The Cheese Weasels Do Big Bend, Texas

[Stichill]

For the first club ride of 2018, four members of the Northern Kentucky Cheese Weasels MC bought plane tickets from Cincinnati, Ohio to Austin, Texas and reserved rental bikes through Eagle Rider. The plan was to pick up the bikes at noon on Friday and return them by noon the following Tuesday. That made for five calendar days of riding (two being half days), but only four days of rental.

Day 1 - Friday 23 March 2017 - Jumping Off

One of our number was smarter than the rest of us; he flew down Thursday night and got a hotel room for the night. We other three arose at 3:30AM US Eastern time to catch early flights on Friday. We converged on Cowboy Harley Davidson around 10:30AM US Central time and announced our readiness to ride.

That's Stichill there at the counter, the short guy in black.

Eagle Rider is a great concept; the execution however is sorely lacking. The night before the trip, I got a call from the rental counter at Cowboy informing me that the Harley Fat Boy I'd reserved was not available; would I mind a Street Glide in its place? Of course I said "Yes" but it was irksome. I'd ridden a Street Glide and they are ponderous in the parking lot...I'm also not a fan of sitting behind a giant fairing. So there was a reason I'd gone for a Fat Boy. Too, I'd paid the full rental amount up front in January and I even joined Club Eagle Rider to become a monthly subscribing member. Is it asking too much to have the bike I reserved on hand? Apparently, yes.

Upon checking in at Cowboy, the clerk was unable to process my rental in the computer, because they bike they had for me was not the bike that was on the reservation. Eagle Rider had to change something on their end, and they weren't answering her phone calls. She was unflappable, however, and had me sign a paper contract. I got the keys to my bike, as did my companions. It was a relief, as we had been alarmed to learn from the clerk that Eagle Rider had booked (15) rentals that weekend, but only provided (7) bikes to Cowboy (Eagle Rider owns the bikes; the dealer just processes the rentals and checks riders in/out). We were simply lucky that we arrived first and laid claim to (4) of the (7). I can't imagine what disappointment befell the last (8) riders who showed up and found out that they didn't have a bike to ride.

Cowboy has a nice setup around the side, with picnic tables to lay out your gear while packing. You can leave any luggage or items you don't need on the bike with them and they will keep it in locked storage.

It was overcast as we rolled out but the temperatures were pleasant and the excitement of anticipation kept our spirits undamped. Upon hitting the road, our first order of business was getting some lunch. The clerk at Cowboy recommended a lunch trailer called Valentina's Tex Mex, so off we went in search of it. We smelled the smoking meats before we saw it, and we were drawn irresistibly to the source.

Rather humble parking situation out back. Stichill in hi-viz helmet.

The presence of the crowd told us we were in for a treat. Texans take their Tex Mex and barbecue very seriously, so if they are willing to queue for lunch, it has to be pretty good eating.

I went Mex with the Pulled Pollo and a side of Mexican Rice. I cannot describe how delightfully juicy and smoky the chicken tasted along with the fresh accompaniments.

Next installment: Riding to Luckenbach and Leakey

 

[the Ferret]

Alright..great start Stichill. looking forward to the next installment.

Doesn't bode well for Eagle Rider's reputation to not have rented bikes on hand for those they have a contract with. You didn't ask what the outcome was when you returned your bikes to the dealership? I'm so curious.

 

[Stichill]

Day 1 - Friday 23 March 2018 - Riding to Luckenbach and Leakey

After devouring our delicious lunch, we saddled up and hit the highway for the first leg of our journey.

I was settling into riding the Street Glide and began to enjoy its comfortable seat. Too, many of the secondary highways in Texas have a speed limit of 70 or 75 miles per hour (mph) and I started to look forward to the wind protection promised by the large fairing. Well, that didn't work out too well. Starting around 60 mph, my helmet was subjected to low-amplitude, high-frequency buffeting. It was enough to blur my vision slightly and make it difficult to read road signs. It was caused by two jets of air coming around the bottom sides of the fairing and around the sides of the gas tank. If I blocked one jet with my left hand, the buffeting largely stopped.

Adding to the sensation of vibration was the road surface. 98% of the roads we traveled in Texas were some form of chip seal, or stone on tar. Around here in Kentucky, chip seal uses gray granite stone with pointed corners that give great traction but chew up tires. In Texas, the brown-colored stones somehow lay with a flat side facing up, which looks smooth, but the overall surface undulates up and down about 0.5 inch per 4 inches. The effect is somewhat like riding on shallow cobblestones. You feel a lot of vibration coming through the handlebars.

