# Wife out of town- Ride report



## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

I dropped the wife off at the airport this morning. She is going to visit her father for a couple of days. What better to do than go for a ride...... 

Today was one of those picture perfect days. Temps were in the mid 70's and not a cloud in sky. The wind was blowing at 15 mph out of the south but was expected to switch to the north in the early afternoon. I decided to ride north with a tailwind until the cold front brought the north wind. I'd turn around and have a tailwind all the back home. My plan worked perfectly. I rode for 35 miles north with a great tailwind. Within 10 minutes of turning around, the wind shifted to the north and I had a great tailwind home. 

A perfect ride- 72 miles total.... I snapped a couple of pictures.

The first picture is heading out of town. The second picture is a typical Texas country road. Traffic wasn't a problem for 80% of the ride


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

This bridge had ZEN spray painted on it. I thought it was appropriate for today.

The second picture was from a shortcut turned bad. My nice smooth coutry road turned into dirt. Thankfully it was only for about 2 miles


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Probably the best little steak house in Texas. Ponder, Texas is where I turned around.

MB1- The second picture is for you. I know how you like PIE


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Heading home. Did I say it was a great day?


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

Dave, you left handed or just wearing your watch on the wrong hand...


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## Chris H (Jul 7, 2005)

Man that looks like a great ride. I haven't been to Ranchmans in a few years, they used to have the best fried Quail.

Did you go up 156 or is that 377? Considering you're still alive I'm gonna guess that it was 156. That last pic even looks like the back side of Alliance airport (Westport maybe?). I've never ridden up that way but with a tailwind each way I bet it was an awesome ride. Especially with that fixed gear.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

I'm a lefty...


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Chris, you nailed my route perfectly. I headed up 377 up to Denton and hung a left on Airport Rd over to Ponder. I headed home on 156 to Alliance Airport. From there I snaked my way back to North Richland Hills... As for traffic, 377 is a piece o cake becasue of the nice shoulder. 156 between Ponder and Justin was a little hairy because there isn't much of a shoulder


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## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

can't tell if i like the bike more or the ride more. hand in hand i guess.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Thanks. I've had this bike for 3 weeks. It's my first custom frame...It's an "all day" bike


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

Dave Hickey said:


> Thanks. I've had this bike for 3 weeks. It's my first custom frame...It's an "all day" bike


Wow. You could sure look at that stem all day.


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## teoteoteo (Sep 8, 2002)

Dave Hickey said:


> Chris, you nailed my route perfectly. I headed up 377 up to Denton and hung a left on Airport Rd over to Ponder. I headed home on 156 to Alliance Airport. From there I snaked my way back to North Richland Hills... As for traffic, 377 is a piece o cake becasue of the nice shoulder. 156 between Ponder and Justin was a little hairy because there isn't much of a shoulder


I was in the neighborhood Saturday afternoon as I went to my sisters new place in Keller. In 1996 I worked in Solano off of 114 and would sneak around some of those the back roads sometimes. I wanted to be on my bike but didn't bring one. The thing I remember most is being chased by lots of dogs.....


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Let me know next time you come up. We'll go for a ride. I owe you one after the Austin ride


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## M.J. (Jan 28, 2004)

teoteoteo said:


> I was in the neighborhood Saturday afternoon as I went to my sisters new place in Keller. In 1996 I worked in Solano off of 114 and would sneak around some of those the back roads sometimes. I wanted to be on my bike but didn't bring one. The thing I remember most is being chased by lots of dogs.....


my brother (who's movign to Austin) used to work in Solano at the Marriot as a bartender - where did you work?


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## M.J. (Jan 28, 2004)

great report - I went to high school in Grapevine, university at UNT - ate at the Ranchman in Ponder 2 years ago with my parents, wife and baby boy - familiar roads - and cool bike


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*The heck with the pie; I want a new bike!*

Sweet ride, sweet ride report.

BTW no, I don't actually want a new bike (but maybe a stem.....).


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## terry b (Jan 29, 2004)

I love Wife Out of Town Bike Tours.

Mine is heading over to your neck of the woods to work on managing the Appaloosa World Show at the Will Rogers Center starting tomorrow. Next weekend will be my annual fall tour of ABQ, so watch for my version of WOOTBT.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

Dave Hickey said:


> Heading home. Did I say it was a great day?


Beautiful stem...and I have that same watch on now.  no gloves though? My hands sweat too much without gloves.

///WTF happened to the beer, pron and violent movies though? I want a Lounge report pronto Mr. Hickey....enough of this NNC crap.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

The stem kit can be purchased from bikelugs.com..It really is nice. I bought the TDF Festina watch on my last trip to St Croix. 

As for the NC report, I let everyone down. Yesterday, I rode, took the kid to hockey, did laundry, cut the grass, and cleaned the kitchen...Soccer moms got nothin' on this guy:-(


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## team_sheepshead (Jan 17, 2003)

nice frame and great paint. remind me who built the frame and did the paint, please.



Dave Hickey said:


> Thanks. I've had this bike for 3 weeks. It's my first custom frame...It's an "all day" bike


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

team_sheepshead said:


> nice frame and great paint. remind me who built the frame and did the paint, please.


I had it made by a local builder named Dave Cheakas. I've been very pleased.

This link will give you more info

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=75448


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

Dave Hickey said:


> The stem kit can be purchased from bikelugs.com..(


So you have to weld and paint it then? All I see is unfinished on the site.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Yes you have to build it. My frame builder bought the kit at my request...


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