Houston to Austin MS150... [Archive]

BubbaDog

11-08-06, 04:44 PM

General registration is expected to close by this Friday, with the total available slots of 13,000 riders all filled. Tell your friends to get moving if they're planning to ride. Not bad for a ride that doesn't happen until late April 2007. See y'all in LaGrange :D ....

www.ms150.org/ms150/

B'Dog

Orikal

11-10-06, 11:29 AM

"General registration set a new record by closing in less than two months." WOW.

dorado2

11-10-06, 03:36 PM

SpiderMike

11-10-06, 03:42 PM

This will our 1st MS150 ride and I cannot believe all the rooms and B&B are booked. I thought I was ahead of the game. Any recomendations on lodging? Is the camping area a good experience or should we find something out of town? Any information you can give will help us out.

Regards

This year's was my first time. The team I rode with shuttled us all the way to Brenham for Saturday night. Have you looked in Giddings yet?

cuda2k

11-10-06, 04:45 PM

I wanted to do the DFW MS150 this year - starts the day of my graduation ceremony.

Thought I'd look at the Houston-Austin MS150 - the week before final exams of my final semester of Master's.

I may end up doing the SanAntonio to Corpus one in Oct of next year.

kf5nd

11-16-06, 04:42 AM

This guy rents out space at his ranch... you'll have to ship your own tents there in advance to have shelter to sleep under.

Damon NOLAN's Bluff Creek Ranch
537 Owl Creek Road
Box 110
Warda, Texas, 78960
United States
bcrdamon@yahoo.com

I didn't bother registering for MS150. I'm going up self-supported a day early, then going to help at my team's finish line tent.

biffstephens

11-26-06, 08:33 PM

I really wanted to do it this year... :( I did not realize they capped it until it was too late....

:(

yeamac

11-28-06, 02:16 PM

I really wanted to do it this year... :( I did not realize they capped it until it was too late....

:(
This is going to be my first MS150. I signed up when it was near 12K riders.

From my understanding, last year they allowed 500 more registrations after registrations had closed (meaning they took 13,500 riders). So unless someone has more info, I would say keep checking the MS150 site and see if they open it back up. Maybe soon, maybe after the first of the year, I dunno. If I was in your shoes, I'd make the ms150 site my homepage to open every time my browser opened.

Extort

12-07-06, 06:52 PM

Well, I am working my magic to try and get a spot in this years BP MS150 and I hope to see all of you out there.

Are there any veterans of the ride posting here? How is the weather, road conditions, traffic, food, support, and lodging?

At this time I believe that I will be bringing a tent for Saturday night, but I have no idea about Friday yet, and Sunday I will be flying home...

froggmann

12-07-06, 09:16 PM

2007 will be my 6th MS150, it's an awesome ride that is one of the best organized and supported that you will ever come across. There is mechanical support at every rest stop ( +/- every 10 or so miles). The local communities along the way all get involved and usually volunteer at the rest stops. The weather is unpredictable, as is usually the case in Tx, but the good news is the prevailing wind is usually at your back. The tour has a huge tent for overnight accomodations in LaGrange, but there is plenty of room to pitch a tent if you prefer. Try to get on with one of the corporate teams, I know there are several that were looking for riders.

Go to www.ms150.org and pick the Houston to Austin ride for more info you can handle. Also get on their email list for all the up to the minute details.

Let me know if I can help.

Steve

bluebottle1

12-08-06, 11:45 AM

This will be my fifth Houston-Austin MS150. Weather has been pretty good each year that I've done it, though I've heard a few horror stories from past years. Bike traffic gets a little hairy around the rest stops, and I'm told the start at Tully can be pretty awful. (I'm on a team that starts at the Conoco facility north of I-10, so I've never actually started from Tully.)

