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Moved to Houston the right way form San Diego

2K views 27 replies 16 participants last post by  sleepsontoilet 
#1 · (Edited)
Moved to Houston the right way from San Diego

I just took the 4 day route here (not touching I-10.)
Took a few dirt roads thru Southern Arizona into Tombstone, Az. Then a wash up to I-10. After getting into El Paso got south of I-10 & took a dirt road into Van Horn. There along side Hwy 90 had a dirt road beside Hwy 90 from Alpine to Del Rio. Pretty impressed with the Baja terrain in West Texas from town to town. Ups & downs with quick turns & lots of jumps with the WTF big dips bottoming out plenty of times. Then road would go off following the train tracks back in the wilderness. Over 300 miles of Baja style terrain just in Texas.

What made this trip even more insane was the 8" of snow & 25mph winds. That the Weather Channel did not tell me about 2 days before leaving. I heard I-10 was closed & looking over on hwy 90 it was iced over with no plows. My snow trail was smooth & no issues. Actually safer than the hwy.

So, I just moved to Houston (Spring) today & will be looking for some wheeling buddies to take some trips towards Austin & other crawling areas. BTW-Any real fab guys or off road racers around here? Hoping to start building another race truck & keep racing SCORE races & maybe start racing the Texas Desert Racing races.

Woke up in El Paso to snow????


About to head off down a wash on the border of Mexico. Its snowing in mainland Mex...


I had to put the complete top on & then stuff dirty underwear & shirts behind my head to keep the freezing 25mph winds out of the Jeep.



Hwy 90 pretty dangerous
 
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#2 ·
The trail hugging the rail road tracks to Alpine, Tx for 100 miles







Ice trail shows me keeping 55-60mph down the trail hauling the mail. Had to stop twice to chip away the snow build up on leaf springs & between the wheel & body. Hitting a few ups & downs & suspension was bottoming out to soon.



No cell service or map to tell me where this trail went under the tracks. I took it anyway for 45 miles. Until I saw a town of Sanderson, Tx



Pulling onto the road in Sanderson, Tx


 
#3 ·
My Dog checking over the Jeep before Day 3




Heading out towards to trail head




Had to pull onto the Hwy so you could see the terrian of the dirt road for the next 150 miles



Taking this dirt road at 65mph you get some crazy jump & fun fast twists around trees. With ever so often fast stops or turns onto the hwy because of a rock creek or ditch with trees.



Had to turn around & shot a photo of this jump & step up. I took at about 50mph....


Then this little body of water was the end of this dirt road. But, what an end & awesome view.

 
#5 · (Edited)
So why here? Job? Family? Or just wanted to get away?

Like I said in the other thread, there are a good number of us here, mostly in your area or at least on the north to northwest side of Houston, that get together regularly.

Local parks in our area:
General Sams. General Sam's Offroad Park - Huntsville Texas - ATV Riding Trails & Camping
Shiloh Ridge. http://shilohridge.com/
Barnwell Mountains (BMRA). Barnwell Mountain Recreation Area
Hidden Falls. Hidden Falls Adventure Park - Marble Falls, Texas
Katemcy (K2). Katemcy Rocks Rock Crawling Texas Style, Directions
 
#6 · (Edited)
Oh, and not much for real technical off-road fab shops around here. Drag race, roundly round, performance, yes, but much in the rock crawling desert racing stuff. We pretty much all do our own work. The only place that even comes to mind is a little place by me called Javier's. I think they ran 20th or so in their class at KOH last year (or maybe it was the year before).
 
#8 ·
Thanks for the links not to far to drive. Typical drive in Socal is 1-3hrs anyway to Ocotillo Wells, Big Bear or The Hammers.

Moved here out of needing a change of scenery. I got family here.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Distance, HF and BMRA are the same. Time wise, BMRA is faster.

A closer alternative is Shiloh Ridge, but A lot of people here hate Shiloh. It has a bad rep as drunk'n idiots getting killed. From what I have found, if it is not an event weekend, it's empty and open. I like 1500 acres to myself to do what I want. :smokin: Plus, there is plenty to do there to get yourself in trouble. Gotta make mountains out of mole hills out here. We just don't have the terrain as the western areas. It just is what it is.

We are hoping to go somewhere here soon. Hopefully within a month or so.
 
#12 ·
What about Brazos Valley Off-Road Ranch?
I'm going to head up next Sunday 1/13 to go see the place & try it out. Looks like if you attend the meeting you get to wheel.

Anyone interested in going let me know.
 
#13 ·
Going hunting next weekend, so I'm out. That place is kind of an "invite only" or if you have a big group, they will open up. Kind of strange. I haven't been, but wouldn't mind going. From my understanding, it's not all that difficult of a place. Knowing the area, there is very little elevation change and mostly sandy, so can't be too hard. :homer: famous last words.
 
#14 ·
From what I read its free to wheel if you attend the Bryan offroad club meeting on 1st & 2nd Sunday of the month & donate $5. So, I'm game for that. There was plenty of youtube vids on the place. That looked like fun. Nothing core but oh well
 
#15 ·
Welcome to Houston. Where are you working?

Rttoys pretty much covered all the wheeling. I am sure there might be places for more the desert style stuff you like, but its not going to be a park or official place.
 
#17 ·
FWIW I used to work at Javier's GCCS, just opened a new place here in Houston - www.bravemotorsports.com. We raced KOH in 2011, race Baja Racing of Texas, and will race Dirt Riot this year. Texas offroad racing is growing!! Got a couple of new Ultra4 cars in the making. Feel free to drop by anytime and check it out!

Badass looking trip btw!
 
#22 ·
Awesome trip report! Never knew you could do a trip like that from Cali to here. There are more places then others had listed to wheel. Houston sucks when it comes to wheeling anywhere "near by". You're going to have to drive 3 or more hours to get anywhere good.
Also Dave G is the man when it comes to off road fab in Houston!
There's a group of us from the south side of Houston going to Trees Ranch Feb 15-17 if ya want to join, you're more then welcome
link to Trees
Trees Ranch Offroad
 
#25 ·
Somehow I missed this, I rarely check this part of PBB but welcome to Houston...Where did you settle? If your in the NW let me know and we'll grab lunch.

If you were wanting a change you'll get that here for sure.
 
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