Time to start registering for t-shirt rides leading up to the 150.
All the recommended rides can be found here: 2017 BP MS 150: Recommended Rides - National MS Society
Assuming you're not doing the Ready 2 Roll series....

Here's a list of the ones I'm most likely to attend. Would love company!
* = will 100% be there unless something terrible happens

Feb 4: Pedaling the Prairie
Mar 4: Raven's Ride
Mar 11: Pedal through the Pines
Mar 19: Tour de Houston*
Apr 2: Bluebonnet Express*
Apr 9: Gran Fondo
Apr 23: Tour de Braz
May 6: Bike for Mike*
July ??: Katy Flatland*

Hey sciguy, I'm new to the sport (6 months) and BlueBonnet Express will be my first organized ride. I'm excited, but a little nervous from not knowing anyone, nor how these rides typically go. In particular water and food stations, mechanical help, etc. Would it be possible to link up before the race?

Also, is there a thread that introduces newBs to rides? I like to be prepared for events, so I'm eager to soak up as much information as I can.

Do you mean at the ride (not a race!) before it starts, or days beforehand? Because I can certainly meet up with you the morning of when we get there.

You really need not worry. I was nervous when I went to my first which was the Ravens Revenge ride all the way up in Conroe. I soon found out these rides are very well organized and a well oiled machine.
Bring two water bottles on your bike - you'll most likely never go through both before hitting a rest stop. At the first rest stop I usually empty one water bottle and fill it with Gatorade.
The stops are usually 10-12 miles apart sometimes more sometimes less depending on the ride and area.
I didn't know anyone on my first ride and I've ridden probably the majority of these t-shirt rides solo as well. It's still fun because you'll chat up riders you pass or meet at a rest stop. Or just relax and enjoy some you time. It's great either way.
Arrive early to get your packet and put on your numbers on and get some coffee or snacks before the start.
Then just suit up and wait to roll! There are lots and lots of riders so you'll usually be near someone. The routes are well marked and the map you get usually has a phone number of a SAG vehicle to call if you get lost.
If you get a flat or break down some other way just flag down a fellow rider or a ride marshal and they will help you fix it if you can't yourself. Or the SAG wagon will pick you up and take you to the next rest stop.
Don't stress - you'll leave all the worries behind after the first 2 miles. I did. Now I look forward to these every year!

The Bluebonnet in particular is a popular and well attended ride. It can be very very windy though. My first time I did the 50+ ride and I was only out there with a handful of people and it was absolutely brutal wind. But that's cycling in Texas!

Rest stops are fully stocked with drinks and energy snacks and bathrooms. Worry not. Bring your own food if you want too.

You'll have a great time.

can you park in the discovery green underground garage? or the theater district? The only time I've ever driven down with bikes is for the Tour de Houston, and I've always parked in those 2 lots along Memorial just before you cross to the Bayou Center

I don't know of any place that is safer than any other place. I've never had a car broken into downtown.

What's "the CM ride"?

Critical Mass.
Last friday of every month.

I've heard mixed reviews about the atmosphere of those rides. I would like to do the Houston to Galveston ride some day though.

I'll be skipping the Tour de Houston this weekend unfortunately while my knee recovers. Hopefully after 2 weeks off I'll be in shape for the Bluebonnet. I'd be really pissed to have wasted money on both.

Ow, that sucks.

I'm looking forward to Tour de Houston. It goes by my house this year.

I've never done Bluebonnet. It's in Waller County.

maybe they saw that you were part of critical mass and wanted to get back at you for making them sit at a light for 30 minutes and all the bikes ran red lights...

Any pics or stories from the Tour de Houston today? I think y'all had an awesome day for it. Really bummed I had to miss it. Stupid knee!

It was a gorgeous day, but there was a heavy fog along the bayous. I saw a lot of wrecks, even more than usual it seemed. There is always a mix of skill levels and speeds, but it seemed worse this year. I saw a guy endo over a curb two bikes in front of me because of some rough pavement freaking everyone out. A team mate saw a guy with his front teeth knocked out.

WOW, that sounds horrible. One day I might decide to ride in an organized ride but I worry about wrecks. I for one do not have any experience riding with a group or a group ride. At my age, I'm terrified at the thought of getting into a pile-up. I did however get 39 miles on Saturday and 44 miles in on Sunday riding between Hershey Park and George Bush. Great week-end.

It was challenging, but I had a blast. We met at the brewery, rode to City Hall, did the TdH, rode back to the brewery and enjoyed a tasty beverage and the unveiling of our 2017 MS150 team jersey.

I enjoyed my solo ride on Saturday, but I also enjoy team rides.

Bummer about all the wrecks. Nice to know people ride bikes as well as they drive cars. Perhaps it would help with the people doing the TdH rode their bikes more than twice a year.....

You did 60 miles on your mountain bike? Outstanding!

Ah. I did 60 on my skinny tires without falling down even once!

yeah that's true, houston roads are awesome.

Don't let that be a turnoff. Start in the back and take your time to enjoy it. You will pass more people than will pass you and you will like it. Go do a weekend ride with Bicycle World and Fitness on Memorial if they still do the weekend route through the park there. It's a no drop ride and you'll feel more comfortable in a small group. I am sort of a hypocrite because even though I've done a lot of MS150 training rides, I have never done the MS150 because of how many people are there.

My experience so far is that the MS150 is much less crowded than Tour de Houston. People going different speeds seem to separate early on and stay separated the rest of the day, for the most part.

The Tully start is the most crowded on the MS150. The start at Rhodes stadium is much more laid back and less crowded. By the time you join the main route, things are pretty spread out.

Just spoke to a friend that rode the Tour De Houston and he said he saw about 8 wrecks and a couple of them were bad. He said the Meyerland area was horrible on the road conditions. His wife hit a crack in the road that put her front tire out of true. It's in the shop now seeing if they can true it up. She didn't fall which is good. I normally ride night rides with them at White Oak Bayou but right now they're riding harder and longer averaging around 17.5 mph. which is faster than what I do on my FX3. I average 13 to 14 mph. so I probably won't be riding much with them until the MS150 is over.

I ride Meyerland several times a week, and have for years. Maybe that's good training? The roads can be tricky, but they're MUCH better than what I saw out in Fulshear two Sundays ago.

Houston bike plan passed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Woohoo!

Now let's see if it ever gets funded.