A tale from long ago and far away

[QBS]

The time: 11/'82, Thanksgiving weekend, approx. 8:00 pm

The place: Texas 170(aka:"The River Road"), approx. 4 miles east of Riudosa Tx., approx. 10 miles NW of Presidio, Tx, Big Bend Country.

The bike: '70, Black BMW R60/5, equipped with full Avon fairing, Wixom hard bags and tail trunk, all fully loaded.

Two 750 Honda mounted friends and myself were headed north seeking passage through the Chianti mountains as a short cut to Marfa, Tx.  The road was very rocky and rough, but I had driven it once before in a car and felt confident that bikes could make it through.  We were well down the road when it began to get dark.  I wasn't too concerned until we came a fork in the road and in the gathering gloom I wasn't sure about which way to go.  So, I took the left fork.  When we got to the sign that said trespassers would be shot I got a little concerned.  We quickly reached a concensus to retrace our route back to beautiful downtown Riudosa Tx(population maybe 2, but it's hard to say for sure)where it met Texas 170, a paved east/west road that runs roughly parallel to the Rio Grand river.  We would then head east and pick up the longer, but nicely paved road that headed north to Marfa.

It was fully dark by the time we got back to Ruidosa and a Texas Blue Norther was in the early stages of arrival.  The temperature was plummeting with the wind blowing out the north at what I estimate to have been in the 30 to 40 mph range.  Needless to say, we were highly motivated to get to a motel in Marfa, 60 miles to the north asap.

The section of Texas 170 that leads from Ruidosa to the main Presidio/Marfa road is straight and was paved with narrow lanes a long time ago when they didn't cut through the natural undulations of the desert topography.  Rather, they just laid pavement up hill and down dale, sort of like a roller coaster.


I was in the lead, doing about 70 mph, leaning hard against the Blue Norther left to right crosswind with my lane position being just a little to the right of lane center.  It was at this time that I became aware of just how sharp the road crests were as the bike became airborne and was blown about 2' across the pavement.  It landed under complete control, still leaned hard against the crosswind.

Needless to say, I was surprised at what had transpired and really impressed with the freight train like stability of the bike.  But what made me believe that God had a plan for my life that didn't end there, was when I looked down to find out where I was positioned on the road.

It seems that due to age and lack of maintenance, the road edge had developed a very sharp and abrupt drop into a rain washed out trough that was about 5" deep and 5" wide.  After that the shoulder was natural desert.  I had landed just 6" from the road edge and certain disaster.

After adjusting my lane position, I thought about what had happened, moved over to the center line and proceeded to jump the next three hills just for the fun of it.  The bike remained as stable as ever.

We rode into Marfa without further drama and proceeded to get stranded there for three days due to ice on the road.
   

[kwells]

long time ago indeed

Great read


Gotten any air lately?

[QBS]

Yes.  There is a stretch of Texas 55 approx., 5 miles east of Rock Springs Tx in the Hill Country, that has a mile long series of significant whoop to doos'.  I know for a fact that an '83 V doing an indicated 100 mph will leave the ground several times through that passage. That would be about ten years ago.

The BMW was much more stable.

[kwells]

I used to get air on my first Vision when I was 18.  it was a long straight road next to a garbage landfill in Naperville, IL.  If I hammered it when I left my girlfriend's subdivision I would jump the one hill when my speedo was well past the indicated 85.  I sort of made it my regiment when heading home. 

[h2olawyer]

Great story, QBS.

Hmmmm - a Blue Norther & Marfa.  You didn't happen to see the lights, did you?   ;D

H₂O

[QBS]

No, I didn't see the lights, but, I began to see the Light.

[Rick G]

There is a bypass lane on a on ramp , on interstate 95 in Mpls, and since motorcycles are allowed to use them, I would accelerate hard an Carry the front end , at the crest  of this uphill ramp. worked like a charm
We have a mile or two of road  on old 66 , between Topac and Oatman that has several whoop- te -doos , I have hit them at 100 mph (indicated) and carried the front wheel  for a bit , great fun !! ;D ;D

[Kenny]

 In 1990-91 after an Airline(WardAir Canadi>an) buyout and layoffs in Edmonton, Dorothy & I decided-to take a years leave of absence rather than move to Vancouver(cost of living high).Sorry to say no bikes involved, but a VW Westfalia a red Doberman,Dorothy & myself.
   We toured most of North America: Yukon, Alaska, all of Canada,and we wobbled along through the US taking in what ever met our fancy,(Blue Ridge pKw,Death Valley,BonnevilleSalt Flats).Before heading into Mexico we headed west from Florida and spent Christmas down in Big Bend Park-what an awesome place. At this time the only Big Bend I knew was an earlier highway pass across the Rocky Mnts (Now the Rogers Pass in B.C.).
   I was sorry to see the year disappear so quickly,but it's hard to bring many hobbies with you in a Van. We did eventually end up in Vancouver but another airline takeover and we are in Ontario.
     Your story about Big Bend Park stirred up some memories I guess.
                                           Cheers Ken S.  ;)