bean4158

Greetings,

My wife, son, and I just completed the MS 150 ride from Tampa to Orlando and back. We had a great time and I wondered if others had any comments. I thought the course was good, except for a one long stretch of road in Polk County, which was very rough. I thought the organizers did a great job and the dinner on Saturday night was really well done. I think this event will continue to grow. I know the members of our team, Sarasota Memorial HealthPlex are already talking about who we'll recruit to expand our team for next year.

Any thoughts about the ride?

Mike Barnes

AEsco48

Im doing the Miami to Key Largo MS150 this coming week end...

did you camp or stay at a hotel....if camp...how was it....what you do after the 1st days ride till night?

jnlabay

Thats great that you finished the ride and stuff. Can you tell us alil about how it was because I will be doing the MS150 Houston-Austin on the 16th and 17th in Texas which I know is alil diffrent than Florida. Any tips would be great on a ride ride like you just did?

bean4158

The Florida ride ended at Sea World, so there was no camping. Everyone stayed at one of the local hotels. The sponsering hotel was the Sheraton World Resort and it was very nice! I don't know what the accomodations are like at Key Largo (I think it ends in Key Largo?). I did the ride with my son, who is 18, and two of his friends. My son had done a century a couple years ago, not the other two had not done this distance before. At the end of day one, they were very tired and they layed around the hotel room all afternoon. I think they slept a lot too. We got up at 4:00 AM to be at the start by 6:00. I mostly visited with friends and watched the Masters. Many others went to the pool. They had a very nice dinner on Saturday evening, where they recognized each of the teams and the largest fund raisers. I have family members with MS, so the fund raising was important. I think they raised $350,000, which is very good for this ride.

Mike

bean4158

jnlabay,

You are in for a real treat! I did the Houston to Austin ride last year and it was great. While the Florida ride had almost 800 riders, the Texas ride is the largest in the country with 13,000! Are you riding for a team? We rode for Anadarko last year. They are only allowing employees, family members, and large fund raisers to ride for them this year. While we stayed in a hotel last year, the vast majority of the riders camped at the La Grange Fair Grounds. That whole setup at the fair grounds was very fun. Each of the teams had their own tent. We had massage therapists and all the food and beverages that you would ever want. It was fun to walk around and see the various teams. They had live music into the evening and fireworks that night. The 100 miles the first day were pretty easy. We had a nice tailwind all day and it pushed us to La Grange. The second day was a little harder, with the hills in the park and a pretty significant headwind the last 35 miles or so. The finish at the capital was also very nice. It was really a festive atmosphere. The only caution that I'll send out is to be careful! There were many accidents in which riders got hurt. There is never a time in which faster riders are passing or trying to pass on the right with significant traffic in the way. At times it was like a super speedway, with riders of various speeds trying to make it through safely. The start of day two is a bit dicey also. On day one they start the various teams in order of size. This makes it much easier for the more novice riders to get started without people stopping or falling in front of them. On day two, it is best to get in line early and near the front. It is every man for himself at the start and if you want to stay with a group you have to be very careful. I lost the group I was riding with and didn't find them again until about half way.

It is a fabulous ride. The one in Florida will probably never get that big, but I predict that it will get much bigger in the coming years. I have to say the Sheraton World Resort was a bit nicer than the little hotel that we stayed in near La Grange! Have fun!

Mike

jnlabay

Well thanks for the information its in about 4 days now so Im pretty ampted up. My wife and I will be camping in a tent that Im going to borrow from my brother shes not real excited that she has to set it up but that is what she gets for thinking Im a crazy person for riding that far. I wanted to ride for a team but alot of them filled up very quickly since they closed the ride at 13,000 people. Ive talked to a few people who have done it in the past and they say with that many rides its going to be a mad-house. I just hpe they have some good food that first night and at the finish and some time to let me sleep and rest my tired worn out legs...Im really hoping for some cold beer at the finish because Im sure it will be well deserved by all.

bean4158

You will have a great time! But be careful and keep an eye out for both slower and faster riders. I don't ever remember a moment when I wasn't with a group of riders. You will always have riders in front and behind you. Unless of course you are planning to ride at over 25 miles per hour!

I wish we were coming out again this year!

Mike

turbominnow

I am riding for Team UT this year. Feel free to come by and make new friends, we will be pimping the mighty orange jerseys. Team is about 85 strong.

jb

margaran

I agree Mike- Deen Still road was awful- I've never blistered my hands before (in gloves) and a few fillings are loose but I the ride was great. We were very fortunate with the weather. Last week's wind was good for training but not for a century. I really loved all the support we had. Volunteers at ride stops every ten miles made it great for less experienced riders to rest, refuel, regroup. I really appreciated the EMS volunteers tailing us out of Orlando to keep us from being run over. The Monty Python "Not Dead Yet" skit did keep running through my mind though. Police support was quite beefy also and I'm sure helped slow cars down on those rural roads.

Maggie

Serpico

summer is almost here, great to see the forum si starting to have more and more ride reports

Comatose51

When is this ride!? I'm from Key Largo but has since moved to Dallas. I don't mind flying my bike back to do this! Get to see my family as well.

MikeN

Are you doing the local MS150 to Oklahoma next month? Only 1500+ on our ride... not quite as large as the Austin one

catatonic

Man, I should have ddone this...how do you get involved in the MS rides?

Yeah, I'm kinda a newb to these organized rides, I'm more of a solo joyrider myself, but this sounds fun!

Comatose51

Yep. It's my biggest goal right now. Only started riding since Oct. but loving it right now. The MS150 Red River challenge will be a test for me. I've only done 65 miles in a single day so far. Hopefully, I'll be able to reach at least 80 before the ride. I'm changing my bike to a triple, just in case I suck and need to fall back on the granny gear. Right now, my mind is totally focused on the MS150. It's also important to me for some personal reasons so I want to finish the entire ride on my own, without quitting, no matter how long that takes. Wish me luck!

jnlabay

turbominnow thats cool your riding for the UT Team i think i saw a few of you go blow by me while I was on the I-45 Feeder when I was doing the Space Race a few weekends ago.

AEsco48

https://www.nationalmssociety.org/FL...MS120050416BKL

bean4158

Hi Comatose51,

I'm not sure how long each let of the Oklahoma ride is, but if you can ride 65 now, you'll certainly be able to ride each leg. I always found that the excitement and adrenaline of the MS rides pushed me most of the way through the first day. Keep training and it shouldn't be a problem!

Mike