Winter Ramble - Days One through Three - Spearfish to Terlingua TX

The Plan: Trailer "Freya" my 2014 BMW R1200 GS Adv South out of snow country, pick up a friend in Alamosa CO and head into New Mexico. Kip my riding partner for this trip is the famous Buell Man from my Inuvik and Cabo San Lucas trips. Great rider and companion, he will be on a new to him Tiger 800 XCA. We'll drop the truck and trailer at a friends, in Alamogordo NM and head South and East, hit Big bend NP, head down to Brownsville, then up the Gulf Coast towards Louisiana and a rendezvous with a couple of Cajun brethren. After the rendezvous, I'll head back West towards the truck. Haven't really thought too much about the route back other than to stay the hell off of the Slab, been there done that. Looking for "Not to be missed" roads, places, kitsch, food and to see where Trump wants to build his wall. Always game for a cup of coffee or a beer along the way. Schedule "coalescing": Feb 28th- Spearfish to Alamosa March 1 - load Kips Tiger 800 and heading to Alamogordo NM March 2 - Alpine TX via a circuitous route March 3-4 stay in Terlingua TX while riding in Big Bend NP and environs. March 5 - Heading towards Brownsville TX along the border staying somewhere along the way March 6th - Brownsville, Padre Island, up the Gulf Coast to Corpus Cristi, Kip takes off for home March 7th - @ Joey Pons, Lafayette LA March 8-11 riding with said Joey Pons and friends TBD March 12 - depart Lafayette LA for WTF knows March TBD - Texas Hill Country March 17 (estimated) Alamogordo March 19th - Home As you all know, I'm not much for trip reports, photos or other documentation. I lay part of the blame for that on my good friend Festar who constantly harps "It is the ride and the road" so often I don't stop and sniff the Posies near enough. My thoughts have always run towards "I saw it, I remember it, you can't take that away from me" I'm working on this, this Ramble is training for "North to Alaska 2019", trying to do a little better taking some pictures and documenting. Billy Fitz, Cav47, Pant's, AbercrombieFJR, Tyler and many others, unmentioned, who all set such a high bar and are inspirational in their Sniffing, Capturing the moment for posterity, and their "turn-of-phrase". So, in an effort to practice I'll detail a bit of the past four days: Thursday, February 28th: It was a "Brisk" morning in Spearfish at 0630 when I backed up to "Freya" and her trailer, ya wouldn't have wanted to lick the trailer tongue. A fresh two inches had magically appeared on the driveway. Actually, Freya had spent the night in the garage on the trailer and she was quite shocked at the dramatic change from 60F to -6F The roads in and around the Black Hills were a bit snowy and icy, I had visions of Abercrombie and I setting forth a year ago on the same route to Alamosa CO. However, as I got 60 miles South into Wyoming things improved. And as I got to Colorado they were even better. A quick stop for lunch at Nordy's BBQ in Loveland CO was combined with the delivery of a spare seat to a fellow BMW Brother. (I forgot my phone in the truck so I stole the previous picture :oops: Got through the "Gut" of Denver with nary a slowdown, discovered that I had left my Helmet at home - what a dumbshit move, so I made a quick detour to my friend Chuck's brand new "Strictly Powersports" in Pueblo West, CO for a replacement in case one of Kip's spare lids wouldn't fit. [/img]As I turned off of I-25 to head west at Walsenburg the Spanish Peaks were basking in the late afternoon sun. Dinner was ready soon after arrival Miss Patty did one hell-uv-a job - especially with the roasted veggies Thursday, 28 Februaries Trucking: Spearfish SD to Alamosa Colorado via Pueblo West CO Alamosa CO to Alamgordo NM on Friday, then we Ride! Friday, March 1st - Left Alamosa about 0930 after reworking the chocks on the trailer so that the bars of the Tiger and Freya didn't have an interference fit - moved each chock 4" outboard, problem solved. Headed South out of Alamosa toward Santa