Motor traffic around the fairgrounds outside LaGrange gets pretty bad, so I personally suggest you just stay at the fairgrounds. It's a fun communal experience, anyway, particularly if you're on a team that has a corporate tent.

yeamac

12-19-06, 01:08 PM

Bike traffic gets a little hairy around the rest stops, and I'm told the start at Tully can be pretty awful.I can imagine it would be, with that many riders. I rode in the Moonlight Madness this year downtown Houston in OCT, my first organized ride in quite a few years. I think around 2,000 riders started there. I was somewhere in the middle. When we finally got going, then almost every intersection the first half mile or so we hit a red light. So it was like a mass start all over again, and again, and again...

When you start with the Conoco team, are you ahead of the pack at Tully? I am starting with ExxonMobil, which I think is across the street from Conoco.

SpiderMike

12-19-06, 02:39 PM

I can imagine it would be, with that many riders. I rode in the Moonlight Madness this year downtown Houston in OCT, my first organized ride in quite a few years. I think around 2,000 riders started there. I was somewhere in the middle. When we finally got going, then almost every intersection the first half mile or so we hit a red light. So it was like a mass start all over again, and again, and again...

When you start with the Conoco team, are you ahead of the pack at Tully? I am starting with ExxonMobil, which I think is across the street from Conoco.

When people find out she did the Moonlight Ramble this year, the through downtown part is her only gripe.

The rest stops on the MS150 are not as bad as getting through downtown on the Moonlight Ramble. People that pass up the rest stops tend to keep left, to allow for those exiting and entering. Only thing that reminded me of the Ramble was when everyone came to a stop due to an accident.

bluebottle1

12-20-06, 11:48 AM

I can imagine it would be, with that many riders. I rode in the Moonlight Madness this year downtown Houston in OCT, my first organized ride in quite a few years. I think around 2,000 riders started there. I was somewhere in the middle. When we finally got going, then almost every intersection the first half mile or so we hit a red light. So it was like a mass start all over again, and again, and again...

When you start with the Conoco team, are you ahead of the pack at Tully? I am starting with ExxonMobil, which I think is across the street from Conoco.

We're usually on the road about five minutes or so before the official start time which gets you out and running before the great mass of folks from Tully. Generally, the folks starting first from Tully are the ones riding with the big teams, which means they've done at least some organized riding. They're not total noobs, so it isn't that bad.

I'd imagine your ExxonMobil folks will do something similar to what my team does and launch a few minutes early.

BubbaDog

01-07-07, 03:17 PM

I'll be riding with ConocoPhillips, first time MS150 rider though I worked as a team volunteer last year for the CoP team in Houston, LaGrange and Austin. Who wants to try to hook up in LaGrange and meet our BF brothers (and sisters)?

B'Dog

jnlabay

01-08-07, 09:42 PM

This will be my second MS150 Houston to Austin. The first time I did not get to finish do to a twisted ankle but this time will be diffrent I will make it to the END.

SpiderMike

01-09-07, 08:39 AM

Tminus 102 days.

SpiderMike

01-09-07, 12:38 PM

Just had an idea. Little late for this year though. For those that don't already ride on teams, what interest would there be in a Bikeforums team for next year?

Extort

01-18-07, 06:14 PM

My magic worked!
I am going to be a VIP participant for the BPMS150!!!

I will warn everyone that I will be riding rather slow during the tour because I have a ball busting (http://www.planetultra.com/mulholland/index.html) ride the weekend before this one...

I know that the hotels are sold out, so I am planning on camping Saturday. (Where, I don't know...)

Is there a spot that everyone wants to agree on so that we can meet up Saturday night?

Morgie

01-24-07, 09:18 PM

I'll be turning out for the 07 MS150.. it will be my 4th time in 6 years... I wish there was a way for us BF people to recognize each other on the ride..

SpiderMike

01-25-07, 08:34 AM

I'll be turning out for the 07 MS150.. it will be my 4th time in 6 years... I wish there was a way for us BF people to recognize each other on the ride..

I was planning on wearing the TX bike forum jersey. My original tie die bikeforum jersey is too small for me now.

If anybody wants to meet in La Grange, we need to plan this. Would picking a place and time be too much?

Edit: Who was planning on staying in Austin Sunday night?

redfooj

01-25-07, 09:41 AM

im probably staying with a friend in austin on sunday

bluebottle1

01-25-07, 01:53 PM

I was planning on wearing the TX bike forum jersey. My original tie die bikeforum jersey is too small for me now.

I'll be one of the guys in the Ride Marshal jerseys. I'm probably gonna spend half the day directing traffic or changing flats for newbies.

yeamac

02-15-07, 07:03 PM

I wish there was a way for us BF people to recognize each other on the ride..
We all just need to agree on what to do. Like put "BF" on a 1" square sticker and put it on the back side of our helmet, or some type of idea like that.

SpiderMike

02-23-07, 04:41 PM

Just found out that Buffett is coming to town the weekend of the MS150.

Something tells me the TV news wouldn't go for the story of a Parrothead missing on the concert to do the MS150. Much like they did that 11 year old.

Ironic Mullet

02-26-07, 08:47 AM

We all just need to agree on what to do. Like put "BF" on a 1" square sticker and put it on the back side of our helmet, or some type of idea like that.

http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000AOXGB6.01-A2TE9IQP68MWQU._AA280_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

yeamac

02-26-07, 08:56 AM

http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000AOXGB6.01-A2TE9IQP68MWQU._AA280_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Orange flags don't match my bike. Sorry. :p Not to mention, I am sure there will be recumbent riders and children using them who are NOT BF members.

How about we all go out and get a "BF" tatoo on the back of the neck?
Wooden clothespin handing from your left jersey sleeve?
Wear your right cycling glove inside out?

Someone help me out here ...

SpiderMike

02-26-07, 09:25 AM

How about we all go out and get a "BF" tatoo on the back of the neck?
Oh I see how it is yeamac. Here we are trying to figure out how to make it easy for us to recognize each other. And you have to turn this into flamin those with tattoos. Putting people with tattoos in the same categories as those that wear wooden clothes pins, or people that wear their right glove inside out. What is next that tattoo cyclist ride on the sidewalk, or that cave men are smarter? :rolleyes: :D :rolleyes:

On a serious note.

I like your sticker idea yeamac. Just the backside of the helmet, might not be good for some.

How about something like this (http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=2578921&postcount=129) in sticker form?

SpiderMike

04-12-07, 08:11 AM

I got my packet yesterday... I think the mussette bag this year can almost glow in the dark.

Did we want to do a sticker on our person or bike, to ID ourselves? Just a simple BF written on peice of maksing tape?

yeamac

04-12-07, 10:45 PM

Did we want to do a sticker on our person or bike, to ID ourselves? Just a simple BF written on peice of maksing tape?
Here's a sample of tape on the back of the helmet, on my Giro Monza. I made it kinda small so its not too conspicuous.

Edit: see next post

yeamac

04-13-07, 09:36 AM

/light bulb

How about writing "BF" under the words "brightroom professional event photography" in the lower right corner of the rider number that you pin to your back? I think that is better than the helmet or the bike.

Check out this mock up:

SpiderMike

04-13-07, 09:41 AM

Da Tinker

04-15-07, 04:58 AM

The ride number works for me. See you there.

I'm a ride marshal, too.

George

04-15-07, 08:48 AM

I'm kinda new to the Houston area and I've only been riding 10 months now. Being 67 this year and on a fixed income do you know if they give any breaks for seniors for the MS 150, thanks George

KtecR

04-15-07, 09:51 AM

I am riding the MS as well... I am down for 'BF' on the number tag. Anyone going to the packet pickup tomorrow (Monday)?

Morgie

04-15-07, 10:26 AM

I'll be sporting a BF!

Morgie

04-15-07, 10:49 AM

I've got a friend who doesn't wanna ride anymore, anyone know someone looking for a spot?

Houston_Biker

04-15-07, 12:08 PM

Hey Yeamac,

Love the new avatar that you are using. Awesome pic.

It looks as if you are slimming down with all of the cycling you are doing??? Not that i know you that well -- just an observation.

