Texas - 2009 Tour de Houston

I know, it is a silly name, as it does not pretend to "tour" through much of Houston, but I saw it is scheduled to be on March 22nd. I am going to be working it, not riding it. I looked and saw no thread started on it yet, so figured I would start one. Any BFers riding it this year?

IIRC, last year it amounted to a tour of the Hardy Toll Road. I don't know if that plan is to be repeated this year. Does anyone know the route?

I know, it is a silly name, as it does not pretend to "tour" through much of Houston, but I saw it is scheduled to be on March 22nd. I am going to be working it, not riding it. I looked and saw no thread started on it yet, so figured I would start one. Any BFers riding it this year?

IIRC, last year it amounted to a tour of the Hardy Toll Road. I don't know if that plan is to be repeated this year. Does anyone know the route?


I may be riding.. not sure yet..

http://www.houstontx.gov/specialevents/tourdehouston/index.html

The link xerocoma has posted includes the routes.

strange how there is virtually no overlap in the routes. i haven't decided if i will be participating.

I will be riding for sure

The routes do overlap - it's just that the map on the web site is so poor that you can't really tell. According to the text directions (which give me a headache - can't the City of Houston put this map on Bikely or something?) - the differences between the 20, 40, and 70 mile routes mainly occur in the Heights area.

For the 20 mile route, you go up and down Heights and then go back to the starting line. For the 40 mile route, from the Heights you continue down into West U and then go the exact reverse route back to the starting line (through the same Heights area). For the 70 mile route, once you get back to the Heights for the 2nd time (same as the 40 mile route), you continue on the White Oak MUP into Northwest Houston.

I sure hope the packets have better directions / maps (instead of just a printout of the one on the web site).

I just moved back down here in the fall so I'll be riding it for the first time. It doesnt look particularly interesting but its an MS150 reccomended ride and it beats having to get up at 5:30am on a Saturday to drive 50+ miles outside of town to take in the 'picturesque' pastures of Katy, Brookshire, etc.

Since it is an interesting route, I kinda wish I was riding it instead of working traffic control. Ah, well, I am committed. Y'all will recognize me; I will be wearing a light blue shirt with dark blue epaulets and pocket flaps, and dark blue pants. ;)

Watch out for potholes and manhole covers, you guys. Last year we weren't a mile out of downtown when someone in front of us hit a manhole cover and wrecked pretty badly. By the time we got there several other bikers had gone down too trying to get out of the way. I think it was a lady who initially went down - had to take her away in an ambulance.

On the "Tour Dallas" last year, they had several people drop tires into seams in the concrete pavement and wreck. Moral is road bikes and roads don't always mix well, which is odd.

Yeah. I can warn you of a potential hazard right now, the 40 and 70 mile routes go over the Waugh street bridge. Huge, tire eating grooves on that thing, both directions. Be careful.

I think I'm going to try it this year - this would be my first official event after years of commuting.

Wish I could ride it, but I signed up for a home-brew competition in Irving instead. My friend's a home-brewer, which is always good to have around ;)

Totally good excuse to miss a ride, pip. :) Plenty of other training rides......

hey guys,

i'll be there most likely. =) I just did the gator ride this weekend. That first bridge was a killer.

I'll be doing the 70 mile route. It'll be the longest I've ever ridden, so I'm slightly nervous. I'm going to try to avoid hitting the rest stops, as I have trouble getting back into the groove once I actually stop. Can anyone recommend what I should carry with me in terms of fuel? I'll have 2 bottles, possibly one with a mix of water and gatorade, and I figure 1 Clif bar. Am I missing anything?
I'm hoping we'll be warmed up slightly by then. :-)

I don't think skipping the rest stops is a great idea if you're going to be riding for about 5-7 hrs. You're going to need a lot more than 2 bottles of Gatorade and an energy bar. Maybe stop at one of the rest stops and load up stuff in a trunk bag or pannier so you don't have to stop at each one?

