Southeast Texas DOC

Southeast Texas DOC
Rides & Events Gallery
Ride to the Races — April 15, 2007

"We're off to the races!" And indeed we were. It was our annual Ride to the Races, up to Texas World Speedway at College Station for the third round of the 2007 Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association (CMRA) sprints.

It was a nippy April Sunday morning. A broad mix of bikes was parked outside Denny's while their owners discussed the day to come over breakfast. It wasn't just club members. This time the friends they brought along outnumbered the regulars. And the Ducatis were probably outnumbered by the Aprilia, BMW, Yamahas...and even a Harley! Altogether 13 bikes and 14 riders.

The ride took us out of Houston on US 290, picking up Hegar Road for the turn north. The pleasant twists and turns brought us out on FM 1488. We picked up FM 362 and headed north through spectacular fields of bluebonnets, with spatterings of Indian paint brush, buttercups and poppies. Following the back roads towards Anderson we topped a hill and came face-to-face with a "nowhere else but Texas" scene: A caravan of western-clad riders progressing slowly toward us...on horses and horse-drawn wagons! The horses were pretty skittish of the noisy bikes filing past. With that behind us we stopped for a break in Anderson.

Next on the agenda was the famous FM 3090, arguably one of the ten best motorcycle roads in Texas. The faster riders pulled ahead of the main group to enjoy the exhilaration of ripping along that tortuous strand of asphalt, while the rest took a more moderate pace. One of the fast riders went wide on one of the sneakier turns, enjoying (?!) a short "off-road excursion." Thankfully he didn't drop it and didn't end up stuck in the ravine below. Thoroughly recalibrated by the incident he chose to ride the remainder of FM 3090 with us slowpokes!

Next up was Texas World Speedway and the CMRA motorcycle sprint races. A bad crash shortly after our arrival interrupted the racing action for awhile. We split up into smaller groups and spent the time milling about the paddocks, looking at the race bikes, and watching the races when they resumed. Of course we took the opportunity to ride on the track during the CMRA spectator lap. As the afternoon wore on we left in small groups for the trip home.

Our racer-member Seb was at the track, though not racing in this round. And of great interest was a brand-new 1098S Tricolore someone had ridden in. Folks, Ducati got it right with this beauty. Really right!

Photos by Shiela N. and Carr S.

Geared up for a chilly ride to the track.

At Denny's just before the ride.

The stop in Anderson, watching the horses.

The stop in Anderson.

Bikes lined up at the stop in Anderson.

Some of the bikes at Anderson.

More of the bikes.

Clint's in Anderson.

One last shot in Anderson.

Arrival at Texas World Speedway.

Texas World Speedway.

More Texas World Speedway.

The lineup at TWS.

Stepping back for a shot.

After the parade lap.

2007 1098S Tricolore. Wow!

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Home > Photo Galleries > Rides & Events Gallery > Ride to the Races — April 15, 2007

"We're off to the races!" And indeed we were. It was our annual Ride to the Races, up to Texas World Speedway at College Station for the third round of the 2007 Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association (CMRA) sprints. It was a nippy April Sunday morning. A broad mix of bikes was parked outside Denny's while their owners discussed the day to come over breakfast. It wasn't just club members. This time the friends they brought along outnumbered the regulars. And the Ducatis were probably outnumbered by the Aprilia, BMW, Yamahas...and even a Harley! Altogether 13 bikes and 14 riders. The ride took us out of Houston on US 290, picking up Hegar Road for the turn north. The pleasant twists and turns brought us out on FM 1488. We picked up FM 362 and headed north through spectacular fields of bluebonnets, with spatterings of Indian paint brush, buttercups and poppies. Following the back roads towards Anderson we topped a hill and came face-to-face with a "nowhere else but Texas" scene: A caravan of western-clad riders progressing slowly toward us...on horses and horse-drawn wagons! The horses were pretty skittish of the noisy bikes filing past. With that behind us we stopped for a break in Anderson. Next on the agenda was the famous FM 3090, arguably one of the ten best motorcycle roads in Texas. The faster riders pulled ahead of the main group to enjoy the exhilaration of ripping along that tortuous strand of asphalt, while the rest took a more moderate pace. One of the fast riders went wide on one of the sneakier turns, enjoying (?!) a short "off-road excursion." Thankfully he didn't drop it and didn't end up stuck in the ravine below. Thoroughly recalibrated by the incident he chose to ride the remainder of FM 3090 with us slowpokes! Next up was Texas World Speedway and the CMRA motorcycle sprint races. A bad crash shortly after our arrival interrupted the racing action for awhile. We split up into smaller groups and spent the time milling about the paddocks, looking at the race bikes, and watching the races when they resumed. Of course we took the opportunity to ride on the track during the CMRA spectator lap. As the afternoon wore on we left in small groups for the trip home. Our racer-member Seb was at the track, though not racing in this round. And of great interest was a brand-new 1098S Tricolore someone had ridden in. Folks, Ducati got it right with this beauty. Really right!
Photos by Shiela N. and Carr S.
Geared up for a chilly ride to the track.		At Denny's just before the ride.
The stop in Anderson, watching the horses.		The stop in Anderson.
Bikes lined up at the stop in Anderson.		Some of the bikes at Anderson.
More of the bikes.		Clint's in Anderson.
One last shot in Anderson.		Arrival at Texas World Speedway.
Texas World Speedway.		More Texas World Speedway.
The lineup at TWS.		Stepping back for a shot.
After the parade lap.		2007 1098S Tricolore. Wow!