StephenH

There's enough people out there that getting lost isn't much of a problem. Can't advise as to speed- I ride and my wife stays home, so it doesn't much matter how fast I go. There's been different solutions to the differing-speeds issue, and that's one of the motivations to ride a tandem bike. Splitting up for the ride is great if it's agreeable to both, but if one wants to ride off and the other wants to ride together, you have problems. I enjoy a ride more if I can ride at my own speed as opposed to trying to keep up with someone else.

Fantasminha

I definately agree--I really don't enjoy a ride where I'm full-out all the time trying to keep up. I also don't enjoy it if I don't get at least part of the ride to test myself.

We looked into tandems, but they are so expensive. We may try to rent one before we take that plunge. Either way, it won't be for the Denton ride.

My husband and I are commuters so we have white helmets with little red lights that make us look like bugs--or space aliens. I hope to see you all there and if someone rides his speed, all the better!

Doohickie

I'm sure you can find someone to pace you.

Doohickie

So who's riding? If anyone wants to try to get together for the ride, call me when you get there. PM me and I'll give you my phone no... or just PM me yours.

StephenH

I'll be there, on the avatar bike
<========
I'll start towards the back and stay there.
Looks like it'll be coolish- www.weather.com is showing 40 degrees by ride time at 9:00 AM, with 9 mph wind from south-southeast- which'll be a head wind coming back in.

StephenH

Made it out there, made it back, made the 35 mile route with Mr. Doohickie from the forums here:


It was coolish, but not bad once you got moving.

Doohickie

That was a great ride, Stephen. See you at the next one... whenever that turns out to be.

Stephen sets an excellent pace for a guy on a single-speed Worksman. I especially enjoyed watching him passing people on very expensive bikes and full kit while we were going uphill. Legs of steel that guy has!

Jtgyk

Met Fantasminha and spousal unit at the first stop. (Yes...they DID have the "Bug Helmets" on.)

Wound up only doing 23 of the 26 mile route. (The wife wasn't feeling well hand was NOT amused with the chip seal!) so we turned around and got her to the rest stop so she could SAG out.) She did a solid 15 miles though! Good work Sue!
My buddy (newbee) and I finished...but he was bonking pretty hard for the last 4 miles or so.
I TRIED to tell him he needed more fuel than GatorAde for his first ride of any distance...especially in the cold.
He had to walk a couple of hills, but he managed to finish! Good Job Richard!!!

For me, it was a relaxing ride (if you don't count worrying about the other two).
I had some nice rests waiting for a couple hills to be walked up, but was generally glad that I rode my commuter...as it's geared lower and I could spin with little effort up the hills (BIG change from the road bike). I may be looking into a cassette for the road bike to move it more solidly into the "touring" range.
Oh yeah! It would be nice if they made cold weather gear (wind stopper pants/tops) in size "Woolly Mammoth" ..... Sweats and a Fleece were "adequate" ...but just barely.

23 miles...averaging a BLAZING 8.8 mph!

I get more mileage, at around 15 mph, on a typical Sunday ride...but it was relaxing (for the most part) and I got the feeling that I could go at 10 mph or slower for a looong time. Never even got winded.

Hope everyone else had a good ride and stayed warm out there!

Fantasminha

It was great meeting you too Jtgyk! I wanted to hang out and talk more but the spousal unit (this cracks me up!) gets impatient with a break of more than 2 minutes. We took a newbie with us today. He is my cube-neighbor at work and rides a MTB--first time on a roadbike today but he did great. The three of us did the 35 miles--not bad for his first time out! I think cube neighbor might be hooked.

Did I tell you that we got pulled over by the Denton Police? That's the first time I've even been pulled over by the cops on my BIKE! He was clearly miffed because he didn't know about the ride and was threatening to write us a ticket for riding double-up on that part of the road without a shoulder. I tried to explain to him that the truck behind us had it's flashers on and we thought it was the escort vehicle.... he was still mad anyway.

Still, a great time was had by all! I've been looking around for calendars for more rides through the winter and I don't see anything. Bummer... I was really hoping I could get in shape for the MS150 but not if I can only ride the 25 miles to work and back.

Jtgyk

35 miles?...Sounds like your 2 didn't mind the chip-seal as much as mine.

[QUOTE/]Did I tell you that we got pulled over by the Denton Police? That's the first time I've even been pulled over by the cops on my BIKE! He was clearly miffed because he didn't know about the ride and was threatening to write us a ticket for riding double-up on that part of the road without a shoulder. I tried to explain to him that the truck behind us had it's flashers on and we thought it was the escort vehicle.... he was still mad anyway.[/QUOTE]

When you mentioned the Police I first imagined you getting a ticket for a high speed descent!
Yeah flashers on usually means event vehicle (but technically it should have been "car back" and single up) Understandable though, given the circumstance.

[QUOTE/]Still, a great time was had by all! I've been looking around for calendars for more rides through the winter and I don't see anything. Bummer... I was really hoping I could get in shape for the MS150 but not if I can only ride the 25 miles to work and back.[/QUOTE]

25 miles? Round trip or One way?
Daaang! if you're putting in that kind of mileage 4-5 times a week...you shouldn't have any problem.
Just keep your commuting up and hit some of the practice rides in the spring.

StephenH

Isn't the MS 150 over two days? If you're riding 25 miles a day (or is it twice a day?) that should be no problem.

Look for a sticky for "Texas Rides" up there with a couple of links. The main ride I know of is the Happy New Rear on New Year's Day.

Balloon tires DO help on the chipseal.

Fantasminha

Thanks for the vote of confidence! (Grapevine to Las Colinas RT is 25 miles so 100-125 miles per week.) I'll go check out the Happy New Rear and MS150 threads.

StephenH

"but he was bonking pretty hard for the last 4 miles or so."

I rode this for the first time last year, and I remember that last couple of miles especially. You ride up one pretty good hill, then the next 4 miles is all very gradually uphill, so you don't get a chance to rest, and then you have a headwind on top of it. I had to stop and rest a minute or two on one of those hills in town last year. Didn't have to this year, so I either got fitter or had less headwind.

Doohickie

My hybrid tires did okay, but still, that was pretty rough! With Stephen setting the pace we couldn't fail.

StephenH

More photos:

PugOtis

I road in it and due to the weather conditions (cold and windy) found it to be a challenge this year. With the detour around construction the length was almost 74 miles. There was a stiff SE wind for most of the last 30 miles that made the ride feel more like a full century.

There was an accident that caused at least one biker to be taken to the hospital. Apparently a truck hauling a 4 wheeler on a trailer pulled out to pass a line of bikers and then pulled back in too soon clipping at least one. It happened on the back stretch before the town of Krum. By the time I got to the location there were several highway patroll cars at the scene. The injurred biker(s) had already been taken to the hospital. I hope it was not a severe injury.

Fantasminha

OMG... I hope injured cyclist is ok. It would be nice if he/she or someone who knows him/her posted to let us know.
--edited to correct my horrible spelling...

Doohickie

Here's a link to my blog entry for the Turkey Roll. A preview: Here is StephenH in action:

StephenH

Who had the school bus there, by the way?

Doohickie

Stay tuned for a future blog post!

It was just some guy I met after I finished; we are both from the Buffalo, NY, area. Anyway, he and several friends bought the bus on an online auction for $2k and they use it for events like charity rides, camping trips, etc. I thought it was worth a few pics.