It's been a bit hot in Texas lately. Be sure to carry water on your bike and drink water often in this heat. Avoid riding in the hottest part of the day.

When I'm out touring in hot weather, I carry water on my bike, wear a mesh jacket, and try to avoid riding from 3 pm to 6 pm. My jacket of choice for riding in hot weather is Klim's Induction Pro Jacket. There are a couple of great sponsors of the tour that sell Klim jackets.

It is important to take breaks when riding in hot weather to hydrate and cool off. During the first year of the tour, one of the tour riders got overheated riding from San Antonio to a hotel on South Padre Island in 100+ temperatures. He told me that he did not drink water along the way.

This chart below, from the Center for Disease Control, shows the symptoms and what to do if someone has heat stroke or heat exhaustion.

Stay hydrated, take breaks, and stay safe on the road.

Riding in the Heat Video

Be sure to review the Rules for Participation, the FAQ (frequently asked questions) page and the reminders on the back of your tour flag. Many rider questions are answered in there.

Be sure to take your pictures and upload your pictures in HIGH RESOLUTION.

Be sure to enter your correct flag number, as pictures uploaded with an incorrect flag number will not receive credit.

Check your picture while still at the tour stop, as you may need to re-take it to get a good picture that will count.

If I notice a copy of "Ride Texas" Magazine in one of your tour stop pictures, I'll give you credit for the bonus. However, you should select "Bonus" (which follows stop 50 on the drop-down list) when you upload a picture with the magazine to receive credit. If you have a picture with the magazine and I did not give you credit, upload it as the "Bonus" picture.

Folks are doing a great job of finding the tour stops and submitting qualifying pictures. However, a few pictures have been submitted that were taken at wrong locations.

Be sure to carefully check the locations and ensure that the tour stop pictures on the website match the tour stop feature where you are at before you take a picture. Be sure that you have the right mural, sign, etc. There are two different motorcycle museums on the tour. Be sure to select the correct one when uploading your picture.

Be sure that your tour flag number is clearly visible in the picture before you upload it to the picture submission portal.

Please do not reply to this newsletter email. Instead, use the "Contact Tour Director" button, if you have a question. Thank you.

We have some great tour sponsors in the lodging business. Click the button below to check their rates and availability.

If you made all 50 tour stops and I have not yet updated your record, please contact me so I can review your pictures out of sequence and update your status.

When the tour ends, I will issue a Tour Update Newsletter that lists all tour finishers (25 or more tour stops).

I have added new tour t-shirts to the Shop Page. These quality t-shirts are from Champion. The tour logo is on front and a Champion logo is on the left sleeve.

As of today, there is only one Tour Hat left in the inventory. They sold fast. I'll order a couple dozen more. If you want one, be sure to submit the order form on the shop page.

Be sure to save the following dates on your calendar for these events.

June 18 - Lone Star Rider's Benefit & Fun Run event to raise funds for the American Diabetes Association. This event will be hosted at Moto Liberty in Addison, TX.

October 1 - Run with the Big Dogs fund raising event for Veterans Assistance Dogs of Texas in Kerrville, TX.

November 15 - Last day to submit pictures to the Picture Submission Portal.

Need to get your picture with Lone Star Rider's trailer (tour stop 44)? He plans to be at the following events:

In accordance with the rules for participation, submission of receipts from specified tour sponsors (up to 3) earn additional points.

Be sure that the name of the sponsor or non-profit, date of purchase or donation is visible on the pictures of receipts that you submit. Be sure to write your flag number (with a pen) on the receipts that you submit.

If a receipt for lodging or food is to be split by a couple, write both of your flag numbers on the receipt. The split receipt would need to be uploaded twice (one for each participant).

Sponsors whose receipts earn points are:

BONUS POINTS – For five (5) bonus points, take one picture of your bike at a tour stop with your tour flag and a copy of Ride Texas magazine. You pick the tour stop location, but only submit one picture. Submitting multiple pictures with the magazine in the picture will not increase the bonus points – just send one. The Ride Texas bonus points selection is right after stop 50 on the drop-down selector in the picture portal. For a list of where you can get an issue of Ride Texas magazine, see this link.

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American Diabetes Association (Lone Star Rider's Mission)

To make donations to Lone Star Rider's Fund Raising page for the American Diabetes Association (ADA), submit a picture of the receipt you receive via email from the ADA. When you fill-out the on-line donation form, put your name in the "name recognition box" and in the personal note box, enter a note to state that you are participating in the Motorcycle Grand Tour of Texas.