Rides/Tours in PA

[texascyclist]

Can anyone tell me if there are any good rides/tours coming up in Pennsylvania between the 13th and 30th of October? My husbands parents live in Mechanicsburg and his brother lives somewhat close to Allentown. We will be visiting for about 2 1/2 weeks and would really like to keep riding while we're there. Any ideas???

[AllezGirl]

http://www.cbbikeclub.org/?body=covered_bridge_ride&PHPSESSID=e1cfd77428411e0d3a04872fbdbec185

CBBC's Covered Bridge is a "must-ride" out here.

[Fredwina]

You also might want to check www.harrisburgbicycleclub.org . If I'm not mistaken, The Apple Butter Boil is on the 14th in Liverpool. it's a really neat ride, with "Plain Folks" (amish, mennoites) and one covered bridge (it's actually off in the woods). 25 or 55 miles, and about hour north of Harrisburg

[texascyclist]

Thanks for the response. AllezGirl.....the Covered Bridge Ride sounds GREAT! And come to find out after talking to my brother-in-law, it's only 2 miles from where he lives which is perfect. Won't even have to find a place to stay. I think my DH and I have decided to sign up for this one. Can you tell me what the weather is like there in the mornings? Just curious if it's already pretty chilly. Here in Texas we have experienced much of that yet. Also, how bad are the hills? :eek:

[Xrayted]

I heard the Covered Bridge ride is a do-not-miss. I'm gonna sign up for it this year.
Another place to check is the LBC, Lancaster Bicycle Club. http://www.lancasterbikeclub.org They have a section on the left side of the homepage called Scenic Tours of Lancaster County. They make available descriptions and cue sheets for many wonderful tours that you can do on your own. Very accurate regarding difficulty and sites along the way. I can recommend the "Short Ride to Intercourse", "Strasburg RR Stoker", "Dutch Delight" or "Kitchen Kettle Klimber". They also have a "Covered Bridge Metric Century" cue sheet in there. I have done parts of this and it's very scenic. (still not up to the whole thing yet - I'm a newbie)
The "Mount Joy Jaunt" is good b/c it takes you to Bube's Brewery - even if you don't ride there, I highly suggest you go there for dinner. They have a couple of restaurants with different themes/atmospheres. The Catacombs at Bube's should not be missed. If you only go once, go to this one. There are caves underground used for brewing the beer way back when. Very cool. They do a whole presentation and tell you the history of Mr. Bube. (pronounced Booby- I can say it with a straight face now but it took me a long time to do it. :cool: ) Try the Seafood Mornay. DEEE-lish. The martinis are wonderful. One is enough to put me in a very fun mood. (Actually, they give you a small carafe along with it, so you get two really... "tee martooni's please!" :D ) They have Feasts on most w/e's if you are up for an adventure. I can't do them justice so you'll just have to look that one up. You need reservations but it's worth the trip. http://www.bubesbrewery.com

Hope to see you at the Covered Bridge Ride. Maybe we need to have a TE meeting place at this one too? I probably can't keep up with any of you yet, but it would be my privilege to meet ya.

Good luck. If I hear of any more rides of interest for you, I'll post again.

Cindy

[AllezGirl]

I won't kid you....the Covered Bridge is a HILLY ride. In this area, it's just hard to avoid! But don't let that scare you off...it's also one of the best loved rides in this area, so you won't be disappointed! The scenery is AMAZING!

As long as the sun is out, October is the best month for cycling around here IMHO. It's crisp in the morning, you will need your arm warmers. I usually go with knickers and a vest too. But it warms up quite a bit in the afternoon, so make sure your are layered.

