The North Texas Moto Journal
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The North Texas Moto Journal
Mama Taking KODACHROME Away
It's inevitable. Film is going away, and it's starting with KODACHROME. This Monday, Kodak announced that it is retiring KODACHROME after a 74-year run with its beginning as the world's first successful color film. My film days were spent mostly with black & white traditional and infrared. But I did give color some time and found KODACHROME produced images with vivid colors, much like what I strive for today through digital image processing. Kodak has put together a web site to give tribute to KODACHROME http://www.kodak.com/go/kodachrometribute.
Kodachrome Lyrics By Paul Simon
Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, Oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away
If you took all the girls I knew
When I was single
And brought them all together for one night
I know they'd never match
my sweet imagination
everything looks WORSE in black and white
Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, Oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Kodachrome Lyrics By Paul Simon
Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, Oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away
If you took all the girls I knew
When I was single
And brought them all together for one night
I know they'd never match
my sweet imagination
everything looks WORSE in black and white
Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, Oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Red Rock Canyon
June 7, 2009
The Red Earth Rally Lite was being hosted by the Oklahoma BMW Airhead Riders in this canyon that drops out of the surrounding farm land. One could drive by on the highway and never know it was there. The ride up was a swift one since we left at 4:30 in the afternoon.
The Ft Worth and Oklahoma clubs were having some kind of air compressor shoot-out when we dropped by their camp. All varieties of compressors were lined up on the ground, some that had been dissected out of their original housing, and others just as they looked on the store shelf. While the "performance test" was being carried out, they offered up brisket and fixin's to us, which totally hit the spot.
Bo and I set up our tents alongside Charlie, Dan, Jim and Allan's home away from home. We sat a while and talked as the darkness fell upon us, and then the Moon lit up everything as it rose. After an enjoyable shower (bring quarters), I climbed into my tent and watched the clouds pass along lit up by the moon. The temperature was perfect, and the high winds from the earlier ride was making sleep very comfortable.
Sunday morning, I awoke to Allan brewing coffee (woo hoo!). He offered some to me which I did not hesitate to take. I walked about a while and did some very simple free climbing up the side of a low ledge, and then hiked up to the top of the high ledge, where there was no forgiveness with the slope dropping immediately into air. One bad step, and a very serious change to the day would begin.
We packed up, and rode to Sterling for breakfast. The wind was vicious, and much more bearable head-on instead from the side.
Bo took us down some of his typical back road finds, and after a few unscheduled stops to strap down Allan's camping gear, and to retrieve my eyeglasses (thanks Allan!) we started making headway back home. Jim finally gave up on us as he had a family affair to get to in the afternoon.
As we approached home, our riders peeled off to head to their homes. It was a great outing, and seemed much longer than the 24 hours that was spent out with friends.
20090607RedRockCanyon at EveryTrail
Map created by EveryTrail: Share GPS Tracks
Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/rlswim/RedRockCanyon
| I met Bo in the north part of the metromess late Saturday afternoon for a quick run up to Red Rock Canyon to do a bit of camping. |
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The Red Earth Rally Lite was being hosted by the Oklahoma BMW Airhead Riders in this canyon that drops out of the surrounding farm land. One could drive by on the highway and never know it was there. The ride up was a swift one since we left at 4:30 in the afternoon.
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The Ft Worth and Oklahoma clubs were having some kind of air compressor shoot-out when we dropped by their camp. All varieties of compressors were lined up on the ground, some that had been dissected out of their original housing, and others just as they looked on the store shelf. While the "performance test" was being carried out, they offered up brisket and fixin's to us, which totally hit the spot.
 Storms were brewing to the southwest, but never made it to our camp |
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Bo and I set up our tents alongside Charlie, Dan, Jim and Allan's home away from home. We sat a while and talked as the darkness fell upon us, and then the Moon lit up everything as it rose. After an enjoyable shower (bring quarters), I climbed into my tent and watched the clouds pass along lit up by the moon. The temperature was perfect, and the high winds from the earlier ride was making sleep very comfortable.
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Sunday morning, I awoke to Allan brewing coffee (woo hoo!). He offered some to me which I did not hesitate to take. I walked about a while and did some very simple free climbing up the side of a low ledge, and then hiked up to the top of the high ledge, where there was no forgiveness with the slope dropping immediately into air. One bad step, and a very serious change to the day would begin.
We packed up, and rode to Sterling for breakfast. The wind was vicious, and much more bearable head-on instead from the side.
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As we neared Sterling, bicycles by the hundreds were heading north. We spoke with some of them at the cafe, and found they were on a multi-day multi-hundred mile ride from Oklahoma to Kansas. |
| I met Carl from Tulsa at the Sterling gas station. He is camping each evening on the tour, and charges his iPod with a solar panel above the rear tire of his bike. |  |
Bo took us down some of his typical back road finds, and after a few unscheduled stops to strap down Allan's camping gear, and to retrieve my eyeglasses (thanks Allan!) we started making headway back home. Jim finally gave up on us as he had a family affair to get to in the afternoon.
As we approached home, our riders peeled off to head to their homes. It was a great outing, and seemed much longer than the 24 hours that was spent out with friends.
20090607RedRockCanyon at EveryTrail
Map created by EveryTrail: Share GPS Tracks
Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/rlswim/RedRockCanyon
LSBMWR Pasta Lunch
May 30, 2009
The day morphed a bit with an idea of putting point locations out to the club the day before the event where riders could choose to visit locations to earn bonus points against the lunch fee. This would give us an excuse (like we need one) to ride more than straight to the lunch location in Denton county. The club officers came up with a number of favorite eclectic places that would be described and placed as waypoints in a GPS file. Jim said he would go out and ride to the points to grab photos so the club members' visits to the bonus points could be validated.
Bonus Points:
20090530LSBMWRPastaLunch at EveryTrail
Map created by EveryTrail: Geotagging Community
Riders started drifting in near noon and reported their treasure finds with 3 to 6 points typical. The weather was perfect with temperatures in the high 80's and no wind for the sunny day.
