We started day one in cool temps in the low 40s…but that didn’t take my mind off the fact that my hill mule (aka my wife) was not going to be there…kind of anxious but kind of sad. Rolling across into the reservoir made the temps drop even lower;
when I decided to roll – it was with 100 miles in mind and only arm warmers and a skull cap was on the list…I paid the price for the short finger gloves and had to crank it up in Katy to get core temps up and blood flowing…so it was a race to RS1. So I sped off from Cheesy for a bit and hoped to catch up at RS1 after I got warmed up. It was a pretty short sprint out to get there as it was only about 12 miles out. It was a good thing that I did that because by the time I got to Katy I had lost feeling in my fingers and it got to the point that I was feeling pins and needles in all my fingers and was beginning to have difficulty with the paddles and I certainly didn’t want to have a miss there…
It was nice to chat with Max and Mark for a bit but after awhile when Cheesy didn’t show I had to shove off. Cheesy hooked into the COP inner sanctum line and was cranking…we eventually met up at RS3 and got to meet Elvis…see the album. The rest of the route to Bellville was a joy…I was able to pound out a nearly 21 mph average for the first 65 miles…that Domane is such a joy to ride – words can’t express it. Either way, we opted for the convenience store lunch instead of waiting in line for an hour with 7500 cyclists for a ham sandwich. After a few of these rest stops I made a remarkable discovery. While rest stops in general have some semblance of order when it comes to water and food (definitely with the bathrooms) – this year’s MS150 was an interesting example of the “sheep”…the water line was typical…it was a line more or less but people got their water and got out of the way…the food was amazing…three eight foot tables covered with cups of food and some genius decided a single cafeteria style line was the plan…it was nuts…there were 300 people in line! What was remarkable to me is that everyone went along with it….Baaaaah….baaaaah….I wasn’t having any of that nonsense…so when I say – MADNESS I tell you MADNESS, I really mean it! The one good thing that came out
of the is we ran into a team from Gate, Inc. who had the most amazing jerseys…as you can see, it somewhat resembles me…well…it resembles some circumstances of mine. After a bit of research, I found the
company and the team captain for them. Hopefully he won’t find it strange that I just have to have one of those jerseys. I mean…the Conoco Phillips team has had me tell that alligator story two years in a row now…they used to ask for stories about the strangest animal encounters during training rides and this year – they just asked me to share my story and didn’t ask anyone else…hmmm…
I really enjoy riding through Fayetteville – although, I have to admit I wish I was their partying with them and cheering everyone on! This community is great; they get out early and tailgate all day long to cheer the riders on and encourage them – plus they always have good music playing and there is at least one person offering you a beer as you pass by…darn camera in my hand!
The guy in the distance at the end of the video had one in his outreaching arm!…and ofcourse you can’t forget the bubbles…so many bubbles…it covers the street!
One very notable thing about this part of the ride was the wind – it was favorable (did I mention that this was one of the top three rides in 25 years of the MS150 to Austin?); take a look at the smoke from the plant on Fayette County Lake as it quietly whispers go to Austin…go to Austin…in its own special way…
Riding a bicycle on a route like this is special; you truly get to enjoy the vistas and scenic surroundings in a way that is very different than riding in an automobile…despite the notion that I might be going to fast…so Kip says…but this time of year in Texas has always been my favorite…the mild temperatures and the abundant wildflowers are always
a pleasure during any of the rides this time of year – the MS150 route just happens to bring you through some beautiful places – and some of those places are even for sale – like this one!
Riding this route without a friend is almost unspeakable and while most ride with a team, you aren’t usually together very long unless your team is intent on pacing the whole way and hoping to maintain a line for a very long distance. Either way it goes, having someone with you or close is not only a good idea it makes the ride truly enjoyable. At the close of day 1, I got to witness an example of why riding with a buddy is not just a good idea – sometimes it is the difference in finishing or not finishing. We caught up with this couple just as you get on the last couple of mile stretch to the La Grange fairgrounds…and when I say that everybody needs somebody, this image has to speak volumes to that notion.
This guy would give her a shove and she would pedal the momentum out as far as she could until he caught back up and did it again – THIS is teamwork folks.
Day 1 went pretty fast as far as saddle time goes – I averaged 18 for the 100 miles but we had quite a few rest stops to take it easy, laugh and enjoy the chaos…and unfortunately we spent time in wonderment watching some folks who had taken very bad falls and had to be taken away by ambulance…I am told that the COP team had a broken pelvis and a broken collar bone this year.
