Time to talk dollars and opportunities.

Dave hasn't bit yet, so I think he is likely not "really into" a long foray to Texas to go riding with the cactus guys.

MM is up for it and Old_rider is up for it, but Oldie is in Florida so New Orleans would be the only logical join up spot if we each started from home base.   That's like half way to Leaky Texas, so I think Oldie is going to be making his own trekking/hauling plans.

MM and I could meet up in Atlanta or I could drive up to MM's place and stay a day and show him some new lead slinging guns like he's never seen before.    Or we could just meet in Atlanta at a set place and load him up on the trailer.



Cost vs Other Opportunities

It is a 1,500 mile trip one way, or 3,000 miles in a car.   Travel time is 22 hours one way or 42 hours spent in a car.

3,000 miles at 20 miles per gallon =  150 gallons of gas x $2.40 a gallon  =  $360 in gas

OK, what with eating while driving and getting more rotten gas mileage because you are speeding, lets say it is $400 just in pure travel dollars.   Actually, it would be closer to $450 because you get gouged for gas prices and for your food on the interstate all the time and when you speed when going uphill the gas goes quicker.

For a lot less than $400 dollars I could give a "free" weekend at Big Dog or Blue Ridge.   A lot less than $400.   Actually, a smaller cabin free weekend at Simple Life would still fit inside my half share of a Texas trip (if split between 2 people).



Dave, we have never been to your farm.   You wanna give us a consolation destination and see if MM can get excited about a spring trip to come see you at your neck of the woods?   He could just ride his bike that far and we could pitch a tent in your back 40 for accommodations.    Can you shoot a gun on your farm without upsetting the neighbors, or are they too close in?  

WWYWT?      (what would your wife think?)

MM wants to go somewhere in the spring and he has done the Texas trip before after all.   He might like a trip to go visit Dave perfectly well.

MM,

Dave ain't interested in Texas, but mebbe he'll host us in his cow patty pasture instead.

You have always said you wanted to explore up that way, so here's your chance.

Dave's is like 5 hours away for both you and me.   Cheap trip, so this means we can take Dave and company out to eat and do stuff like that for what we would spend in gas just to GET to Texas.

Never met his wife, never seen his farm or his surroundings, ever, in my whole life.  

He is in day ride range of both Indiana and Ohio, states I have never touched, ever.


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I mean, really, I was born in Texas and made trips to see Granny about every 4-5 years growing up so I kinda know about Texas already.    I remember the trip, too --- loonnng trip.


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Seriously, for the amount of gas money we'd spend just to get to Texas one way we could just rove and stay in cheapie hotels all over wherever the heck we went.   Wherever that might be.   Heck, we could even take Dave with us for the same price.

21 hours in a car just to get to Texas.   5 hours on your bike to go see Dave.   Eat out nice places.  Rove.  2 extra days to do it in (time not spent in a car).   Better roads to ride.  Cheaper, too.

Heck, I might just ride my bike, since it is only 5-6 hours out and Hwy 15 looks like a sorta interesting way to get there.  
Curvey curley, Curvy curley  weeeeee !!!  
That would up my travel to 8 hours with rest stops, but it would be worth it.  Have Fun on the way up no less.

Springman,

You'd like one of our roving trips.    We look at a map and plot out some Price Line cheapie hotels along the way (and I mean the $39 roach hotels) and we carry a change of clothes with us and that's about it.   Endless adventure, no constraints about what we do before we light for the day.   Since they are prepaid, we can light between 12:00 noon and midnight, no problems.

I like shorter smaller trips better, anyway.   You can do more of them.

I would be happy to provide a base camp for riding in this area.  We can shoot on the property, we can fish on the property (and eat catfish for supper as long as MM knows how to clean and cook them), and I have an outdoor shower for cleaning up in.  I even have enough garage space you can pitch a tent in the garage!

There are some really good rides around this area - and it might provide a way that some of the local guys could hook up with us.....the ones who can't get away to the TN/NC/TX area.  It doesn't have to replace the Texas event......might/ could be an option for an early summer event once our spring rains are out of the way.

I am with you old rider. I did the bulk of my expenditures of the Sisters ride was for food. If I can get my bike to where I am comfortable (meaning my butt and back don't hurt after an hour), I am keen on doing a long ride. And riding the bike is a lot less expensive than hauling the bike.

Dave wrote on 09/25/15 at 14:31:05:


OK, we Gots New Places to Ride and some well known good old places to ride.

Dave has a farm with shooting & fishing and roads to ride.   There are good roads to ride on the way up to Dave's Farm.

Old_Rider has FLORIDA and a place to spot us.

MM has a mountain farm with a valley to shoot across (350 yards, easy).   MM has a fully equipped game room and barns and all sorts of stuff.

We got the Dragon area proper, with The Big Dog waiting for us to get enough people to make it worth while.

We got Blue Ridge, with Cabin #4 just waiting for us.

We got Texas, for those who want to go that far to dodge armadillos and rattlesnakes and scorpions.   Got some funny RED EYED Thumper-rabbits up there, mean toothy lookin' critters to say the least.

Did I mention there is a 20 pound catfish in my pond?

Oldfeller--FSO wrote on 09/26/15 at 16:07:58:

OldPoop, er OldFeller will fit right in with the Tx-- chicken rustlers, in North Carolina they go fishing with shot guns too. (Or in his case a hand held cannon...)