All up to date 2021 Texas bicycle rides in one location

The Lancaster Country Ride invites you to join their ride on April 13, 2013 starting at Town Square Lancaster, TX

We were lucky enough to be granted an interview with Mike Eipper of Lancaster Country Ride to ask some questions about their upcoming ride.

Why join this year’s ride?
The Lancaster Country Ride is the best ride in Texas! Most scenery, well managed, just plain fun! And still only $20!

How long has the event been around?
The event has been around for 15 years.

What was the motivation behind starting the tour and who benefits from it?
We use this ride as a club-fund raiser. It benefits both our own events, charitable organizations, and most importantly, the cities that allow us access to their roads and facilities.

How have they been able to utilize the funds in the past?
The funds have been used for the cities: to pay police and fire salaries and also given to charities to help families in need.

Over 63% of folks say they are more up to attend a ride for which they have information about the routes for their on-bike devices. Do you have a map of the start facility showing registration point, parking, all toilets, water/snacks, start line?
It’s available on our website www.gdbclub.com

Logistically, can you give us an idea how many volunteers, finances, and planning it takes to put on this event?
We have over 100 volunteers; it takes several months of planning, and many thousands of dollars.

What was the most rewarding experience throughout the years hosting this event?
Seeing how thrilled riders are with the wildflowers along the route. This ride is mainly through bluebonnet country, south of Dallas, and is just gorgeous!

What is the average number of participants per year?
About 1,200

How many riders do you assist during the average race?
Sag handles several hundred calls during the ride, most for minor incidents, flats, scraped knees, etc. and some for the welcome ride home, if the wind is blowing the wrong way that day!

What can folks do to support you and your mission?
Join the club and become part of our big annual event!

What is your role in this race and the success of it?
I am sag captain. We will have 12 sag trucks, plus 5-6 bike shop trucks, and several riding sag helpers this year. We got you covered!

Do you ride and if yes, what kind of bicycle do you ride and what is your favorite route in your area?
Yes, I ride a specialized Roubaix expert sl4. My favorite route is the DFW airport ride, 63 miles of low traffic out around DFW.

Additional stuff you would like the folks to know about this year’s ride?
Show up and enjoy it! You’ll be glad you did…!

 

Thanks Mike for this quick interview and we hope to catch everyone at the ride!

Click here to view the ride details of  Lancaster Country Ride 2013

Who founded the club and how did it come to life?

Velossimo was formed back in September of 2005 by myself and I recruited a few other guys I was racing with at the time who were racing unattached. We thought it would be fun to start our own new team and I wanted to do something that gave back to the local community. It was a great experience but I didn’t realize at the time just how much time and work was involved in getting sponsors, designing kits/uniforms, and just generally getting a bunch of individual bike racers organized to compete together as a team. It has been a very rewarding experience and I’ve been lucky to have met so many incredible men and women over the years.

What is your cycling clubs mission?

We started out as a 501(c)3 charitable organization that supports the Susan
G. Komen foundation. We make a team donation every year and try and encourage our sponsors and local businesses to do the same. Komen raises money to provide free cancer screenings, education, and medical services as well as financial and emotional support. 75% of their money goes to the
local community and 25% goes to national cancer research.

How many members does you team/club have?

Right now we have about 30 members and we’re always looking for good, fun folks to join up and come race with us. We have all levels and abilities of racers from Pro 1/2 racers to Cat 5’s, mountain bike racers, as well as Multi-sport athletes.

What is your favorite route in your area? (If you happen to have any maps that would be great!) Which are your top 3 favorite MUST DO rides/routes in Texas?

There are so many great places to ride in Austin it’s really hard to choose.
Nothing beats getting out in the Texas Hill Country. Some of my favorite rides we’ve done is at our training camps in Fredericksburg, TX. You can ride for hours without seeing another car and it has some challenging, beautiful terrain. Here are two rides we’ve done training camp:

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/60630708

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/60629572

What would be the three most valuable tips you can give to a beginning cyclist that would like to get to the next level?

1. Have fun. If you aren’t having fun, stop and re-evaluate. Cycling is a beautiful and wonderful sport but it should also be fun and enhance your life-not detract from it.
2. I would highly suggest joining a local club/team and ride with folks who are slightly above your level to help mentor and push you. There is just so much to learn as a new bike rider/racer that it can be a bit overwhelming.
Depending on your goals, you may want to consider getting a coach if you have aspirations of racing at a high level.
3. Make friends with your local bike shop and support them. Having a bike that fits and works properly is critical to having a fun, safe time. Also most bike shops have group rides and it’s a great way to meet people.

What is the best advice someone ever gave you?

Always look toward the future rather than focusing and dwelling on mistakes of the past. Life is short so enjoy it!

How does the club make you a better rider?

You become a better rider by being open to feedback and becoming a student of the sport. There is always something to learn from your teammates so keep your eyes and ears open and ask questions to more experienced riders. Group rides are invaluable in becoming a better, safer rider and highly encouraged.

What has been your most memorable experience involving your club?

From all the different places we’ve trained and raced, to all of the folks that have been on the team over the years has been absolutely incredible. Our yearly training camps are always a blast and there are always some hilarious stories that come out of those. Looking back over the years, I’ve really enjoying seeing folks achieve their goals on the bike and helping give them mentoring, advice, support, and coaching to help get them to that next level.

How do you keep everyone motivated?

I’ve found most bike racers are pretty highly motivated people. I try and mix in a little fun and team camaraderie and encourage folks to help each other. There’s nothing better than having a beer and relaxing with some of your friends after a ride.

Do you have any photos/videos you would like to share?

Yep, we have some pictures and videos here:

https://www.facebook.com/Velossimo

http://www.velossimoracing.org/

Thank you Karl Kupecz for taking the time to tell us more about your club. Head on over to their facebook page to keep with the latest club news and to get to know the team.

