Southern Gulf States/Texas/Northern Mexico |
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12/23
Another glorious, beautiful and 30 degree day dawns in Plant City, FL. Am I insane? It's time to put on some miles, but the cold is working against me. After several stops to adjust my apparell Ihit I-75 north. Without a doubt, this is one of the most boring roads in North America, but, heh, it's the way to go to chalk up some miles. Thank god that the Gators aren't playing or traffic would be bumper to bumper around Gainesville.
The RT is running great and likes to be run over 80 mph. That, coupled with the low temperatures nets 38 mpg. After 200 miles I'm pretty chilled anyway and a fill-up is welcome. A jog across I-10 and I'm in New Orleans where, as usual, traffic is at a standstill. Why? It's Saturday! Four miles later I see the accident blocking 1 lane. Everyone is rubbernecking. The traffic going the other way is also stopped, but there's no accident in their lane. Typical.
A few more miles down US 90 and I'm deep into Cajun country. I was going to camp in Houma, but the temps are going below freezing. Can you say motel? The RT just gobbled up 735 miles.
12/24
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Everything is white. Is this southern Louisiana? The frost is very thick
and the bike is covered. Too bad they didn't make white a color choice for the RTs. It's
quite attractive. This calls for a lot of clothing. Descartes, the RT, starts immediately
on full choke. He's ready to go, but I'm apprehensive. MAN, it's cold. US 90 in Louisiana shows as a scenic route on my AAA map. I just don't see it. Near New Iberia I get off on 14 and head to LA 82. This is more like it! Apparently, sugar cane is the main crop down here and the stalks litter the road like miniature tree trunks. I wonder if it's wrecking the environmental havoc here as it is in south Florida? |
Highway 82 allows for some 3 digit speeds. The RT is very steady at twice the double nickel. Near Cameron the sun disappears along with the road. For $1 we take a ferry across Lake Calcusieu. The guy loading the ferry finds a special place for the RT and mentions that I should stand near it when we dock. The operator does an amazing job of docking and there isn't the slightest bump. I guess he's had a little practice doing this every day. The ferry runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
On the other side of the lake highway 82 has some very deserted stretches of beach. It would be a great place to vacation, but the offshore oil rigs ruin the view. This would never happen in Florida.
As we cross into Texas the scenery rapidly changes with big oil the ticket. I'm amazed at how close the houses are to the refineries. That extra arm is great for adjusting mirrors at speed. Speaking of which, speeds on four lane divided highways and freeways are 70 mph. They sure didn't take long. I do feel that I'm in England as everyone drives in the left lane. I'm confused, on a back road a Texan will move onto the shoulder to let you pass on a two lane road, but on the freeway they won't get out of the left lane. There are conflicting signals here.
I-10 through Houston is a first for me. This town goes on forever. Tom Landry has a restaurant along the freeway. Is this why the Oilers are moving? Thanks to Mike Roussel, I exit at Sealy on 36 north and the FM (farm to market) 1094 west. Was that really an Emu farm I just passed? Man, that was a strange sight. This is being mentioned by someone who live near an ostrich and giraffe farm.
The roads are great as Descartes leads me through New Ulm and then on FM 109 to Freisberg. The road from Friesberg to Fayetteville is wonderful. You know the feeling you get when you catch yourself smiling without realizing it. After a series of 30 mph switch-backs I smiled so much that my jaw hurt. Fayetteville is a beautiful little town with German heritage. There are a couple of tiny house on the south end of town that show this influence. They aren't big or audacious, but show what a person can do with limited funds. I realize what's missing. There isn't a MacDonalds to be found. Yippee.
The day ends in Austin where the thought of $80 motel rooms has me in my tent. I guess I'll find out how good my tent is in cold weather. 527 miles.
12/25
| It's Christmas and I survived the 35 degree night at the campground. While
everyone is slowly climbing out of their beds Descartes and I head to the state capital
building. This is the only time to visit a government facility as I pull right up to the
front of the building and park in some senators spot. The building has just undergone a
full restoration and is magnificent. As I walk around the grounds I get a feel for why
Texans are so proud to be Texans. I meet visitors from Germany and Uganda. The BMW patches
on my jacket strike an immediate response with the Germans and we talk for quite a while.
