Rex G

Mash Master: "Maybe we need a BF houston to Austin ride"

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aaronechang replied: "That's a terrific idea. I would definitely be up for it."

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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."

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I posted: "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.

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OK, here is the new thread. I figured that keeping this conversation buried in the other thread might cause some folks to miss it. IIRC, in a recent year, I had voiced support for an independent ride from the Houston area to the Austin area as an altenative to the MS150. I will ask my wife today if she wants to participate/contribute. She has worked as an enthusiastic volunteer a couple of years at the MS150, and she might want to ride, or might want to work support/SAG. I can't say that either of us are up to spearheading a ride, but she is a far better organizer than I am.

Would we do some lengthy training rides on back-to-back days? How about a Houston-LaGrange one-day ride as one of the prep rides?

Would we follow the MS150 route, or find our own?

Do we want to keep it small, or push it as an alternative for a possibly large number of folks disaffected with the MS150? I am thinking small, myself, as too large a number of folks will sooner or later cause some level of liability to fall upon those seen as the leaders. Liability for others' safety, quite frankly, scares the living bejabbers out of me. (A good friend of ours was injured at an MS150, when a kid zigged or zagged and took down a number of riders. KXX's concussion permanently changed her personality.) I deal with MUCH responsibility/liability at work, but have "qualified immunity" on my side, if I follow the rules and show good faith in what I do.

I like things that are small enough for "big boy" rules. We are all big boys, or girls, and we all assume our own risks, and deal with our own consequences.

FWIW, in the late 1990's, when I was still in my 30's, and bulletproof, I thought about a Houston-Austin ride in one long day. It seemed a bit shorter than what some randonneurs do, and many of the European one-day Classics are of similar length, or more. Of course, in late 2001, I entered a cycling slump after a move, that lasted several years, and I am no longer bulletproof. It did not bother me to turn 40, but turning 48 tomorrow is SCARY.

Griffin2020

The route that the BP MS150 follows is 186 miles.
There are some better routes, since your group will be significntly smaller than 18,000 riders.
Off the top of my head, I cannot tell you what those routes are, but if you can find the original route that the MS ride used, it is quite a bit shorter than the current route (is actually between 140 and 155 miles, and since it was the first of the MS rides, the name stuck).
See aboveIt is completely possible to do it in one day. I would recommend splitting it into 2 days, unless you have some really long distance riders that want to slog it.

I would also say keep it small. You will need to have SAGs or some type of transport to get back from Austin.

I also might be interested in riding it. I live in north Texas, but could drive down.
I will volunteer my wife to drive SAG/Support in our mini SUV. It will carry a couple of riders and bikes, and could carry drinks, etc.

Mash Master

I'm in Austin so I would travel down to Houston. I will talk to my wife. I think that us Austinites can carpool down and have a pseudo SAG. In the Park how are the cattle guards when not covered up? I think we would need set stopping points for rest points.

150 in a day isn't too bad. I'm mostly worried about traffic at the start and the end.

kwrides

Happy birthday Rex G!

Mash Master

I asked my wife and she said she would SAG as well.

Hell if we lined it up to hit the small towns we could just purchase drinks and whatever our needs are along the way. 150 isn't that bad if we do it in May.

yeamac 

I was thinking more self-supported without the need for SAG, but someone willing to trail the riders or meet at pre-arranged stops would be a bonus. There are plenty of stops between Houston-Austin that food/water/restrooms would be more than adequate.

Regarding the state parks, would we bypass or go through? Going through would mean a park entry fee per rider per park, I think $5. And the parks would chew up a lot of time as the roads are windy with steep grades that slow your avg. speed. Might be better to avoid the parks if trying to ride from Houston-Austin in one day.

Other route considerations: Where start in Houston? Katy Mills mall would avoid most of the traffic if going west on 90. And where end in Austin? Capital? Perhaps the Austin riders could come up with the best end to the route.

Starting in May would mean 6:30 a.m. would already be light out. Also, May is pretty much guaranteed to have a SE tailwind which should help the avg. speed.

Keep the ideas coming.

