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View Full Version : Cows, buffalo, bikes and lot's of roads!


Mer
04-01-2006, 04:03 PM
Yep…I rode solo today. Randy was busy with house things (I’d done MY chores the night before) and I REALLY needed to ride…long and far, just get away. I took one of the GPS units so I could just ride and get lost. The weather was perfect….mid 70’s and overcast. I headed east going towards Lake Lavon staying on nice, lonely country roads. It got kinda exciting (but not in a good way) when I took the long road across the lake and noticed the road had been scored…rather deeply. My bike was weaving all over the place. No place to go but forward. I forged on across that REALLY long road. I made a mental note NOT to go back this way.

I headed north towards Blue Ridge. I was pretty deep out in the country when I noticed a cow grazing next to the road. (outside the fence!) I slowed waaaaaay down and that cow and I just gave each other the eye, neither of us knowing what the other was going to do. A few miles later I looked in my rear view mirror and noticed 3 sport bikes riding really close to me. They followed me into town, through town and I thought back into the country, but they peeled off before I started getting too nervous. Thank goodness. Thought they might hassle this lonely cruiser rider. LOL. I headed back out into the country but stopped for a few pics first. I love old buildings so my first pic was a really old looking house.
http://www.texasbreeze.com/photo/albums/userpics/10001/normal_DSC01386.jpg
Heading back into the country, I passed the town of Frognot. I was able to whip my camera out quick enough to get a pic their water tower.
http://www.texasbreeze.com/photo/albums/userpics/10001/normal_DSC01391.jpg
Heading deeper into the country I noticed how it was clouding up quite a bit.
http://www.texasbreeze.com/photo/albums/userpics/10001/normal_DSC01398.jpg

http://www.texasbreeze.com/photo/albums/userpics/10001/normal_DSC01399.jpg
I stopped for a few more pictures before seeing on my left an entire herd of buffalo. There were lot’s of little baby buffalo. They were so cute!!
http://www.texasbreeze.com/photo/albums/userpics/10001/normal_DSC01400.jpg
http://www.texasbreeze.com/photo/albums/userpics/10001/normal_DSC01407.jpg
The funny thing was I suppose they considered me a threat, but they all started running towards me and “herding up”. Looking back I think they were protecting all the baby buffalo. LOL I HAD to stop for a few pics of the herd.
http://www.texasbreeze.com/photo/albums/userpics/10001/normal_DSC01410.jpg
http://www.texasbreeze.com/photo/albums/userpics/10001/normal_DSC01411.jpg
http://www.texasbreeze.com/photo/albums/userpics/10001/normal_DSC01413.jpg
I recognized a road Ash and I had taken during a poker run awhile back. It’s a very rolling road and fun to ride on. The only bad thing is there is no shoulder whatsoever. The clouds in front of me started getting darker and thicker and I thought it might be a good idea to stop and put my rain gear on, but…..no shoulder.
http://www.texasbreeze.com/photo/albums/userpics/10001/normal_DSC01420.jpg
I forged on as the rain started getting heavier. Luckily before I got too soaked I found a place to pull off. The ride back was off and on rain. Stupid weather people never get it right. They had said the rain would be south and west of here so I figured if I rode north and east I’d be clear. NOT!! Oh well…it did add to the adventure. LOL.
http://www.texasbreeze.com/photo/albums/userpics/10001/normal_DSC01417.jpg

It was a GREAT ride and I’m glad I took it.
lil_bear
04-01-2006, 05:20 PM
Sounds like a really great ride. Thanks for the pics and write up..
BTW is that a lil teddy bear I see riding with you?
Mer
04-01-2006, 05:38 PM
Sounds like a really great ride. Thanks for the pics and write up..
BTW is that a lil teddy bear I see riding with you?
Thanks lil_bear! Why yes that is a little teddy bear that rides with me. Actually it's a buddy bear that I got from Kathy. She has one too although not sure if she found a place for the little guy to ride yet. LOL.:biker: I have a thing for little bears. I've got a little one at work on my computer that is dressed up in a bee costume. LOL. Cracks me up everytime! My MIL gave me a little bear that she played with when she was a kid. It's really fragile and well loved.
spotbeagle
04-01-2006, 05:50 PM
What an awesome ride. There used to be a couple of buffalo farms (I've been told they were actually American bison) near where i used to live, and I'd occassionally just pull over and oggle at them. Such interesting creatures. The farms are few and far between now.