Some other clubs websites to check for rides are:
http://www.suburbancyclists.org/
http://www.enter.net/~lehighwheelmen/
http://www.phillybikeclub.org/

There are SO MANY great areas that are full of history and cycling friendly!
Some areas of interest that you may want to add to your agenda are Valley Forge National Park, the Lancaster area (Cindy gave some great rides...and you may spot Floyd!), and of course Trexlertown...home of the Lehigh Valley Velodrome. Oh yeah....and there's that city near here :D (word of warning, if you're from Dallas, you may want to keep that low key around here...unfortunately, I'm not kidding)

I could go on and on....if you have any questions, shoot me a PM anytime!

Cindy...it sounds like you've been pretty active with the LBC...I'll PM you, I think I need to make a trip out that way for some riding and Martini's!

I would love to meet up with you both at the CB ride, however, I'll be in Cincinatti for the Sunflower Revolution (benefits the Davis Phinney foundation...see thread under Charity Rides)

Have a wonderful trip!
Beth

[texascyclist]

Thanks so much Cindy for the great post. The link you provided is awesome for detailing rides and places to visit along the way. My favorite, or I should say my DH's fave will be the Mount Joy Jaunt to the brewery. My DH has collected beer cans since he was a teenager and tries to visit as many breweries as he can, especially in PA. I know this is one ride he will not pass up.

I'm 95% certain my DH and I are going to do the Covered Bridge Ride while in PA. It sounds perfect! He always opts to do the longest, hardest rides. :eek: Not me! I go for mostly 50 miles and under for now. Do you know which ride you will do? Maybe you and I could meet up. I also love the idea of having a meeting place for all TE girls who may ride this race. After meeting Donna (DDH) at the Waco Ride this past Saturday, I have to say what a wonderful experience it was meeting and riding with another TE girl. :D

[Xrayted]

Texascyclist - Hey there, I would be happy to ride with any of you fine people. Remember tho, I'm a newbie. Lets not kill the new girl! (But... I don't give up for anything. :D) Seriously, I was thinking of doing the 1/2 metric - 33 miles. That is one hilly area, as is all of PA, (I hate hills :rolleyes: ) and I'll be happy to get through that amount. 50+ miles uphill is just too tortuous for me right now. The 2 shorter rides go on the Delaware Canal Towpath at parts and a road bike would be suicide there. If you want to do another route, please don't feel obligated to ride with me. Simply meeting another TE'er will be the highlight of my trip. :)

As for Bube's Brewery, call ahead and see how they feel about bike gear - in case they have a problem with the dress code. Or I can call for you. (This may be Floyd's area, but that doesn't make everyone a bike fan. His own parents thought he was a difficult child just because he wanted to ride. They still really don't understand. This area is so... what's the word?... traditional. They just don't get it.) I'm sure it would be no problem to change once you get there. In either case, don't wear your bike shoes in there, stone floors everywhere and wooden steps to the center of the earth. Also, I would check hours of operation. We've only gone for dinner, I have no idea when they open for lunch. PM me if you want my cell # in case you need anything while you're in the area. (like a SAG wagon :) )

AllezGirl - I'll treat ya to a martini anytime! Drinking booze underground makes me feel like I'm misbehaving or something. :D (These guys knew how to get around prohibition if you know what I mean.) They also have a nice martini bar on the ground floor there that I have wanted to try for a while. It's connected to Alois which is their really upscale restaurant.

Too bad you're gonna miss the CB ride but it sounds like you'll be having a blast and for a good cause, which is icing on the cake. Look me up when you're back in town. Hopefully we can get together on a w/e ride soon, before it gets cold. (I'm a total weenie in the cold) Maybe some of the ladies in Philly, DC, or in MD would like to join in?

As for the LBC, I just became a member but I've been using their cue sheets for w/e rides. It's amazing how little I know about the roads around here as far as what's good to ride on. Their cue sheets have inspired me to ride places that I would have otherwise overlooked. (It's amazing what you miss looking out your car window.)

Any other ladies in the general area who want to ride the CB or carpool up, please speak up.

Thanks!

