Now that the Big guy has come, what is up with MM#11

[Jamtndll]

I have been away for a while, but can not find anything on here about this.  Are we having one this year.  I am back in the education business and will have my summers free again. 

[snoopy]

MM#11!  Bring it on!

[snoopy]

Has there been any discussion about MM#11, or should we make suggestions?

[lragan]

Suggestions are always welcome.  They may be ignored, but they are always welcome...

One thing I hope we don't do again is put it to a "vote".  The only time (during my membership) that we attempted that, those that voted for the location did not show up.  While the fellowship is always great, the ride routes were sub-par, at best.

Of the places we have been, I have enjoyed, in order of preference:

1) Medina, Leakey, Kerrville area (Koyote Ranch).  Great riding in Texas' premier motorcycling area. 
2) Beaver's Bend Oklahoma.  Liked the Talemina drive day, and Brad led a small group on the "free day" through some of the coolest back roads in Oklahoma.
3) Eureka Springs, AR.  Good riding, good fellowship, all around fine trip.

My ratings are clearly biased by the travel distance to get there.  Koyote ranch is 2-3 hours from my home, depending on whether I "take the long way".  Eureka Springs was quite a haul, broken up by a stay with another member on the way there, but toughed out all the way home against a punishing headwind.  Just glad I was in a cage, pulling a trailer, and not riding. 

There was discussion at one time about Palo Duro Canyon, south of Amarillo, near the town of Canyon, Texas.  Canyon was my mom's home town, I grew up in the Panhandle of Texas, so I am quite familiar with this area.  We can ride the entire canyon road system in under an hour, spend an hour in the visitor's center, even see the play "Texas" in the evening outdoor theater, and that is about it.  The Museum of the Plains in Canyon has a few interesting displays, that have not changed much since I was a child.  All the roads going and coming are flat, straight, and boring.

Further west, the Rocky Mountains extend into New Mexico, and Santa Fe or Taos offer accommodation and interesting mountain roads.  A long haul for everyone, including those few of us in Central Texas.  There may be good places further east, such as "the dragon", but in the summer any good riding there will probably be crowded, in my estimate, just due to increased population density.

One of our members has ridden the roads along the Rio Grande (on the U.S. side of the border, obviously) and recommends the riding, but that is a long haul for everyone in the DFW area, where the bulk of our members store their underwear.  (You don't really "live" in an area that crowded, IMHO, you just survive...   I know, because I survived it for 33 years, until I could afford to leave... )

Let's face the facts -- Texas is mostly flat, with interesting riding areas in short supply, compared to say, Colorado, New Mexico, or west coast states.  Our choices are therefore limited, and after ten years, I suspect we have tried all the good ones.  So we are probably down to deciding which one we are going to revisit.

[BudMan]

All good points, Lawrence.
I particularly liked the Beaver's Bend area.  The riding was great and the camping area was also good.  The Queen Wilimeaha (where we had lunch) lodge will be open again this summer after a many month renovation and should be really cool.
I made that "down day" ride and and can attest to the quality.
Brad generally serves as "Lead" when the two of us travel.  I am constantly amazed at the routs he comes up with. Never let us down yet...well, except that detour in Texarcana. But that's OK, we'll blame that on the new GPS.hahaha
I know it's a stretch, but I would really like to see if we could do a New Mexico ride in their mountains.

[snoopy]

I don't know how everybody else feels about long travel to MM#11, but I would be interested in combining an iron butt ride along with the travel out to the meeting.  I live next to DFW airport so that puts Colorado, New Mexico, and The Dragon in play for me.

[L J VFR]

I too am in favor of the Beaver's Bend State Park area down in Broken Bow Oklahoma.  The Talimena ride is spectacular!   It's about 2-1/2 hours from Dallas, and about 2-1/2 hours from where I live in Northwest Arkansas.


Eureka Springs is great too, but I ride it all the time.  It's 20 miles away from me.

[BudMan]

Eureka Springs is great too, but I ride it all the time.  It's 20 miles away from me.

OK, OK, you don't have to rub it in on all us FlatLanders!
Anybody want to come ride Route 66?  It's a great place to check out your throttle locks!
Seriously, Route 66 is a good place to see a slice of America that represents our past. Some of us remember the Eisenhower Interstate system as something just this side of science fiction!

[Jamtndll]

All of these sound great.  Where ever it is we need to make a decision so we can start making reservations.  I am up for any or a combination of the above. 

[Lowell]

I am in favor of Talimena or Koyote ranch also.  I have a slight preference for Koyote.

Maybe this time I can spend more than one night there.

Lowell

[Troystg]

Oooorrrr....    

Y'all could come up here...  


I am back from my riding in Europe and now living in Colorado Springs Colorado...    Come ride in the Rockies!  

Ok, ok I know that won't happen so like MM#9 when I rode to Arkansas from Virginia I guess I will have the "long way home" again..  But happy to do it to get to ride with such wonderful people again.... Just say when and where and if I'm not traveling for work I will be there.

[BudMan]

Welcome home Troy!

[Troystg]

Well thank you Buddy!

[Smoked U]

NO hot ass desert locations in June.

We just did Koyote. Yes, always great, but someplace else, please.

I posted for Turner Falls the last couple of years just to be fair to our Oklahoma brethren and it got some nice vote totals. I would like to propose it again. http://www.turnerfallspark.com/things_to_do/

I would do Beavers Bend again, but seriously, I really would like to mix up the locations occasionally and be fair to others distance-wise.

By the way, is anybody interested in going to Big Bend Park around April (maybe March) of this year? Sue, Bart (DRNT) and I did it last year in May and it was fantastic except for the heat (106 in the valley, beeotch!!!). We stayed in Alpine at the old Holland Hotel and had a blast.

[L J VFR]

Turner falls  would be fine with me.  Never been there.