Thought they might hassle this lonely cruiser rider. LOL.

If they were any of the sportbikers we know, they'd never give you any hassle. For us, it's all about just being able to ride, whether you ride a sportbike, a cruiser, a Gold Wing, etc.
Mer
04-01-2006, 05:54 PM
If they were any of the sportbikers we know, they'd never give you any hassle. For us, it's all about just being able to ride, whether you ride a sportbike, a cruiser, a Gold Wing, etc.

I was just teasing, although I was getting a little worried since they were riding me so close. I'd have been worried about ANY group of bikers following me that close and for that long.:biker:
southernspirit
04-01-2006, 06:15 PM
Great write up and pics! Nice to see you start posting your riding stories again. I remember you posting alot of them on the old forum. We all enjoyed them so much! I know I did.
Those baby buffs are soooooooooooooo cute! I'm glad you got to ride. I did yard work today.....:( If I'm lucky I might can get out and ride a bit tomorrow if the weather holds out.
christhisguy
04-01-2006, 08:24 PM
http://jbouzou.free.fr/carpediem/14/tatanka_2.jpg

TATANKA!
;)

Great write-up/pics...
Missy B
04-01-2006, 09:54 PM
Sounds like a great ride, Mer! :woot: That's awesome to just go and get lost.

Thanks for the pics and writeup.
:woot:
Mer
04-02-2006, 08:28 AM
Sounds like a great ride, Mer! :woot: That's awesome to just go and get lost.

Thanks for the pics and writeup.
:woot:

Yea that's the beauty of having a GPS! I can explore to my hearts content and when I'm ready for home I can tell the GPS to get me home. Another great thing is I have a record of where I actually did ride.:biker: It's all good.
Cindy
04-02-2006, 09:03 AM
Yea that's the beauty of having a GPS! I can explore to my hearts content and when I'm ready for home I can tell the GPS to get me home. Another great thing is I have a record of where I actually did ride.:biker: It's all good.

Yep, that's the reason I got a gps. I was out riding and got lost, had to call Paul to tell me how to get home....embarassing. Now I don't know how I got along without it.

Nice pics! Sometimes the solitude of a solo ride is just what the doctor ordered.
Mer
04-02-2006, 10:01 AM
Yep, that's the reason I got a gps. I was out riding and got lost, had to call Paul to tell me how to get home....embarassing. Now I don't know how I got along without it.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...too funny!!! You gotta love a GPS!!
MsPotatoPotatoHead
04-03-2006, 09:11 AM
Great ride story, Mer! Those buffies are mighty cute and I love that old house pic you took. Frognot.....what a great town name!
jenniferb
04-03-2006, 11:25 AM
Great ride! I'm hoping to do some more solo riding this year. Hearing and seeing all of your adventures makes me want to get going!

Hopefully I won't have to rely on my gps to get me home though. I can't wander too far until I get a handle bar mount for it!
Bugguts
04-03-2006, 11:57 AM
Sounds like a great ride! Thanks for posting the pics!
Mer
04-03-2006, 05:44 PM
Thanks everyone! It's funny how a few years ago the thought of riding by myself scared the crud out of me. I don't give it a second thought now. While I do enjoy riding with others ....some of my most relaxing and enjoyable rides have been by myself.
Bull1189
04-03-2006, 05:50 PM
Mer,
That's pretty cool stuff. I love the buffalo pics. Glad they are behind a fence! Might just have to get me a gps, you guys get so much use out of yours.
Mike
Cinder
04-03-2006, 10:55 PM
Thanks for the great pics Mer!
Clair
04-04-2006, 11:00 AM
Nice ride, nice write up. What GPS unit do you have?