Cindy

[texascyclist]

Xrayted......Hopefully my DH and I will be able to make the CB ride, but now it looks as though that may not happen. We're driving up from Dallas and thought we were going to be able to leave Thursday morning (the 12th) which would put us there Friday afternoon. That would give us Saturday to recoup from the drive. But now we may not get away until Friday which would make it tough. :eek: We'll have to wait and see how things work out next week. I really hope to make the ride and meet up with you there. If it is a pretty hilly ride, then 33 would more than likely be my limit also. I just started riding in July and so I'm pretty much a newbie too. I'll keep you informed and let you know if it looks like we'll make it in time for the ride.

AllezGirl and Xrayted I really appreciate ALL the information on places to ride. My DH grew up in PA and told me that it would be a beautiful place to ride, especially this time of year. He and I looked over the cue sheets on the LBC webpage last night and it really makes us more anxious to get there and do some riding. We'll probably spend more time on our bikes than originally planned. Hopefully my in-laws will understand.....LOL!! :rolleyes:

I have another question: What is your suggestion on the leg warmers versus the cycling tights? Here it doesn't really get cold until late November and then we're talking like maybe in the 50's to 60's for the high. Being this will be my first fall/winter out on the bike I'm not sure which is preferable for most ladies. I know I will need something a little warmer than my cycling shorts while in PA so any advice will help. :D

[AllezGirl]

I would go with the leg warmers. The temps up here really vary a lot throughout the day, for example it was 55 this morning and is supposed to go to 89 this afternoon. Once it warms up, the leg warmers can easily be taken off without breaking any indecency laws, especially if you're in Lancaster :D

[kerrybelle]

http://www.cbbikeclub.org/?body=covered_bridge_ride&PHPSESSID=e1cfd77428411e0d3a04872fbdbec185

CBBC's Covered Bridge is a "must-ride" out here.

Can you register for the Covered Bridge ride on site? Online registration is closed and the website doesn't mention whether you can register on site or not.

Kerry

[AllezGirl]

Yes, they do have "day of" registration. And plenty of t-shirts to buy that day too! Theirs is really cool, it's long sleeve and every year features a new painting of one of the bridges on the ride.

[Xrayted]

This is also my 1st fall/winter riding so I'll go along with what AllezGirl says. You just never know what the weather is gonna be like around here. (Our weathermen are considered good if they get close 40% of the time. :rolleyes: ) I missed the online signup too so I'm signing up when I get there. The shirts are legendary for their designs.

If you need any specific addresses for Mapquest if you use the LBC sheets, let me know. They assume that when they say 'start here', that you are a local and can find that starting place.

If you are into doing the Amish thing, Sundays are always full of buggies as they head to meeting. (They don't have churches, they usually meet at a members farm - they take turns.) Plenty of them are walking, biking all day long in Strasburg/Paradise/Intercourse area. Just stay off Rt. 30 with the bike, you'll seriously get killed. There are great outlet malls in Strasburg area along Rt. 30 if you're into that. If you end up biking in Strasburg, I suggest stopping at the Creamery on the corner of 896 & 741 (I think it's the only red light) for a snack.

If you think of anything I can do for you, just speak up. Hope to see you at the CB ride, but if not, maybe we can meet up on another ride. Above all, have fun while you're out here. That's what life is all about.

Cindy

[texascyclist]

Getting ready for the Covered Bridge ride this Sunday! It looks as though my DH and I will be in Pennsylvania in plenty of time. We have been to the LBS to purchase warmer gear for the ride. I read online the low for that morning will be around 36 :eek: and the high around 56. I think I'm dreading the cold more than I am the hills. The coldest morning we have had here so far was around 60.

I will be signing up for the 33 mile. Not sure if I could do any more than that if it is as hilly as y'all have said. Xrayted and kerrybelle, I hope to meet y'all at the ride. Let me know if you still plan on being there and hopefully we can all hook up.

