Texas Hill Country Super Tenere Rally - March 21-23, 2014 - IMPORTANT UPDATES

[Dallara]

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The pics in the previous post were all from Thursday and Friday. I know there weren't too many but as I said, we were riding most all the time, not taking pics, and like an idiot I went off and left my GoPro at home.

So now here's some pics from Saturday...



Here it is! The amazing, incredible, unbelievable Super Tenere - Chris/Sail2xxs's example with over 117,000 miles on it when he arrived in Kerrville.

And here's the man himself - Chris/Sail2xxs. I asked him if he rode it straight-through to Texas from Maryland, and he said "Well, no... I had a stop I had to make in Phoenix." I laughed and then asked him "So you rode from Maryland to Phoenix and then took a left to get to Texas?", and he looked at me completely deadpan and said "Two lefts, actually." ::025::

The man is incredible!

Another of his bike:

And here's some Super Tenere's mixing with the "3rd Coast Ducati" group, with a couple of cruisers mixed in:

A cat we all met in Luckenbach:

Steve/Eemsreno checking out the Luckenbach store:

Mike/TacoPapa doing hsi best Hondo Crouch imitation:

Chris/Sail2xxs giving some folks some pointers about how to rack up big mileage. Somehow I think Chris will never be the type to travel by motorhome, like the one in the background!

Damn! Looks like we just missed the cool show back on March 10th! Must have been packed there at "Knot in the Loop" where we ate lunch:

A bunch of Super Tenere's under overcast Texas Hill Country skies:

Here it is - the "Knot in the Loop" saloon! It's definitely worth a stop if you are ever riding the Willow City Loop north of Fredericksburg:

Keith/Lincolnrider gives some pointers on front brake use, and he doesn't just talk the talk, he walks the walk, too! ::001::

The crew riddling a cruiser fuel conundrum while chilling in the motorhome parking lot the Enchanted Rock park rangers *suggested* we park in... ::025::

The Super Tenere crew catching some pics of the backside of Enchanted Rock from Sagebiel Ranch Road...

Some of the crew chillin' over an evening cocktail after a fun day of riding! This confab was one of the highlights of the day, too! ::003::

Once again, my sincerest thanks to all who attended. It was a supreme pleasure meeting and riding with you all. ::012::


Dallara




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[snakebitten]

KrazyLunaticRider

Lol. So true.

Hey Dallara. Only one complaint.
Needed another day! Maybe 2. Not enough time to ride with everyone.

 

[Combo]

Hey Dallara. Only one complaint.
Needed another day! Maybe 2. Not enough time to ride with everyone.

I agree!
I missed meeting and riding with many of the riders Including Dallara. I came by the YO Thursday afternoon and met Tony99 and saw only one other Tenere (blue). Staying at the RV park with some other rider friends didn't work well for me getting back over to the YO.
Thanks again Dallara!

 

[eemsreno]

Dallara, it was great, thank you very much! I've ridden the Hill Country many times but you showed me a few new favorites.
Let's do it again next year.

Here is a video of some of the roads we rode on Friday.

Gunner
Thanks for that great video,, I was glad they couldn't hear my interview.
I have been trying to watch this video since you put it up but I had to find higher speed internet.
Steve

 

[gunner]

Gunner
Thanks for that great video,, I was glad they couldn't hear my interview.
I have been trying to watch this video since you put it up but I had to find higher speed internet.
Steve

O It was pretty funny, buy I had to cut out the audio to make the clips shorter and keep the video length down. I'm glad to see you and Michael made it home without getting frost bite.

We'll see you in Arkansas this October.

Steve

 

[rlasater]

Here are all the pictures Tracie took from the back seat.

http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/Tracie_Chauvin_Lasater/library/yamaha%20super%20tenere%20hill%20country%20rally%202014?sort=3&page=1

Sent from a brown rock...

 

[rlasater]

And mine...

Sent from a brown rock...

 

[Combo]

Great photos and video.
::017::
Ready to go again. As a matter of fact..... I wish I didn't have to come home and just keep riding. (Don't we all) ::001::
We had a great time and introduced a new guy to Adventure Riding and of course he is hooked now.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

I see a lot of gray hair in those photos.

I would have fit right in.

Looks like a great time. Thanks for letting us share in the pictures and video. ::008::

 

[gunner]

Gunner, Thanks for creating and posting such a great video. The route I posted earlier in the thread has quite a bit of dirt to it and some pavement too. We added James river road to it as well and got 5 water crossings depending on recent weather. Let me know when you are headed out that way again and I may join you. Thanks to Dallara for organizing such a great event. I tried to keep up but the man can RIDE! I'm going to blame my knobbies...!!!!

Hodee,

If everything works out, the stars align and I get a chance to get down there next month I'll give you a shout.

I'm going to be in Austin mid-April for the MotoGP races and from there to Canyon Lake for a few days to visit with some old college buddies.
I am hoping to swing down to the Leaky area on my way home.

Steve

 

[Dallara]

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Been thinking here a bit, Folks. Seems like there is some interest in doing one of these again next year. I'm game for trying to help put it together if I can get a bit of help, but before we get that far, let me ask the collective for some insight into what they'd like to see for the next one. I'd especially like input from those of you who attended this past one. So here's a few questions...

1.) Weekdays are always less crowded on some of the more traveled twisty paved roads. Would anyone be interested in having the get-together start earlier in the week - say with a start day of Wednesday or Thursday? That way we could do roads like the "Twisted Sisters", plus ones very similar to them, on days where we would have them to ourselves, much like we did Friday.