I'll be doing the 70 mile route. It'll be the longest I've ever ridden, so I'm slightly nervous. I'm going to try to avoid hitting the rest stops, as I have trouble getting back into the groove once I actually stop. Can anyone recommend what I should carry with me in terms of fuel? I'll have 2 bottles, possibly one with a mix of water and gatorade, and I figure 1 Clif bar. Am I missing anything?
I'm hoping we'll be warmed up slightly by then. :-)



If you've never ridden that distance before you definitely need to reconsider your decision to skip rest stops... two bottles are not going to be enough to keep you hydrated and one Cliff bar isn't going to keep your energy level up.... even if it's mild weather. You'll likely be dehydrated and cramping before you finish the ride... if that happens you'll never get back into your groove and wind up on the SAG wagon....

I agree with the two posters above. I'm riding the 70-mile route and will stop to rest, rehydrate, and refuel. Even if the weather is cooler than usual, it's not worth the health risk IMO.

I just moved back down here in the fall so I'll be riding it for the first time. It doesnt look particularly interesting but its an MS150 reccomended ride and it beats having to get up at 5:30am on a Saturday to drive 50+ miles outside of town to take in the 'picturesque' pastures of Katy, Brookshire, etc.

As a displaced Houstonian, trust me, there are far worse places to be than riding in Katy and Brookshire.

After work has had me living the past six months in Laredo I would kill to be back riding my 359 / 99 route from Sugar Land to Brookshire and Fulshear.

This sounds like a fun ride, I really wish I could make it, but it looks like Space Race will have to be my next Houston ride thanks to my work schedule.

Alright, ya'll have convinced me, but I'm really going to try to minimize my stops, maybe just at the halfway point.
Thanks for the advice. :-)

Definitely riding it. I hear Lance Armstrong is going to be there.

don't forget the last stop free beer if it was like last year.

Extremely dumb questions here, but I am new at this organized ride thing, so I thought I would ask...

1) So there are support vehicles available? Or should I make sure to pack an extra tube and an air cartridge?

2) I normally ride 15 miles/day 3-4 times/week. I'm riding the 40 mile route. Am I kidding myself? I've never tried this much distance at once.

3) I take it the route is not completely traffic controlled? Are there police at the intersections?

Thanks for any advice. I'm really looking forward to this weekend.

Houston Gal

1) Yes SAG support will be available and yes bring an extra tube and air
2) 40 miles should be no problem for you. Most people who are in reasonable shape can ride double their training distance. Keep in mind there are rest stops every 10 - 15 miles.
3) Based on past experiences with the TdH there will NOT be police at every intersection, only the busy ones, so keep your head up and aware at all times.

Good luck, have fun, hope to see everyone out there

Thanks! I just picked up my packet, so I'm all set to go on Sunday.

Looks like we are going to have beautiful weather on Sunday (chron.com link (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6323689.html)).

Read the info packet and there's only going to be 4 rest stops. So unfortunately, I'm expecting loooong lines but hopefully the support will get people in and out.

Be safe and more importantly, have fun!

Well, I planned on doing my first 70 mile ride, and it started off well, but went downhill from about the .75 mile point. First, I got a flat on the first downhill, right after passing another guy with a flat and thinking, "Man, that would suck to get a flat this close from the start." Now, I've changed tires before, but I had trouble taking care of this one, so it took myself and one of the marshals about 10 minutes to get me rolling again. Then I stopped at the first rest stop to buy another tube and check the pressure on my tire, but the gauge didn't seem to be working, but I figured I had between 100-120 psi. I had already wasted enough time, so I got going again. The final issue was that I apparently missed the 70 mile route turnoff sign, so I ended up doing the 40 mile route instead. Of course I didn't realize this until we were down around St. Thomas University. D'oh! Was it not well marked, or did I just miss it somehow?
Oh well, at least I got a nice 40 mile ride in, and in much faster time than my previous 40 mile ride. :)
I hope everyone had a good ride.

P.S. I also knocked my patch kit off of the bridge and into the water while packing up after my flat.

I did the 70 mile route. After coming back from the far reaches of it, there was a black female police officer at Heights Blvd that was directing 70 mile riders to turn right. This was wrong and put me on to the 40 mile loop. I don't know how many miles I did but it was far more than 70.

If you were a 70 mile rider who ended up going through West U and down Main Street, with a rest stop at Pershing Middle School, you too got misdirected.