[Xrayted]

Yes, I plan on being there. Since your BIL lives nearby, maybe he can suggest a good place for us TE gals to meet. I'm not familiar with the layout/area at all.
Yes, it's very hilly. My friend's GF has done it and says it's nasty. She's pretty tough and is a great rider so I think we're in for a challenge! (may not be able to walk after tho :D ) Find out if there is a nice bar we can crawl to afterwards. :rolleyes:

As for recognizing each other, I'm planning on wearing a red jersey with a yellow left sleeve. (blending in with the fall colors) Even if I change my mind, you can't miss me, just look for the tore up left leg. (can see it a mile away :eek: ) Ya know, I'm actually afraid to tell my Ortho doc what I've been doing. I'm not sure if he'd kill me or hug me.

Have a safe trip here and I hope to see you at the ride.

Cindy

p.s. Anyone else coming, please speak up so we can try to meet up before the ride! Group photo opp.

[kerrybelle]

I'm going with my DH and another couple. We are also planning on the 33 mile route. Not sure what I'll be wearing yet, but will post more later in the week. I'm very excited about this ride. Hope to see some of you there.

Kerry

[texascyclist]

Xrayted and kerrybelle , I'm really looking forward to meeting y'all. Last summer my brother-n-law took us to the park where the ride is suppose to take place, so I've been there before but can't think of much around there as far as a good meeting place. I'll call him later to see what he thinks. We could all send PM's with our cell #'s to one another and get in contact the morning of the ride.

Also, with the cold weather forecasted for Sunday morning, how do you suggest dressing for this ride as far as layering? We've been to the LBS and have bought a few things but not sure we're prepared enough for PA. Any help would definetly be appreciated.

[AllezGirl]

I'm sad that I won't be there to meet you all! There's a pavillion where the registration and t'shirts are and the bathrooms are close to there too. So that may be a good meeting place.

As far as dressing....last year it was cold at the start, but it was sunny, so it did warm up. This year's forecast looks the similar (at least they took the rain out!) I would wear thicker socks, leg warmers, shorts, light weight full finger gloves, arm warmers, ss jersey, & lined jacket with zip sleeves (but I'd probably take off the sleeves before riding) Layering is key since you'll be working up a sweat on those monster hills ;)

As for bars...you're not too far north of New Hope...from the park you can just follow River Rd. into town and make a day of it!

Enjoy the ride! It's such a beautiful area, and the leaves have started to change so the scenery will be spectacular!

[texascyclist]

I wish you could be there also. It would be great to meet as many

[texascyclist]

Sorry about that, my 4 year old hit the submit reply...:o

Anyway, as I was saying, it would be great to meet several of the TE girls there. And thanks for all the information about where to meet and what to wear. Would you suggest wearing a balaclava or would that be too much? As of right now, I had planned on wearing a long sleeve jersey, shorts with tights over them, a jacket and gloves.

[AllezGirl]

I would bring it. You shouldn't need it, but it's better to be too warm and take stuff off as you go. It's small and will easily store in your pocket. Luckily bike gear is small and won't take up much room in your luggage. The weather here is crazy. Last week it was in the low 90's on Monday and didn't get over 50 on Friday! There have been many times where the temp. fluctuates 30 degrees in a day. And don't look at the long range forcast for help. It's NEVER right...if the weatherman get's it right the morning of, he's doing pretty good!

Keep in touch. I'll be back Monday 10/16, so maybe we can get together another time. And if you need something in a pinch, don't hesitate to ask!

[texascyclist]

You don't know how much I appreciate all your help! Thanks so much!!!

I will post a summary of the ride Monday morning and let you know how it went.

Also, we will be in PA until the 31st. So maybe we can meet up somewhere to ride one afternoon. I'll keep in touch.

Take Care,

[fasteryet]

I'll be riding also, as long as it's not raining.
Look for me, TE ladies. I'm not sure yet what I'm wearing, but I have a red and white helmet, and ride a red Cannondale six13.