We thank Krista and Travis and all of the Lone Star BMW Riders officers for all of the work that was put out to make this event a success.
Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/rlswim/LSBMWRPastaLunch
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Today's event started some time ago with Krista and Travis offering their pasta and meatball talents to the club to help host a social dinner. |
The day morphed a bit with an idea of putting point locations out to the club the day before the event where riders could choose to visit locations to earn bonus points against the lunch fee. This would give us an excuse (like we need one) to ride more than straight to the lunch location in Denton county. The club officers came up with a number of favorite eclectic places that would be described and placed as waypoints in a GPS file. Jim said he would go out and ride to the points to grab photos so the club members' visits to the bonus points could be validated.
Audie Murphy Statue, Greenville |
Cockroach Museum, Plano |
 Cowboy Muffler Man |
 Dike Store |
 Dish, TX |
 Eiffel Tower Paris, TX |
 Eisenhower's Birthplace, Denison |
 Hanger 10, Denton |
 Heard Museum, McKinney |
 How the heck did that get there? Near Paris, TX |
 Carpenters Bluff Trestle Bridge |
 Moser's Restaurant, Lake Fork |
 Rosston Store |
 Stony Point Cemetery |
 Spanish Fort, Petersburg |
 VW Beetle Farm, Saint Jo |
 Whistle Stop Cafe, Decatur |
Most all bonus points photos by Jim Schumacher |
Bonus Points:
20090530LSBMWRPastaLunch at EveryTrail
Map created by EveryTrail: Geotagging Community
| We were wondering if any of our more hard-core riders would attempt the full gamut and pull off a 480-mile 9-hour ride before noon. |
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The food was great, people great, and much fun and socializing was had by all. |
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 Photo credit Tom Oliver |
| Debbie and I meandered the back roads to our house after most all of the club had departed. |  |
We thank Krista and Travis and all of the Lone Star BMW Riders officers for all of the work that was put out to make this event a success.
Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/rlswim/LSBMWRPastaLunch
Texas Hill Country Ride
May 15, 2009
Debbie and I had an early-morning breakfast and put the gear on for the dreaded morning rush hour trek out of Dallas. We planned the exit from the metromess against the grain to meet up with the Lone Star BMW Riders main pack in Lometa for lunch. The bad thing about heading south out of DFW is the 60 mile journey through the city and surrounding towns before the traffic lightens up to a relaxing ride. But, when we finally cleared the last of the trucks around Rio Vista, the payoff was worth it. We pulled off at a rest stop where I told Deb that these are the roads I seek, with very little traffic and interesting scenery and character all around.
We rolled up to the Wagon Wheel in Lometa for lunch. This was the decided place to meet the rest of the group. It was all you can eat Catfish Friday, so mass consumption ensued..., and it was darn good. Deb and I visited with a bunch of the locals, including Gaylon, who moved from the West Texas oil fields around five years ago. Doyle Combs dropped by the table and told stories about riding back in the 70's. He described himself as the bus boy of the cafe, along with being the owner's husband.
On to Koyote Ranch south of Kerrville and another gathering of riders for socializing. We watched the radar images of strong storms building to the west and speculated as to when they would hit the Hill Country.
As we were sitting on the cabin steps listening to the evening melody of frogs, I noticed flashes of lightning over the hills. The longer we watched, the brighter and more frequent the flashes became, but it was strangely quiet. We hit the rock-hard bunks and somehow fell asleep quickly.
May 16, 2009
We awoke to clouds but no major rain. We made our way to the grill for breakfast and looked over the radar images. Seeing that the rain was building on top of us and drifting east, we opted for a west ride.
Picking our way through the twisty turns of Hwy 16 and 337 in the rain demanded acute attention. Debbie grabbed my waist tightly on one particular turn. I'm probably still bruised from that one.
Alamo Village north of Brackettville was the destination. This is a movie set originally put together for John Wayne's 1959 production of The Alamo. We stumbled across the 50th anniversary of this unlikely village out in the middle of nowhere. There are many opportunities for the study of light through photography, and I could have spent a lot longer there.
We finished up and went back to the bikes, and sure enough to the west, the billowing thunderheads were turning into wispy clouds quickly. The return ride on 674 north to Rocksprings was fun. As we climbed back up in the hills, the temperature dropped 10 degrees, and we donned the liners for the final misty return to Koyote Ranch via Hunt.
Riders continued returning to the camp, parking the bikes, and convening at the patio for brews and story-swapping about the day. Stephen and Vickie rode north and east and waded through water crossings. Looks like our ride to the west was the drier option for the day. Food orders trickled along into the evening, and Tom sampled all that was offered to him. That worked out fine for all parties.
The rock-hard bunk seemed less rock-hard this evening, probably due to the ride wearing us down just a bit. But a satisfying hard-ride tiredness is a great way to retire.
May 17, 2009
I-10 was a short conduit east to get back on the desirable ranch roads towards Sisterdale. We continued east towards 281 and took the single-lane Old Blanco Road northeast. This road obviously had some history, and was a bit rough but with very much character. Hwy 281 north was fast, but as we approached Marble Falls, Deb tapped on my shoulder and said "get back on the ranch roads so we can see the animals". Well, OK... no problem with that.
Back on the road again to enjoy the wildflowers and winding roads again on the way past Whitney and into Hillsboro. The ride on into Ferris and up I-45 was just a method to get back into the metromess, although Beltline road east of I-45 is unexpectedly enjoyable.
Debbie and I had an early-morning breakfast and put the gear on for the dreaded morning rush hour trek out of Dallas. We planned the exit from the metromess against the grain to meet up with the Lone Star BMW Riders main pack in Lometa for lunch. The bad thing about heading south out of DFW is the 60 mile journey through the city and surrounding towns before the traffic lightens up to a relaxing ride. But, when we finally cleared the last of the trucks around Rio Vista, the payoff was worth it. We pulled off at a rest stop where I told Deb that these are the roads I seek, with very little traffic and interesting scenery and character all around.
