Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - New Year bike converts

I had planned on a 38 mile organized ride this morning, but it was a bit cold for my taste when I stuck my head out the door. (I know....yet another Texas wimp!)

Anyhoo, I talked my best friend, Richard, and my wife ,Sue, into taking an easy 10 miler in the afternoon (68*F! Yay!!!) along the Chisholm Trail MUP in Plano. It was quite relaxing (not obsessing about building mileage and speed) and good for a recharge.

This is Sue:
http://photos-ak.sparkpeople.com/3/0/l309015582.jpg

Richard (I just finished installing his rack and panniers so he could start commuting):
http://photos-ak.sparkpeople.com/2/1/l213811596.jpg

Me (such as I am):
http://photos-ak.sparkpeople.com/8/1/l812724431.jpg

and some sections of trail (Taken a few weeks earlier...still looks like this...just imagine more people, as it was warmer today):
http://photos-ak.sparkpeople.com/1/8/l183780633.jpg
http://photos-ak.sparkpeople.com/9/3/l932210572.jpg

What a nice day for a ride.

You rode right by my house. In that fourth pic you were at the bridge that crosses "Big Lake", that's the name of that pond btw. If you were to have taken the bridge west (Cross Bend), then a left on Country Place then a right on Lake Crest, you would have pretty much been at my front door. Small world, eh?

Hit me up sometime for a ride neighor!!

It must be nice to roll out of bed, out the front door, and hit the Chisholm & Bluebonnet for a relaxing -easy ride.
When I rode it before, I was fighting 15-20mph headwinds going out and it was Nasty Cold!
Today was just beeeyootiful.

Any other good trails or lower traffic street routes you suggest in Plano?

I live Down below UTD in Richardson.

I still hate you for living in a place that you can ride in the winter. :p That said, thanks for sharing the photos.

How do I get to the Chisholm Trail MUP, I have friend in Plano that i am trying to get riding and this would be perfect.

Clearly, we need to have a DFW area C&A get together and ride.

I rode Wednesday, on errands. Temp was 18 degrees F, and wind was 20-30 MPH. Only did about 10 miles, all of it hurt my face.....

One thing I do realize about riding in the cold - it's VERY EASY to overdress if you are going more than a mile......

How do I get to the Chisholm Trail MUP, I have friend in Plano that i am trying to get riding and this would be perfect.

I park at the Potbelly Sandwich place on 15th just north Collin Creek Mall. The trail runs right beside it.
There is a Mexican restaurant same side of the road ( but the other side of the creek) but I don't remember which one...I think it's South of the Border....that gives you a straighter shot out along that branch of trail.

There are other access points along the trail at various parks.

Clearly, we need to have a DFW area C&A get together and ride.

We could meet at a different trail/route each month, ride and frolic afterward!
BRILLIANT!!! (as the Guinness commercial goes)

Shall we organize?

What say you?

We could meet at a different trail/route each month, ride and frolic afterward!
BRILLIANT!!! (as the Guinness commercial goes)

Shall we organize?

What say you?

Yep, rally the troups!

It looks like we're also having a reualr monthly DFW Vintage ride, just gott a keep the dates seperate, lol

Lemme find out the date for the January Vintage ride and we can pick a date. Any route or trail is fine by me. Miles is miles.

Edit: Looks like the tentative ride dates for the vintage ride are the second Sunday of the month. We have three open wekeends to chose from!

Yep, rally the troups!

It looks like we're also having a reualr monthly DFW Vintage ride, just gott a keep the dates seperate, lol

Lemme find out the date for the January Vintage ride and we can pick a date. Any route or trail is fine by me. Miles is miles.

Edit: Looks like the tentative ride dates for the vintage ride are the second Sunday of the month. We have three open wekeends to chose from!

Would have to be Sundays as well for me. Though night rides are fun too

How do I get to the Chisholm Trail MUP, I have friend in Plano that i am trying to get riding and this would be perfect.

You can park any where along the lake: West Parker/Country Place Dr. or West Parker/Rainier. There are many access points along the trail, Google maps is probably going to be able to help more than I can. I'm still trying to find a comprehensive map of trails in the area.

Most of my riding is done on roads and most of my miles are commuting to and from work.

It is very nice being right on the trail and was one of the main reasons I wanted to live here.

We could meet at a different trail/route each month, ride and frolic afterward!
BRILLIANT!!! (as the Guinness commercial goes)

Shall we organize?

What say you?

I'm in!! (work permitting). I've never done any kind of group ride and I'd really like to do something like this.

I still hate you for living in a place that you can ride in the winter. :p That said, thanks for sharing the photos.