[texascyclist]

Cindy and Kerry.....I am soooo disappointed I wasn't able to meet up with you guys. Once we got up on the mountain where my brother-n-law lives I lost service on my cell phone. I thought maybe once we got to the park Sunday morning I might have service then. No such luck. :( I actually just received Cindy's voicemail today when we got back into Mechanicsburg.

As far as the ride.......MAN THOSE HILLS WERE BRUTAL!! Texas hills are not near that steep or don't go on forever like they do here. My DH and I both did the 33. He was going to do the 63 but decided to stay with me. I was really glad he did since my bike decided not to go into the lowest gear on a couple of the hills. We would pull off the road and my DH would manually have to move the chain to the lowest gear for me just so I could make it up the hill. It was insane. The ride itsself was really breathtaking and I loved the covered bridges. I thought it was great that they had someone taking pictures as you came through some of the bridges. I can't wait to see those.

Although the ride was really nice, my DH and I were really disappointed in the organizing off this ride. We really felt let down. First of all we registered when we got there and then were told we didn't get a t-shirt unless we had pre-registered. Needless to say that upset us because nowhere on the website did it mention that. Then they didn't have bib numbers or maps for the riders which was very unusal. Also there was no official start. You just got on your bike and went whenever you were ready. Anyone could have entered that ride without paying and the organizers would have never known any different. We paid $50 to ride and have nothing to show for it. I have a scrapbook where I keep all our information of our rides, along with the bib numbers and maps. This is one ride that we'll just have to wait for the photo. Of course, other things that were really wrong with this ride was the fact that the roads were not clearly marked. We and about 20/25 other cyclist took the wrong path 2 different times and had to find our way back. It was unreal. Our ride turned out to be 38 miles instead of 33. Then as far as we could tell there was absolutely no sag support or medical anywhere to be found. Not one time did they pass us on our ride. We were told after the race, by the organizers, that they were there but we never saw even one on our route. Luckily we never needed them, but we did see others who did. Did either of you ever come across any sag support?

I know it sounds like it was a terrible experience, but all in all we did enjoy it. Even though it was freezing that morning it didn't take me but about 10 minutes into the ride to ditch my jacket. Those hills really made you work up a sweat. Cindy, you said on your voicemail that it was around 1:30 and you had finished the ride and were getting ready to leave. I believe we finally left the park around 12:15. When we realized there was not an official start we jumped on our bikes and went, which was around 8:30. So we may have finished sooner due to that. We didn't stick around for lunch afterwards either. We had family waiting on us so we didn't want to spend too much time at the park.

Anyway, again I'm really disappointed I didn't get a chance to meet either of you at the ride. I can't wait to hear how y'alls ride went though. Please post pictures if you have them. Maybe we can figure out a time where we could meet and ride while I'm in PA. We will be here through the 30th before heading back to Texas.

[Xrayted]

Ah, there you are! I was fixin' to go check out all the ditches to see if you were in one. (yeah, I guess I'm more like my Mom than I thought) I tried to call a couple of times and figured you forgot to bring it along. I stopped a few times and took some pics while out there. (SO got me a new smaller dig. camera and velcro pouch the day before as an early b-day gift just so I could take it along. Hinting for weeks helped. Still doesn't get the biking thing tho.) I'm anxious to see the ones the photogs took. I know I must look like sh*t but, alas, that's the only face I've got. :rolleyes:
It was so cold when we started. I chose not to wear a jacket at all. I had a jersey, arm warmers, LS shirt from REI underneath, shorts, leg warmers, smartwool socks (love 'em, love 'em) and full gloves. Fingers were hurting until things warmed up a bit but otherwise not too bad.
They've got some nice hills out there don't they? Same ones here, just different names. I really would love to move somewhere flatter. Grew up in FL but the west coast is softly calling me as well. Never know.
Met a nice woman named Sandra while riding. We started out together and kept passing each other back and forth the whole time. Cracked her up in the beginning when I started singing "Baby, it's cold outside". After mile 20 and still more unending hills ahead, I seriously almost made her wreck when I started singing a messed up version of "Rawhide". (sorry Sandra) I thought it was kinda cute. I guess I hit her with it at a particularly giddy moment. I'll have to keep that in check from now on. :o
I got to meet Kerry and her hubby briefly. Totally left me in the dust on the road. I've got lots of work to do by next season. (Sorry I didn't catch up with you at the picnic afterwards, Kerry. I missed ya somehow. Of course, you probably were right next to me eating. When I'm stuffing my pie hole, I notice nothing.)

