MS150 Kick Off Ride 3/24

[Michelle W]

Saturday — March 24st, 2007 http://www.msfits.org/kickoff_2007.html

Team MSFits and the Easy Riders are hosting the Second Annual MS150 Bike Tour Kickoff Training Ride at the Imperial Center in RTP.
Rolling out at 9:30 in the a.m. and returning to enjoy the music of the Johnny Dollar Band and have lunch, supplied by Carrabas Italian Grill after the ride!

What a way to kickoff the training season!

Ride 24 or 31 miles along a fully supported (SAGs and 2 Rest Stops) route through RTP.

Cycle and Eat Great Food in Great Company for only $15.00 (proceeds to benefit National MS Society)

RSVP to mskickoff2007@yahoo.com to let them know you’re planning to ride—so they'll have enough snax and SAGS to provide for a FUN and SAFE ride for everyone!

[RickF]

I sent in my registration for the 31 mile route today. It should be a great ride.

[williamtash]

This sound like it could be fun i might look into this one

[Winnie]

I plan on doing this, but I didn't know you could pre-register.

[RickF]

Just send an e-mail to the address in Michelle's post and let them know that you plan to ride and which route. You do not need to pay until the morning of the ride, but they would like a headcount before hand.

[Winnie]

OK. Done that already. Thanks.

[Dajuan]

I've registered as well: 31mi route.

[Pugslyyy]

I'm registered, you can do it from the MS website, just a one-click if you are already signed up for the MS-150. http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/PageServer?pagename=BIKE_NCT_TrainingSeries

[kidderd@bellsouth.net]

I've been registered for a while. See y'all there :-)

[JayC]

Cue sheets would be really cool for those of us using GPS's :(

[RickF]

Cue sheets would be really cool for those of us using GPS's :(
We don't need no stinkin' cue sheets (or GPS's) for this ride. The turns are painted on the pavement;) .

[KarenG]

guess i'm riding teh 31 miles...

[JayC]

Did someone say that had actually ridden this route? They sent me the most screwed up cue sheet I have ever seen in my life. I cant follow it whatsoever via either Google Map or Mapsource.

[RickF]

I have not seen the cue sheet, and I did not do this ride last year, but I have done other rides that MSFits sponsored, and I have not had any problems with those cue sheets.

[JayC]

From a mapping standpoint, this cue sheet is a train wreck. I got maybe 1/4 way through it and had been guessing at so much of it, I just gave up. It's probably the everchanging road system out in RTP but Mapsource isnt even close and Google Maps is missing a ton of roads as well.

[RickF]

From a mapping standpoint, this cue sheet is a train wreck. I got maybe 1/4 way through it and had been guessing at so much of it, I just gave up. It's probably the everchanging road system out in RTP but Mapsource isnt even close and Google Maps is missing a ton of roads as well.The cue sheet is not the problem. The problem is that many of those roads are new. I just looked at Mapquest, and many roads that I go past every day are missing from that site, too. Also, many of the roads that Mapquest shows starting and stoping (like Kit Creek), now connect all the way through.

[JayC]

Amazing.. First time Ive ever had MapSource let me down. V8 hasnt been out 2 months yet and its already outdated in RTP.

[esther-l]

I think I've seen some of their arrows on the road, during my bike commute to RTP this week.
Scott and I are signed up, and are looking forward to the ride!!
We'll use our tandem, so maybe we can catch up with Michelle quickly after she passes us going uphill :-)
Esther

[Michelle W]

You'll be doing an AWESOME job if you catch up with me....I've had a change of plans and won't be at the ride. Hope you enjoy anyway and can find someone else to chase.

[JayC]

Im reconsidering this ride after looking at the cue sheet and the fact that I cant make heads or tails of it looking at a map. May go do the Wendell ride instead.

[RickF]

Where did you get the cue sheet? If you have it electronically, I would like to see it. I have ridden on other rides sponsored by MSFits, and their routes have always been well marked. I cannot imagine that this ride would be any different.

[JayC]

I imagine it is marked but the route can not be mapped for GPS and after my experience at The Frostbite Tour having to rely on marked pavement, Im not going to try that again. I ended up adding about 6 miles to my ride because of marked pavement and wonky cue sheets.

Rick, email me at Jay @ REMOVETriangleCycling dot Com and Ill forward it to you.

[Winnie]

Has anyone done this before? Should I get there early? I am envisioning a mob scene.

[Pugslyyy]

Checkin begins at 8:30. If you can get there around then to check in you'll beat the rush and be able to relax while everybody else rushes.

[Winnie]

In case anyone was unaware of this, the MS Walk also takes place tomorrow, same place, approximately the same time: their check-in starts at 9:00 and walk starts at 10:00. My concern is not necessarily the rush at the registration table, but the crush to get into the Imperial Center. I don't want to get stuck behind a long line of traffic trying to make a turn.

[RickF]

Traffic should not be a problem. Compared to the number of people who work in the Imperial center during the week, the number of cyclists and walkers is small potatoes. Still, as Jon said, plan to get there around 8:30. Even if you are delayed by 30 minutes, you will be fine.

[Winnie]

Not going to make this. Too sore. Must be a late reaction to last Sunday's ride. Very disappointed. Been looking forward to this since February. Everybody enjoy the gorgeous weather.

[RickF]

I had my best ride ever. I saw Jon and Gerard at the start, but I did not try to keep up with them. I saw Dajuan at the registration table, but he never saw me. I am not sure how well he did, but there were plenty of people at his speed. I also saw Scott and Ester on their tandem along the way. I ended up riding with four other Team GSK riders. We kept a paceline going the entire way. Here are our stats:

Distance: 30.7 miles
Average Speed: 17.2 mph
Time: 1:47

The weather was great. The cue sheet was spot on and all of the turns were well marked. We had police escorts blocking traffic at the lights on NC 54. After that, there was very little traffic. There was a last minute change to the 31 mile route because one of the roads was torn up yesterday (roads in the RTP/Morrisville area change daily).

[Pugslyyy]

I think we all had good rides today! Without Jay to slow us down we were really able to crank it out.

Distance: 30.6
Average Speed: 18.3
Time: 1:40

[Dajuan]

Rick, sure wish I saw you. I met up with Jon just past the turn around, but fell behind at the next climb.

Avg Speed: 16.7
Time: 1:51

[Pugslyyy]

Rick, sure wish I saw you. I met up with Jon just past the turn around, but fell behind at the next climb.

Avg Speed: 16.7
Time: 1:51

That was a good ride! Don't worry about the hills - they still kick my butt, but not as badly as they used to. Just takes practice and persistence!

Climbing those hills is when you really feel the amount of weight you are dragging around with you. At 200 pounds I have a lot of weight to carry up those hills.

[JayC]

Sounds like you guys had a good ride. I went and did the Wendell ride with a few others.

[RickF]

Dajuan, I was one of the many in the pink Team GSK jerseys. I was standing between Jon and Gerard on my right and a bunch of other Team GSK riders on my left not far from the registration table when you registered. I thought you would have come close enough to us to see us, but you headed back down towards the parking lot, and I never saw you again. It sounds like you had a good ride.

[BetsyW]

Brian and I rode too - the weather was great. Great route, marked well, lots of support -- and we weren't the very last people. I saw some Slow Spokes Jerseys, we were in our Team Campbell jerseys.

Distance 31.1
Avg Speed 13.9 (so close to 14)
Time 2:14

[RickF]

Brian and I rode too - the weather was great. Great route, marked well, lots of support -- and we weren't the very last people. I saw some Slow Spokes Jerseys, we were in our Team Campbell jerseys.Where those the Campbell jerseys with the mortar and pestle on the front? If so, you were next to us at the start. I had considered taking the position as director of the Masters in Clinical Research program a couple of years ago, so those jerseys caught my attention. I decided to stay at GSK instead, but I have some friends on the faculty. I was Brenda Jamerson's preceptor when she did her fellowship in clinical research in the old Burroughs Wellcome days.

[BetsyW]

Where those the Campbell jerseys with the mortar and pestle on the front? If so, you were next to us at the start. I had considered taking the position as director of the Masters in Clinical Research program a couple of years ago, so those jerseys caught my attention. I decided to stay at GSK instead, but I have some friends on the faculty. I was Brenda Jamerson's preceptor when she did her fellowship in clinical research in the old Burroughs Wellcome days.

Those were the jerseys. We have a team from the pharmacy school for Tour de Cure. I am a 3rd year pharmacy student, but I am not in the clinical research program.

[RickF]

I was the first PharmD hired by Burroughs Wellcome Co (in 1978). My daughter is a second year pharmacy student at UNC. Bob Blouin, the dean of the pharmacy school at UNC, was a classmate of mine at University of Kentucky.

[jjg39069]

I missed all of you guys but I was there today too. BEAUTIFUL day for a ride but wow am I feeling it tonight.

Distance: 30.7
Avg speet: 15.7

[tombiowami]

I agree with the rest, great weather and great crowd. Only complaint would be the line for the advertised food was too long by the time the bikers got back. I rode with Jon, Gerad and I think Dajaun for a while toward the middle/end but then got separated at stoplights. This was my third group ride, look forward to seeing you all again. I hope to do the Melo Velo this Wednesday and then will be out of town for a week or so. Have a good weekend.

Tommy
Dist: 30.85
Avg: 16.8

[Pugslyyy]

Gerard and I looked at the food line, walked around a bit, and left. I've seen food lines in refugee camps that were shorter! :)

[Zonda]

Glad you all had a nice ride. The weather was great!

[Pugslyyy]

We missed joining you guys for the Slow Spokes ride, but I always enjoy getting out and riding with a whole bunch of folks.

Jon

[Zonda]

No problem at all. I hope we can participate in some of the MS150 training rides also. Since the shop rides start in April, I wanted to get in one more ride from Wendell since Mike H. drives regularly to Cary and all over to ride with us.

[BetsyW]

[QUOTE=RickF;188833]My daughter is a second year pharmacy student at UNC.

I wish her the best of luck. I feel like if you survive the second year the rest is a piece of cake...

[esther-l]

I spotted Gerard and Donna. I saw some other Slow Spokes jerseys on people whose names I have not learned yet.

I did notice the GSK pink jerseys, but didn't realize that Rick was one of those jerseys.

Scott and I stayed on the 31 mile route by following painted lines and the cue sheet. We chose to take a different route near the end - I dislike going on the section of Page Rd and Chin Page Rd that the planned route used.

I thought the line for food was long, but it didn't take long to get through the line after I stood in it. What killed me was the line for drinks - if only I had noticed that they were serving drinks on BOTH sides of the trailer.
Esther

[kidderd@bellsouth.net]

I loved this ride! Yeah, the food line was long, but if you had a beer and sat back and enjoyed the band, the food line shrunk to a 5 minute wait and the food was totally amazing. I cut the chicken with a fork...a PLASTIC fork.

I only did the 24 mile route, but it was my longest of the year and I averaged 14.2mph - better than I thought I could do. Thanks Ester for saying hi! It was nice to see (and be recognized by) a fellow slow spoke! I feel like part of the team now :-).