HOTH Welcome Home Mission – Pony Express

[markwells]

[markwells]

Short Notice Short Notice

Welcome home Pony Express style mission for: 211th RSG, HHD. Two bus loads of soldiers will be traveling from North Ft. Hood to Corpus Christi. Austin PGR will accompany the busses from just north of Jarrell to New Braunfels

Date: Friday, 20 November 2009

Location: Rest Area just north of Jarrell,Texas 0n the SOUTHBOUND side of IH35 Directions: Going north on IH35, Take exit 282-A, come back southbound to Rest Area.
Austin Staging: 0600 – 0615 hrs staging (6:00 – 6:15 am) 0620 hrs briefing at the rest stop.
Timeline for 211th RSG,HHD:

1.0530 Hrs – Depart North Fort Hood with the Killeen group at the Entry/Exit Gate – Highway 36 and 18th Street outside of Gatesville .
2. 0630 Hrs – Rendezvous with Austin group at the Rest Area near Salado IH-35 Exit 281.
3. 0815 Hrs – Stop at Pilots Truck Stop, IH35 Exit 184, in New Braunfels for Breakfast to-go — I recommend this be the rendezvous point for the San Antonio Group.
4. 1015 Hrs – Rendezvous with Corpus Christi Group at Highway 37/281 Exit 82 Rest Area in Three Rivers.
5. 1200 Hrs – Arrive Corpus Christi Army Reserve Center.

Please consider the above itinerary times do not account for work traffic in Killeen, Austin, San Antonio and Corpus Christi

Weather forecast: Low mid-60s., high low 70's, 80% change of rain. Bring your rain gear and sufficient amount of drinking water. Hydrate the night before and in the AM. A small non-perishable food ration is also highly recommended.

Notes: The busses are scheduled to depart Fort Hood for Corpus Christi on Friday, 20 November at 0530.

Parking: Please follow local ride captain instructions.
Procession: Austin PGR will accompany the two busses to the Pilot Truck Stop at Exit 184 near New Braunfels. Arrive at the rest stop fully fueled, as the procession to the truck stop is approximately 98 miles with no intermediate stops. This could be a 2 hr ride, so please consider the condition of yourself and your bike before committing to do it.

Ride Captain: Robert Stancil
Austinplastering@sbcglobal.net

[markwells]

I am currently planning on

Leaving: Georgetown Texas somewhere around 03:30
It is real easy to find me in the dark … with my red oscillating rear led and a lot of reflective tape. Most people think I am a police officer … until they get next to me.

If anyone wants to join for the ride up let me know.

Fueling up at: Shell 4205 South SH-36 Gatesville, TX

PGR Staging: The parking lot across from the North Fort Hood (NFH) Gate, located on the SE corner of the intersection of Hwy 36 and 18th Street,

I hope to ride in a majority of the stages 😉

[markwells]

Will y'all be needing any support coming thru Buda?? I work just north of the 217 exit in Kyle/Buda & usually get to work around 8 am but can change this if needed…

Road Construction Warning! Traffic under the exit 217 overpass narrows down to two lanes just before the bridge. Also, per the TXDOT flashing signs, there are various lane closures from 9 pm to I believe sunrise-ish from mile marker 217 southwards. I don't know how far it lasts cuz I don't go that far south…

[markwells]

Leaving from McDonalds in Buda for Salado at 5:00 am if anyone wants to join the ride.

[markwells]

I just got a phone call from one of our employees, she is on I35 in Austin, she called me to let me know how cool it is, what she just saw. She said some guy on a really cool blue bike (Robert), and a bunch of his friends with "Big Flags" on their bikes were escorting a couple of busses through town. She and everyone in the car were VERY IMPRESSED, and wanted to say "THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO".
Ride Safe !!!

[markwells]

it was pouring in buda,i was there in a class.man you guys are great.motor up

[markwells]

Hey Honda_Silver, I know you were planning on going all the way to the start of this mission then riding several other legs (not just ours). Just curious, how much were you able to do?
I know it had to be a VERY hard day…

[markwells]

“scooterjr wrote:
Hey Honda_Silver, I know you were planning on going all the way to the start of this mission then riding several other legs (not just ours). Just curious, how much were you able to do?
I know it had to be a VERY hard day…”

I hear the rain all night, I woke up early and the rain was even heavier. I showered, dressed and then looked that the weather radar. According to the radar TX-36 was about to be hit with heavier rain. I was going to travel I-35 to Temple and then take TX-36. I have not driven TX-36 before … I would have been alright traveling by night, but I was very concerned with flooding and road drainage.

So I meet the bus at the second stage at the Salado rest area til the Pilot Gas station in New Braufels.

My waterproof gloves were soaked … my boots/socks were wet all the way through … the bottom of my jeans (under my rain pants) leached water to below my knee. I decided it was safest to return home after only one stage. I even ran into heavier rain on the way home.

I would still do it again!! Just with my Timberland boots and more water-repellant spray B)

[markwells]

hell of a fella.

[markwells]

Thanks to everyone who made this mission. I got a couple of emails from the soldiers who were in the busses.. job well done!

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