It's very late and I still have to get in the hot tub before bed. Bumped the bad leg today at work on a little kid's foot. Well, ok, he kicked me in the shin when I went to take a hand xray. (Couldn't get me in the paralyzed part, no, had to hit a hyper-sensitive scar! Pins and needles for 3 hours. Still buggy.) I gave him an Elmo sticker anyway. The way his parents were acting, I could see why he was like that. I figured one more adult acting like an a$$ couldn't be good for him. We're friends now. He told the E-care RN that I am very nice and didn't hurt him at all. He got a lolly for that one.

Anyway, nice to hear from you Amy (and that you're ok) and nice to meet you Kerry.

Take care!
Cindy

[fasteryet]

Amy, too bad you had such a bad experience.
I had just the opposite. I thought it was quite well organized and very well marked. I believe it said on the website that only those pre-registered got a t-shirt.
Plus the rest stops were great, plenty to eat and drink, and some really nice touches like the hot cider, home baked cakes and cookies, and steamed potatoes.
Most of the rides I've done don't have a real official start time, as there are just too many people. It's better to keep everyone moving, just get them going right away.
As for the route, I'm glad you liked that. Bucks County is a really beautiful part of the country, and having such a clear day made it even more so.
You should try it again sometime. Maybe you could even just ride up the Delaware River from Stockton to Milford and back on the Jersey side. It's not too hilly that way, and Rt. 29 had nice wide shoulders.

[Xrayted]

Amy, I agree with you on the SAG support. I didn't see one the entire time. I patched up a lady's leg out on the road. (Nasty.) Gave her extra supplies to get her through. She had been sitting, waiting for about 20 min before I arrived and convinced her to let me help.
The guy at the 2nd rest stop adjusted my back brake for me. Bolt came loose that holds the cable and I reset it while on the road but it needed fine tuned. He might have been able to help with your shifting issue. I took off my leg warmers at this stop and got some interesting looks - everything from Awe to Zowee. A few people had the guts to ask along the way. (I'm so bad. I told one guy it was a shark attack. Should've seen his face. I fessed up, but it was totally hilarious. :o :D )
I got cue sheets at the registration table but your right, no actual maps were available. I was wondering too about not having a number. I was thinking that anyone could have ridden for free and just used the reg money to buy a shirt.
There were not enough bathrooms to go around! After 3+ hours, I was practically drowning in my own juices when I arrived. (Got lost twice, thanks AAA guy for the route. I saved $2.50 in tolls but I told you I'm directionally challenged. What were you thinking? :confused: ) Was parked WAY out, got my gear and bike, road through the muddy field and then stood in line for way too long. (only 4 johns out there)

The rest of my day was wonderful. I had a blast. (next time I will just say NO to the Kielbasa lunch tho. Blech.) I think I will keep this one in mind for next year. By then, I hope to be much better at hills.

Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Keep those hills a rollin'
Geez my bits are swollen
Rawhide!
(Sorry, I fear it's stuck there for good :D)

Kerry is right, there are some nice looking places to ride over the river. I went through Frenchtown (just across the bridge) and it was delightful. Bike loving town if I've ever seen one. Racks every 30 ft or so. Bike rental places, eclectic shops and diners. I want to go back someday and spend some time. Lots of riders out on rt 29.

