jaws

As I write this, the 61 year old body is tired and sore, but also feels great in for my accomplishment.
The Dallas to Fort Worth MS150 was held this past week end and I got to ride in it. I have ridden in 2 previous MS150's when they went from Dallas to Ardmore, OK but they changed the route this year which turned out to be great. There were almost 3,000 participants of all ability levels. The ride started in Frisco (a northern suburb of Dallas) and went north toward Pilot Point and then west over the dam of Lake Ray Roberts to Sanger for an early lunch stop. Then after the Lunch, we headed south thru Krum, Ponder & then Justin to end our first day at the Texas Motor Speedway facility just north of Fort Worth. We were blessed all day with favorable NE wind of about 15 MPH. It pushed us and along with the good flat roads, I ended up the second best average ever for me - 17.5 MPH with a total distance of 80.06 miles. I've never been on a long ride and have favorable winds almost any direction I traveled.
Sunday, the ride started at 6:45 AM and everyone got to ride a lap around the Texas Motor Speedway, then out of the Speedway SW to Newark then NW thru Rhome, Boyd and Paradise for another early lunch stop - ever been to Paradise,Texas for lunch? We then retraced our route SE back to Boyd then South along Eagle Mountain Lake and into downtown Fort Worth where the finish line was at Sundance Square. We had a lot of hills and the SE winds were not as kind -my average fell to 15.3 with a total of 86.39 miles for Sunday.
I highly recommend the MS150 tours as they are well supported (SAG, mechanical and rest stops), have great social events after the rides and most of all give the rider participants a way to raise money for a worthy cause. The MS society is a great organization that uses the pledges wisely for research and help to MS victims. This ride was a great sucess in that there were total pledges totaling more then $2,000,000.00. I'm proud of my old body being able to do this ride but just as proud of the pledges I have collected for MS Society.

Digital Gee

Fantastic report, jaws! Congrats on a great ride for a great cause. I've a family member with MS so on his behalf as well, thank you!!!

Blackberry

Sounds great--especially riding the Texas Motor Speedway. Not to mention raising money for a good cause.

I'm signed up for an MS150 next month here in Virginia. Now I can't wait!

GrannyGear

We all know or care about someone with MS (and other disabling problems), so thanks for your sweat...you've every reason to take pride in and enjoy your experience.

NOS88

Good stuff! Riding, riding with others, and helping others... it doesn't get much better!

Frenchie

Hi jaws! I also rode in the MS150 this weekend, however, my averages were not quite as good as yours. This was also my third MS ride with Frisco-Ardmore OK and San Antonio-Corpus Christi last year. I just celebrated my 60th last month with my first century.
I agree with you, riding for a worthy cause like the MS150 is very rewarding in the sense that you can appreciate the "old body" with all its faculties when thousands afflicted with this awful disease no longer have a choice but most importantly for all the money raised to help the Society in its effort to find the cause and a cure for multiple sclerosis. I ride because three of my friends have MS.

sandlapper

I glad to you did the MS150 and I know you had a good time. The MS folks know how to put on a great tour. I have done the MS150 in South Carolina for the past two years. Of all the tours I do this has to be one of the best and certainly the most rewarding. I am 64 years old and I will do the MS 150 again in September if my injuried leg is healed enough by then so I can ride the distance. If this is the only bike tour I do this year I will be happy.

I encourage all cyclist to support the Multi Sclerosis Society by riding the MS150 to help make it possible to find a cure for MS. I think no one will be dissapointed if they participated in this event and it sure is for a good cause. If you can't ride please sponsor another cyclist who is riding it.

Last year I earn enought points to get me a complete MS outfit. I ought to look sharp this year with my MS jersey, shorts, socks and cycling gloves on.



[QUOTE=jaws]As I write this, the 61 year old body is tired and sore, but also feels great in for my accomplishment.
The Dallas to Fort Worth MS150 was held this past week end and I got to ride in it. I have ridden in 2 previous MS150's when they went from Dallas to Ardmore, OK but they changed the route this year which turned out to be great. There were almost 3,000 participants of all ability levels. The ride started in Frisco (a northern suburb of Dallas) and went north toward Pilot Point and then west over the dam of Lake Ray Roberts to Sanger for an early lunch stop. Then after the Lunch, we headed south thru Krum, Ponder & then Justin to end our first day at the Texas Motor Speedway facility just north of Fort Worth. We were blessed all day with favorable NE wind of about 15 MPH. It pushed us and along with the good flat roads, I ended up the second best average ever for me - 17.5 MPH with a total distance of 80.06 miles. I've never been on a long ride and have favorable winds almost any direction I traveled.
Sunday, the ride started at 6:45 AM and everyone got to ride a lap around the Texas Motor Speedway, then out of the Speedway SW to Newark then NW thru Rhome, Boyd and Paradise for another early lunch stop - ever been to Paradise,Texas for lunch? We then retraced our route SE back to Boyd then South along Eagle Mountain Lake and into downtown Fort Worth where the finish line was at Sundance Square. We had a lot of hills and the SE winds were not as kind -my average fell to 15.3 with a total of 86.39 miles for Sunday.
I highly recommend the MS150 tours as they are well supported (SAG, mechanical and rest stops), have great social events after the rides and most of all give the rider participants a way to raise money for a worthy cause. The MS society is a great organization that uses the pledges wisely for research and help to MS victims. This ride was a great sucess in that there were total pledges totaling more then $2,000,000.00. I'm proud of my old body being able to do this ride but just as proud of the pledges I have collected for MS Society.[/QUOTE]

Artmo 

Well done, Jaws. I know how good it feels not only to have done the ride but to have raised money for such a good cause. The GA MS150 got me back into cycling about 10 yr ago after a 30+-yr lay-off, and since then I've ridden eight, 6 in GA and two (back-to-back) in FL and have raised over $40,000 in pledges. So far this year I've done a Tour de Cure metric century for diabetes and Clean Air Ride century for the American Lung Association (I'm a lifelong asthma sufferer), both with my wife on our tandem. I raised over $6,000 for the Clean Air Ride ride - the highest total for any rider.

webist

This is another super thread in the +50 forum. Congratulations!

jppe

Great ride report and accomplishment! It's tough enough to do 80 miles one day but to come back and add even more miles in tougher conditions the next day is exemplary!!

I've done a few of the MS 150's in NC/SC myself and would agree that they are a lot of fun and are for a great cause. Up this way you can ride around the Speedway in Darlington. You certainly see a lot of different types of bikes out there on the MS rides!

Do they have a 100 mile option available for those that wanted even more miles by chance?

bobkat

Way to go Jaws and Frenchie! My wife and I are planning on doing the ND MS 150 the first of August. I might try to get extra pledges if I can do my first century!