Cows and Buffalo are nothing to us out here. We have lots of open range land which makes it tons of fun. On our CO trip last year, as Todd and I crested a mountain pass we saw a yellow sign ... COW CROSSING ... and not 50 feet around the bend there they were, ON the road, some sitting, some standing, none really in the mood to move. LOL IT does make for a interesting time, doesn't it?

Now, next time go try to find a stretch of road that has a herd of sheep on it! Then you can avoid A) the very overly protective sheep dog, and B) all the slick sheep poo on the road! LOL

When you gonna come west and ride with us??? :-)
Missy B
04-04-2006, 12:24 PM
When you gonna come west and ride with us??? :-)


YEAH, what he said!! June 2-5?? :mrgreen:
TJay
04-04-2006, 02:22 PM
I have a question. What's the advantage of a GPS over a map?
Missy B
04-04-2006, 02:44 PM
Great question TJay. I dont have a GPS, but my initial answers...

A map is harder to store than a GPS.

The GPS is gadgety. You can download trips with maps, etc, and I dont know how they fully operate, but its all automatic, where the map is labor. LOL
Mer
04-04-2006, 06:01 PM
Great question TJay. I dont have a GPS, but my initial answers...

A map is harder to store than a GPS.

The GPS is gadgety. You can download trips with maps, etc, and I dont know how they fully operate, but its all automatic, where the map is labor. LOL
LOL...I am DEFINITELY a gadget person. The GPS is nice because you always know what direction your going, where you'be been (it stores the info and you can look at it on a computer when you get home!), and another big perk is that you can find a place to eat by asking the GPS to locate a restaurant in the area or a gas station. I would never be able to read much less see a map while I was riding, but I can see the GPS with no problem. Mine (the Garmin V) will warn you a mile or so before you need to make a turn. It's actually pretty easy to use on the bike. There are alot of roads that are not on a map, but most of the GPS software is pretty up to date so that's not a problem. It's also nice if you find a really cool place you want to return to at some point. You can save it on the GPS to return later. I also love looking at all the stats when I get back: average speed, top speed, miles, etc. It's all good. Randy hardwired mine to my bike so I don't even need batteries. OH YEA!! He has the Garmin Quest which is really nice, color screen and much faster processing.
Missy B
04-04-2006, 06:39 PM
Mer, this might seem like a dumb question, but saw some GPS in Target this past weekend. Are they the same as any other GPS, or ? Is there something one DOESNT want in a GPS, or a feature that isnt standard that one shouldnt live without?

I'd love to get one for our June trip. Which, by the way, you ignored. :mrgreen:
Mer
04-04-2006, 06:54 PM
Mer, this might seem like a dumb question, but saw some GPS in Target this past weekend. Are they the same as any other GPS, or ? Is there something one DOESNT want in a GPS, or a feature that isnt standard that one shouldnt live without?

I'd love to get one for our June trip. Which, by the way, you ignored. :mrgreen:

We'll I'm not the expert for sure, that's Randy. LOL. I do know that you do want a screen big enough to see, easy software to use, fast processing, enough memory is a big one and rechargeble batteries. That's what I want in a GPS, but others may be happy with a little one without all the bells and whistles. Randy's GPS is better than mine IMO, but for what I use it for it's perfect. We use his on the longer trips.:biker:
Ash
04-05-2006, 04:23 PM
I recognized a road Ash and I had taken during a poker run awhile back. It’s a very rolling road and fun to ride on. The only bad thing is there is no shoulder whatsoever. ...

It was a GREAT ride and I’m glad I took it.


Looking forward to doing that route with you again. Those old buildings, town squares (and buffalo) are great. Nice story.