I was in the lead and set a pace of 65 mph to keep the twin vibration sources at a tolerable level. After about an hour and a half of riding like this, I started to feel like I was going to get a headache. I pulled over at a rest area and the other guy on a Street Glide reported the same conditions. We eliminated rider height as a factor because I'm 5'5" and he's 6'0". The taller guy on a Road Glide reported buffeting only above 70 mph while the shorter guy on a Road Glide reported some buffeting above 65 mph. We all realized that we were going to be missing our personal bikes on this trip! I was also missing the Triumph Thunderbird I'd ridden in Death Valley last year and was lamenting the unavailability of the Fat Boy.

First rest stop, where we contemplated the riding conditions we'd be dealing with on these big Glides.

Despite the buffeting issues (which could be fixed by adding lower fairings), the Glides had a lot going for them as road bikes. They were rock-steady on the highway. The big Milwaukee Eight V-Twin had gobs of torque and a 5500 rpm redline, which it reached quickly. The engine turned only 3100 rpm at 85 mph. I was surprised at how smoothly the transmission shifted, and the intelligent self-canceling turn signals were a marvel, working flawlessly and seamlessly every time. The locking side stand of course is the best in the business, able to hold up a heavy bike even on somewhat soft surfaces. One thing I didn't like was that the bike would not start unless it was in Neutral, even with the clutch level pulled in. I found this to be dangerous in the event of a stall in traffic.

At Dripping Springs we turned west on TX 290 and ran along the south side of the Pedernales River to Luckenbach Road, where we turned south to head into the touristy little town.

Bike parking lot at Luckenbach; Stichill at right.

Four Cheese Weasels; Stichill in black.

The sun started to peek out from behind the thin overcast.

Luckenbach reminded me a lot of Rabbit Hash, Kentucky. It's a lazy little "town" of ramshackle old buildings where you can get a beer, hang out, buy souvenirs, listen to some music, pet a cat, or look at the chickens living in the trees out back.

We continued south out of Luckenbach and turned west at Sisterdale, heading toward Comfort and Centerpoint on our way to Medina. West of Medina is where the Texas Hill Country really begins. The sun came out fully and the riding got much more interesting once we hit TX 337 at Medina. 337 is one of the famed "Three Twisted Sisters": Texas Ranch Roads 335, 336, and 337.

We had hoped to reach Vanderpool in time to see the motorcycle museum there, but we arrived in town just as it was closing, so we stopped for a break and to gas up at the country store instead.

Doing my best "Harley face" as I re-park my bike after filling up the tank.

We continued the great riding from Vanderpool to Leakey along 337, where we saw our first decent curves. Once we rolled into Leakey, our stop for the night, we wanted to first visit the Frio Canyon Motorcycle Stop just west of town on 337.

I hear naked bikes are all the rage; more practicing my chopper scowl.

We all bought little trinkets like T-shirts, stickers, and road pins. Then we headed back into town to find our cabins.

Turning into the Historic Leakey Inn and Cabins parking lot.

Home Sweet Home for the night.

We walked back to find the cabins, then rode the bikes back to park for the night. Broke character and forgot to scowl!

 

[redbirds_imp]

Great report Stichill. Brings back a lot of pleasant memories.

 

[Stichill]

We enjoyed a little nip of Kentucky Bourbon and then set off to find something to eat.

Not a lot of dinner options in Leakey. We got some decent beef brisket and smoked chicken at the Bears Den across the street.

In the Bears Den.

We came back to the campground and ran across three guys about our age who were also riding Harleys. One was a native Texan from Houston, one was a transplant from N. Ohio, and the other was his brother visiting from Cleveland. They were about three sheets to the wind and pretty wound up and full of themselves. We did get some riding tips, one of which was don't try to make a loop out of the Three Twisted Sisters. Just treat them like a great big "U" and ride all segments in both directions.

Next Installment: Two Twisted Sisters and on to Del Rio
Day 2 - Saturday 24 March 2018 - Two Twisted Sisters

We woke to overcast skies and condensing mist in the air...100% relative humidity.

Not the ideal conditions for riding in the Hill Country but...better than outright rain for sure. We ate a light breakfast at a grocery/market across the street and set out north on Texas Ranch Road 336.

As the hills ended and the terrain flattened out, we decided to turn around and run it back south again to Leakey. We stopped at this sign on the north end of 336.

We moved a small flat rock to provide a base for the camera. Be warned: there are scorpions in this area and we immediately found one when we picked up the rock.

Back at Leakey, we again turned west on 337 toward Camp Wood. There was a great section of twisties along that stretch of road. At Camp Wood, we decided we'd gotten a pretty good flavor for the riding. As the clock was marching on toward mid-morning, we resolved to skip the third twisted sister, 335 north of Camp Wood. Instead, we pointed the bikes south on 55, eventually turning west on 334 toward Bracketville and then west again on US 90 to Del Rio.

