Texas - When's everyone's first planned big ride of the year?

With the weather and my schedule I've bit the bullet and bought a MagTrainer to get my holiday fattened out of shape rear end back in shape before spring. Last year my first organized charity ride of the year was the Spring Fever ride in Sulphur Springs, TX. Last year I opted for the 41mi route as I hadn't done any long rides over the winter. This year I'd like to tackle the metric century (actually 62mi according to the website).

Other than club / weekly rides, when is everyone else planning to hit their first charity ride / race of the season?

I'm debating that right now. I know for certain on the Gator Ride and Space Race. Debating on the Tour de Houston or Tour de Cypress.

Good thing about being on the trainer so much, my wife decided she wanted one too. Last two evenings we setup the trainers in the living room and watched movies we rented. Lucky for me, she watched Simon Birch the night before we picked up her trainer.

Jan 7 - Casa Grande Century

I'm debating that right now. I know for certain on the Gator Ride and Space Race. Debating on the Tour de Houston or Tour de Cypress.

Good thing about being on the trainer so much, my wife decided she wanted one too. Last two evenings we setup the trainers in the living room and watched movies we rented. Lucky for me, she watched Simon Birch the night before we picked up her trainer.

I'm definately doing Tour de Cypress this year. I missed it last year and travels the roads I knew well when I was younger and my family had a lake home on Lake Cypress Springs.

I plan to make the Gator Ride.
It will be my first ever.
The Hartman Bridge looks interesting.

I will have to ride with the Space City club a couple times first.
Always been solo up to now.
(all three months of my riding)

I plan to make the Gator Ride.
It will be my first ever.
The Hartman Bridge looks interesting.

I will have to ride with the Space City club a couple times first.
Always been solo up to now.
(all three months of my riding)

Howdy there neighbor-ish. The downhill of the bridge is won heck of a reward for making to the top. The first time I did the Gator Ride was on a MTB with cruzer slicks. When going down the bridge I got to a speed that made my top gear useless, and was starting to get the high speed bike shimmy. As I was passing the people with the screaming brakes, I was think this is fun. On the off ramp onto 225, I came up onto a roller blader. He won on having the biggest grin. It was awesome.

Howdy there neighbor-ish. As I was passing the people with the screaming brakes, I was think this is fun. On the off ramp onto 225, I came up onto a roller blader. He won on having the biggest grin. It was awesome.

Howdy.

When I first go down I'm sure I'll be one of the ones with the screaming brakes.
I'm using the Kemah bridge for practice now.
Not many hills in our neck of the woods.

I hope to ride with SCCC the next couple of weekends.

Jerry

:lol: Just realized that we are most likely talking about two different Tour de Cypress rides. There's one down near Houston, the other in East Texas out of Mt. Vernon. I'll be going to the one in East Texas out near Lake Cypress Springs. Who the heck decided it would be good to have two rides of the same name in the same state, one week apart?

Moab Skinny Tire Festival, first weekend of March. Four days of 40-45mi rides.

(and cuda, 100 kilometers = 62.1371192 miles :D )

Moab Skinny Tire Festival, first weekend of March. Four days of 40-45mi rides.

(and cuda, 100 kilometers = 62.1371192 miles :D )

... :o right you are. For some reason I thought it was closer to 63/64mi for some reason. See, this is the reason I need to do more of them! :D

:lol: Just realized that we are most likely talking about two different Tour de Cypress rides. There's one down near Houston, the other in East Texas out of Mt. Vernon. I'll be going to the one in East Texas out near Lake Cypress Springs. Who the heck decided it would be good to have two rides of the same name in the same state, one week apart?

Just goes to prove how awesome Texas is as a state. We can get away with things like this.

As for the metric century clarification, I nominate the following to new to bike riding 101. Park far away from the starting line when doing a 62 mile ride. This way you would hopefully get the other .1371192 of a mile needed to truly say you did a metric.:D

This year the amount I'm able to ride outdoors is going to be limited compared to last year, so I'm going to want every ride to count, esp those that I drive considerable distance for. So I'm going to try to do as many 50+mi options as I can. Increase the average distance of each ride. So far this year though that hasn' worked so well as the weather has kept my few rides quite short.

The Hill-Topper in Round Top.

The Hill Topper is in Round Top right? How is that ride? I was going to ride it last year, but if I remember correctly the weather was bad.

This will be my first year. There's definitely rolling hills out there, but nothing steep that I can think of.

I think you're right about last year's weather. I'm hoping for better.

The gator ride was cool too! Someone mentioned it above. It was on country roads for the most part. Plus there were boy scouts and girl scouts at the rest stops being real helpful. The ride down the bridge, is smooth and pretty safe for 50 MPH+ I highly recommend it.

I finally got around to putting a schedule together and so far here is what I have:

2-24 Walburg Classic Road Race
3-31 Ride for Heros
4-28 Meunster Germanfest

Kevin - I'm tempted to do Ride for Heros this year. It's the same day as Spring Fever in Sulphur Springs which is another great ride in the other direction from DFW. I hear the Ride for Heros has more climbing than Spring Fever.

Tour de Cypress is April 14th which is another one I'm going to try to make. It's a pretty good drive, but the scenery and the route should make it worth it.

Kevin - I'm tempted to do Ride for Heros this year. It's the same day as Spring Fever in Sulphur Springs which is another great ride in the other direction from DFW. I hear the Ride for Heros has more climbing than Spring Fever.

Tour de Cypress is April 14th which is another one I'm going to try to make. It's a pretty good drive, but the scenery and the route should make it worth it.

I may head that way in a couple of weeks to do some riding and to check out the terrain. I have a few days off in two weeks and plan on doing lots of riding (weather permitting). I will be down in the Austin area checking out the route for the Walburg race that I have on the 24th. I may do the Ride for Heros route on another day.

First ride will be Ride for Heroes in Aledo.

The area west of Austin is not the only Hill Country of Texas. Be sure to bring your legs if you do the 75 mile ride.

First ride will be Ride for Heroes in Aledo.

The area west of Austin is not the only Hill Country of Texas. Be sure to bring your legs if you do the 75 mile ride.

I plan on doing the 75 mile route. I will be training for this ride for a month before the actual ride. I have heard the stories about the climbs that are incorporated into the 75 mile route. I am going to spend some time in that area since I don't have that kind of terrain where I live.

Wild, Wild West End Ride in Fort Bend Feb 18th.

Superbowl Hangover Commute tomorrow morning.

APPALACHIAN SPRING SPECTACULAR - MAY 6, 2007
Morgantown, West Virginia
Usually have distances of 25 - 60 miles

Probably the Redbud Classic in OKC. Not a very long ride but it was pretty fun last year.

They also have a 10k the next day I might run in depending on if I feel like staying in town over night.

Probably the Redbud Classic in OKC. Not a very long ride but it was pretty fun last year.

They also have a 10k the next day I might run in depending on if I feel like staying in town over night.
Don't you have to have permission from the warden to stay out on overnight visits?

The warden has given me special privileges for, uhhhh... "services rendered"...

Just did the Big Chill, doing the Tour Dallas next
Great list of rides - I plan to do as many as I can!
http://www.bicycletexas.com/dallas.htm

please post a list of rides if you have a better one

Last year I did Sulphur Springs, an awesome ride for a season opener. It's not going to fit into the plans this year. Tour Dallas is kind of my official beginning to cycling season, the whole fam will be there.

Looks like my start of season line up is going to look like:

Spring Fever (march 24th)
Tour Dallas - maybe (April 7th - which happens to be my 26th bday)
Tour de Cypress (april 14th) - bring your climbing legs to this one if memory serves.