alohaboy

Last year was to be my first year, but because the first day was rained out and the logistics of starting and finishing on Sunday didn't work in my favor, I didn't ride. I was pretty bummed and didn't ride for about 2 months, which incidentally turned out to be a good thing as once I got back on some of my pedaling and positioning issues worked themselves out.
Anywho, I considered not riding this year, thinking maybe I was bad luck for the ride since the first year I sign up is the only time a part of ride has been cancelled but I think I'm going to give it another shot. It'll give me a good goal to work towards this fall and winter.
So is anyone else doing the priority registration?

88txaggie

I didn't ride BP this year either, so don't know if I can get in for 2010. I have to wait for the general registration, and don't know if any slots will be left. I can't believe all 3 major Texas MS rides were one day this year! I rode the SA ride, 70 miles almost completely in the rain. They canceled day 2, as did DFW.

If you can't get in to the BP, I'd consider doing the SA ride. The route is pretty good, and you end where you start, which is logistically nice.

CranesInTexas

i'm signing up come monday morning. i've also got a gang of four others joining me. If you can get on a team's roster that has early team registration, you may be able to register in November instead of December.

Teeleton

Yep, my team is in for early reg. Got my hotel room in Austin booked already.

Teeleton

CranesInTexas

Just signed up today. I'm stoked!

alanbentrup

This will be my first year. I'm signing up with a team that has early registration in November.

Engyo

My team from work will be signing up in a couple of weeks. I'm in this year.

txags92

I'll be in come November as well...

Mash Master

I'm not sure, I've done it the last two years and raised about $5k total. I'm not sure I want to go through all the fundraising, again. I wish I could get credit for all that I've raised so I could take a year off of raising money.

aaronechang

I had the opportunity to register early and passed on it. By doing so, I won't be on the team's list for registering early for the following year, which most likely means I probably won't be able register at all unless I pony up $1000 (or however much the individual cut-off is).

The MS 150 has become a bit too rich for my blood. Every year the fundraising requirement keeps getting raised higher and higher just to be able to participate. The amount of money that I would have to pay out of my own pocket is way beyond what I want to spend on a bike ride. I don't work at a big corporation that can match 100% of my donations, and I just don't feel like hitting up friends and family for donations anymore.

Fighting MS is a noble cause, but I freely admit that it's not the primary reason why I want to ride. Even in this current economic climate, the MS society seems like it is doing an awesome job of raising money. If they can find 13,000 people willing to bring in all that money, then that's terrific - more power to them. It's just gotten beyond the $$ level that I feel comfortable spending, that's all.

Teeleton

Everyone has their own limit. Until they can't manage to hit the cap anymore, I don't see why they have any reason not to keep raising the bar.

Teeleton

aaronechang

Exactly. Their fiduciary duty is to raise money for MS, and if they can get people to keep donating as much as money as they can, then they should.

I've long been resigned to the fact that I've probably been priced out of the MS 150. That's ok - the person taking my place will probably raise more than the $400 that I would have brought in. And I can still get my bike riding miles in anytime I want, at no cost. So everyone wins.

Mash Master

Maybe we need a BF houston to Austin ride

Bluechip

For those who don't make the registration cutoff why not try one of the smaller MS rides. We did the Bike MS from San Antonio a couple of weeks ago and despite day 2 being cancelled because of the rain it was a blast. It seemed more like the first few Houston to Austin rides way back in the late 80's except the whole "team" thing is already in full swing. We joined the Pappas team and had a blast meeting a great bunch of people during the ride and after day one at the party in NB. We will definately be doing this ride agian. The BP MS150 is just too darn big for our taste.

aaronechang

That's a terrific idea. I would definitely be up for it.

yeamac 

+2

I have a conflict the weekend of the 2010 MS150 and cannot ride, but since doing it the last 3 years and without being particularly tied to the MS cause I have decided to give others a chance to ride and give it up. Its a fun, unique experience, but not something I want to continue on an annual basis.

A BF ride to Austin would be fun -- perhaps a new thread could be started if someone wants to spearhead the idea.

Rex G

A BF Houston-to-Austin ride has my attention, too. I will need time, however, to prepare. My daily best is about 66 miles, more or less, and that was 12 to 14 miles, with a break of 6 hours, then the rest of the distance. The next day, I was not up for another long ride. I have been reading a book on preparing to ride a century, and a Houston-Austin ride is something like two centuries back-to-back.

Well, I will go ahead and start a new thread, rather than take this one in another direction.

martialman.45

I'm in too, just say the day