Yeah, it looks like i was supposed to take a right off of Heights to put me on the 70 mile route.
It was kind of aggravating when I realized it, but it might be for the best since I have a 60+ mile Ft. Bend ride this coming Saturday and then the 60+ mile Space Race on April 5.
I figure this'll give me a good buildup to the MS.

I was in Pensacola checking out hot girls and drinking beer. I wish I had my bike there, they have some nice roads.

-Nate

I'm still vibrating from some of today's route. I'm not sure if they could even get a route out of downtown that isn't ridiculously crappy. I saw a number of people on the side of the road who looked like they had crashed, just like last year.

I rode today as well. I was in the front of the 70 mile line. I wish they could start this ride on time for a change. There was a really nasty accident at the bottom of the first down hill; near white oak and Thelma. I don't know how many people were involved but there were bikes and bike parts everywhere. I managed to find the first part of the 70 mile route that headed north. Thank God we could finally put a descent pace line together. When we finished the long leg of the 70 mile we were not directed to complete the 40 mile loop as well. I wasn't the only one that got lost. The map was so bad you cant tell that the 70's must also complete the 40 section as well. I think completed 50 miles.

Last complaint, aside from the obvious street conditions, was the merge of all routes for the last 7 or so miles. If you were really moving today you would have caught the tail end of the "family ride." People would change direction or stop randomly.

Good Stuff
Holding the event at discovery green was awesome. City hall was never big enough for the ride. Moving the ride to Sundays was a great idea as well because parking was free on the metered city lots. Food was good and so was the beer. Both lines were uber fast, or maybe we finished so quickly. Awesome T-shirts this year and a great goodie bag!

Tips for next year
I am glad I was able to use this ride to "dial in" my Merlin. If I do this ride next year I am bringing my mountain bike. No reason to torture my road bike!

I found the merging odd as well. And I really wish we could have rolled out on time. They should have all the talking start earlier.
I really didn't get that the 70s had to do the 40 as well. It sounds like I would have gotten lost later. :)
I thought about the beating my road bike was taking, but I can't imagine taking my heavy mtn bike on such a long ride. Maybe the 25 miler.
I agree that the Discovery Green start was nice, but I really didn't expect that many people to be lined up for the 70 mile ride.
I had a good time though. It's so nice to be able to ride for long stretches without having to stop at stop signs and be constantly concerned about cars.

I saw y'all today, i was riding the other way on my typical sunday route. Saw the ambulance at white oak, looked pretty wild.

Wish I was there, but I had to work. Apparently one of the routes went right past the Chrons tech columnist and co host of Technology Bytes Dwight Silverman's house. He made a tweet about it this morning.


Tour de Houston cyclists have been going past our house all morning. This is a big race! :eek:

Later he corrected himself saying he meant "race" as a generic term after it was pointed out that TdH was more an "event" :rolleyes:

Overall, I thought it was a fantastic ride. Sure, it was a tad bumpy and some directional confusion but otherwise, a really good time.

http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss141/barrysms150ride/Dscn8810.jpg

http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss141/barrysms150ride/Dscn8818.jpg

http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss141/barrysms150ride/Dscn8838.jpg

http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss141/barrysms150ride/Dscn8841.jpg

For additional pictures, feel free to click the photobucket link in my sig.

I was one of the guys in the blue suits directing traffic at Sunset at Main. I was wearing clear-lens Oakley Radars, the older of the two officers. (I forgot my tinted shades in my personal vehicle at the station.) It was a really good day, except I did not have sunscreen with me, and got a bit burned. I was supposed to be a rover, and therefore not in the sun all day, but when it became apparent there really needed to be someone directing traffic at the turn from Sunset onto Main, and back again, I stayed, and a supervisor sent someone else to help.

It was good to see all of y'all! :)

I also ended up downtown with only 50 miles. So, I cut through midtown & montrose to pick up the south leg of the route. At least I now know it wasn't just me. It was a really fun ride despite the poor direction.

I'm sorry I missed it.

I got a nasty stomach bug on Friday, and by the time Sunday rolled around I didn't think I'd be able to manage a ride on nothing but the two pieces of toast I managed to keep down all weekend.

Oh well, next year, I guess.

Next year i'll have to get in better shape than to do it on a single speed ;)