West Prong of the Nueces River.

We were fascinated by the mudless dry river bed strewn with polished river stone.

 

[Stichill]

Day 2 - Saturday 24 March 2018 - On to Del Rio

The closer we got to Del Rio, the sunnier and warmer it became, almost becoming hot. We were looking forward to stopping for lunch and stripping off some of the layers we'd put on for riding in the cool mist back in the Hill Country.

As we rolled into town on US 90, we had to stop for an enormously long funeral procession.

We found our way to Chinto's Mexican Restaurant, which was a tip from forum member junipash. As we wended our way through the neighborhood streets of Del Rio, I'm sure my companions were wondering where the heck I was taking them.

The counter staff were very upbeat, welcoming, and friendly. The lunch recommendation was something called "El Burote" which was a grilled 12" tortilla filled with your choice of meat with rice, beans, guacamole, cheese, and pico de gallo. I ordered the chicken but I think I got steak or the orders got mixed up. No matter...it was one of the most delicious steak burritos I've ever eaten! We all loved the El Burote.

El Burote

I also ordered a Mexican Coke, which is made like the US original with pure cane sugar vs. corn syrup (the US protects the domestic sugar industry and as a result it's much more expensive than corn syrup as a sweetener).

Mexican Coke

Laughlin Air Force Base is close by. There are lots of military items expressing esprit de corps like this poster autographed by various pilots.

 

[Inhouse Bob]

I'm all on board for this ride. Thanks for all the detail. As to the moving of rocks in Texas, I learned early to always lift the far side of a rock first so the scorpions and especially rattlesnakes don't get you. I hate when that happens

 

[Stichill]

Day 2 - Saturday 24 March 2018 - West of the Pecos

Feeling extremely satisfied with our lunch stop in Del Rio, we continued rolling west on US 90. We were surprised to soon come across an internal checkpoint operated by US Customs and Border Patrol. Upon reaching the checkpoint, we were photographed multiple times by automated cameras. Then we stopped and spoke with an officer:

"Are you a U.S. citizen?"
"Yes, I am."
"Have a nice day. Move along."

I was glad I'd brought along my passport, just in case. However, I was not asked to produce it.

Next we crossed the Armistad Reservoir, formed by damming the Rio Grande and shared between the US and Mexico.

Traveling onward, we came through a cut in the hill and suddenly saw a high bridge over a river and pulled into a parking area to have a look. It turned out to be a spectacular view of the Pecos River, way down below in its canyon. The confluence with the Rio Grande is not too far south from this point.

Looking east

Looking north

Looking south

The posted speed limit on US 90 was 75 mph, and we soon realized that going below the speed limit wasn't safe due to heavy trucks backing up behind us, waiting for an opportunity to pass. So we notched our cruise controls up to 75 mph and endured the wind blast. I noticed that the buffeting wasn't any worse at 85 mph than it was at 60 mph, so it didn't matter to me how fast we went. As the miles rolled by I became more accustomed to the buffeting and soon I hardly paid any further attention to it.

As we approached Langtry, we saw signs for the Judge Roy Bean Visitor Center. It was a good time to stop, stretch the legs, and hydrate so we pulled into the lot.

The original Jersey Lilly saloon, where Judge Bean held court, is still standing and is claimed to be the original structure as it was back in the day.

Surrounding the visitors center is a wonderful cactus garden. We really enjoyed pleasantly strolling through it and admiring the botanical variety.

 

[the Ferret]

Great stuff Hank. I love good seat time reports with lots of pics and details.

 

[Stichill]

East of Sanderson we came to one of many picnic waysides that provide tables sheltered from the sun. This was the first of two times where I nearly dropped the Harley. As I rolled into the lot along the right side, I executed a tight left turn to swing around and park. About 3/4 of the way through the turn, the heavy clutch lever escaped my grasp as I was operating in the friction zone, which seemed to be about 1/8" wide and positioned at the extreme end of the lever travel. The bike lurched forward.

Somehow I managed to regain control of the clutch while straightening the forks and hitting the brakes before I plowed into the curb. Sheesh, a very embarrassing maneuver performed right in front of a small band of riders already seated at a picnic table.

Not loving the evil black Harley at this exact moment.

Next installment: Welcome to Marathon

Great stuff Hank. I love good seat time reports with lots of pics and details.

I agree, ferret...it's the next best thing to being there! I like to make these reports while the trip is still fresh in my mind. It's fun to go back later and reminisce about the trip and gain inspiration for planning the next one.