Fey - these mountains are going to get dumped on Saturday and Sunday! Stopped for lunch in Encino NM for a late bite A bit of "Motorcycle Art" on the wall The raved about "Brisket Taco's" were not rave-worthy, Kips Pork Green Chilli Tacos were excellent. NM Brisket was hard and dry. Typical small town NM vista - mostly empty buildings, few people. Approaching Alamogordo NM our bed for the night and a place to stow the truck and trailer. Saturday - March 2nd Alamogordo NM to Alpine TX Underway early and a good breakfast at Cloudcroft NM at about 8,700 ft. Never had to turn on the Electric Jacket though there were some snow patches on the hillsides and along the road. After breakfast we headed South on NM 130 to Pinon NM, 130 was a nice twisty road with only a 55 mph speed limit, we ran a brisk pace with a rabbit in a sports car running in front of us just far enough. After Pinon, the road surface changed and changed again The GPS routed us down this little Gem of a road - 3 digit county roads in NM are little more than Goat Trails. Kip turning around, all the disturbance in the road between the Photographer (me) and Kip is the remnants of my low speed sandy get off. The GSA is not any easier to pick up in the Sand as it is in the Mud. Kip succeeded in burying the Tiger up to the rear axle but we got it out in short order. Lunch in Dell City TX at Rositas Cafe. Kip had the Club Sandwich, I had the Owner recommended "Brisket Sandwich" sorry, it was gone before I even thought about a picture. It was as good as yesterdays was bad! We stopped in at Guadalupe NP for a quick drink and look see (Posey Sniffing) We got pretty close to this guy! He looked "Stuffed" After visiting the park Kip knew he was close on making it to Vanhorn TX on gas, the headwind didn't help his Tiger 800 XC went 53 miles on Reserve, he needed 61. From Vanhorn, we headed East on our only Slab of the day. We turned South on Texas Highway 118 past the McDonald Observatory and through Fort Davis. A great road! I want to go back to Fort Davis sometime in the next two days. Our track on Saturday Saturday night found us in Alpine TX weather here is fantastic, 74F at 2200, The ElPaso Weather guesser says all the crappy weather should remain North and East of us here along the Rio Grande. Sunday, March 3rd: Alpine Tx to Terlingua Ranch TX Ready to Ride - 0730! Fort Davis for breakfast, we ate cheap at Lupitas, Breakfast Burritos and coffee. We inadvertantly left without paying. We discoverd it out while lunching on a Goldwingers delight, Blizzards at DQ in Marfa TX. A phonecall with language difficulties resolved the matter - "The check is in the mail" After breakfast we visited Fort Davis, then the McDonald observatory interspersed by more fun riding 118 the other direction from Saturday night. Turned left on TX 166 another scenic twisty road. Lots of twisty, lots of scenery, very little traffic. A courthouse for Joey Pons (Hppants) - Presidio County Courthouse, Marfa TX A healthy lunch at DQ in Marfa After fueling in Presidio, no recurrence of yesterday please, we headed down the Rio Grande on TX FR 170 which generally follows the river. Two things I noticed, no Mexicans crossing the river and no place to build a wall. The river is generally on the right and sheer cliffs on the left. Posies along the road The infamous Mr. Kip Walker! Mexico on the left, Texas on the Right, Yours truly in the foreground. A brief look-see into the Ghost town of Terlingua then a 37-mile ride out into the pucker brush to the Terlingua Ranch Resort, our home for tonight and tomorrow. Typing this after dinner in the Bad Rabbit Cafe on site, the only internet available here and it closes in a few minutes. Weather changing, it was 85F when we arrived, it is now in the low 60's with a stiff North wind. Predicting low 30s tonight, high in the 50s tomorrow. Views from our Deck at the Terlingua Ranch Lodge. 37 Miles NE of Terlingua TX Monday Morning Update: 33F and a gray,cold, gloomy, windy morning. Will ride after noon when/if it warms above 40F.