I continue to wander around the grounds looking at the fountains and statuary. It's quite
a place, and, dare I say, much nicer than the one we have in Florida. |
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The next stop is the University of Texas. I've seen many college campuses, but the architecture and feel for the campus strikes a very positive response in me. This is one of the most beautiful universities I've seen and I wander around for an hour. Maybe this was due to the fact that I had the whole campus to myself and it was very serene. |
Just for the heck of it, I go to Lone Star BMW and peek in through the front window. Lone Star appears to be a great shop that is well thought out. From what I've heard on the net, the quality is there also. If you stop in, ask them if the found a note on their door from a Tampa rider.
Descartes and I are getting antsy and it's time to explore. We hit several small town by the names of Budda (where they have a Buddafest), Kyle, imberly, Fischer, Canyon Lake and others. You can see the topography and vegetation start to change west of I-35. There is much more scrub and cactus here. The roads are marvelous with all the high speed curves and changes in elevation. Is there room for a Florida boy in the Hill Country BMW Club? I love this area and I've just scraped the surface.
| I end up in San Antonio and feel quite the pioneer as I ford a stream by the zoo. In town the usual touristy things are done, such as the river walk, which is fantastic and the Alamo. If you are a history buff, San Antonio and Austin are the places for you. In the afternoon those hills start calling to me again. After Boeme and Sisterdale (is there a Brotherdale?) we hit the thriving metropolis of Luchenbach, TX. I couldn't find Waylon or Willie, but there were boys. |
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From there it was on to Blanco, Driftwood and Dripping Springs. They should really let those springs dry before they start to use them. Well, it's time to go visit some friends and the temperature is starting to do a nosedive. 285 miles.
12/26
I see the campground operator for the first time as I pack up. The new Eureka tent (Tetragon 9) is very easy to setup and take down, so by 8:15 I'm on my way. Once again I pass through Driftwood and Boerne, but fail to find a insurance company that sell Mexican insurance. This means that I'll have to go to San Antonio again which involves freeways and traffic.
So here's the deal, Neil. To get into the interior of Mexico will cost about $3 a day and is based on the 24 hour period after you decide to enter. The time is printed on the policy. Each policy requires a $10 startup fee and a three day minimum. Now, here's the bad part. On a motorcycle, you can only get liability which is fine if you have an old bike. Also, if there is a lien on the motorcycle you need a letter from you lender stating that it's ok to enter Mexico which I don't have. So, I bought some insurance anyway and we'll see what happens.
In the "it's a small world" department, while I'm in Sanbornes I meet the assistant representative for the RA in Texas. Nice guy. No, I can't remember his name. He was leaving for Mexico that afternoon and I almost went with him, but I really want to hit west Texas first.
After enduring San Antonio's traffic Descartes and I take I-16 to Bandera and 337 to Leaky. This road brought tears to my eyes. Dipping in and out of canyons through 10,15 and 20 mph curves was the norm. According to a Harley rider in Leaky, who owns the Chevron station, 336 north is a great road. So many roads, so little time.....I continued on to Bracketveille on 337, 35 south and 334 west.
On 334 something happened to me which affected me in a deep and personal way. I blew by a cop while I was doing 110 mph. I think a teething biscuit I ate as a child was one of the things which filled my shorts. To make matters worse, I was setting up for a 40 mph curve at the time. Let's see, that's 70 miles per hour over the speed limit. Oops! Luckily, a few seconds earlier I was going even faster.
Two possibilities came to mind. First, I could slow down and wait for the inevitable or, secondly, I could go like hell and see what happens. My guess is that by the time the cop turned around I was 2 miles down the road. I never saw him again, but visions of Smokey and the Bandit filled my head for several hours.
US 90 intersects 334 in Bracketville and I take this west to Marathon. As I drive through Del Rio I see a Sanbornes Insurance Agency. This is just my luck. US 90 has some great vistas in this area of the country. We stop to visit the area where Judge Roy Bean was the "Only law west of the Pecos." It looks as if Pecos refers to the Pecos river.
I knew it was time to call it a day when the sun went down, the temps started dropping, and, most importantly, the mule deer started grazing out by the highway. I find a rather nice little motel on the west end of Marathon. The other choice is the Gage Motel, where I have a great meal, but which is overpriced, in my humble opinion.
Finally, keep in mind that wherever you stay along US 90 in this area of the country you are near the railroad. Opps, th..th..there g..go..goes the 9..9..9..9:45 now..now..now. 508 miles.