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The wild flowers kept getting thicker and brighter the farther south we rode. The winds were very brisk, but they were hitting us straight on, so the only thing suffering was the gas mileage. |
We rolled up to the Wagon Wheel in Lometa for lunch. This was the decided place to meet the rest of the group. It was all you can eat Catfish Friday, so mass consumption ensued..., and it was darn good. Deb and I visited with a bunch of the locals, including Gaylon, who moved from the West Texas oil fields around five years ago. Doyle Combs dropped by the table and told stories about riding back in the 70's. He described himself as the bus boy of the cafe, along with being the owner's husband.
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 Gaylon sat with us for a bit, and talked about his bikes. He is currently searching for a R1200C. |
 So, after some time had passed and I was wondering if we had missed our club, I asked Doyle if he had seen any bike riders before we arrived. He said he had not heard any. I told him that would be hard, since our club rides BMW's for the most part. |
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Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the familiar riding gear passing in front of the cafe and soon after, all of the LSBMWR folks came strolling in. More mass catfish consumption ensued... Jim appeared satisfied with the food. |
We rode on south and pulled off the main route to go by Enchanted Rock and return on Crabapple Road. Stephen pulled the group to a stop at Crabapple School by a stone church built in 1897. The temperature was rising and it was time to get the air and bikes moving again. Debbie wanted a cold drink, so I suggested Luckenbach, and Tom and Jim followed along.
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 | Tom picked up WiFi in Luckenbach, checked his e-mail, and we passed the time listening to fine guitar-picking. |
| The last three times I have been in
Luckenbach, the same sandy-hair guitarist has been picking away, and
serving up cold ones when he isn't playing and singing. Pardon me that
I did not catch his name. Send me a comment if you know. |
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On to Koyote Ranch south of Kerrville and another gathering of riders for socializing. We watched the radar images of strong storms building to the west and speculated as to when they would hit the Hill Country.
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 Working out Saturday's ride plans. |
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The quiet did not last long as a direct strike in the camp woke us all up in the middle of the morning. The thunder continued rolling through the morning with some of the low-frequency rumbles literally shaking the cabin and our bed. |
May 16, 2009
We awoke to clouds but no major rain. We made our way to the grill for breakfast and looked over the radar images. Seeing that the rain was building on top of us and drifting east, we opted for a west ride.
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Picking our way through the twisty turns of Hwy 16 and 337 in the rain demanded acute attention. Debbie grabbed my waist tightly on one particular turn. I'm probably still bruised from that one.
| The drizzle and rain came and went along 337, heavier in the elevations of the hills, and finally subsided totally after we went southwest out of Leakey. |
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 Photo credit Roland Donnell |
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A line of storms was building quickly in the west and looking to be moving our way. I mentioned this to the barkeep, and he said the storms always fall apart at the county line. We had lunch in the saloon amongst the movie set history. The town marshal and a piano-playing singer kept us entertained.
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We finished up and went back to the bikes, and sure enough to the west, the billowing thunderheads were turning into wispy clouds quickly. The return ride on 674 north to Rocksprings was fun. As we climbed back up in the hills, the temperature dropped 10 degrees, and we donned the liners for the final misty return to Koyote Ranch via Hunt.
The rock-hard bunk seemed less rock-hard this evening, probably due to the ride wearing us down just a bit. But a satisfying hard-ride tiredness is a great way to retire.
May 17, 2009
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The morning brought more clouds but the promise of dry roads for the return ride. Pairs and groups of riders kept leaving the camp. Deb and I were one of the last to leave in search of a Starbucks for Debbie's morning oatmeal breakfast. We found a nice one in Kerrville along some water. We had coffee, muffins, fruit and oatmeal and were on the road around 9:30. |
I-10 was a short conduit east to get back on the desirable ranch roads towards Sisterdale. We continued east towards 281 and took the single-lane Old Blanco Road northeast. This road obviously had some history, and was a bit rough but with very much character. Hwy 281 north was fast, but as we approached Marble Falls, Deb tapped on my shoulder and said "get back on the ranch roads so we can see the animals". Well, OK... no problem with that.
 We came into Lampasas and turned past the great-smelling Firehouse BBQ. It was a bit early for lunch, but what the heck. We ordered up a sandwich with stuffed Jalapeno, which I wish we could have brought a dozen back with us. Very tasty, and good atmosphere to go along with the food. We watched bikers pass by, and then reappear in the parking lot as we did. |
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Back on the road again to enjoy the wildflowers and winding roads again on the way past Whitney and into Hillsboro. The ride on into Ferris and up I-45 was just a method to get back into the metromess, although Beltline road east of I-45 is unexpectedly enjoyable.
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This was Deb's longest ride yet. She experienced wind, heat, Luckenbach guitar-picking, rain, cool temps, twisty roads, long straight roads, hills, middle-of-nowhereness, wonderful socializing with LSBMWR club members, hard bunk beds, rolling subwoofer thunder, great stuffed jalapeno and BBQ, riding pillion on a sport touring K75S for 1,000 miles, and had a great time. |
| She's a pretty good woman. I think I'll keep her. |  |
Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/rlswim/TexasHillCountryRide
20090515HillCountryRide-SL at EveryTrail
Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging
Guest blogger Debbie writes:
"What learned on my bike trip (in no particular order)
"What learned on my bike trip (in no particular order)
10. Every ride is an adventure.
9. Every road has a detour (and if there isn't one, the guys will find it)
8. If there is a shorter way to get there, we won't be taking it (it would mean less time on the bike)
7. 160 miles = 260 miles or 2 hours = 5 hours
6. Riding in the rain, as a rule, is not as bad as wind.
5. No matter what you do, your hair will not look good.
4. Treat crosses with respect, you don't want to become one of them.
3. Sometimes the longer way is the better way.
2. Having a "room" doesn't always mean having a bathroom.
1. It's not about you, it's all about the ride."
20090515HillCountryRide-SL at EveryTrail
Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging
Tech Day at Texas Motor Speedway
May 9, 2009
Word came through the BMW Sport Touring forum via Stephen that Brad Gillie was offering to host a tech day in a race car garage at Texas Motor Speedway. How could we resist?
