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Tour de Houston

Old 03-05-08, 03:40 PM
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Tour de Houston

I looked at the map for the Tour de Houston and it looks like it should be called the Tour de the Toll Road. What are the people who plan this ride thinking**********????
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Old 03-05-08, 06:58 PM
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Are they closing Hardy for this? It MIGHT be interesting to ride on a closed toll road, or it MIGHT be ridiculously boring, and you could get really sick of the segmented slabs of concrete as opposed to a nice asphalt county road.
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Old 03-05-08, 07:10 PM
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I rode the TDH two years ago and swore never to return. Poorly organized start, undermanned/stocked rest stops, poor traffic control on some very busy streets. Typical city of houston effort, overall a really crapy ride.
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Old 03-05-08, 07:55 PM
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This is the first organized ride I have ever seen as an out-n-back.

I was on the Hardy Toll road once and don't recall the scenery being all that exciting.

A friend of mine who rides a slower pace loves the Tour de Houston and wouldn't miss it for anything. I've never ridden it, so can't really say.
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Old 03-05-08, 08:10 PM
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Hmmm, I'm signed up for the 20 mile ride, as this is my first "event" ride. I'm not sure if I should be excited or concerned now.
But, I am thinking about doing the 40 mile Space Race on April 6, which I've heard good things about.
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Old 03-06-08, 07:39 AM
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I'm signed up for the 70 mile route.

As for doing the 20, don't be concerned, how bored can you get on 20 miles? Now 70... I might get bored Atleast I've never driven it either, so it'll be completely new
Eh, whatever, I'll try it once to support cycling in Houston. The "nice country asphalt" has a way of being viscious sometimes also. I don't usually need much support at stops... I mean, I love the oreos and all, but could get along with out them.
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Old 03-06-08, 10:17 AM
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After reading this, i looked up the route... snoooooooooore.

After seeing the map, I will be very happy to stay at home, on my trainer with (hopefully by then) my new born daughter.

As for the Space Race, this is what I can remember from last year... Was a little wet, and they could have thought of a better place for two of the rest stops, but it was worth it.
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Old 03-06-08, 12:22 PM
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I would much much rather cruise a closed freeway on a bicycle than to sit in the house pedaling, myself. Especially if several hundred other cyclists are out there.

I don't know about the Houston ride, but the Dallas ride seems to be set up to be a "see Dallas" ride rather than a "cruise through the country" ride. I plan to do the Dallas ride here in a month or so. Of course, I've been on part of the course already.
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Old 03-07-08, 07:49 AM
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Just read in the Chron that they closed the Hardy that day from 6-2. I have a team ride that day or I would sign up just to say I did the TDH, but I have to admit, that route is horrible.
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Old 03-07-08, 10:03 AM
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I'm signed up for the TDH 40-mile ride. It's my first organized ride and I'm a bit nervous about the various feedback above. But, if I like it I like it if I don't I don't, I gotta start somewhere.

Any tips for a newbie to these sorts of rides?
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Old 03-07-08, 11:05 AM
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I signed up too for the TDH 70 mile route. I agree that the route looks boring as heck - I've never been on a sponsored ride like this that's an out and back. Oh well, if nothing else, it should at least be well policed, right, since Bill White rides in it???

Cycledorchy, I'm a noob just like you, training for my first MS150 this year. I don't have much wisdom to offer yet, other than the fact that I've done quite a few of the recommended rides in the last 2 months for the MS150. Most of them have been pretty well supported. I can tell you that I've found that there's not much need for you to bring a lot of extra food/drink on the actual ride. All these rides have reasonably placed rest stops with at the bare minimum, bananas, oranges, water and gatorade. Even the worst planned rides have had this. The better ones obviously have more stuff.

If you pack anything extra, I'd just say to make sure you have a patch kit with some tire levers, at least one extra tube and some way to inflate that tube, and be familiar with how your inflation device functions. Please don't ask me how I know this.... Also, if you've never changed a tube/tire, a recommended ride like this is NOT the place to learn. Others may disagree, but I learned in my garage on a rainy day how to change road bike tires and tubes when I bought new tires and tubes and Velox tape for my rims. Fortunately, I've been changing MTB tires and tubes since I was a teen, but you'd be surprised how many of my buddies that got me INTO road cycling tell me they have no idea how to change a tire. I keep offering to show them outside of our rides, and they keep declining. I just know someday I'll end up teaching them on the side of the road....