12/27
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I'm like a bear coming out of hibernation. At 7::30 am I stick my nose out
of my den. It's too cold, so I go back in. This goes on for an hour until I can't hid out
any longer. The windshield cleaner freezes on Descartes' windshield. Argh, it's too cold. Resembling
Bib, the Michelin Man, I head out 90 west to Alpine past (the world famous?) Sul Ross
College. From Alpine, a nice town, I take 118 north to Fort Davis and then run 30 miles
north to 17 at which point I turn around and head back the same way. This road has some
great scenery and just teases of things to come. |
| Back in Fort Davis there's a loop consisting of 118 and 166 that is full of curves, scenery and mountains. McDonald Observatory is on this route. The telescopes have the benefit of the darkest skies in the US. This is a must stop, but be careful of the gravel on the roads. |
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To continue on with the theme of science and the unknown, Marfa is the next stop. You've probably heard of the unexplained lights in the area, the Marfa lights. I've no desire to come back at night when it gets really cold. I'll take their word for it and live with the mystery.
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On the advice of several friends Presidio is the next stop on US 67 south. On the way there we pass some interesting rock formations. In particular, an elephant and President Lincoln which you may be familiar with. While in Presidio, I did not hear one word of English . It is a stones throw from Mexico. This town has no redeeming characteristics that I can see and I'm glad to leave. |
Highway 170 east is a very dangerous stretch of road. There are many blind curves and a lot of gravel on the road. On the other hand, it has some of the greatest dips and rises I've ever been on. At one time, the front of the RT came completely off the ground. What a rush. I was able to run fast because a kid in a Trans Am was really flying ahead of me. Heh, let him hit all the cows and whatever else was in the road beyond that blind curve. The road improves in the state park area, but it's still a nasty and exhilarating piece of highway. |
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Since my tax check bounced the National Park at Big Bend is closed. Your tax dollars at work. Heading north I go through 6 miles of gravel road. Descartes handles this fine, but I'm glad to be back on asphalt. The RT won't go over 125 mph fully loaded, but is stable as a rock at this
speed. The nice part about this part of Texas is that you crest a rise and can see 10 miles down the road. Back on US 90 east I head for Del Rio for the evening. Tomorrow I'll try to get into Mexico. 677 miles.
12/28
Today's the day I try a small excursion south of the border. I'm both thrilled and apprehensive. Crossing is a breeze. One dollar on the American side and then through the 'nothing to declare' line on the Mexican side and I'm in. Shouldn't there have been more? What about Visa papers? I drove 100 miles out of my way to get insurance! Oh, well. Maybe the interior checkpoint guards will need to see them.
Ciudad Acuna looks like every other border town I've been in. The roads are narrow with two story buildings on either side with barely a sidewalk. Almost immediately I'm lost. The road signs have been erratic at best, but then they're gone. I'm on some back street thinking that there sure are a lot of stray dogs in this town. A little backtracking and highway 57 reappears.
The main source of employment seems to be sweeping the streets. The amount of dust ensures that this will be good for lifetime employment. The roads in the cities are rather poor, but once out in the country and they seem quite decent. The 80 kph speed limit is ridiculous, but I'm the foreigner here, so I plod along. That is until one of the local buses blows me off the highway. Away I go. I'll soon discover that Mexico has a very efficient and modern bus system.
As you enter any town there is a series of four speed bumps that are very jarring. The neat part is that when they start to wear down, rather than being replaced they are duplicated nearby. This insures that you'll do the 40 kph speed limit in the town.
Onwards through San Carlos, Villa Fuentes, Zaragoza, Morelas to Allende. I see my first bull fighting ring on the way. Throughout the country there is evidence of first class ornamental ironwork. This helps to distract me from the filth that is elsewhere.
There is some sort of problem on 57 north, my lack of Spanish speaking skills is a problem, so I head back north. My new plan is to follow 2 along the Rio Grande River to Nuevo Laredo. I go through the same small towns and wave at everyone. They always wave back, especially the guy on the moped who is a kindred spirit. I see one of the Green Angels who patrol the highways helping stranded motorists. Their vehicles are quite impressive and, judging by the general condition of the vehicles in this country, their services are in high demand.