About 20 bikes and riders showed up for the event, and a good number of the riders did some troubleshooting and preventive maintenance.
I gave Elke a fresh batch of transmission and final drive oil. I had to do that just to say she's been serviced in the TMS garage. What a deal. Here's an example of the value of participating in tech days - I removed my tranny drain plug and discovered that the crush washer was split. I had a replacement, but it was 45 miles away in my own garage. I put the word out to the crowd that I needed one, and Bob Buck pulled one out of his bike's tool kit. Thanks Bob!
A driving school was in progress during the day, which gave some flavor to the venue. I've been at the speedway before with over a hundred thousand other folks, and today was quite a change looking up from the center field into the empty seats.
Thanks Brad for pulling this tech day together! I had a good time visiting and picking up some knowledge, and the setting in the middle of TMS was unique.
Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/rlswim/TechDayAtTexasMotorSpeedway
20090509 at EveryTrail
Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging
Word came through the BMW Sport Touring forum via Stephen that Brad Gillie was offering to host a tech day in a race car garage at Texas Motor Speedway. How could we resist?
| Brad's full time gig is working at the speedway as an announcer during the races and hosts his own radio show, Total Access. |  |
About 20 bikes and riders showed up for the event, and a good number of the riders did some troubleshooting and preventive maintenance.
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I gave Elke a fresh batch of transmission and final drive oil. I had to do that just to say she's been serviced in the TMS garage. What a deal. Here's an example of the value of participating in tech days - I removed my tranny drain plug and discovered that the crush washer was split. I had a replacement, but it was 45 miles away in my own garage. I put the word out to the crowd that I needed one, and Bob Buck pulled one out of his bike's tool kit. Thanks Bob!
 There was plenty of help and knowledge being passed around between riders. |
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A driving school was in progress during the day, which gave some flavor to the venue. I've been at the speedway before with over a hundred thousand other folks, and today was quite a change looking up from the center field into the empty seats.
Thanks Brad for pulling this tech day together! I had a good time visiting and picking up some knowledge, and the setting in the middle of TMS was unique.
Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/rlswim/TechDayAtTexasMotorSpeedway
20090509 at EveryTrail
Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging
Big Bend Open Road Race
April 24, 2009
My long time friend, Mark, was going to navigate again in the Big Bend Open Road Race. This is an event where Hwy 285 is closed between Fort Stockton and Sanderson and high-performance cars run at speeds approaching 200 mph while they are attempting to get as close to their class average speed. Sounded interesting enough to check out, and hey, it's in Big Bend, so that's enough of an excuse for a ride.
The drivers were meeting when we arrived at the city park, and they headed to the city hall for a car show. A parade finished up the afternoon and the local kids were scrambling to pick up all of the candy the racers were tossing.
April 25, 2009
Saturday was a way too early rise to pack up the bikes and meet Keith and Mark prior to their start. Our plan was to ride about 80 miles to where Ranch Road 2400 intersects Hwy 285 so we could see the cars at speed.
Not a lot of other options with the scarcity of paved roads in this part of the country. Once we left the interstate, we rode for at least 30 minutes before we saw another vehicle. I like that. After the nice morning ride at high Bambi alert, we made it to the intersection where the cars were negotiating a tight corner at between 105 to 120 mph.
The 200 mph Corvair was a trip to see. Remember Ralph Nader said "unsafe at any speed". Watching that Corvair coming through the turn at triple digits sort of disputes that statement. Tom got some great shots of the cars pressing the corner. Once we saw Keith and Mark come by, we made the 90-mile ride around to Sanderson to say hello and hear some race stories.
We pondered doing the River Road or just heading on to Fort Davis. We knew riding along the Rio Grande would add a couple of hundred miles, and put us in fairly late due to the technical Hwy 170. But, hey, it's Big Bend, and we're on bikes. Why debate further?
It was 96 degrees when we stopped at Study Butte for energy drinks and fuel. There were more motorcycles than cars, with many sunburned Harley riders. I don't know how they do it. I'll keep my helmet and protective gear that shields by body from the elements as well as the pavement.
Tom's second headlight burned out on the ride, so we stopped in Presidio to grab a new one. Hwy 67 through Marfa into Fort Davis is magical, especially in the evening light. We dropped by the motel to check in, and then we went for some very tasty pizza.
The amber-red light was crisp on the clouds from below, and the sky behind was an intense blue. We slowed on the road to commit the event to memory as neither of us had our cameras. But when we realized we had made it to our lodging, we rushed to park the bikes and grab the cameras. The spectacular sunset was fading fast, but we were able to fire off a few exposures before the light faded off of the clouds. Once we talked with other patrons, we explained some of the spectacular colors. Our neighbors at the motel were part of a California-based team of firefighters working on containing wildfires in the area. While we were talking with them, they were being scrambled back again to work a fire that was threatening a ranch house north of town.
April 26, 2009
After a much-needed good night of sleep, we wandered out to breakfast at 9:00. On a typical ride day, we have already put in near 100 miles by 9, but we were in a kicked back mode that was working well for the day. We rode past McDonald Observatory through the Davis Mountains in the cool morning air and emerged on the north side of the hills to see the desert floor spread out ahead of us in a glorious light.
We rode the interstate to Van Horn and headed north to the Guadalupe Mountains for a drive-by on the way back home.
The ridge to the west of us kept our interest and made the straight road go by quickly. El Capitan jutted out of the desert floor, and we stopped to capture it with our cameras.
