msd3075

From what most of the weather reports are saying, if any sort of front blows through Austin it'll be late Sunday or early Monday. Most of the rain they are predicting for Sunday will be the scattered crap before the front arrives.

Rain or shine, the 15+ mph SSE wind is the only thing I truly care about......

txags92

Yep...was just telling my wife this am how glad I was not to be riding to Austin today and tomorrow with 20 mph NW winds.

dstrong 

Glad to hear you got a new bike...but couldn't you move the saddle you're used to over to the new bike?

I'm heading out in about 30 minutes for a neighborhood spin...but will probably head to the veloway and do some laps there where it's a bit more protected from the wind.

dstrong 

Is anyone here familiar with taking the bus from Austin to Houston on Friday? I've bought my ticket and the site says that a bus won't leave until it's full. I'm worried if I don't get down there near the start of loading that I'll end up on a half-full bus waiting for people to show up.

txags92

I have not taken the bus myself, but I really doubt it will be that much of an issue. I don't think you necessarily need to get there way early or anything...I would just avoid arriving near the end of the timeframe they allow for departures.

rpecot

Yep, that's what I've done. Hopefully I have the geometry reasonably close to the bike I'm used to.

Donald D

Best to arrive earlier in the day than later. I go there before noon last year and just missed the bus so I had to wait till the one I was on filled up. I may have taken about 30 minutes or so, so it wasn't much of a wait. The group I'm riding with are planning to meet at noon Friday just so we can hang out together. I look forward to the relaxing ride.

the sci guy 

what do y'all bring for the overnight? trying to pack light.

msd3075

I'd definitely pack light for what you bring with you on your bike, but there is no reason to pack light for the overnight in La Grange. The luggage service does all the work for you bringing it there, so you might as well pack everything you can.

Here is what I pack:
- Cycling clothes for Sunday
- Change of clothes for La Grange (some teams give you a t-shirt to wear when you arrive)
- Pajamas
- Toothbrush/toothpaste
- Body wash/shampoo/deodorant
- TOWEL (don't forget this!!!)
- Shower sandals
- Cot/pillow/sleeping bag (tent or air mattress depending on arrangements)
- Battery pack and phone charger (can buy at Best Buy for $70-$80, no power outlets in La Grange)

txags92

I pack heavy, but I have a family member volunteering at our team tent who is driving our car with our stuff in it. If you are using the MS Society trucks, I think you are limited to 2 bags, but check that with them before you believe me about it. If I were trying to fit things into two bags and not sleeping in a team tent, I would use a large duffle to carry my tent, pillow, blanket or quilt (sleeping bag may or may not be needed if it is only going down to 62-65 overnight), and mattress pad. In my other bag, I would put the rest of msd's list above. With me on my bike, I would make sure to bring sunscreen and lip balm in addition to the usual supplies like spare tubes, CO2s, and a multitool. Also, if you use any specific ride food like Gu gels or anything, make sure to put some in your overnight bag for use on Sunday. Ride day is not the day to be trying out new nutrition combinations.

msd3075

I knew there was something I was forgetting on my list above. Learned the hard way last year that Gatorade Energy Chews and my stomach do not mix well.....

txags92

Couple of other things to consider...

1. If you are a light sleeper or get disturbed easily by noises around you (i.e. snoring), bring some ear plugs for the overnight.
2. Put your IDs and phone in a ziploc baggie in case it rains when you aren't wearing a jacket. It will also allow you to dump water over your head if it warms up too much without having to worry about damaging your phone.
3. Get to the shower trucks as soon as you can after you get to LaGrange and get some food in you. The longer you wait in the day to get in line, the longer the lines will be.
4. If you are going to get a massage, bring cash, and put your name on the list as early as possible.
5. Get up earlier in the morning than you think you need to. It takes longer than you think to pack up all your gear, get it to a truck to be loaded, get some breakfast, get loaded and ready to go, and then get in line. You don't want to be last in line leaving LaGrange as it can be a very long wait to get started.

dstrong 

Current forecast is for a low of 70 in La Grange Saturday. Completely re-thinking the need for a sleeping bag and just thinking sheet and light blanket. Quandary.

msd3075

With all the talk about the weather for this weekend, I figured I'd share this tlink:

BP MS150 Forecast | Blogs - Home

Anthony Yanez, the morning meteorologist on KPRC Channel 2, is riding on the Saint Arnold team and put together the above forecast for the entire weekend. Hopefully he's right.....

memebag

That forecast looks perfect.

I had to drop off my bags at Saint Arnold Brewery yesterday, so it's too late to worry about what to pack. I forgot sunscreen. I bet I can bum some Sunday morning.

Saint Arnold has separate luggage buses, so my LaGrange bags won't go to Austin and vice versa. That turned the whole packing thing into a logistics puzzle.

msd3075

My wife met me at the finish line in Austin last year, so I just sent my Sunday stuff with her. I didn't have to deal with two bags other than what I put in her car before I left. It was annoying not having my Saturday bag with me in Austin; my backup glasses are from about 3 prescriptions ago.

This year, my buddy's girlfriend is meeting us in La Grange, and she said she's bring our stuff with her so we don't have to pack it with all the team's luggage. Also said she'd set up our cots for us in the team tent before we get there, so if you see a pretty Hispanic girl named Kim setting up cots in the tent, THOSE ARE OURS SO DON'T MOVE THEM!!!!!

jefft72

Good luck to everyone riding this weekend. I am planning on doing this ride next year.

the sci guy 

That forecast looks great! Makes me feel a little better.