I'm all on board for this ride. Thanks for all the detail. As to the moving of rocks in Texas, I learned early to always lift the far side of a rock first so the scorpions and especially rattlesnakes don't get you. I hate when that happens

This is a good ride, Bob. Definitely worth doing sometime if you have the opportunity.

 

[Stichill]

Day 2 - Saturday 24 March 2018 - Marathon

As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, we kept rolling west along US 90 past Sanderson, bound for Marathon.

Finally we came across a welcome sight and pulled into the compound.

I'd made pre-paid reservations, so it was quick in and out of the office to retrieve the room keys.

We found our rooms, two of them side-by-side in a little cabin. Having been built in the 1940s, the cabins were very nostalgic, even still having their original crank-out metal casement windows.

We found a sunny courtyard and garden in the middle of the facility.

And soon the bourbon was flowing over ice.

We got hungry soon enough and made reservations at what looked to be a fairly fancy restaurant back in town. The time to start walking arrived quickly and we headed back up the road to Marathon's thriving little downtown.

We passed a telescope in a shed that's owned by the motel. Sadly, this night would prove to be too overcast for us to enjoy the dark desert skies.

Due to its location relatively close to Big Bend National Park, during the high season Marathon attracts a fairly wealthy class of visitors. There's a coffee bar, at least one art gallery, and the boutique Gage Hotel, restaurant, and bar. To be sure, a much higher level of amenities than we'd expected!



















After enjoying our delicious meal prepared exquisitely by the hotel's chef, we walked to a local grocery store for supplies like water. I also found a baseball-style sunhat with a neck-protecting flap out back. I bought it as it was starting to dawn on me that the sun was fierce and I've been a cave dweller all winter.

After going to the store, we headed back to the [url=http://gagehotel.com/dining/white-buffalo-bar/]hotel bar for a nightcap.



It was after dark when we headed back to the Marathon Motel, its neon beacon guiding us back along the pitch-black highway.



We repaired to the courtyard patio once again, where we were treated by a guitar and harmonica duo playing and singing soulful tunes in the dimly lit environs. Soon the exertions of the day weighed heavily on us and we wandered back to our cabin and fell into a deep and restful sleep.

 

[the Ferret]

re: that sign.... Was 336 that dangerous?

 

[Stichill]

re: that sign.... Was 336 that dangerous?

No, not at all. It was no more dangerous than your average twisty road in Kentucky. I would speculate that the deaths involved:
[ul] [li]Higher-than-average number of motorcycle-miles than most roads[/li] [li]Flatlanders unaccustomed to curvy roads[/li] [li]Speed[/li] [li]Alcohol[/li] [li]Fatigue[/li] [li]Passengers[/li] [li]No helmet[/li] [li]Darkness
[/li][/ul]
There was a similar sign heading into the hills as we went west on 337, listing (13) motorcycle deaths.

 

[the Ferret]

Wow that's some carnage for 2 little roads out in the middle of nowhere.

Also... First pic under the 12 ga sign... Is that a bacon wrapped filet with onion straws on top of a pile of mashed potatoes?

 

[Stichill]

Wow that's some carnage for 2 little roads out in the middle of nowhere.

Also... First pic under the 12 ga sign... Is that a bacon wrapped filet with onion straws on top of a pile of mashed potatoes?

This is a guy who used to frequent my CBR250R forum, running his 250 on 337 east from Leakey (pronounced "Lake-ee") to Vanderpool. You can see how things can go pear-shaped at these speeds, even though the radii aren't that tight.

Wow that's some carnage for 2 little roads out in the middle of nowhere.

Also... First pic under the 12 ga sign... Is that a bacon wrapped filet with onion straws on top of a pile of mashed potatoes?

Yep! Not my order though; I had the roasted half chicken.

 

[Stichill]

Day 03 - Sunday 24 March 2018 - Marathon to Big Bend

Daylight broke about 7:30am local time. We got packed up and headed into town for a hearty breakfast before turning south toward Big Bend National Park.

The Oasis cafe was bright, clean, friendly, and fast. I had a Mexican breakfast of tortillas, eggs, cheese, beans, and green tomatillo sauce.

We were soon on our way to Big Bend and the scenery grew more spectacular by the mile.

This is what we had been waiting for, and the reason we came to Texas.

 

[the Ferret]

Spectacular scenery. Never seen anything like that in Texas. Where's all the cactus? lol

 

[suhawk305]

Absolutely awesome! I am enjoying (with envy) reading your trip report. Thanks for sharing.

 

[peterbaron]

Stichill,
What a great reportage = backed by awesome pictures/scenario, especially day 2 & 3..
It really took me inside of your ride
Thanks for sharing while I am still waiting for riding weather
You guys made all Canadian fellas jealous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



pb

 

[pdedse]

Beautiful photos! I do like wide open desert riding.