SpiderMike

Does the 150 mile route take you down old state highway 20?

martialman.45

my wife could probably SAG too.

Mash Master

I mentioned it to my co-worker and he is interested as well. I think we will have a nice turn out.

I'm assuming that we will start somewhere near where MS150 starts? For the end, I would think that ending at the capital may be too dangerous. I think ending at Zilker park or town lake would be interesting. A place to have a cold beer and some BBQ at the end would be great.

Tyrell

I just found this thread. This sounds like an awesome idea and I'd love to jump on board if I can make it scheduling-wise. I'm also in Austin. I'll keep an eye on things to see if it will work out for me.

ETA: I think 150 in one day would be awesome!

Rex G

Thanks.

waitforme

Count me in too

Mash Master

OK, I just created a yahoo group to discuss this further. https://groups.yahoo.com/group/BFHtoA

waitforme

Alert thread hijack

Mash Master - I noticed that you have a Moto Le Champion Ti. I was pretty much set on a Specialized Roubaix and then I spied the Le Champ Ti on BD. How do you like yours and can you comment on the ride and geometry compared to the Roubaix?

Sorry for the hijack

thanks
Kevin

Mash Master

I can't comment about the geometry compared to the Roubaix since I have never ridden one. I do like the Moto very much and have put at least 3k miles on it with zero issues :-) I think the value is really good for it.

waitforme

Thanks for the reply MM.

One more question if you don't mind. BD present the Le Champ as a semi-relaxed geometry, hence the comparison to the Roubaix. I'm getting a little longer in the tooth (47) with some upper back and neck issues, so comfort has a priority over an aggressive race orientated geometry/fit. Do you find the Le Champ fits that description and would you be comfortable doing longer charity rides on it?

Thanks
Kevin

alpha_bravo

Displaced Houston-ite here who'd be very interested in this. I think it's a great idea.

Starting somewhere outside Houston such as Columbus and routing through Bastrop could bring the mileage down to around 90 or so depending on what part of Austin we stop at if we were looking at a one day venture.

kwrides

I don't mean to be rude, but may I suggest you use PM's for this discussion? Let's keep this one to the ride.

Mash Master

Only one person has joined the group https://groups.yahoo.com/group/BFHtoA I think that is an even better forum for the ride as we can post files of maps...

I think the ride should be around 150 or so. That is very doable in one day.
If we start in Katy near tully, how bad is traffic getting out of town on a Saturday morning?

aggarcia

I would get game, but I need to work up to 150 miles in one day. Let me know if this progresses.

AG

Mash Master

You can do it. It sounds scary but it is doable. About three years ago just prior to turning 40 I decided I would try bike riding. Until then I never rode for more that maybe 10 miles in a day. I started riding with a friend at 10 miles and added 10 more every couple of weekends. About 6 months later I rode 200 from Seattle to Portland in one day. I wasn't fast but I did it. You too can do it. :-)

May is a long way away...

Rex G

Perhaps this could be set up as either one or two days? Folks not up to 150-ish could ride to a certain point on Day One, and meet the others at that point on Day Two? (Of course, one could opt to do only one leg.)
alphabravo's idea of starting at a town partway to Austin is also a good one, and folks who wanted could ride to that town the day before the big push to Austin. I am not sure Columbus is the best point, however, for those who may want to ride a bike from Houston. Has anyone here ridden to the Columbus area from the Houston area?

Regardless, I am not a resident of Houston, so there is nothing that compels me to start within Houston.

czexanbmxn

I'd like to join in for such a ride. I've ridden the BP MS150 the last three years in a row, and have often thought of attempting Houston to Austin in one day. I'm not 100% sure I'll be able to participate(graduating in Dec. and not sure where I'll be working just yet), but I joined the Yahoo! group and will be following along in the discussion there and on BF.

-Chase

Mash Master

Maybe we should start looking at a target date. When is MS150 this year? What else do we need to avoid?

I was thinking maybe early May, it shouldn't be too hot then. When is the best time for a tail wind? :-)

clarkgriswold

Definately interested. Probably can find 1-3 other people myself too.