Freedom to Ride a Bike

Today was a beautiful, sunny day with a sometimes brisk north wind, and I could think of nothing better to do than pull out Old Sam and go for a bike ride. Old Sam is the 1983 Trek 510 that is smooth, basic transportation. The all steel frame seems to absorb the bumps in the road better than any of my other bikes. I took the big ring off the front so it just has seven gears, but that is just right for rambling around Ennis.

I had no plans for this ride other than to just enjoy it. It was not long before I realized the Veterans’ Day flags that the Rotary Club puts up all over town were still out, and I took several shots of Old Glory painting the breeze. It turned into a 15 mile ride, and seeing all the flags and thinking of Veterans Day made me think fondly of my favorite veteran.

Thanks again, Dad.

The Cargo Bike from Masden Cycles

Well I have four bikes in the stable right now, this sure would make a GREAT fifth!

Saturday Coffee, Breakfast, and More Coffee

It was cool this morning when Mrs. Bicycle Bill agreed to ride to Whataburger for breakfast with me. It is about a mile and a half ride over there, so we ate a light breakfast and figured we’d burned some of those breakfast calories off on the ride back home. I really enjoy riding in the cool weather. All one needs to stay comfortable is a pair of full finger gloves and a light jacket to break the wind.

After we got home an old friend called and asked if we could meet for coffee. Dan Haynes lived here for years and now lives in Ruidoso, New Mexico. We have seen each other on Facebook recently, and Dan comes to Ennis every few weeks to visit with his father. We had a nice visit over coffee at Starbucks. Dan is a fine Christian man that really loves Jesus. We had a nice visit about Christian literature and the Bible Studies we have been active in, along with catching up on our respective families.

Dan has been a cowboy for as long as I have known him, working on ranches and such. He works with computers now. Of course I’ve tried to convince him to get off the horse and onto a bicycle. You have to feed a horse to make it go. To make my bike go, I only have to feed me, and I was probably going to do that anyway! Happy trails, friend.

Ennis FFA Lion Pride Bike Ride 2010

The third annual Ennis FFA Lion Pride Bike Ride left from the Ennis High School parking lot at 9am, Saturday, October 23rd. The weather was cloudy and drizzly, with a little southerly breeze that made the first rolling hills a little tougher when we made the first turn to the south from Hwy 34.

TJ and I were planning to ride the 35 mile route because we both needed to be finished around 11am, and I thought the ride started at 8am instead of 9am. Since it started at 9am, we opted for the 20 mile route, and went straight through without pausing at the 10 mile rest stop.

There was a railroad crossing about 5 miles into the ride that proved hazardous in its rain-slickened condition, as a rider fell just before we got there. He was okay and continued on, but ride representatives hung around warning the riders about the slick tracks. We all know we should be more cautious in the rain, and things like rail road tracks, storm grates, and even painted road surfaces command an extra level of care.

The smooth roads with little chip seal and the outstanding organization of this rally make it one of the best ones we attend all year. I hope participation continues to improve as the years go by. The FFA works very hard to make this a great rally, and the hamburgers at the end of the ride were great. I will participate in this rally for as long as they continue to offer it.

On a very sad note, one of the participants in the rally this year collapsed about 15 miles into the ride, and he did not survive. One report said he had left the road complaining of chest pain, and collapsed when assistance arrived. My sincere condolences and heartfelt prayers go out to his family and loved ones.

Hill Climbing

Today was my grandaughter Atalie's second birthday party in Tyler, Tx. I took my road bike with me, because I knew I wanted to go for a brief ride.

About 4 years ago, not long after I started riding, I tried to climb a steep hill in Tyler and could not make the top without getting off and walking. I've climbed a lot of hills in the past 4 years, but none as steep and long as the one in Tyler. If you know Tyler, the hill is Dulse Street near Green Acres Baptist Church.

My road bike has 27 gears, but to make the hill, I only needed one...the lowest one. I almost NEVER stand on the pedals, but I made it up the hill standing on that lowest gear. I did not have my bike computer on the bike. I do not know how slow one can actually go without falling over for lack of speed, but I would estimate that I crested the hill at 3MPH!

Next week is the Paluxy Pedal at Glen Rose. I hear they have a hill on that ride that only about 10% of the riders make it up. I'll let you know....

2010 Hotter N Hell Hundred Bike Rally

What a great time we had at the 29th annual Hotter N Hell Hundred bike rally in Wichita Falls Texas this weekend. Since my little heart problem a couple of months ago, I thought it best to ride only 25 miles this year, but it was still a very fun and memorable event.
Both of my sons, TJ and Josh went with me this year. TJ did the 100 miles. That distance on a bicycle is a tremendous test of your endurance. It helps a lot to have a buddy with you to talk to during the ride, and to share the pain with, if you will. To do it alone would be even tougher. TJ is pretty tough.
Josh was my buddy on the 25 mile ride. I really did not want to ride alone, and I am so glad Josh was able to go with me. It was his first bike rally, and the first time he has ridden his bike over about 10 miles at a time. It takes a while to get used to riding long distances on a bike, and I know Josh suffered more than he let on, but I also know he really enjoyed completing his first bike rally.

As you can see in the pictures, we camped out again this year. One does not really get as much sleep as you’d like in a tent surrounded by many other tents, with bright lights shining in the adjacent parking lot, but its all part of the experience.

The bicycle expo had lots of exhibits, and some real bargains if you needed a new jersey (not the state), or gloves or some other biking accessory. We partook of the spaghetti supper on Friday night and the pancake breakfast on Saturday morning.

The rest stops along the route were fabulous. The volunteers are so friendly, and the refreshments are always just what the riders need.

Taking one of the shorter routes this year allowed us to ride through Sheppard Air Force Base for the first time. It is so nice that they mark a course for us to ride through on. They have planes on display, and the airmen and women are out in numbers to cheer and give high fives as we pass through. They man a rest stop, and actually hold our bikes as we get refreshments. God bless our military!
Josh met TJ at the finish line. TJ had been out in the heat for over 9 hours, and really needed a coke!

We had a wonderful time at the 2010 Hotter N Hell Hundred. Next year is the 30th anniversary of this great rally. Start riding a little now, build up some endurance, and go with us next year! You’ll love it!

Ready for the HHH

In 2008 and 2009, I rode 100 miles at the Hotter n Hell Hundred at Wichita Falls with my son TJ, and 12,000 - 14,000 other cyclists. This year, TJ is still going for the 100 miles, while my younger son Josh and I will be riding the 25 mile route. This will be Josh's first bike rally, and 25 miles will be a good distance for him, and it will be a good distance for me as I recover from my littel mishap on my last rally.

I've been riding about 10 miles every morning before commuting by bike to work, and Sunday afternoon TJ and I rode 15 miles to Palmer and back in the 105 degree heat. There is a cold front rapidly approaching, and we expect the high at the HHH to be in the mid nineties. Josh and I will be finished by mid-morning. TJ will be out in the heat, but probably not as long as 2008 and 2009 when he was having to wait on DAD!

I'm already making plans to do the 100 next year...perhaps both of the sons...and maybe a daughter and daughter-in-law or two...will join us? Stay tuned!