The area east of Loving into Jal and Andrews is oil country, with pump jacks endlessly working up and down to get those fossil fuels out of the ground. After a fuel stop in Andrews (thanks West Texas Oil Fields), we looked over at Buddy's and figured that it was time for steak fingers after not having them for more than 10 years. Not much longer after consuming the massive pile, we figured that another 10 years could pass without missing them.
The line of storms making up what the satellite radio weather folks were referring to as a PDS - potentially dangerous situation with tornadoes and hail, was looming in our path. We looked at the radar images on our phones and plotted a route a bit north to hopefully punch through a couple of small super cells split from the main storm. Right as we neared the storm, a heavy rain shaft and lightning was nearing the road in front of us. Tom radioed over to me to hold up, and we pulled over to let it pass. We hardley got wet as we rolled into Snyder to grab a room for the night and let the storms move on east. The combination of 40 to 50 mph crosswinds and wet roads convinced us to take refuge.
Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/rlswim/BigBendOpenRoadRace
GPSVisualizer-created tracklog map
20090425 Big Bend Open Road Race at EveryTrail
Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging
My long time friend, Mark, was going to navigate again in the Big Bend Open Road Race. This is an event where Hwy 285 is closed between Fort Stockton and Sanderson and high-performance cars run at speeds approaching 200 mph while they are attempting to get as close to their class average speed. Sounded interesting enough to check out, and hey, it's in Big Bend, so that's enough of an excuse for a ride.
| Tom joined up with me in Abilene Friday morning. After some coffee, we rode southwest in some brisk winds to Fort Stockton. |  277 just south of Abilene |
| We stopped in Rankin for lunch and had the green enchilada and egg plate recommended by a local. Well, you have to remember everything is relative. Not sure if I would recommend it. | |
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The drivers were meeting when we arrived at the city park, and they headed to the city hall for a car show. A parade finished up the afternoon and the local kids were scrambling to pick up all of the candy the racers were tossing.
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April 25, 2009
Saturday was a way too early rise to pack up the bikes and meet Keith and Mark prior to their start. Our plan was to ride about 80 miles to where Ranch Road 2400 intersects Hwy 285 so we could see the cars at speed.
 Mark and Keith ready to race |
 East of Fort Stockton |
Not a lot of other options with the scarcity of paved roads in this part of the country. Once we left the interstate, we rode for at least 30 minutes before we saw another vehicle. I like that. After the nice morning ride at high Bambi alert, we made it to the intersection where the cars were negotiating a tight corner at between 105 to 120 mph.
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 Keith's Corvette in triple-digits at RR2400 intersection |
The 200 mph Corvair was a trip to see. Remember Ralph Nader said "unsafe at any speed". Watching that Corvair coming through the turn at triple digits sort of disputes that statement. Tom got some great shots of the cars pressing the corner. Once we saw Keith and Mark come by, we made the 90-mile ride around to Sanderson to say hello and hear some race stories.
 Open Class Corvair |
 Keith's Corvette |
| Tom and I left the Sanderson square and rode to Alpine to eat at Alicia's, which had been recommended by my co-worker, Travis. That turned out to be a good choice with some very good green chicken enchiladas for me and an absolutely enormous burger for Tom. |
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We pondered doing the River Road or just heading on to Fort Davis. We knew riding along the Rio Grande would add a couple of hundred miles, and put us in fairly late due to the technical Hwy 170. But, hey, it's Big Bend, and we're on bikes. Why debate further?
It was 96 degrees when we stopped at Study Butte for energy drinks and fuel. There were more motorcycles than cars, with many sunburned Harley riders. I don't know how they do it. I'll keep my helmet and protective gear that shields by body from the elements as well as the pavement.
| The River Road was a blast with its turns and mystery crests, but it also demanded respect so I would not have to try out the afore-mentioned protective gear. We met a group of riders at the highest stop on the road and exchanged stories. |  |
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After I asked William how he chose his custom plate, he showed me his head injury and said when he woke up, every day has been wonderful ever since. He got a tattoo to match. |
Tom's second headlight burned out on the ride, so we stopped in Presidio to grab a new one. Hwy 67 through Marfa into Fort Davis is magical, especially in the evening light. We dropped by the motel to check in, and then we went for some very tasty pizza.
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On the return to the motel, I glanced to my left and saw the most beautiful sunset-lit clouds that I can remember. |
April 26, 2009
After a much-needed good night of sleep, we wandered out to breakfast at 9:00. On a typical ride day, we have already put in near 100 miles by 9, but we were in a kicked back mode that was working well for the day. We rode past McDonald Observatory through the Davis Mountains in the cool morning air and emerged on the north side of the hills to see the desert floor spread out ahead of us in a glorious light.
We rode the interstate to Van Horn and headed north to the Guadalupe Mountains for a drive-by on the way back home.
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Tom pulled out his iPhone and found a strong signal out in the near-middle of nowhere. His mapping software showed us to be in Salt Flat, TX. He sent off an e-mail to record our position. Technology... in the most unlikely of places is becoming commonplace. |
| We kept riding north into New Mexico, fueled up at the entrance to Carlsbad Caverns and turned east. |  |
The area east of Loving into Jal and Andrews is oil country, with pump jacks endlessly working up and down to get those fossil fuels out of the ground. After a fuel stop in Andrews (thanks West Texas Oil Fields), we looked over at Buddy's and figured that it was time for steak fingers after not having them for more than 10 years. Not much longer after consuming the massive pile, we figured that another 10 years could pass without missing them.
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The line of storms making up what the satellite radio weather folks were referring to as a PDS - potentially dangerous situation with tornadoes and hail, was looming in our path. We looked at the radar images on our phones and plotted a route a bit north to hopefully punch through a couple of small super cells split from the main storm. Right as we neared the storm, a heavy rain shaft and lightning was nearing the road in front of us. Tom radioed over to me to hold up, and we pulled over to let it pass. We hardley got wet as we rolled into Snyder to grab a room for the night and let the storms move on east. The combination of 40 to 50 mph crosswinds and wet roads convinced us to take refuge.