I found my pics at Tiger Paw. I can't deny it, I definitely look like that! :eek: :rolleyes:

"see" ya

Cindy

[kerrybelle]

Cindy and Kerry.....I am soooo disappointed I wasn't able to meet up with you guys. Once we got up on the mountain where my brother-n-law lives I lost service on my cell phone. I thought maybe once we got to the park Sunday morning I might have service then. No such luck. :( I actually just received Cindy's voicemail today when we got back into Mechanicsburg.

Hi Amy,
Sorry I missed meeting you. Although, we may have seen each other near the end. We missed the turn around at the last bridge. After realized we had missed something, one of the guys near us said how disappointed he was with the ride and that he was from Texas. I didn't even think about it being you & DH until after we were back at the car. If it was you guys, I was the one on the light blue bike and my DH was on a red bike.


It was so cold when we started. I chose not to wear a jacket at all. I had a jersey, arm warmers, LS shirt from REI underneath, shorts, leg warmers, smartwool socks (love 'em, love 'em) and full gloves. Fingers were hurting until things warmed up a bit but otherwise not too bad.
I got to meet Kerry and her hubby briefly. Totally left me in the dust on the road. I've got lots of work to do by next season. (Sorry I didn't catch up with you at the picnic afterwards, Kerry. I missed ya somehow. Of course, you probably were right next to me eating. When I'm stuffing my pie hole, I notice nothing.)
Anyway, nice to hear from you Amy (and that you're ok) and nice to meet you Kerry.

Take care!
Cindy

The cold temp in the morning was my only complaint. I knew it/I would warm up once we hit the hills and chose to wear a ss jersey, armwarmers, knee warmers, a vest and wool socks. Boy was I happy when I finally warmed up. It was brutal at the start, but I didn't need to shed any layers. I would have worn long fingered gloves, if I had them.

It was nice to meet you Cindy. Sorry we didn't get the chance to talk more. DH was ready to head home, so we ate our lunch and left. Keilbasa isn't my favorite, either, but offering something warm was nice.


Amy, I agree with you on the SAG support. I didn't see one the entire time. I got cue sheets at the registration table but your right, no actual maps were available. I was wondering too about not having a number. I was thinking that anyone could have ridden for free and just used the reg money to buy a shirt.

There were not enough bathrooms to go around!

The rest of my day was wonderful. I had a blast. (next time I will just say NO to the Kielbasa lunch tho. Blech.) I think I will keep this one in mind for next year. By then, I hope to be much better at hills.

I found my pics at Tiger Paw. I can't deny it, I definitely look like that! :eek: :rolleyes:

We saw a SAG van, 2 or 3 times. There was a number on the bottom of the cue sheet for support vehicle. Although, like Amy said, if you don't have a connection on you cell, you can't make the call.

Over all we had a great ride. My only complaint was the cold start. Otherwise, it was awesome. I liked being challenged by the hills, especially since we live in a pretty flat area. It was the first ride DH & I did together, our friends ended up not making it.

I found one set of our pictures on Tiger Paw. The site is pretty slow, I'll have to go back and continue looking for the others. No denying what we look like either!

Anyway, I have to get back to work. Take care.

Kerry

[texascyclist]

Cindy... you had me rollin'. You are soooo funny. I love the Rawhide song. That was great!!! Wish we could have met up, we would have had alot of fun getting through that ride together. :D

Kerry.....your probably right about that being my DH. He and I were already questioning whether we were on the right path or not when we came upon other cyclist trying to figure out the same thing. While my DH went up ahead to where all of you were stopped, I hung back waiting to see if we had to go on or turn back. Unfortunately I don't remember the colors of any of the bikes. Once we turned around we did ride along with a teenager for a little bit, he was wearing a t-mobile jersey. Does that sound familiar? As for the official start, every ride in Texas that we have been a part of has had an official start along with maps of each route, no matter if there is just a few hundred participants or like Hotter-n-Hell in August which almost 12,000 riders participated. I guess my DH and I are use to more organization than what we saw on the Covered Bridge Ride. Not that I'm putting it down in any way, it's just we were not use to the way this ride was put together. We have even said that if we can work it out, we will be back next year to do it again. :eek: My DH said he loved the challenge of the hills in this ride. We'll just be better prepared next year and sign up ahead of time. :D But as far as the ride itsself, it was a GREAT experience. I absolutely LOVED the fall colors. And the keilabasa, well since we paid for it, my nephew grabbed two lunch sacks and took it with us. He said it was pretty good.