Good luck, and remember - just have fun with it. Go at your own pace and be sure to always say 'On your left' when you pass and I always say 'Thanks' to those folks passing me who call it out. Just a courtesy thing. NEVER pass folks on their right. I was on the Spring Breakaway ride last weekend with my buddy, and some jerk tried to pass a couple in front of us on the right. He ran out of road and went into the gravel, and when he tried to hop back up on the blacktop he almost wiped out and took about 5 people with him. Very disrespectful....

Let the Lance 'Wanna Be's' bonk out at 30 miles because they think they're on the Tour de France....
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Old 03-07-08, 04:14 PM
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I was hoping to actually tour Houston.

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Old 03-07-08, 04:24 PM
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Nate! That was very funny, and almost punny, but I don't think it qualifies as a pun. It was, however, quite witty and sarcastic.

It is sad that they chose not to tour houston, when there are quite a few good rotes they could do, especially on a sunday. I suppose it is logistically easier to close hardy thhan to manage multiple busy intersections, but that is a pretty sad reason to choose such a route.
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Old 03-07-08, 07:24 PM
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Eh... we can tour houston on our own How's Sunday sound
We can't cruise town the toll road anytime we want though

I think I'm gonna cruising our town while at school... I found a nice path along Braes bayou right behind UH that connects to the med center.
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Old 03-07-08, 09:31 PM
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Duane, what time? I'm interested, and was planning on putting about 4 hours of overtime in at the office on sunday (downtown) so I'd like to ride in the morning, and then go to the office. What do you think?
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Old 03-10-08, 07:30 AM
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I doubt I will be passing many other riders, but yeah, I've gotten into the habit of saying "bike left" or "passing left" and so on. I can't ride the MS 150 this year, I couldn't get a spot and I need to train more, frankly. But next year I plan to do it.

I just plunked down a wad on new shoes, Sidi genius megas...jeez I spent more on my road shoes than on my first target POS MTB bike...or any other pair of shoes I've ever owned. LOL
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Old 03-10-08, 08:18 AM
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This is what I have heard from someone in the know (i.e. employee of the mayor's office who set the route in 2006 and 2007). Running the TdH as anything but an out and back dramatically increases the number of police officers needed and thus the amount of overtime the city winds up paying. This is the reason why last year's ride was basically an out and back to Clear Lake and why this year's will be the same but to the north. It's obviously far from ideal from a cyclist viewpoint, but I guess it's what the city could manage and still keep its costs reasonable.

Last year's ride was okay as far as the rest stops were concerned, at least I thought. They were quite well stocked and the start and finish went pretty smoothly, though it was obviously pretty crowded at the beginning. Despite the less than interesting scenery last year, I actually had a pretty good time, and I like supporting cycling in Houston. Besides, I've gotta get another ride marshal gig out of the way before the MS150, so I'll be there.
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Old 03-12-08, 04:30 PM
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Originally Posted by bluebottle1
This is what I have heard from someone in the know (i.e. employee of the mayor's office who set the route in 2006 and 2007). Running the TdH as anything but an out and back dramatically increases the number of police officers needed and thus the amount of overtime the city winds up paying. This is the reason why last year's ride was basically an out and back to Clear Lake and why this year's will be the same but to the north. It's obviously far from ideal from a cyclist viewpoint, but I guess it's what the city could manage and still keep its costs reasonable.

Last year's ride was okay as far as the rest stops were concerned, at least I thought. They were quite well stocked and the start and finish went pretty smoothly, though it was obviously pretty crowded at the beginning. Despite the less than interesting scenery last year, I actually had a pretty good time, and I like supporting cycling in Houston. Besides, I've gotta get another ride marshal gig out of the way before the MS150, so I'll be there.
Thank for your perspective. I signed my wife and I up for the TDH because I'm Houston proud and I felt like it would give me an opportunity to do something different. The MS150 last year gave me a perspective about riding on a large organized ride - the most uninteresting places or difficult roads become a lot of fun when you have traffic control and lots of people cheering and excited. That is what I expect on this ride. I expect kind of a rush of excitement. I am no novice rider by any stretch. I did 5000 miles last year and I've got three centuries under my belt, plus numerous 60+ mile rides. I like to ride at a 20-22 mph pace, but I also enjoy doing a 35 mile ride at 15 mph with my wife.