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| It was a good move. An early dry ride in the morning would get Tom safely back to Shalinda and me back to Debbie. | |
Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/rlswim/BigBendOpenRoadRace
GPSVisualizer-created tracklog map
20090425 Big Bend Open Road Race at EveryTrail
Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging
Work Homeboy Ride
April 11, 2009
Warren threw out a message at work Friday morning to a few other of us proposing a ride up to Muenster on Saturday. Sounds good to me, but Jim came back with a reply about the wildfires that were northeast of the DFW area and suggested riding east. Sounds good to me. (It doesn't really matter to me what direction to go as long as it is on two wheels.)
I had a limited amount of time on the bike Saturday since I needed to build up some ride points by planting some new stuff in the yard. Heading to Big Bend in the next couple of weeks, so I'll have to cash in some points then.
Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/rlswim/WorkHomeboyRide
20090411 Work Homeboy Ride at EveryTrail
Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging
Warren threw out a message at work Friday morning to a few other of us proposing a ride up to Muenster on Saturday. Sounds good to me, but Jim came back with a reply about the wildfires that were northeast of the DFW area and suggested riding east. Sounds good to me. (It doesn't really matter to me what direction to go as long as it is on two wheels.)
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I met Jim, Jim's wife, Richard, David and Warren in Royse City, and we took off east with Jim's objective of finding the roads with the most turns. I like that ride strategy. |
I had a limited amount of time on the bike Saturday since I needed to build up some ride points by planting some new stuff in the yard. Heading to Big Bend in the next couple of weeks, so I'll have to cash in some points then.
| I peeled off somewhere around Lake Fork and headed back to the house with a stop for bluebonnets along the way. The bees were enjoying the morning but working way too hard collecting pollen. |  |
Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/rlswim/WorkHomeboyRide
20090411 Work Homeboy Ride at EveryTrail
Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging
Chicago
April 3-8, 2009
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society annual conference drew me to Chicago. Besides the omnipresent need to gain knowledge, I did not hesitate to travel to Chicago because I just love this city. If you have read my previous journals, you will likely learn that I prefer the wide-open spaces that are common in the west. Places where I can ride extended miles without seeing another vehicle. I often look forward to leaving the big city, Dallas, but I could spend many days exploring Chicago.
Public transportation is well implemented and very effective, and al though many of the trains are very old, that gives character. I did not make advance plans to get from O'Hare to my hotel. So, at the airport, I was trying to decide between a taxi and a shuttle. After I picked up my bag, I turned around and saw the arrows pointing to the train. That works. I bought a reasonably-priced 7-day pass and headed for the platform.
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society annual conference drew me to Chicago. Besides the omnipresent need to gain knowledge, I did not hesitate to travel to Chicago because I just love this city. If you have read my previous journals, you will likely learn that I prefer the wide-open spaces that are common in the west. Places where I can ride extended miles without seeing another vehicle. I often look forward to leaving the big city, Dallas, but I could spend many days exploring Chicago.
Public transportation is well implemented and very effective, and al though many of the trains are very old, that gives character. I did not make advance plans to get from O'Hare to my hotel. So, at the airport, I was trying to decide between a taxi and a shuttle. After I picked up my bag, I turned around and saw the arrows pointing to the train. That works. I bought a reasonably-priced 7-day pass and headed for the platform.
 O'Hare Train Access Tunnel |
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Chicago is lively everywhere, and still so deep into the night. There is music all around. As I was heading through the airport train tunnel, I came across a guitarist singing into his portable mic and amp for the travelers. Later that night, a saxophone player was in the subway as I made my way to the House of Blues. From the energy on the streets, it's obvious that many folks live in the inner city, and many others don't use cars to get to work.
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Yes, I know what you are thinking, "Isn't this supposed to be a motorcycle blog?. Didn't we go through something similar a couple of weeks ago with a renegade blog?" Well, I had time late Friday to visit Chicago BMW, so knock it off. I went up to the parts counter to get a rear reflector for Elke. When the parts guys said they would have to order it, I replied that I had just flown 1000 miles to get it. They said I should have called ahead.
Now that we have the motorcycle content out of the way, let's get on with the Chicago experience.
Now that we have the motorcycle content out of the way, let's get on with the Chicago experience.
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I had dinner in the Randolph Metra station, and headed to the hotel to rest a bit. The last time I was in Chicago, I only walked past the House of Blues. This time, I could drop in for a while. The Eric Jerardi Band was the headliner on the Back Porch stage. Guy King warmed up the crowd with his guitar and smooth voice singing the blues with a Louisiana slant.
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 Guy King |
 The Eric Jerardi Band |
Both Guy and Eric put on a great show. Eric had recently pulled his original band back together, and the synergy was apparent. He plays hard-driving blues with touches of elegant string work that really shows his artistry. Bassist Jon Arnold turned 50 at midnight, and I think that event gave a bit more energy to the show. It did not take long for me to be deep in the element. The blues can do that. The cool thing about the HOB back stage was the small venue that allowed the chance to meet and talk with the musicians. I wound up buying music from each.
The crowd was friendly and willing to talk with me. I met Brian Higgins from Ohio, who frequents Chicago for the entertainment. Ohio is so devoid of good entertainment according to his Jamaican friend and host, Brian recently opened the SideBar in downtown Dayton devoted to such.
Eric played well past 1 AM, and I walked my way back to the hotel that included an unplanned detour. Earlier in the evening, I went to a "south" Dearborn address for HOB, and I made it to the correct "north" address. When I left, I lost my bearings and overshot the Fairmont. I confirmed I was off course when the sidewalk traffic ahead was devoid of people. I also discovered that Chicago has multiple levels of streets that can be deceiving. I was looking for landmarks that were one level above me.