Well come on down, supposed to be in the 70's today:giver:

I'm in!! (work permitting). I've never done any kind of group ride and I'd really like to do something like this.

Excellent!

I have to jet, but I think maybe a seperate thread to get this going is in order. It probably belongs in the Texas forum, but I would rather keep it here in our little corner of the intarwebz.

I lived in Plano for 2 years and loved the Chisholm Trail (except on weekends when I had to dodge too many little ones -- and geese). I was bitterly disappointed in the Bluebonnet -- when I moved there, I had visions of biking among fields of wildflowers, not underneath high tension lines.

But even the Bluebonnet sure beat driving some of the roads.

I long for nice riding days in the winter. Me, I'll be getting out my snowshoes this afternoon, but that has its own joy.

Phredette

Clearly, we need to have a DFW area C&A get together and ride.

What an excellent idea!

You can park any where along the lake: West Parker/Country Place Dr. or West Parker/Rainier. There are many access points along the trail, Google maps is probably going to be able to help more than I can. I'm still trying to find a comprehensive map of trails in the area.

Most of my riding is done on roads and most of my miles are commuting to and from work.

It is very nice being right on the trail and was one of the main reasons I wanted to live here.

This is a good place to start. Mapped ins sections for some rides though.:
http://www.co.collin.tx.us/living/recreation/trails/trails.jsp

Jealous...so jealous...I can...barely...type.

I've had to turn my bike into a storage rack since it is too cold to ride. Even worse the side streets have hard packed icy snow piled up on the bike side of the streets. I'm just too wimpy to ride when it's below freezing and icy.

So, go have your fun. Yeah, I'll just go to the gym and ride on one of those stupid stationary bikes. I bet that's how ex rodeo riders feel about those electric horsies kids play on in front of grocery stores. Not real, but will have to do.

Actually the river route looks like a treat. And it's great your wife joins you!

There is a Mexican restaurant


Oh you had to go and use the "M" word!:p


Nice pics! Is that a price tag on your helmet?.. YOu need a cycling windbreaker. They work well. Not too hot and not too cold. Will give you more courage when you pop your head out the door!:D

BTW, like her bike, what is it?

Jealous...so jealous...I can...barely...type.

I've had to turn my bike into a storage rack since it is too cold to ride. Even worse the side streets have hard packed icy snow piled up on the bike side of the streets. I'm just too wimpy to ride when it's below freezing and icy.

So, go have your fun. Yeah, I'll just go to the gym and ride on one of those stupid stationary bikes. I bet that's how ex rodeo riders feel about those electric horsies kids play on in front of grocery stores. Not real, but will have to do.

Actually the river route looks like a treat. And it's great your wife joins you!

Oh man! I HATE the stationary bikes at the gym....they just tear up my knees. I should hit some spinning classes. At least the spinners are more bike-like and adjustable. I just have to get over my self consciousness and get in there.

It's hard to get Sue out on the road, but once she's there she has a good time. She's afraid to go faster than 10mph, though. (sigh) It's kind of funny because I take these times to practice getting my cadence up and spinning. (picture of a very large guy, legs windmilling madly, and going 9-10 mph.) (heh)

Oh you had to go and use the "M" word!:p


Nice pics! Is that a price tag on your helmet?.. YOu need a cycling windbreaker. They work well. Not too hot and not too cold. Will give you more courage when you pop your head out the door!:D
Price tag? Nope that's in the back ala Minny Pearl!
The red flag thing is my mirror and the thing on the other side is the light I didn't bother taking off.

Oops! sorry! Yikes! THE M WORD....didn't mean to dance all over your feelers.:D
Of course the proper term would be Tex-Mex (a far cry from the scrumptious authentic stuff)

Windbreaker? I likes me the frijoles...so I break plenty of wind as it is.
(don't ride behind me on hills I'm teh Rocket Man):roflmao2:

I actually have a windbreaker (that fits.....barely) but it's more like riding in a trashbag...gets very sweaty and clammy.
I'll just have to make do until I'm at such a size to get the good stuff. Grrr.


BTW, like her bike, what is it?

That is a Trek 800 Geeked out with fenders, Slicks, and nice rack (the bike's not my wife's).:love:

man i need to move or something. forget 60's and 70's F. i long for the 50's at this moment. even my mountain bike isnt getting any love. not when there is still 8 inches of snow on the trails.:bang: im going stir crazy already.

I likes my the frijoles...so I break plenty of wind as it is.
(don't ride behind me on hills I'm teh Rocket Man):roflmao2:



I'll have to remeber that for our upcoming organized ride :roflmao2: