Sunset over Lagrange

A fitting image for the last post on this blog. This was the view from the Fayette County fairgrounds in Lagrange, Tx, where the MS150 riders spend Saturday night.

By all accounts this was the toughest MS150 for many years. Cool temperatures and clear skies should have made for a great two days in the saddle, but the 20+mph headwinds all the way wore us all out. Saturday evening in Lagrange was fun as always, with good camaraderie and humour. Unfortunately any group of 100+ people is going to have a few snorers, and we had some champions. This made the sleeping tent sound like a farmyard and unfortunately I'd forgotten my ear plugs.

Morning came too soon and brought 40's temperatures with it. I wasn't prepared for the cold but borrowed a fleece from Kevin (fellow rider, friend and former boss) and kept warm until the start. I opted for the more challenging route through the Parks - exhilarating on the steep descents, painful on the vertiginous climbs. The rest of the ride was pretty much a straight grind into the wind, with everything hurting (feet, back, perineum..), but once we got into Austin, the adrenaline kicked in and I finished in good order. A beer, a shower and a massage left me feeling pretty good. Kevin and I rode the bus back together and he dropped me off at home, just in time for MC's birthday steak dinner and chocolate cake.

Many thanks to all my wonderfully generous sponsors - you know who you are, give yourself a pat on the back!

Austin or bust!

My next ride will start from my back door, and end in Austin. Final totals - $3,426 raised, 2,092 miles ridden in training, and er, a massive 5 lbs of weight loss. Oh well, it probably all turned into muscle.

Thanks to everyone who supported me!

the final countdown

less than a week to go and I'm tapering off my training - just one ride this weekend (Terry Hershey this morning), and hopefully a few commutes this week.

Today's ride took me over 2,000 miles on the bike since October 2007. Hopefully that's enough! I feel pretty good about the big ride, let's just keep our fingers crossed for good weather.

Nothing but good news -

this weekend has been full of it. Thanks to Dale my fund raising has now topped $3,000. Dale, I take back every mean crack about you on this blog. Yesterday Mary-Claire passed her driving test so now she's legal, and Oxford won the University Boat Race very comfortably. To cap it all our friend Natasha arrived from Bonny Dundee for a visit.

A busy cycling weekend. I rode Terry Hershey yesterday morning and today was the Bluebonnet Express. I rode the 48 mile route and was glad I didn't try any of the longer options, because it was once again very windy. A good ride nonetheless.

Good Friday for riding

Back in Houston after three days in Rockport (M-C's Spring Break) trying to stay upright in 20+ knot winds. A mid-morning ride on Terry Hershey today. Quite busy and breezy but still a good ride. I saw no fewer than 4 riders talking on cellphones while riding - I told each one to "Hang up and ride", with no obvious effect. I also saw two BHP buddies so it was quite a social run.

an ill wind?

We should have started the MS150 today - there was a strong wind out of the east all morning, we'd have made it to Austin in record time. I settled for the Terry Hershey/Bear Creek loop instead. I was flying all the way out to Fry road but then had to turn back into the wind and struggled a bit.

I was glad to be riding at all today. My road bike went under the knife last week for major open bottom-bracket surgery. I noticed that the cranks had a bit of lateral play - didn't seem like much but it turned out I needed a new bottom bracket. She came through with flying colours but it was a bit touch and go - they couldn't get the bracket apart and had to jury-rig a big cheater bar. It tore up the retaining cup but they were able to replace it and she's as good as new (well, as good as you can expect for a 25 year old bike). Certainly she rode very well today.

'twas a dark and misty morning...

.. not quite what Snoopy wrote but more accurate today. Quite a lot of mist hanging around, and with the recent arrival of Daylight Savings Time it's pitch dark when I start my ride (how does that work again?). Very nice riding when the sun finally rose, though.