April 4, 2009
Saturday was filled with the Clinical Engineering Symposium at HIMSS. Afterward, I explored Millennium Park and watched many visitors doing the same. There is a plethora of ways to waste film (make that memory) in Chicago with a camera. I wound up serving as trip photographer for many couples that I met in the park. After a call home to Deb, I had a Capone Burger at the Artist's Snack. This place looked very old-school and had many regulars dining. The walk back was cold with brisk winds preceding a front that was to bring snow around the area.
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April 5, 2009
More educational sessions Sunday at McCormick Place. The IOC is in town working things out for the 2016 Olympics, and they were gathering around listening to Chicago marketing folks convincing them this is the place. The IOC is obviously meeting at my hotel, with protester groups and others gathering in favor of the event. Saturday evening, I too felt the effect of the IOC meeting when a security guard asked me to leave the second floor in a not-too-pleasant voice after I wound up there. Lighten up, guys...
Dennis Quaid is the keynote speaker focusing on patient safety improvement through technology. Dennis and his wife almost lost their 10-day old twins to a medication error of a 10,000 unit dose of heparin partly due to vial labeling. He states that as an actor, he can go through 37 takes to correct a mistake. But many times a caregiver does not get a second chance to reverse a mistake. Positive patient ID, medication ordering/coding, and proper administration can be enabled through technology.
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I'm sitting here in the hall composing this journal after Dennis' talk. Thousands of people were streaming past me earlier, and now I look up to see I am one of only a hand full left. On to the exhibit hall to see new tech and grab some LED bouncy-balls for Katy.
It's snowing tonight here in Chicago, so not a lot of comfortable options for walking around downtown, and I probably need the rest anyway.
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April 6, 2009
Another day at the conference, overwhelmed by the enormosity of it all. Sucked in more knowledge, met with vendors, and wore my feet out. The weather's cold outside, with some light flurries continuing in the morning. Nice to be inside today. There was around 3 inches of snow last night, enough to postpone the White Sox season opener.
The afternoon cleared up, with the temperature hovering around 35. I grabbed my leather jacket, gloves and my favorite alpaca scarf, and headed along the Chicago River to find Andy's. Guy told me on Friday that he plays Mondays at Andy's Chicago Jazz. I stayed there for several hours taking in a more subdued jazzy rendition of his music, accompanied by Ben Paterson on the keys.
I saw a couple of different crowds, the first being young music students, and the next group older well-dressed folks. The young musician group asked that they sing a couple of songs for the club, and Guy and Ben did a quick cram session with the sheet music handed over to them. It worked out great, and the kids showed great talent.
The afternoon cleared up, with the temperature hovering around 35. I grabbed my leather jacket, gloves and my favorite alpaca scarf, and headed along the Chicago River to find Andy's. Guy told me on Friday that he plays Mondays at Andy's Chicago Jazz. I stayed there for several hours taking in a more subdued jazzy rendition of his music, accompanied by Ben Paterson on the keys.
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I saw a couple of different crowds, the first being young music students, and the next group older well-dressed folks. The young musician group asked that they sing a couple of songs for the club, and Guy and Ben did a quick cram session with the sheet music handed over to them. It worked out great, and the kids showed great talent.
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I made my way back to the hotel in the cold night air, getting to know a few of the regulars on the street that have an interesting way of working conversation into a business deal of sorts. In Dallas, they just cut to the chase and start asking for money right away.
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After crossing the river again, I captured a shot commemorating Wes' birthday.
April 7, 2009
Interesting day at the conference with some pertinent sessions, the best being Kevin Mitnick's talk on The Art of Deception. Kevin was put away for a while back for hacking, and now makes his living consulting to corporations on how to keep the bad guys out of their networks. I made my way around the show floor once more, met with a few other business partners, and picked up some more light-up balls for Katy, our Border Collie. She loves those things. It's the best of both worlds - lights and a ball.
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 Took the Metra back to the hotel this afternoon. |
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| Rested a bit, and then worked my way over to Buddy Guy's Legends. Had a vicious hot cajun chicken sandwich for dinner. I listened briefly to Joe Moss, and headed back to pack up for tomorrow's journey home. |  |
It's been a good trip. My brain hurts with the info I have crammed in during the day, my feet are aching from the McCormick Place and the city walks, and my ears are ringing a bit from the music in the evening. But it's all good.
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Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/rlswim/Chicago
Red River Ride
March 29, 2009
The roads along the Red River in the far reaches of northeast Texas have long been in my head to explore. I knew hardly nothing about the area other than the Albon Red River bridge at Hwy 37 where many a trip across the border has been made. The weather this morning was cool with the temperature at 38 this morning, but the sunny skies warmed to near 70 as the day progressed, and wind was not present until late afternoon on the return ride near home. A perfect day for riding.
I made my way up as quickly as possible through Bonham, and then worked on to smaller back roads that eventually turned from good to patches of pavement to gravel. Along the way the Dogwoods were in full bloom. I can't remember seeing as many as I saw today.
The shortcuts from one FM road to another meant a travel across some gravel roads, but they were for the most part hard-packed after the rain we had over the last week. One can really get the flavor of an area by traveling off the beaten path. I always enjoy these roads. One benefit is parking the bike in the middle of the road and not worrying about anyone trying to run over it.
I hardly saw the Red River even though I was riding along it within a quarter mile very often. I was surprised by the large-scale ranching and farming operations I saw through the ride. But, there were very few people or evidence of houses along these roads in many sections.
One small road started paved, turned to gravel again (theme of the day) and then ended its public access at a locked gate. I was prepared for this possible back-track, but I should have filled up with fuel sooner than I typically do. The gas stations were very rare along the roads I traveled today.
By Clarksville, I was ready for some food, and I noticed an Italian restaurant on the square. That works. The Italian Bistro was quite a find, with bread and calzone that was perfectly baked with golden touches on the crisp outer layer. I complimented the chef, Alex, on his tasty creation, and told him I would try to return as soon as possible.
