Miami to Bakersfield, want'n to stay out of Texas

[Louis Le Tour]

Is it at all feasible to swing up into OK and avoid most of Texas?  I've heard altogether too many horror stories about the Texas police in small towns jack'n people up and rip'n them off.

[John Nettles]

Short answer is yes.  I have toured both in Texas and Oklahoma and both are fine to tour in.  If anything, I have found the opposite to be true in that small town police are helpful.

[staehpj1]

Sure, but I doubt both the premise that "Texas police in small towns jack'n people up and rip'n them off" is a common occurrence and the notion that going into Oklahoma would be any better.  I have only toured a bit in Oklahoma, in the western part, but I doubt you will find it all that much different than Texas.

I found Texas to be a fine place to tour other than the fact that I found the scenery pretty uninspiring for the most part.  The food and the people were great. That is all true of most of the Southern Tier though.

I actually saw very few cops in Texas other than border patrol, but the ones I did meet were nice enough.  Border patrol never bothered me either despite my wild camping in plain sight.  The young guy who I rode with some of the time did attract more attention from the border patrol, probably because he is young and looks like he could be Hispanic.  They didn't really bother him much though.  They just stopped a few times and asked him where he was from and where he was going.  I don't think they ever even asked him for ID and they never delayed him more than a minute of so.

[Louis Le Tour]

Ah, that's good news. 

[staehpj1]

Have you started your tour yet?  If not, when are you going?  Going the other direction I found a Feb.-Mar. time frame worked well for me.  I'd advise that you try to go when it is cool, the ST would be terrible in the heat.  Also consider the length of the days they are really short in December.

I think if I were riding the ST again I might use US 90 a lot more than the Adventure Cycling maps show.  Much of US 90 is very nice.

Oh and I 'd try to avoid Houston, traffic was pretty awful there.

[matthewshwn]

Texas has strict property laws. The main issue would be where you chose to camp if you are planning to do so.  Just be careful not to camp on someone's property.  Being shot for trespassing is a very real possibility.

[John Nettles]

Mathew,

Yes, we highly respect people's property, land and otherwise, in this part of the country.  However, Texans, as a whole, are generous and friendly people, especially out in the country.  If you ask permission and act respectful, you generally will be given the OK or at least a suggestion on where else it might be OK to camp.  Usually, the fire departments and/or churches are pretty good options.

John

[JohnBerry]

Another Texan here.  I've never had any problems with the local people or the police in this State.  Just ask, and people will be happy to steer you right.

[Louis Le Tour]

OK, I'm convinced Texas got a bad rap, I'm gonna ride it!

[Venchka]

Is it at all feasible to swing up into OK and avoid most of Texas?  I've heard altogether too many horror stories about the Texas police in small towns jack'n people up and rip'n them off.

By all means, please avoid Texas. Everyone in Oklahoma is either from Texas, has family in Texas, or hunts and fishes in Texas. Better avoid Oklahoma too. Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are scary too.
The preceding is pure fiction. Feel free to ride a bike across Texas. You won't regret it.
"It's like a whole other country."

Wayne




Sent from somewhere around here.