Mini Dana Peak Bike Fest April 9th-11th

[The Tip 846]

I really miss going to the Desert Fests in Big Bend. So much fun. Ride, socialize in the evening, repeat the next day. But I don't miss the 16 hour round trip drive to get there!

So a group of us are replicating that experience at Dana Peak on Friday April 9th to Sunday April 11th. We already have 25, mostly SATN riders, that have reservations for either an RV site or a tent site. There are three Friday RV sites left and five Saturday spots left. There are also lots of tent sites available. 

Just like the Desert Fest, here's an opportunity to see old friends and make new ones. Grab a spot now, decide later if you can go or not. It only costs $10 to cancel

https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232570/availability

Or, just plan on coming out for some day riding. Most of the folks that are planning on coming have never been to Dana Peak. So it would be great if those that have been there would come out to lead a group.

 

[St.Bernardo 216]

Will plan on getting up there for this.  For me, probably a shorter drive to Belton than SATN.  LOL.

[The Tip 846]

8 minutes ago, St.Bernardo said:

Will plan on getting up there for this.  For me, probably a shorter drive to Belton than SATN.  LOL.

Cool. Are you planning on camping?

[TheX 1,829]

I assume I can park my truck, and use the truck bed tent in the tent spots?

[ATXZJ 2,114]

like to do a daytrip up there. 

[St.Bernardo 216]

2 hours ago, The Tip said:

Cool. Are you planning on camping?

Not sure.  It's an easy day trip from RR.  I am calculating.....

[The Tip 846]

5 hours ago, TheX said:

I assume I can park my truck, and use the truck bed tent in the tent spots?

I would think so.

Dana Peak  254-698-4282 

But they are closed for the winter. I haven't been able to get a hold of them.

 

[TheX 1,829]

1 hour ago, The Tip said:

I would think so.

Dana Peak  254-698-4282 

But they are closed for the winter. I haven't been able to get a hold of them.

 

Thank you, I really want to do this..

[St.Bernardo 216]

What area of the camp ground are you trying to be in?

[TheX 1,829]

...

Edited January 6 by TheX

[St.Bernardo 216]

Cool, but was looking at getting a tent site in the vicinity of everyone else.

B

[The Tip 846]

1 hour ago, St.Bernardo said:

Cool, but was looking at getting a tent site in the vicinity of everyone else.

 

https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232570/availability

Look at the link. You can book from there

Cherokee Drive and Camp Loop are the roads in the Dana Peak camping area

Edited January 6 by The Tip

[Barry 1,091]

Looking at April 9, there are already 23 of the 34 available sites already sold out. Is that largely folks doing this event? It seems if you're interested in camping for this, you have to jump on it. 

[St.Bernardo 216]

Reserved Tent spot 04 for Friday and Saturday.

[Barry 1,091]

We grabbed spot 12. I know the place reasonably well and could help with navigating some rides. 

[Andrzej 31]

When I first heard about this and booked my site there were only a handful of spots reserved.  I know about 8 people personally that booked sites so I imagine about 75% of those sites reserved are mountain bikers for this event. Gonna be gnarly!

[The Tip 846]

21 hours ago, Barry said:

Looking at April 9, there are already 23 of the 34 available sites already sold out. Is that largely folks doing this event? It seems if you're interested in camping for this, you have to jump on it. 

Yup, it's a thang bro.  😄

Like Andy said, I would guess at least 75% of the booked sites are for the event.

That's why I encourage folks that are on the fence to book now and decide later. You can always pass along your reservation to someone that has decided later on to go if you find you can't so it wouldn't even cost the $10 cancellation fee.

[AustinBike 2,069]

If vaccines come in early I would easily drive up there for the day, but not counting on it at this point, just keeping it on the calendar in case.

[The Tip 846]

On 1/7/2021 at 6:55 PM, AustinBike said:

If vaccines come in early I would easily drive up there for the day, but not counting on it at this point, just keeping it on the calendar in case.

Covid-wise I am not worried about this event. We've been camping a lot this year and we have never felt unsafe. Camping is not issue.

I have also participated in group rides.  Even doing post ride imbibing in a group circle. We just insure more spacing. So there will be a pretty big circle around the communal fire. But it should work. We just have to be ever diligent about spacing

I have yet to read anything about any super spreader OUTDOOR events. 

[AustinBike 2,069]

I haven't made it this far to blow it all. Wife had open heart surgery and that was a huge ordeal last year. Knowing how covid messes with hearts, I am not about to ruin everything she worked so hard for. Not worth it, unfortunately. We'll see where the jabs line up.

[TheX 1,829]

Everyone has the right to their own level of comfort with the virus.

[AustinBike 2,069]

1 hour ago, The Tip said:

 

I have yet to read anything about any super spreader OUTDOOR events. 

Lots of outdoor "political rallies" were super spreaders. So, yes, outdoor events can also be an issue. Some may think the risk is low, but you cannot ignore the fact that there is some level of risk in almost anything that involves human contact, it is up to each individual to assess their own safety.

[circuitbreaker 128]

On 1/9/2021 at 8:19 AM, The Tip said:

I have yet to read anything about any super spreader OUTDOOR events. 

I guess you missed the party in the rose garden?

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/fauci-calls-amy-coney-barrett-ceremony-rose-garden-superspreader-event-n1242781

 

[GFisher 439]

I avoid crowded trails, but still ride a lot and can't avoid very brief close contact. I am not comfortable following people though. With the heavy breathing and extended exposure, no way I would ride in the back of a long line on singetrack. Just my thoughts of course, but whatever we are doing as a collective society clearly isn't working very well (if you believe the news).

[AustinBike 2,069]

The good news is that the situation, as bad as it is here in TX, will start to subside around the end of this month. We've been spiking from a series of holidays where people were too damn selfish to not share the disease with their families. Right now we are getting to the end of that (hopefully). Combine that with the beginning of the vaccine rollout and you have a glide path to flattening of these spikes. If by the end of Feb things are rolling downhill, April may be in the cards. But if you are still breaking new records daily, that's a bigger issue. Despite all of my pessimism today, by April things *should* be better than today. I continue to monitor.