What time are you gonna arrive in La Grange? I am still shooting for a 4.5 hour ride, excluding a couple of quick stops at a rest stop. Hope to be in the showers by 11:30 or so and with a cold beer in hand by Noon! :)

yeamac

04-15-07, 01:29 PM

I've got a friend who doesn't wanna ride anymore, anyone know someone looking for a spot?
One thing to keep in mind is that if the rider packet is picked up and given to someone else, the $400 still needs to be raised in the original registrant's name or else that person could be excluded from future rides. I also know someone who backed out but he has not raised any funds so is not going to pick up his packet.

yeamac

04-15-07, 01:58 PM

I'm going to put "BF" on my rider number as indicated above since others have responded favorably. I'll be looking for you "BF's" out there.

What time are you gonna arrive in La Grange? I am still shooting for a 4.5 hour ride, excluding a couple of quick stops at a rest stop. Hope to be in the showers by 11:30 or so and with a cold beer in hand by Noon! :)
Hmmm.... good question. I was thinking of trying for a sub 5-hr century (excluding stops), but I am planning on riding with a friend who may or may not be able to keep that pace. I may not even be able to maintain 20+ MPH average for 100 miles either. I'll just have to see how things develop, and if we can get a decent paceline going, that sure would help.

Houston_Biker, are you leaving from Rhodes or Tulley? And are you going solo, or with friends/paceline?

Houston_Biker

04-15-07, 02:44 PM

Houston_Biker, are you leaving from Rhodes or Tulley? And are you going solo, or with friends/paceline?
About 7 or 8 of us are leaving from our neighborhood which is located right off Clay and Eldridge, very close to Tully. We'll ride a paceline together. We may split once we get to the hills, but we are going to try to stay together.

Morgie

04-15-07, 04:50 PM

Hmmm.... good question. I was thinking of trying for a sub 5-hr century (excluding stops), but I am planning on riding with a friend who may or may not be able to keep that pace. I may not even be able to maintain 20+ MPH average for 100 miles either. I'll just have to see how things develop, and if we can get a decent paceline going, that sure would help.

Houston_Biker, are you leaving from Rhodes or Tulley? And are you going solo, or with friends/paceline?
I'm leaving with some friends on the BP team.. I dont know what speed I'll be going at but considering I haven't pulled a century in over a year and a half (plenty of 40-60 mile rides, and a 15-20 mile daily commute on a fixed gear tho) I think maintain a 20 mph pace for a century is a bit much for me. I'll been in la grange early afternoon hopefully.. I enjoy pacelines and hopefully will be able to join one along the way, but as of right now don't know enough riders to have one.

yeamac

04-15-07, 04:55 PM

I'm kinda new to the Houston area and I've only been riding 10 months now. Being 67 this year and on a fixed income do you know if they give any breaks for seniors for the MS 150, thanks George
Registration for 2007 is closed/full. Watch for 2008 MS150 registration to begin this fall, probably sometime in October. It fills up fast. No discounts for seniors ... 2007 fees were $50 registration and raise $400 minimum for the National MS Society.

Morgie

04-15-07, 09:19 PM

Registration for 2007 is closed/full. Watch for 2008 MS150 registration to begin this fall, probably sometime in October. It fills up fast. No discounts for seniors ... 2007 fees were $50 registration and raise $400 minimum for the National MS Society.

closed yet if you have $400 (or can gather that much in donation by friday) I can hook you up with a spot :-) my riding partner is dropping out...

SpiderMike

04-16-07, 09:16 AM

20mph average for that distance, sheesh. Even with all my training, I'll still need to borrow some EPO's to manage that.

Houston_Biker

04-18-07, 08:17 PM

Here is a map of the La Grange Fairgrounds. Come look me up at the Cameron tent.

http://i17.tinypic.com/2ecisl3.jpg

Steve Goulet
Team Cameron

GreenRiver

04-20-07, 08:01 AM

I have the "BF" tag on my ride number as well - great idea yeamac.

yeamac

04-20-07, 09:59 AM

Doh! Good thing I checked BF one more time today ... I almost forgot to write "BF" on my ride number. :o Wonder what else I am forgetting ... :rolleyes:

See y'all on the road. I'll be riding a red Bianchi and wearing an ExxonMobil cycling jersey both days.