As I approach Piedras Negras there are three of the most beautiful horses I've ever seen in the road. They seem in contrast to their surroundings. A few miles further down Highway 2 something happens which makes me long for home. On the west end of town there are fires in the city dump and, yes, people are sifting through the rubbish and living in the dump. The refuse blows across the yards of the people who live nearby.
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You see this on the news, but it doesn't hit you until you see it for yourself. The odor is unbelievable and is probably rewriting my genetic code as I breathe. The horses I saw earlier are replaced by an old nag grazing in the rubbish. This is too much for my senses and I decide to head across the border. Fortunately, I pass a very nice park which lessens the blow somewhat. |
At the border I meet some very personable border guards who insist on blipping my throttle. It takes $1.05 to get back over the border. It's obviously worth the extra nickel to get back into the US. Once over the river I get the usual questioning by the border folks. It's like sticking a finger in the dike as people can cross illegally at an unbeliveable number of places along the river.
Several miles up US 57 is another border check. One of the guards and I spend a long time talking about bikes.
So sue me, I'm actually looking forward to getting some slab miles. In Houston, I stop at Wild West Honda/BMW with the emphasis on Honda. Beemers seem to be a sideline and they've only sold two R100RTs. I meet one of the new RT owners and tell him how happy he'll be with his new bike.
Rush hour in Houston moves very quickly and on the eastern side of the city I meet quite a character. This guy is driving a WW II vintage Harley in full camouflage with a sidecar and trailer. In the sidecar is a dog wearing goggles and chaps. The dog is extremely well trained and seems to enjoy being in the sidecar. The guys name is Kraut which leads me to remark that he should be riding a BMW. It turns out that he lives very close to me and has been on the road since summer. Now he's trying to limp home with a bad exhaust valve. Problems with a Harley, go figure. 462 miles.
12/29
In case you didn't know it already, Texas is BIG! In fact, it's over 880 miles wide. This never ceases to amaze me. Wouldn't this make for an interesting 1500 in 1 Iron Butt ride?
So, it's slab time. Yes, it's boring, but the choices in this part of the country, southern LA, MS and AL are all very ho-hum. Will it ever warm up? These sub-freezing starts are for the birds, in particular penguins. At my first gas stop my feet feel like blocks of ice.
As a diversion, I stop at Hebert Cycles in Baton Rouge. They bailed be out of a jam this summer and are great folks. Leon has an RTA on the showroom floor. It's very strange to see one without an antenna, but its radio is as good as the one I don't have yet. They show me the new Corbin catalog and there are seats for the RT. Why? This is a great seat as it is. Enough visiting already.
No matter how many times I go through the tunnel in Mobile it never gets old. Eastward bound and I hit the Florida border. As far as I can figure there are two possibilities again:
1) Florida is operating in the red, or
2) They heard about my speeding out west, because there are 16 police cars within the first 5 miles. I believe they had a senior citizen pulled over who was going too fast in her walker. Boy, do I long for Texas again. Anyway, it's getting cold so I pull into the Motel 6 in Pensacola. Will Descartes' rear tire make it home? 512 miles.
12/30
Lucky me. It's cold again and I hit the first rain of the trip. This hitting Florida in the rain is a pattern I could live without. I've come up with a good combination of clothing and I'm very comfortable. On 75 south we hit one heck of a traffic jam in the construction area by Lake city. Many out of state football fanatics are jamming up the highway going to their bowl games. They are also the ones who are causing the accidents which occur about every 1/2 mile. It takes us 40 minutes to go 3 miles. Descartes' temp only goes up one bar which shows that the oil cooling system is working fine. At the first exit I reach I almost get off, but luckily stay on the freeway as traffic frees up. Heh, the temps are in the 60s here and I start to unlayer. Now I see why I moved to Florida. Home finally. 574 miles.
Finally observations about the RT
-the bike now has 10,158 miles
The seat is superb. With a Bun-Ez cushion it is the best seat I've ever had. The handing is phenomenal once it gets warmed up. When it's very cold the bike is a pig for the first few miles. The fuel capacity is fabulous and gas station attendants always comment on the size of the tank. Fuel mileage drops considerably when the temps are less than 40 degrees to as low as 35 mph. Otherwise, I consistently get 42 mpg. The windscreen needs to be bigger for a guy my size. I could go on and on about what I like about this bike. Would I buy another one? Yes, in a minute.
