Mitkraft

Who else is doing this? This will be my first year so any tips/tricks/helpful info is welcome. Also, should I join a team and if so suggestions on which one?

Thanks!

memebag

This will be my 3rd year. Tips:

1. Yes, join a team. Join Saint Arnold. But you will need a time machine because they filled up three weeks ago.
2. Book a room at Moody Gardens if they aren't full already. Call on the phone and tell them you're staying for Bike Around the Bay. I think they reserved some rooms just for us. It's very convenient to have a comfy hotel room right there at the day 1 finish/day 2 start line.
3. Prepare your mind for some long, peaceful, uneventful miles on day 1. Become a zen master if you can. Some find it boring.
4. Save some energy for the finish through Galveston. It's a fun stretch. Watch out for weird metal plates and manhole covers.
5. Do not drink too much Saturday night.
6. Do some hill training for day 2. Causeway, Kemah and Fred Hartman bridges are all on day 2.
7. Do not eat the yummy cheeseburgers at lunch on day 2. Fred Hartman bridge is immediately after lunch. Or do eat the cheeseburgers. They are delicious. They taste exactly like the ones I had in public elementary school. But they make some people pukey.
8. Practice riding without breathing. Some of day 2 will take you through mysterious vapor clouds from petrochemical plants. Do not be alarmed.

Have fun!

Mitkraft

Thanks! Any teams with great benefits other than St. Arnold? I'm torn on getting a room for the night or not. I'm probably 30-45 minutes from home, rooms aren't cheap, amd Moody Gardens looks kinda dumpy as far as hotels go. Of course I've waited so long it might be moot now. I don't mind the long boring stretches but I am still training up for the distance. Did 84 miles last weekend without too much trouble so I'm nearly there. Thanks for the other tips. Is wind usually a big issue? I keep hearing that it might be tough.

Btw, I grew up in Deer Park so I should be well suited to deal with #8..lol.

memebag

Maybe Bike Barn? I know they do a few rides with Saint Arnold.

I wouldn't call Moody Gardens dumpy. It isn't a boutique hotel or anything, but the facilities and rooms are nice.

Wind can be an issue. Day one has a long stretch along the coast that's usually head or cross wind. The last two years it wasn't very strong.

Last year's day two was canceled with riders on the road. I looked at the weather radar and decided not to ride that day. Others were caught in 50 mph winds and rain.

Mitkraft

Oh yeah, I read the thread here from last years ride. That really looks to have sucked for those that actually tried to go out on the second day!

I've never been to Moody Gardens hotel but the pictures and reviews from Yelp aren't flattering. But maybe I had a false impression that it was a nicer hotel than it was.

Mitkraft

So we are just a few days away. Anyone else going to be participating? I never did end up getting a room and just plan on going home and back for the start on Sunday. I'll be in a NASA jersey on Saturday so feel free to say Hi!

Mitkraft

bkj

I'm in. I'll be in an Old Smokey jersey.

memebag

I'm as ready as I'm going to be. I got a sinus infection last week, my allergies are killing me, and a bunch of my training rides were rained out. I'm achy, tired and in no shape to ride 100 miles. I'm hoping for a 30 mph tail wind each day.

Mitkraft

bkj

Another great year for Bike Around the Bay. Day 1 had tail and crosswinds, no rain and moderate temperatures. Day 2 we set off into a 15-25mph headwind. The Day 2 route has more twists and turns so the wind wasn't always a problem but you always knew it was there and that any reprieve was temporary. My group and some others started a rotating pace line which made the day much more enjoyable. I'll be back for 2019.

Tanstaafl

I think the Moody hotel is pretty nice. A bit pricey for my taste, but in line with the kind of hotel it is. The attractions at Moody Gardens are rather expensive, and some are not really very good, IMHO.

The ride itself this year was pretty good. Saturday was a great day for bike riding. About the only downside I can think of is the large number of flat tires on Saturday. I was worried the ongoing road construction project on Bolivar would mess things up, but the section they are currently working on was pretty nice. It wasn't finished, but the construction crews still left us with some pretty nice asphalt.

Sunday began with 20-25 mph headwinds. That is half what it was last year, so no complaining! At least the terrain offered the occasional wind break to supply some relief. Still, the ride across the causeway, and on Shoreline drive (next to the dike) were "exciting". Not nearly as many flat tires on Sunday.

Tanstaafl

A little late with the 2018 BAtB update. If you missed the 2018 ride, you missed a good time. Decent weather on both days meant all the port-a-cans stayed in the intended, upright position.

There was road construction on the East end of Bolivar peninsula. They are raising the roadbed several feet to keep the gulf from washing sand onto it during high tide. We were expecting to be dodging heavy machinery, but they took the day off so we could ride through. Even though the road was not finished, they left some smooth pavement for us to ride on. Thanks TXDOT!

The Kemah Triathlon was on Sunday, and their bike course and our route overlapped on highway 146. No real problem, but the leading edge of our ride was mixed in with the back end of the triathlon riders. We just had to make sure we got each ride to turn off of 146 at the right locations. On the plus side, the Triathlon had the right lane of 146 coned off, giving the bikes a dedicated lane.

One minor hiccup was the Triathlon run course was on the same roads we used to go through Kemah, which meant we had to stay on 146 through Kemah. There was quite bit of traffic to negotiate approaching the Kemah bridge. The good news is we have worked with the Triathlon, and our dates will not overlap in the future, so we should be back on the traditional route next year.

I had a great time on the ride. I hope the rest of you did, too!

memebag

I had fun except I crashed near the end of day one. Luckily nothing broke. Stupid cones.

I didn't ride day two. I was sick plus sore from the crash. I didn't even have any parking lot beers in Baytown, that's how sick I was.

Still had a good time.

SaintArnoldBike

Wanna help the Galveston Bay Foundation and drink locally owned, proudly independent beer? Of course you do! Swing by the Saint Arnold Beer Garden & Restaurant this Thursday, September 5th from 5:00 to 8:00 PM and order a Lawnmower or two or three or more. $1 from every pint sold benefits the Galveston Bay Foundation and helps our huge backyard pool.

Save the turtles, save the Bay!

[Sorry but I can't upload images nor post URLs until having 10 posts on the account. Additional information can be found on Saint Arnold dot com and the Galveston Bay Foundation's social media feeds.]