The return ride was nice with the temperature rising all the way back. I saw the typical late afternoon droves of bikes heading out of town as I was returning mid-afternoon. A quick stop in Sachse was made to get Elke's state inspection taken care of, and then I headed home. Deb and I enjoyed the afternoon sun on the deck in the back yard with a couple of refreshments. It was a good day.
Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/rlswim/RedRiverRide
20090329-RedRiverRide at EveryTrail
Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging
The roads along the Red River in the far reaches of northeast Texas have long been in my head to explore. I knew hardly nothing about the area other than the Albon Red River bridge at Hwy 37 where many a trip across the border has been made. The weather this morning was cool with the temperature at 38 this morning, but the sunny skies warmed to near 70 as the day progressed, and wind was not present until late afternoon on the return ride near home. A perfect day for riding.
I made my way up as quickly as possible through Bonham, and then worked on to smaller back roads that eventually turned from good to patches of pavement to gravel. Along the way the Dogwoods were in full bloom. I can't remember seeing as many as I saw today.
 Lake Bonham |
 Dogwoods in bloom |
The shortcuts from one FM road to another meant a travel across some gravel roads, but they were for the most part hard-packed after the rain we had over the last week. One can really get the flavor of an area by traveling off the beaten path. I always enjoy these roads. One benefit is parking the bike in the middle of the road and not worrying about anyone trying to run over it.
 Back road barn find |
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I hardly saw the Red River even though I was riding along it within a quarter mile very often. I was surprised by the large-scale ranching and farming operations I saw through the ride. But, there were very few people or evidence of houses along these roads in many sections.
One small road started paved, turned to gravel again (theme of the day) and then ended its public access at a locked gate. I was prepared for this possible back-track, but I should have filled up with fuel sooner than I typically do. The gas stations were very rare along the roads I traveled today.
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 End of the road |
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Alex looked and sounded very Italian, and greeted everyone in the restaurant. |
The return ride was nice with the temperature rising all the way back. I saw the typical late afternoon droves of bikes heading out of town as I was returning mid-afternoon. A quick stop in Sachse was made to get Elke's state inspection taken care of, and then I headed home. Deb and I enjoyed the afternoon sun on the deck in the back yard with a couple of refreshments. It was a good day.
Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/rlswim/RedRiverRide
Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging
Pittsburgh
March 19, 2009
So, I had to do a business trip to Pittsburgh to do some gearhead report training to prepare for an upcoming database conversion. You may ask, what the heck? Why put a journal entry like this in a motorcycle blog? Read on, and it will all become clear.
Rachel must have done a really good job bringing us up to speed on the ComponentOne report designer, and we found ourselves ready to leave for the day about an hour early. It was surprising that my brain was not totally fried trying to keep up with her. The afternoon was very sunny after an early morning rain, and the temperature was around 45 degrees. Great weather for exploring downtown Pittsburgh.
I did not know what to look for, so I wandered around in the rental car and found myself on the south side of the Monongahela River. I saw one of the inclines that I had heard about. This is a rail car that ascends the 650 foot high hillside for passengers to get up to the top of Mount Washington. It was built around the turn of the century, and being inside of it brings me curiosity of what all has transpired in the incline car over the last century.
Once at the top, I walked the mile or so west to the Duquense Incline. This was an even more interesting piece of history with a very busy historical museum of sorts in the building.
Once back down near the riverfront, I walked back to my starting point and dropped in for an afternoon quench. I asked the barkeeper how far the Strip was, where I had planned to meet a long-distance friend and have dinner at Primanti Bros., a Pittsburgh tradition. He said the walk was long, but safe, so off I went.
The downtown section was a mix of old and new, with much more street life than Dallas. I made my way down to the Strip, which is still an active commerce site for agricultural produce and nightlife.
I walked into Primanti Bros. and met Bob, the previous owner of my K75S. We have kept in touch through e-mail for the last several years after I took delivery of Elke through a long-distance purchase. When in Rome, as they say... so I had chili, cheese fries, and a strange Pittsburgh concoction of a sandwich with fries, meat, slaw and who knows what else in it. It was all good, though, and thank goodness I don't eat like this on a daily basis.
We drove about town for a bit afterward and saw more of the downtown Pittsburgh landmarks. It was a nice visit with Bob, and much more than I expected from a business trip. Tomorrow I fill my brain with more software knowledge and head for the airport for my return flight.
Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/rlswim/Pittsburgh
So, I had to do a business trip to Pittsburgh to do some gearhead report training to prepare for an upcoming database conversion. You may ask, what the heck? Why put a journal entry like this in a motorcycle blog? Read on, and it will all become clear.
Rachel must have done a really good job bringing us up to speed on the ComponentOne report designer, and we found ourselves ready to leave for the day about an hour early. It was surprising that my brain was not totally fried trying to keep up with her. The afternoon was very sunny after an early morning rain, and the temperature was around 45 degrees. Great weather for exploring downtown Pittsburgh.
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Once at the top, I walked the mile or so west to the Duquense Incline. This was an even more interesting piece of history with a very busy historical museum of sorts in the building.
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Once back down near the riverfront, I walked back to my starting point and dropped in for an afternoon quench. I asked the barkeeper how far the Strip was, where I had planned to meet a long-distance friend and have dinner at Primanti Bros., a Pittsburgh tradition. He said the walk was long, but safe, so off I went.
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The downtown section was a mix of old and new, with much more street life than Dallas. I made my way down to the Strip, which is still an active commerce site for agricultural produce and nightlife.
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We drove about town for a bit afterward and saw more of the downtown Pittsburgh landmarks. It was a nice visit with Bob, and much more than I expected from a business trip. Tomorrow I fill my brain with more software knowledge and head for the airport for my return flight.
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Photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/rlswim/Pittsburgh
