Tour de Forts Near Junction, Texas

[BeeLady]

My DH and I signed up for this ride today. It is interesting as it has activities (meals) the entire weekend. And a century ride. I am getting more info but I believe there is lodging at Ft. McKavett very inexpensively.

The ride is May 17, but dinner provided on Friday, May 16. Pretty, rugged country around there. We had a deer lease in Junction when I was a kid.

http://biketexas.org/downloads/TourdeForts2008Flyer.pdf

[TxRider]

Have not heard about this ride, but I remember Junction, Texas quite well. About 2 years ago, on a trip to New Mexico, we stopped at a barbecue restaurant out there. I'm not a huge fan of barbecue, but I'll just tell you that I enjoyed the food so much that I made sure we stopped there for a meal on the way back!!! Great homemade peach cobbler too ...

It's located just off I-10 - on the north side of the freeway. I don't remember what the name is, but there weren't a ton of businesses there, so it 's pretty easy to find. Have some barbecue for me, please?!?!?

[csr1210]

I thought about doing that ride, but DH has to work, so no go for us.

Hope you have a great time -- and give us a ride report afterwards if you don't mind.

Have fun,
Christy

[Aggie_Ama]

I wanted to do this ride but DH can only get one Saturday off a month during the spring. We are taking Memorial Day weekend for camping (and some serious cycling!) in the Davis Mountains. Let us know how this ride is, we might do it next year.

[BeeLady]

Report on Tour de Forts in Junction.

This has been the best group ride I have been on to date. I rode a total of about 80 miles, with 53 or so on Saturday and the 27-mile recovery and breakfast ride on Sunday morning.

This was only the third year of the ride and there were more volunteers than riders. About 12 people did the full century, I rode 40 hilly miles to the first fort and then sagged to the last 15 miles, as I was told that area was exceptionally pretty (and it was).

There was so much food and the hotels were great. Food: Friday night pasta dinner at the city park, Saturday night Fajita dinner, Sunday morning breakfast at a beautiful river crossing.

The sag stops were every 10 miles exactly, so it was easy to gage the mileage (no bike computer here) and there were PB&J sandwiches on WW bread at every stop, along with power bars, sport drinks, water and cots to lie down on. And, of course, Porta-potties.

The ride is mainly geared for the century as it is a 100-mile loop. There is a short 20-mile course, but otherwise you will get a sag ride back to the starting point if you don't ride the 100 miles. Since the party I was with stayed at Fort McKavett, we all rode to the fort, I then sagged to the later point, rode my bike back to town and picked up our car.

The route: The first 10 miles, flat, the next 30 miles hilly with an elevation gain (not sure how much) to the mesa where the first fort is. It was very challenging for me. From the sag wagon, the remaining 60 miles were flatter and overall losing elevation back to Junction although still hilly at times. Next year I am definitely going to attempt the century on this route.

All very rural and very pretty Texas hill country.

We stayed the first night at Ft. McKavett and the second night at The Legend hotel, about a mile from the ride-start. The single rooms were $34 and the double was $44. The hotel was exceptionally clean and comfortable and I would say a good bargain. And the best scones I have every eaten happened to be made at the bakery directly across the street from this hotel. There was another hotel similar to The Legends close to it. I am glad we stayed there rather than the Day's Inn or Motel 6 which was 5 miles or so from the starting line (and probably much more expensive.)

This was a nice mini-vacation for us. Of course some would just want to go for the day on Saturday but with all the food included in the sign-up package, reasonable hotel rates and very friendly and helpful volunteers, I will opt for the whole weekend deal again next year.