San Angelo, TX Charity Ride Info

[iamgumby]

Saturday, September 27, 2008; 3rd Annual "Military Firefighter Heritage Foundation Charity Ride"; PO Box 60241 San Angelo, TX 76906.

Pre-Registration Fees: $30.00 includes event T-shirt and BBQ. Pre-Register by September 19, 2008 to guarantee a T-shirt.

Headquarters is at the Rodriguez Ranch on FM2335 about 6 miles South from Hwy 67S

Registeration on the day of the ride is $35.00
Registration is from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM; Ride is from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Biker Games at 4:30 PM
Prizes at 5:00 PM
BBQ and After Party 6:00 PM untill 11:00 PM
Drawing for the 2008 Harley Davidson Nightster is 8:00 PM
Performing:
"Brushfire" 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM
"Zack Huckabee 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM

FYI & details - Family Powersports is hosing information on their site:
http://militaryfirefighterheritage.com/charity.htm

I am not associated with this event beyond being a participant. I am posting this as a courtesy for this event.

[iamgumby]

This is kind of a sorry report as I still don't have a working digital camera. 6 of us left Saturday morning and went to 'Angelo for the event. Camping was pretty primitive - but certainly spacious. The hosts were gracious and a good time was had by all!

We arrived a bit too early; but got camp all set up; didn't bother with lunch. Opening ceremonies was with a military color guard. The ride started at 1 pm; and a good ride it was. About 60 miles if I read my clock right. Others...we won't use any names...made a bit longer ride having missed a turn. It might not have been named right :o but it was flagged :rolleyes: !

I got to meet up with more friends at Family Power Sports and found the DL1000 hand guards I'd ordered for my Banidt were in. :D :D (one for the left and one for the right!) I should have them on this week.

Only bummer of the trip is one of our guy's bikes broke down (but with the loan of a trailer we got him home).

Back from the ride you headed to the hospitality tent (They kept an impressive iced down supply of water and soft drinks readily avialable at no additional cost) to draw your 5 cards. I pulled an impressive hand - the closest I had to a pair was that two were from the same suit!

There was a 'slow contest', a 'ball on traffic cone' contest and 'bite the weenie' contest after dinner. Dinner?! OH, yeah! Brisket, potato salad, red beans and all the trimmings!

I counted at least 60 bikes in camp that evening - but there were so many coming and going - it's hard to say how many were there. Well attended? Yes.

Around 7 pm the bands started. At 8 pm was the drawing for the HD Nightster...had I won it this post would have started completely different! The bands continued until...well I dunno...I went to bed at Midnight and they were still going.

And two days of picture perfect weather! Highs were around 86F; lows in the mid 50's, no rain and no wind. Life was good!

We will go back! :D

[Jay S.]

Is that an annual event? I'm right up the road in Abilene and would love to head down for that with some friends next year.

[Jay S.]

iamgumby,

Hey thanks for posting up the pics of your long trip. A friend and I are doing a 4K mile ride next June from Abilene to Seattle. I will see a lot of the same highway you rode. Going over to the Grand Canyon and then north through Utah (My Dad is buried there, gotta stop and say hello) then through Yellowstone Park into southern Idaho and along the Washington/Oregon border which is a nice ride along the Columbia River and then north into Seattle. Then east over into Montana and south through Wyoming and Colorado, up Pikes Peak and south back into Texas. Should be a blast! Any tips/advice? Thanks.

JS

[iamgumby]

Yes, that is an annual event. Just search for that event name next year. We had a great time - met lots of nice folks - and it's a good cause.

You will love that ride! I'm wanting to make a ride up the Pacific Coast one of these days. I'll prolly just have to twist off and go do it!

My advice is to make sure that you cover your bases in regards to the weather. Easy to leave TX at 95F and get to I-40 and find 45F :mad: (experienced that one) - the more gear you have that is capable of double duty the better off you are. Chunk the Interstates for the State hottops (unless you just gotta make time). Every 3 or 4 days you need one full day off the bike - your body will thank you! Take a bunch of pics - because it sucks to get screwed out of vacations or change jobs and have to miss rides - and ya gotta have something to look back on and motivate you for the next one!

[Jay S.]

Thanks for the advice bro. Much appreciated. I'm still kicking around the idea of getting a gel seat before the trip. I'm pretty sure Santa is leaving engine guards and highway pegs under the tree this year so I have my gear pretty much covered. Got a good jacket and rain gear. I am also considering some riding pants/leathers too. I don't plan on much interstate riding if at all possible. I want to see the stuff most people don't get to see. I'm military so I don't have to worry about job changes anytime soon, but I have put off this type of ride for way too long. I'm hoping to get in a cross country ride at least every other year after this first one. Thanks again for the help. I'll keep checking next summer for the San Angelo ride. I actually love to ride there every now and then on a saturday. I take 83 down and 277 home or vice versa. I have a couple friends at Goodfellow that I grab some lunch with. Anyway, I rambled on enough.

[iamgumby]

Have your friends intoduce you to 'Burma Road' - on the west side of 'Angelo. Cut a choggie west out of Blackwell on FM1170 and it will take you to Maryneal onto FM608 and hook you back up with 70 and your return road to Abilene will be on FM89 through Nolan and Buffalo Gap. Keep an eye out for a muffler tip on that road :D seems I lost one last year! ;)

[Jay S.]

I've probably ridden it already. I think I have riden every west Texas road there is at least once. Hehe. But I will check it out just for good measure!