (well……we found where eventually is)

So here’s to ya guys……………. ………….another mighty fine ride….and that will be truly a legend in our own minds. :mrgreen:

Infidel, I'm really glad you didn't have to ride in the stuff we went through......it was wet, windy, dark and cold......which makes everything else we did easy and fun.

Well folks.....I will not be able to ride these next couple of weekends.....8/25 & 26/2012 and 9/1 & 2/2012.........due to family fun adventures/birthday parties for my daughter (who turns 23) and my granddaughter (who turns 3).

For those of you that get out and ride.....enjoy....and keep the shiney side up.

After reading through your threads, it seems like you have created a fun ride through the hill country. Looks like lots of dirt roads and scenic rides. Are you open to having an adventure touring style bike join in? Not exactly a dual sport..not as rugged or off-road capable, but can certainly handle dirt roads and such. I would not want to slow down the ride or possible turn back if it is too rough going...I ride a Ducati Multistrada 1200. Just got it a few weeks back and am looking for some light off pavement fun. Curious to know if you think the bike could handle your rides or not?

I've ridden with these guys once, and based off of that limited experience you would be fine. I'm sure they get into more technical stuff, but seems like their normal routine would be fine for you, if you are ok with the rougher county roads that Texas has to offer.

If you are looking for a ride this weekend since bikejones is out, check out:

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=820455

Up the road a bit, but a bunch of guys from Austin are coming up. Anyone is invited if you want to come meet some people .

I appreciate the heads up. It seems like a pretty good haul from Austin. What time are guys leaving Austin on Saturday? And, anyone going up just for the day?

Don't kno any of the Austin folks plans..but the ride from camp is going to start at 10AM. If anyone wants to show up....It'll be a fun day of ridin...

GUARANTEED

I plan on riding this Saturday and/or Sunday.

Anyone have a preference for either day?

B. Jones

Well, we just got a new back tire for the hack and would love to hit some dirt roads and see how much improvement there is, either day would work for us.

Dave

Looks like fun! Keep it up.

Saturday....September 22, 2012...First Day

of Awesome (Autumn) Ride!!!

When: Saturday September 22, 2012

WhereTo Meet: Meet at Backwoods, located in the western end of the Hill Country Galleria, 12921 Hill Country Blvd Ste D2-145, Bee Cave, TX 78738.....in the rear parking lot (near Hwy 71) at 8:30 a.m. There are plenty of parking spaces to leave your truck/vehicle and trailer.

Kick stands up at 9:00 a.m.

Please let me know if you plan on riding by replying to this post......it ain't mandatory......just like to know if we need to wait on someone.

If we know someone is coming, and they haven't arrived by 9:00 a.m.....we will wait approximately 15 to 20 minutes for them to show up. If you need to contact me........please call five 1 two - 4 two three - zero 8 8 nine.

There is gasoline near the meeting area to top off your tank.

Destination: Into the heart of the hill country to ride some dirt roads.
bring water......stay hydrated.....drink plenty of water starting days prior to any outdoor activities.

We will stop somewhere for lunch.......You may want to bring a snack as well.

As always.........this is a no drop ride. Please read the first page of this thread for general info regarding no drop rides.

Are in N Dave-d????

Rider List.........
In.......
bikejones
Infidel