Day 2 came very quickly; even going to bed by 8ish wasn’t enough time – well, it definitely wasn’t enough time to make the group that left for the park! As chipper as we may have felt that morning, we barely made the group that stops at “Kodak” corner for a team photo…
we literally got geared up and showed up in time for them to roll…more coffee was definitely needed, but we rolled with the group in any event. This morning was cool enough to still require some arm warmers, but it was going to warm up quite early and it did. This was another fast morning of pleasantly quiet roads that led us through some good hills and dropped (literally) into Bastrop for lunch. We had a mission after the first 10 miles…that was to find a coffee shop…it was sometimes hard to stay close together so we could turn at the same place, but we managed through it and eventually crested he hill above Bastrop and what an amazing view…I think I coasted down that hill around 35+ mph – had I pedaled through it, there was no doubt I would have gotten between 40-50 mph – which I have a feeling is what happened to the rider who was on her back in the road at the bottom of the hill did…having already crashed at 25 mph, it was a goal for me NOT to crash on this route – with this many riders, it could have been quite devastating!
When faced with another lunch stop with 7500 of my closest cycling buddies, we opted for something a little more refined – besides, we were also looking for a coffee shop. Once we got into Bastrop, Cheesy led the way through some back streets to a place called Maxines
– definitely not an MS150 official rest stop – and thank goodness. There were a couple of bikes outside, so we weren’t the only “smart” cyclists – but when we left, there was a 20 minute wait to get seated and the four of us were the only cyclists who stopped there – did I mention they had free coffee at this place…OH…and like 14 different kinds of pies, cobbler and cakes? Good grief! We contemplated cobbler for brunch, but I opted for something with a bit more protein and carbs…why yes it is…a fried egg sandwich on sourdough bread with a 1/2″ slab of ham and cheese with tomatoes and lettuce…completely with hot sauce…the breakfast of MS150 champions baby!
After a nice brunch and tons of coffee, laughs and stories – check out the oxymoron picture in the album…that was across the street from us – we meandered down to the river overlook to watch the other cyclists float across the bridge hoping for a turkey wrap, Lay’s potato chips and a not so Delicious apple – haha…suckers!
After about an hour break for brunch, we figured we ought to get moving along – and zip right past the lunch madness on the other side of the bridge – after all, we were on the back nine now and just a quick sprint to Austin….then along the way, Cheesy decides to put this plan into motion that he had been conjuring for the last 140 miles…pin wheels…I know…just like that pig on the Geico commercial…you know it – “Wheeee….Wheeee…Max!…Maaaaaax!…you’re home…uh, thanks Mrs. A!” So with a short stop at Dollar General and $5, we were equipped with one Spider man pinwheel and one Cars pinwheel…and yes, we did stick them in our helmets and ride all the way to Austin; the funny thing is just about every intersection officer from Bastrop to Austin either smiled or made a positive comment or both – not to mention all of the spectators that seemed to love it. I guess this is what happens when you combine coffee, caffeine filled GU and a lot of endorphins…
The remainder of the ride in to Austin was uneventful – which is a really good thing as the madness is compounded with madness and questions about the sensibility of putting cones out for everyone to crash on! This year’s ride was amazing – I can really use that word to describe it because when I finished, I found myself a bit sad that it was over already…and feeling like I had another 50 miles left in me…one thing for sure, it felt good – the whole ride did; and in the end, I was left looking forward to the next ride wherever that might be….Cheesy and I were lucky to have our beautiful and supportive wives waiting for us to capture this year’s moment of glory as we passed underneath the finish line.
What a great feeling again, but somehow just a little more grand that the last time! Having this type of weather and overall ride can probably be described best as exceptional; but the experience is something that I believe every avid cyclist should participate in – even if it is only one time. The notion that this wonderful ride helped to raise money to fund research for a cure to MS is a blessing for those with MS – including our dear friend Lee; the ride itself is truly a gift.
If you have never done the MS150, you should consider it very carefully and perhaps you will get the gift that we get when do it. If you decide that it is not for you…well, that is a personal choice…but whatever you do, be a champion and for God’s sake, keep on pedalin’!
VIEW ALL OF THE PHOTOS IN THE ALBUM BELOW.
2013 BP MS150 - 04-20-2013 thru 04-21-2013