We had to drop our luggage off today, too. Our company has a small team and the volunteers and the BBQ guy are taking all our stuff up Friday, and staking out a place in the campground where they will set up all our tents for us for when we arrive. After we pack up Sunday morning and toss everything back on the trailer, they're bringing all our stuff right back to Houston. So our bags aren't going to Austin either so whatever we wear Sunday morning to ride is all we got all day and the ride home - so it better not rain! But yes, I echo your packing logistics nightmare.

I'm excited, but I'm worried my wife's knee is going to give out after about 15 miles. I mean, we know it's going to, it's just a question of how long. She didn't have time to properly train because of school so she's kinda just going out at doing it, but, oh well. She can SAG to La Grange I guess if it happens, or a few rest stops ahead.

dstrong 

sci guy...I wish your wife the best...that's a tough way to start both physically and mentally.

Being Austin based, I'll be heading downtown to catch the bus in a few hours with all my stuff. I've got the big suitcase that I'll check with the team truck this afternoon, then a smaller bag I'll have with me overnight and will drop with the truck early tomorrow morning. Both bags should arrive in La Grange, then after we leave La Grange, they'll go to Austin. I *think* this will all work out just fine. I ended up deciding against a sleeping bag and am just bringing a sheet and a pad for the cot. Low is supposed to be around 70 and inside a tent of 85 people, it's bound to be even warmer. I don't foresee being cold!

Good luck to everyone...Don, Team Fugro, #9696 .

txags92

Good luck all! Thank you all for riding and fundraising! Fairwinds and dry skies! If you go the Expo at the Omni this afternoon between 3:30 and 5:30pm, come by the "Because We Can" booth and say hi! I will be working the booth then heading to a team dinner.

Donald D

Hope everyone made it in safely. Going through the park this morning was awesome and and actually made my best time for the fist with about 4:40 ride time for 75 miles (or so) and that is with the park!

memebag

I made it! The weather was great. The event was incredibly well organized. I didn't do the challenge route because I got spooked the night before listening to guys talking about how fast the descents are. I got to LaGrange at 2:30 and got to Austin at 12:30. I was back at Rhodes Stadium before 5pm.

dstrong 

Congrats on a successful weekend!

I had a really good time. The team provided great support in all three cities.

I rolled out of the Omni about 6:45a Saturday morning and got into La Grange at 1. I think I made three stops total, none for more than about 10 minutes. Hooked up with some pace lines a few times and had a blast. We were met with cold towels at the finish and then escorted to the tent. The shower line was really short and I was back in plenty of time for my 2:30 massage! The food was excellent and cold beverages un-ending!

This morning, I finally got rolling past the start a 7:45, arriving at the finish at 12:30. I was doing the Challenge route but when I got to the park entrance it was closed due to an earlier crash. This was around 8:45. They diverted everyone past the entrance and out onto 71 where we merged with the Express route. I think it shorted the total by 2 - 3 miles. I assume they were able to re-open the park once the emergency vehicles cleared. I also passed a crash only 6 miles into the route. A rider was down in the middle of the road. He was surrounded by EMS folks and I saw he was conscious but in a lot of pain. The Ride Marshalls did a great job of getting the riders slowed down and past the crash safely.

I gotta admit that I wasn't quite ready for that turn off Red River onto MLK and seeing the scores of people lining the route, all cheering the riders. I think I just had a stupid grin on my face the whole time.

My only complaint had to do with some of the riding behavior I observed, especially people who made moved left to pass then never moved back to the right. I had to ask 4 riders today to move over so I could pass. There also seemed to be some riders that thought there should always be 5' between them and the side of the road.

All in all a fantastic experience!

the sci guy 

The wife and I had a great time too! I'm so proud of her for sticking it out, especially with her knee pain. We got a little late of a start from Waller, about 8:45ish, and we took it pretty slow/medium for most of the day, taking breaks at the rest stops so she could recover and bio-freeze her knees lol. She made it 56 of the 76 miles and then took the SAG bus to La Grange, and she was proud of that and I was too. I blasted the remaining 20 miles, arriving at at the campgrounds around 5:30. Plenty of time to enjoy the waiting BBQ and relax. Neither of us slept very well overnight. The weather Saturday was beautiful, but the wind sucked and the heat was hard.
Sunday was tons better. Cooler, and less breezy, and the route itself was much better. I felt like the hills on Day 1 were much more substantial than on Day 2, with the exception of the handful right as you get into Austin. We were toward the back of the line starting, around 7:30-7:45 I bet. We rolled into Austin around 4:00. It was awesome. The wife made it the whole day yesterday, too, all 66 miles. We both felt pretty great.
It was an awesome experience and I can't wait to do it again next year.
I was astounded by how organized it was as well. Kudos to the volunteers and how everything ran like clockwork at the rest stops and in La Grange and Austin.

On day 1 we got stopped by the police after lunch I think - because they had to call in a chopper to medivac someone out. It landed right next to where they stopped us. Hope that person was OK. Then yesterday we got stopped at the top of a big hill because apparently someone got run over or there was a crash or something at the bottom - we never found out for sure.

As to the riding behavior, I agree, a lot to be desired from some people. Some people were great, others were typical roadies flying everywhere thinking they can swerve into the road and between people because, hey, they can't ruin their pace! But I will say many people did properly announce passing on the left, which was excellent.

Overall, great stuff. Will post some pictures later. Off to work, now!

memebag

I just got an email from Marathonfoto offering to sell me digital images of myself (and some other people it mistook for me) for $25 each. I might pay $5 for the whole set, but their prices are ridiculous.