I checked out our pictures on Tiger Paw also. Unfortunately I would have to agree with y'all. Not flattering but that is us. :eek: I would love to check out y'alls photos and see if you look famaliar (apart from the many other cyclist there). We were told by the organizers that this ride was up from 2100 last year to 2600 this year. That's pretty cool!! Anyway, our photos are under Loux Covered Bridge 10:30 to 11:30, photos #2732 and 2732 (last 4 digits of photo #) and then under Cabin Run Bridge 10:30 to 11:30, photo #4256.

Glad to hear from you both and I wish again I could have met up with y'all. I was so bummed when I couldn't get reception on my cell phone. I kept wandering if y'all were there and if I saw you but didn't even know it. Then again, I may have seen Kerry afterall.

[Xrayted]

Well, that isn't the whole song I came up with. (oldest bro loved that show, so I'm stuck with actually knowing most of the words :( ) That and I also just love the Blues Brothers version.

So, here's the rest of the story:

Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Keep those hills a rollin'
Geez my bits are swollen
Rawhide!!

Through wind and rain I sputter
Hell bent for chamois butter
Burnin' the fat right off my thighs...

All the things I'm doin'
The time's just a zoomin'
Good friends are with me all through my ride...

Move 'em on, head 'em up
Head 'em up, move 'em on
Move 'em on, head 'em up
Rawhide!!

Count 'em out, ride 'em in
Ride 'em in, count 'em out
Count 'em out, ride 'em in
RAWHIDE!!!!!

It's not my fault. You asked for it! :o :D I think it was the "swollen bits" that got Sandra. I felt so bad the she almost headered and yet I couldn't stop. Yesterday at work, I got caught humming it. (by one of the Radiologists) She looked at me like I was a total nut job. But I figure if she thinks I'm a nut job, she'll leave me alone and yell at someone else. (I swear she's got PMS every day. :mad: :rolleyes: ) Some people are just happier when their miserable I guess. Me? Pretty much smiling all the time. (What's not to be happy about? I'm reasonably healthy and doing what I like to do.)

I finally found the last pic at work tonight. Mine can be found at the Loux CB 11:30-12:30 #3054,3055 and the Cabin Run CB 11:30-12:30 #4502. Like I said, I look like sh*t. But I felt good, so that's all that counts. You two look great. Cute hubby! Of course, if we ever do manage to meet, I'll be all red and blushing that I wrote that.

[kerrybelle]

My pics can be found at the Loux CB 11:30-12:30 #2878 & 2880, and the Cabin Run CB 11:30-12:30 #4339.

You guys look great!

Kerry

[AllezGirl]

TexasCyclist-Sorry the ride wasn't up to your expectations, but I'm glad you enjoyed the route. I've done charity and club events in several different states and they are all a little different. Usually you can purchase a t-shirt, even after the fact. I did last year for a Christmas present, there is contact info on the website. The registration costs go to offset the expenses involved with putting on the rides, but total income from registration usually doesn't come close to covering it. Constructive criticism is always appreciated, but keep in mind that this is a club event and 100% volunteer run. Those volunteers put their heart and sole into organizing the ride so that all of the participants have a good time it can be very discouraging to hear someone didn't enjoy it.

Cindy-that song will be rolliin' thru my brain when I'm out riding hills tomorrow morning. At least I can laugh while I suffer! Can't wait to ride with you!