Ms society just put out an update. Sounds like they are working on alternatives in case la grange is flooded out. Lets pray that next few rounds skip la grange and things dry out a bit. Keep an eye on the bpms150 facebook page for updates.

Was just coming here to post that. Saw the post on the MS150 Facebook page.

Not encouraging.

That looks fun for us campers...
Heya! First time MS150 rider here. Looks like it will be a...memorable one?

Ready2Roll just sent out an email update saying that the rain on Tuesday flooded parts of the fairgrounds in La Grange, and the suppliers are currently moving tents to try to accommodate everyone. Reading between the lines though, it doesn't sound good if La Grange gets anywhere near the predicted rainfall over the next few days, especially Friday night like most weather reports are predicting.

My main concern though is the threat of thunderstorms in La Grange on Saturday night. Don't want to be in a metal-framed tent in an open field during a lightning storm.

we're so boned

Just curious what happens if it looks like storms during early Saturday morning only. Have they ever just delayed the start by a few hours?

Also, has anyone ever ridden the MS 150 in the rain? I'm not too worried about riding in the rain but am nervous about riding in the rain with thousands of others and the pileups that may result from people losing control at stopping points, turns, or on hills.

I'm thinking of packing the waterproof liner we bought for our SUV when we carry the dog. It might be nice to stick under the cot and give me a dry spot to put my feet and stuff.

If you haven't already, I would for sure buy a tarp and pack it in with your cot and/or sleeping bag. It will give you at least one dry spot to set gear and clothing. I have not seen them delay a start by hours, but I have seen them delay it by 30-45 mins to allow fog to dissipate. If I had to speculate, I would suspect that in the absence of a clear threat of "severe" storms, they will let us ride unless the fairgrounds are flooded. If the fairgrounds are unusable, they will probably either cancel day one and start from LaGrange on day 2 or they may work to make day one an out and back ride from whichever start people are riding from to Bellville and back. If there is a significant chance of severe storms, they will almost certainly cancel the ride that day due to liability they may hold for putting volunteers into harms way.

Uggg. Hoping for the best.

If Saturday gets cancelled, I will try to ride Saturday afternoon, weather permitting. Becky and I did a training ride this year which was basically from the 1st Katy rest stop (Royal HS, north of Brookshire) to Bellville (lunch stop) and back, about 50 miles. More or less following the MS150 route.

Who's in?

If they cancel and the weather is crappy, my wife and I were talking about trying to do some kind of a marathon spinning event at our gym. If they cancel due to water at Lagrange, and the weather Saturday otherwise is conducive to riding, I will be wanting to get out and ride somewhere for sure.

I'm regretting not buying that rain jacket I was looking at online last week.

At the end of the day, I think there are a few determining factors about whether Day 1 will be cancelled:

1) The ground conditions in La Grange and if the fairgrounds are even usable
2) The threat of severe weather during the Day 1 ride that'll put rest stop volunteers at risk
3) The threat of severe weather overnight in La Grange that'll put everyone at risk sleeping inside of a bunch of lightning rods wrapped in vinyl

After looking at the updated weather projections, I have a feeling the third one will play a big role in the decision making.

I've got a group of four that would most likely be in!

MS150 official site says be ready to ride - but be prepared for inclement weather.
Don't think I'll bother with a rain jacket - if i'm going to get wet i'm going to get wet.

I told my wife the same thing earlier. Even if it is raining, it is supposed to be almost 80 degrees. I would cook wearing a jacket at that temp. I will just put my ride wallet and phone in a ziplock baggie. If you get cold, just pedal faster...

I am hopeful that the MS Society message means they have a backup plan in place if the fairgrounds gets too wet in some places. I somehow doubt that they would put that message out like that if they were leaning towards having to cancel. Or maybe I am just being overly hopeful and looking for any sign that we will get to ride...

Layers.

I will probably leave the jacket and wear a tech-tee/poly-pro/under armour/whatever shirt under my jersey and arm warmers in my back pocket just in case. When it's raining long enough, those jackets don't keep you dry, they keep you warm. I think I've said this before... I can deal with wet. Cold and wet is a whole different ballgame. I think it'll be warm enough to leave the jacket. It will surely be a last minute decision.

I also don't own a cycling rain jacket - so that played heavily in my decision to not bring one.

If you look at the radar right now, La Grange is about to get completely soaked in the next hour or so. Not looking good.

Hopefully the storms are moving too fast to dump too much rain, but it doesn't look good unless that line gets through there in a hurry.

We (me and my 3 riding buddies) made the call on our own that we aren't riding on Saturday regardless of what the official call ends up being.

With the current weather forecast for tonight/tomorrow/Saturday (especially the severe weather chance Saturday night), we don't want to chance it. We are planning on driving to La Grange early Sunday morning, leaving our car there somewhere (not sure yet exactly where), ride to Austin, and then pick up the car on the way home to Houston.

It's annoying this is the way it has to be, but it's better to be on the safe side of things with this weather threat.

We will miss you out there! I am still hopeful that we will be able to ride tomorrow, but only time will tell. Our sleeping area at camp saint marks is pretty high and gravel surface, so shouldn't be too swampy. If what abc showed in the future cast model last night comes true, the main risk on Saturday would come late afternoon or early evening, so it wouldn't impact the ride if we finished early enough. My sister will be meeting us in Lagrange, so if it is too nasty, we will just get in the car and come home from there for the night.

The funny thing is that I missed Sunday's ride last year (it's a long story, but it had to do with my wife putting an offer in on a house sight unseen while I was riding Saturday coupled with the fact our 3 month old son was sick). I guess I'm now looking at this year just being the completion of last year's unfinished business.

I have had all kinds of crazy things come up on ride weekend over the last ten years...I completely understand that feeling.

I'll admit, I am not looking forward to the projected thunderstorms and muddy campground. But, I realized something this morning. It's not about me. It's about MS. It's about those who donated their hard earned money to the cause all because I chose to ride my bike 150 miles over the course of two days. Who am to complain about getting wet or muddy when there are people who have MS who can't ride a bike and even have trouble walking. I know it seems pretty preachy and righteous, but that light just came on for me this morning.

our camp coordinator is heading out there today to stake out a camping spot for us to plop all our tents. I'm worried he'll say there's no place dry and we'll have to scrub the whole thing as a team.