# Single Day MS150 - Logistics Questions



## nealric (Jul 5, 2007)

So there has been some talk that day one of the MS150 could be cancelled if the thunderstorm forecast turns out to be accurate. 

This lead me to thinking- a single day Houston-Austin ride has been on my bucket list for a while and this may be the excuse that I need. But I never intended to do it solo and unsupported. 

The question is: how much support would I have access to? 

If I were to leave at around 3:00AM from Houston, I think I could get to La Grange between 10 and 11AM (it's about 120 miles from my house)- but that would put me at least 3 hours behind riders starting from La Grange. I think I could probably catch up to some of the slower riders towards the last 2-3 points, but am I correct in assuming I would probably not have access to the first 2-3 day 2 break points? Would the porta-pottys be gone too?

Would SAG support be available at all past La Grange, or would I be too far behind?

The bus question is probably the most important. At what point would I be stuck in Austin? I have ridden before, but never stuck around in Austin to the bitter end. My wife probably would not be happy having with a late night drive to Austin on Sunday to pick me up  

Any other double century tips? I've done a double metric before, but this would be a slightly more extreme proposition


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## nealric (Jul 5, 2007)

On reflection, it seems that the more sane option is to drive to the Katy Rhodes start point and go from there. That cuts off almost 40 miles and makes it realistic to meet the rest of the riders before the bitter end. It also may mean I can get a bus directly back to my car. 

EDIT: I also see from the FAQs that last bus is 7:00PM- that seems very doable. 

We will see how things go!


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## obed (Jan 12, 2014)

good luck, which ever way you choose.


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## nealric (Jul 5, 2007)

obed said:


> good luck, which ever way you choose.


Thanks. Looks like day 1 cancellation is official now. Official day 2 start of 8:00AM should make things more doable if the buses cooperate. Any other crazies out there considering the same thing?


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## Tig (Feb 9, 2004)

I know some people who rode day 1 as usual without any problems. The towns and several houses were out with water and fruit along the route so they were in good shape the whole day. Of course, they had a hotel reserved and even an SUV to support them if needed.

I'm still pizzed at the wimpiness of the organizers. I see them wanting to CYA, especially for the many under skilled riders, but for the rest of us who have ridden in extremely nasty conditions for many years, it was a huge letdown. In the early days when we all started at Tully Stadium, this ride would have happened.

I'm done with big charity rides.


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## Oscarach (Jan 15, 2011)

They did not really have any choice after the City of La Grange closed the fairgrounds and the other camp site because they deemed them unsafe, so there was no where for the riders to stay over night.
Challenge route on day 2 was cancelled as well due to flooding on the park roads.


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## Tig (Feb 9, 2004)

Yeah, we wouldn't want anyone to get muddy at an MS event.





Before NORBA, we raced in standing water up to a foot deep in the Ant Hills. In 1989, a minimal hurricane (hurricane "Jerry"?) developed near shore the morning of the Coastal Cruise in Alvin. We braved some serious cross winds and still managed a sub 6 hour century. 







Did I mention the whole century was _up hill_?

Modern road riders need to HTFU, that's all.


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## nealric (Jul 5, 2007)

Tig said:


> Yeah, we wouldn't want anyone to get muddy at an MS event.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I would point out that organizing an event with 10,000+ riders is a totally different ball game. The logistics are mind-boggling. Even though Saturday was perfectly fine for riding, I can understand why they didn't want the risk of trailers stuck in the mud at the fair grounds and the possibility of severe thunderstorms on the ride. There were in fact quite severe storms in Houston Sunday night, and if those had happened on Saturday, it could have been a disaster. Riding in an open field in a severe thunderstorm is a bad idea no matter how hard core you are. 

I have to admit that I ended up bagging the idea of a single day ride. Buses only returned to Tully, and I just didn't think I could swing that distance in the amount of time allotted- I wasn't comfortable with riding country roads in the middle of the night alone. It will happen eventually though


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## Mr645 (Jun 14, 2013)

It's not hard to be self supported. Just plan on how many miles between places to refill water bottles and carry enough with you to easily make it between stops. Bring a spare tire, basic tools, lighting with back up lighting, 3 or 4 tubes, a pump and a few Co2s or just bring a lot of Co2. Some reflective gear and ride.


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## nealric (Jul 5, 2007)

Mr645 said:


> It's not hard to be self supported. Just plan on how many miles between places to refill water bottles and carry enough with you to easily make it between stops. Bring a spare tire, basic tools, lighting with back up lighting, 3 or 4 tubes, a pump and a few Co2s or just bring a lot of Co2. Some reflective gear and ride.


I've done 200 miles self supported over 2 days before. It's not that I can't handle myself, but I have a much better chance of making it before sundown if I have a group to ride with. I'm generally ok with riding at night (I have a good commuting setup), but not on rural highways with 60+ speed limits at hours where drunks are most likely to be out (wee hours of Saturday and Sunday). I know someone who was killed that way.


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