2.) How much of a road / dirt mix would people like to see? 80% paved / 20% dirt? 50% paved / 50% dirt? 20% paved / 80% dirt? Note - remember we had some couples, cruisers, and relative newcomers on this ride, mostly as guests of folks on this forum, but likely there would be similar invitees at another Hill country meet, so they have to be taken into account.

3.) More stops or fewer stops? We had relatively few for the group that rode with me this past weekend, but we can certainly do less, or we can add a couple of interesting break stops, too.

4.) Relative to the paved / dirt split question above - There are literally dozens more roads like the well-liked "Center Point Road", and though they are not dirt, they do ride almost like one. Would you guys like to see more like that, even if it traded off some dirt?

5.) Would you guys like to see some firm plans and spots for dinner each night? A few years ago for a BMW ride I arranged I had us dinner reservations at great spots each night... Places like "The Hill Top Cafe" I showed you folks. We had a great dinner and a friend had arranged for Joe "King" Carrasco to play for us for free. Everybody had a ball, but making sure everyone got there on-time ate into our daytime ride-time some. Would arranged dinner get-togethers be worth the loss in ride-time?

6.) Would you guys be interested in synching our ride dates with some other groups, like the "3rd Coast Ducati" group that was there with us this past weekend? It does add some other great peop;e to meet and hang out with, as well as for some interesting bikes to gawk at... Reason I ask is two-fold - One, they could help with some of the pavement-only rides for those that don't want to do as much dirt, and Two, they always bring a couple of tow trucks and big trailers, stocked with tools, gas cans, extra batteries, etc., etc., and could be of enormous help should someone have a problem. I've already talked with them about this, and they've got no problem with it. I know our Super Tenere's don't break, but by then we'll all have more miles on our bikes, and ya' never know... ::025::

7.) Was everyone happy with the Y.O. Ranch Resort as a base of operations? If so, I need some help there... Do we need a larger room block or a smaller one? Now that we have an established group presence I think I can bargain for a better rate, but to do so I need a more firm number of folks that will be staying there. This time the number of room reservations, cancellations, etc. fluctuated pretty wildly... I know weather and other factors were much of that, but to get a better rate I have to lock down a firmer number. Was it OK with everybody?

8.) Regarding camping - Would those of you who like to camp be interested in me locking down a single campground for a group, so campers wouldn't be scattered in several different ones? If so, does anyone have a preference? Logic would suggest to have it as close to whatever hotel we decide on... If the hotel is the Y.O. then I think the Kerrville-Schreiner Park is the closest, but I'm not sure about how much of it we can reserve.

9.) Would anyone be interested in a set spot, say on a Friday or Saturday afternoon, to try to gather as many attendees together as possible for a group photo op? Nothing like that really surfaced this year, but this one was so loosely organized that no possibility of that really could have occurred... Which leads to the last question...

10.) Did you guys like the "format" (for want of a better word) of this weekend's past event - i.e. very loose and unstructured? Or would you prefer more structure and game-plans?

Most of all here I am looking for your suggestions, ideas, critiques, etc. on doing another one of these. If we are going to plan it for next Spring (of 2015) then we really need to start now, and I'm going to need some help if we get more people. Any thoughts you can offer up would be appreciated.

One last thing, before anyone proposes we have it around the same time as the Austin COTA MotoGP please note that if that's the consensus then I can't attend nor really help with the arrangements. I have my hands full MotoGP weekend, as I do some media relations work for the MotoGP event, and I have to be up there are the track nearly a full week. I also have to haul so much stuff that I can't possibly take my motorcycle, and I have to stay over very close to the track for over a week. It would be nice to coordinate the two, but it should also be noted that the prices for everything from hotel rooms to camp sites goes up to dramatically, and the roads in the entire Hill Country become choked. It's my recommendation that no Super Tenere Hill Country Ride coincide with the MotoGP weekend.

Looking forward to your thoughts and ideas! ::012::

Thanks!

Dallara




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[snakebitten]

See, this is where I feel like a guilty b@$tage.
Some of you folks are just amazing coordinators and selflessly dedicated at accomplishing what these events require. I, on the other hand, selfishly show up (or cancel) at my leisure and consume from the buffet of adventure that all that effort of others affords me.

I am blessed.
I am having so much fun.
I truly owe.

So where we riding next?

 

[Dallara]

See, this is where I feel like a guilty b@$tage.
Some of you folks are just amazing coordinators and selflessly dedicated at accomplishing what these events require. I, on the other hand, selfishly show up (or cancel) at my leisure and consume from the buffet of adventure that all that effort of others affords me.

I am blessed.
I am having so much fun.
I truly owe.

So where we riding next?

So you're saying you can't even muster the energy to answer a few questions or offer up a suggestion or two, Snake? :-\

Dallara



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[snakebitten]

Hey, that was a very thorough questionnaire! All I posted was my kneejerk reaction. I certainly haven't done it justice. You got me.

But you don't expect this to be my last word, do ya? I'm way too much a blatherer for that.

 

[Kidder]

It would be nice if you could start a trip report thread with pics instead of adding to this one.

 

[Dallara]

It would be nice if you could start a trip report thread with pics instead of adding to this one.

Too late now!

And Eemsreno has already started one of his own - http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=11143

Dallara


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[eemsreno]

Dallara
I think you did the best job anyone could have.
I'm like Snake, just show up if the weather is good and benefit from all the planning others do.
To answer some of your questions
I like to stop and take more pictures at the neat spots but I understand it becomes a road hazard and takes a lot of time to get everyone moving again.
I camped at the Kerrville-Schreiner Park and thought it was great, nice showers and only $9.00 each for Mike and I.
I would like to see all the ones camping at the same location. With a nightly camp fire.
I got to ride ,,I'll comment more later.
Steve