Topic: My trip across most of Texas

[CBGhia]

Well, here is my tale.  I don't have pictures for everything because I relied on my cell phone and due to a small mishap, the charger did not work the whole time. 

I picked up Godzilla in Denison, TX on Monday 4/18.  I hadn't planned on picking him up, but due to circumstances, I had to roll out to get him.  I want everyone to know that prior to this trip, my bike had never done more than 100 miles in a single day.  Right around 100, but never more.  I rode just over 200 miles to get G and bring him back to Ft Worth. 
G slept in a bit the next morning, I was already up and about.  I remembered that I had a tail box from a 750 up in the attic that I hadn't yet put on my dads bike.  It was bright blue, and I couldn't handle the color so I grabbed some flat black paint and went to town.  That’s when G woke up and came outside.





I talked him in to riding with me and we hit the road. 





I know that in some states, you don't fry things the way we do, but you need to try a fried pie.  And I'm not taking about the crap from Hostess, I mean a fresh made fried pie, I like Pecan myself. 

Prior to leaving, I rigged up a cigarette lighter power outlet so that I could charge my phone in route.  I have the HTC Thunderbolt and while the download speeds are amazing, the battery life is not.  Well, while not charging it, the cord slipped out of my tank bag and beat itself to death on the ground and my exhaust.


We stopped to see Sam Houston.  G thinks he measured up just fine. 



He also said that this is what happens when you mess with Godzilla


It seems the Huntsville police are very nice folks!

[CBGhia]

Finally got to Houston and met up with Chris and Robyn.  Robyn is Chris' old lady and one hell of an artist.  She also rides, but not a SOHC4 and was too busy to roll with us this week.  This is the hood of a VW she is working on, it’s her car, but she does this #$%* for a living!  How cool is that!?


We checked out The Orange Show.  That is one crazy ass place!





Chris took me to Ace Motorworks owned by another SOHC4 owner Reagan.  He has a rockin' rat chopper that you will see later.
They had set up a welcome party there at Ace, they were expecting more folks from DFW, but good times none the less.
Reagan's bike club was there as well as a few members of another Motorcycle club called the Banditos.  I hear they have a reputation, but I don't know anything about that.   This is where I met Anthony, Tom and Reagan for the first time.  We partied until the wee hours, not bad for a Tuesday night. Excuse the pictures, my phone would not use the flash due to the low battery. 





He thought he was big enough to fit this vintage Bell.



Wandering around the shop.

He tried to eat this bike, but I stopped him.  Just because it ins't a Honda does not mean it gets destroyed.


On Wednesday, Chris, Anthony, Reagan, Tom and I all met up and rode to Austin.  Prior to the meet-up, we had a few issues.  First I tried to check my tire pressure and then my tire just kept leaking air.  Crap!  I didn't bring a tire valve puller, and we were not at Chris' house.  I borrowed Robyn's car and followed Chris to his place to get the valve puller while he got packed up.  Turns out that the Dynabeads I had forgotten I put in there 2 years ago were blocking the valve. F#ck Dynabeads, cuz it happened again a short time later with the other tire. 
Meanwhile, Chris puts a vented cap on his oil tank and ends up shooting oil all over his bike and himself.  So we were a little late rolling out to Austin.   I think we took a slightly jacked up route because it took us forever to get there.

[CBGhia]

Along the way, we stopped at a BBQ joint.


G tried to intimidate the deer on the walls.



Once we finally rolled into Austin, we found a good spot and chilled waiting for Aaron, Gordon and Cole.

Here is Reagans chopper I mentioned earlier.  I have always hated those seats, but I love this bike for some reason.


Once they arrived, we looked like a proper group of bikes.



Then it was off to meet Steve so he could lead us to the campsite in Lago Vista.  Damn that was a nice campsite.  We stayed up well into the night talking and telling stories.  Tom had everyone cracking up.  Here is how it looked come dawn.


We had a little breakfast provided by Steve (thank you again for that!), and headed for a ride through the hill country.  After a quick ride to Marble Falls on some of the best roads Texas has to offer, the group had to part ways.  Gordon, Tom and I kept going west while the others headed back through those sweet ass roads. 

Gordon left the group in Llano and headed back to DFW and Tom and I kept moving toward the handoff in Big Spring.   Along the way we saw windfarms and oil pumps.





We camped Thursday night at a rockin little RV park that had a small indoor pool, a room with a TV and clean bathrooms.  They included 2 pancakes and coffee for breakfast all for $15 for both of us.  We spend breakfast hanging out with some old Vets and trading war stories (I'm a vet, too). 
Tom and I breaking camp.


Then it was off to Lamesa to shorten the trip for Justin by 50 miles or so. 
You may not know why it was so hard to find people to run this part of the leg, but this picture speaks volumes.  Nobody lives out here!


Thats cotton in the field, by the way.

[CBGhia]

We met Justin and talked for a few.  I really wish we would have had more time to talk and hang out, but we were already running a few hours late and had some serious miles to lay down before evening.  Tom was getting back to a girl in Austin he had been texting all trip and I was already a day latter getting home then I told my wife I was going to be. 



Sandy, my wife, really was a trooper.  She didn't hassle me too much, and I know she was worried about me riding all alone on that old bike.  I didn't tell her that I would be riding to Houston alone.  I was supposed to be riding down with some Dallas folks, and I wasn't going to tell her any different until after I was there.  She worries enough. 

Well, Anthony told me that my sidecover was loose and I was going to lose it, but I didn't listen.  That sidecover made it over 1100 miles and it left me somewhere between Lamesa and the first gas stop on the way home. Oh well, I had been wanting to clear out that area for a cleaner look anyway, now I guess I have to.


Well, that is my story.  I am sure others on this ride with me will have their own version of events.   

[andy750]

Great write up and photos! Thanks for sharing! Looks like a good trip!

Andy

[Gordon]

Awesome!  You're the #$%*ing MAN, Joe!!!!

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Joe IS tha man.

I had to read that in 2 installments as I had to go out and check the burgers on the grill IN THE SNOW COMING DOWN. Gordo, missin' Colorado yet? Just as long as it's not doing this next Sunday!