I just tried to pick up my packet and they were out. All of the banks ran out. Sun and Ski is rumored to have had no packets last weekend. What did I expect? Its the city government organization (low budget). <sigh> But I will remain optimistic and experience it once. I cannot think of any other way to get to go down the middle of Hardy toll road on my bicycle without getting run over.

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Old 03-12-08, 04:50 PM
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I went to Sun & Ski on Westheimer on Sunday to pick up my packet. The people in charge were supposed to start at 11, but didn't arrive until after 12. I'm thinking someone forgot to set their clocks. I was kind of aggravated because I had to wait around a while, but I did get a new jersey (Primal Leisure shirt jersey since I'm rockin' the '70s trucker/biker mustache right now :-))
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Old 03-13-08, 06:41 AM
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Originally Posted by wrobertdavis
Thank for your perspective. I signed my wife and I up for the TDH because I'm Houston proud and I felt like it would give me an opportunity to do something different. The MS150 last year gave me a perspective about riding on a large organized ride - the most uninteresting places or difficult roads become a lot of fun when you have traffic control and lots of people cheering and excited. That is what I expect on this ride. I expect kind of a rush of excitement. I am no novice rider by any stretch. I did 5000 miles last year and I've got three centuries under my belt, plus numerous 60+ mile rides. I like to ride at a 20-22 mph pace, but I also enjoy doing a 35 mile ride at 15 mph with my wife.

I just tried to pick up my packet and they were out. All of the banks ran out. Sun and Ski is rumored to have had no packets last weekend. What did I expect? Its the city government organization (low budget). <sigh> But I will remain optimistic and experience it once. I cannot think of any other way to get to go down the middle of Hardy toll road on my bicycle without getting run over.

Bob
Yeah I was at the Guaranty bank on memorial yesterday twice, once in the morning and once at about 3:30, and they said that they were out and that all the other locations were out and that they were trying to get more packets from city hall. I actually stopped another rider on his way in and gave him the bad news. It is very depressing that my first organized ride in Houston is apparently so poorly planned!

I'm told we who registered in advance for the TDH can pick up packets at the event, but that sucks since I'll be driving in from Katy by myself. :-(

I really wanted to do this ride as training for my first century and then the MS 150 (next year) but now I'm feeling a bit apprehensive over the planning of it.
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Old 03-13-08, 06:42 AM
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Originally Posted by alohaboy
I went to Sun & Ski on Westheimer on Sunday to pick up my packet. The people in charge were supposed to start at 11, but didn't arrive until after 12. I'm thinking someone forgot to set their clocks. I was kind of aggravated because I had to wait around a while, but I did get a new jersey (Primal Leisure shirt jersey since I'm rockin' the '70s trucker/biker mustache right now :-))

I was there too at 11:00 and I also waited around, I am disappointed that they showed up apparently right after I gave up and left. But I did get my new road shoes, some Sidi Genius Megas...and I luv 'em. But now I have no packet and I'm really disgusted.
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Old 03-13-08, 09:02 AM
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I gave up on picking up packets ahead of time (for all rides). I just don't like going out of my way... never seems like the locations or times are convenient. I just arrive early, and get it at the event. I'm always pre-registered, so not worried about not getting it.

If it is convenient, or i know someone going to get it, I'll ask them to grab mine also... but rarely does that happen.
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Old 03-13-08, 10:22 AM
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Originally Posted by cycledorchy
I actually stopped another rider on his way in and gave him the bad news. It is very depressing that my first organized ride in Houston is apparently so poorly planned!
Guess what. I'm the other rider you talked to at Guarantee Bank. I hope it goes well for us both. There are many great organized rides around Houston and some good clubs and a few store sponsored rides. Then there are those that should never be re-run. These forums are a good place to learn what works and has worked.

I recommend the Fort Bend Education expedition on 3/29 and Brookwood spirit rally on 4/26. They have been good in the past.

We'll exchange views on how TDH went after its done.

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Old 03-13-08, 03:29 PM
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Hey, I'm signed up for the Ft. Bend ISD ride, which is cool since I work for the district. This'll be my last 20ish miler before I ride the 40 mile Space Race, which I'm nervous about as it'll be the furthest I've ridden.
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Old 03-13-08, 03:29 PM
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Agreed,... that's one of my reasons for writing "ride reports" after the ride is done. I also try to give a lot of info... not just opinions.
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