2016....looking back Part #2...Terlingua and Big Bend Texas

As the winter dragged on from 2015 into 2016 one thing was quite evident...this winter was much warmer and less snow filled that the previous bitter and snow filled 14/15 season.  Still it dragged on and I looked forward to getting the TW down south to warmer weather and some good riding in.   March 2015 it was Moab, Utah, with a gang of 3 dozen...this year it would be just five of us.  Nick and I would haul our TW 200s to Big Bend National Park in south Texas...we would  be joined by our Dual Sport Adventure partner out of rural Auburn, Indiana, "Borneo" soon to become "Judge Borneo"...having retired his law practice and at the time running for a local Judgeship{which he would win and takes office January 1st}...Ebbanflood Jim from the outer banks of New York, who was with us in Moab as well, and a new guy to our group, but certainly not to motorcycles...Fort Wayne Gary, the owner of the local Harley dealership in that Indiana City....those 3 would be coming separate and riding larger bikes....

So the first Saturday in March, Nick and I loaded up his Ford 4 x 4 pick up and headed south....no stops overnight, just gas and pee breaks, we would arrive in the infamous Chili Town of Terlingua, Texas, on the north side of Big Bend.

After 30 hours or so of almost non stop driving, we decided a motel and a few beers and a nice long hand rolled cigar smoke would be good before heading into the Park the next day....so Sunday night we crashed at the Chisos Mining Motel in 'Downtown" Terlingua...

We drank a few, smoked a good cigar or two, and finally got a decent nights sleep, before heading into Big Bend the next morning, where we would camp and ride for the next week....except for one night with the other 3 at the Chisos Mountain Lodge{You can see the view, called "The Window"...one of the shots I took from the Restaurant walk way at the top of this post}.

All in all the 8 or 9 days went well...no accidents, plenty of riding, and frankly a few rides I didn't complete, which is why I will return this February and March, well at least that this the current plan.

More photos of the week at Big Bend Below.....

We would return the following week to Ohio, where flooding rains had caused a mess at my place and others....but knowing there was nothing that could be done if I had been home, I was glad to be gone for those 10 days or so....

Back to reality and part #3 coming up next.....