The LBJ 100 Bicycle Tour invites you to join their ride on March 23-24, 2013 starting at LBJ Ranch Stonewall,TX 78671

We were lucky enough to be granted an interview with Nolan Kuehn, LBJ 100 Chair to ask some questions about their upcoming ride.

1. Why join this year’s Ride?
We’ll continue our efforts to provide a real family outing for our event; we’ll continue to honor our soldiers in re-hab from Operation Comfort. We’ll have some additions this year that we are thrilled to present: An Austin-based band, strawberryJAM, will be playing during the lunch period, and the Wheelmen will be there with their contingent of members in period costume, riding their high wheel bicycles. This national club focuses on pre-1918 bicycles. Their presence is a sight to behold for history buffs and cycle enthusiasts alike.

2. How long has the event been around?
This is our sixth annual. I like to say that it gets “bigger and better every year!”

3. What was the motivation behind starting the tour and who benefits from it?
I was the President of the Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club in 2007, when I received an email from Russ Whitlock, the Superintendent of the LBJ National Historical Park, advising that the national park would be much more open to cyclists in the future. He asked if our club would be interested in helping conduct a cycling event that would benefit the Friends of LBJ National Historical Park. Our club is small in size, but big in heart. We were interested!

4. How have they been able to utilize the funds in the past?
Of course, all of the funds go to the betterment of the park. Probably the most notable of the past projects has been the opening of the ground floor of the Texas White House to the general public. This was done in December of 2011, and it has been a real attraction, with its ‘60s period restoration. With the Friends cash infusion, we probably saved a few years on scheduled completion. Other projects have been the modification of the Junction school, where LBJ attended kindergarten, and the acquisition of the Lockheed Jet Star aircraft, that LBJ used to fly from Bergstrom AFB to the ranch. And lest we be accused of frivolity, let me assure the public that the 1965 Lincoln Continental convertible (that is used as the “pace car” for the LBj 100) is also used for promoting the park in small town parades and festivals, and for showing dignitaries around the ranch. Several of these model cars that LBJ used are on display on the ranch.

5. Can we get a TCX or GPX file included for download? Over 63% of folks say they are more up to attend a ride for which they have information about the routes for their on-bike devices.
We have downloadable interactive maps with elevation profiles, cue sheets, etc. on the ride web site, www.LBJ100BicycleTour.org

6. Do you have a map of the start facility showing registration point, parking, all toilets, water/snacks, start line?
Each of the routes has a map showing the start line and all rest stops. All parking is on the 1.5 mile-long ranch air strip. Toilets are available at the start/finish line and at eight rest stops on the routes. All rest stops will have adequate hydration fluids and energy snacks. One of the neat things about the rest stops is that three of them are restored, rural, historic Gillespie Country schools. You get a lesson in history as well!

7. Logistically, can you give us an idea how many volunteers, finances, and planning it takes to put on this event?
We are proud of our volunteers; they come from all walks, and are always able to put on a smiling face that says, “Welcome to our ride; we hope you are enjoying it!” I especially want to laud Russ Whitlock’s staff, the Hill, Country Bicycle Touring Club and the Friends of LBJ National Historical Park. I feel that this blending of talent has made the LBJ 100 the successful event that it has become. Without mentioning any financial outlay, I will say that we are extremely proud of our various and generous sponsors, many of whom have been with us every year. This, and the participation of so many enthusiastic riders with their families has allowed us to realize a net income of approximately $120,000 over the last five years – every penny of which is spent for the betterment of the park. It supports my conviction that there is a lot of good in people.

8. What was the most rewarding experience throughout the years hosting this event?
Several come to mind: Certainly meeting all the wonderful people – riders, sponsors, directors of other rides, and just plain ol’ bike riders. We try to be attentive to their needs. Another is a photo that my daughter took of one of the Operation Comfort soldiers using his hand cycle as part of “Team America,” coming up a hill on the 42-mile route – probably the meanest hill on any of the routes. Finally, listening to Yvonne Campos of the Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club, singing the “Star Spangled Banner” prior to the start of the ride. What a voice!

9. What is the average number of participants per year? How many riders do you assist during the average race?
I tend to think in terms of how many we attracted last year, and how much better we will do this year. We started with 423 in 2008, and we attracted almost 1400 last year. Thus far, we are ahead of that pace for 2013.
We have a good SAG crew and EMS presence that tries to be attentive to cyclists in distress. Safety is paramount with those of us in the bike club, in the Friends, and with the National Park Service. We have multiple planning meetings prior to the event, as well as a debriefing meeting after, to determine what we did right and what needs tweaking. Statistically, we don’t keep a log of those who need our help, but I will say, luckily, it is minimal.

10. What was the most unforgettable experience or worst accident you had in this event?
I have mentioned the Operation Comfort soldiers before. This organization is headed by Executive Director and Founder Janis Roznowski. The soldiers are undergoing re-hab at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio. We are indeed honored to play a part in seeing that they have a decent quality of life – as a way of saying “thanks” for their service to our nation. I was particularly moved two years ago, when our soldiers hosted a contingent of British soldiers also undergoing re-hab.

11. What can folks do to support you and your mission?
We, and one of our major sponsors, Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), have a commonality of mission, in that we want to try to get folks outdoors – on a bike for sure, but also to see what the national park in our own backyard has to offer. I would also like to encourage people to consider joining the Friends organization. Go to www.FriendsofLBJNationalPark.org

12. What is your role in this race and to the success of it?
I have been the LBJ 100 Chair for the past five editions. As I have mentioned, this has been a wonderful experience. However, I simply think of myself as one who is trying to ensure that we are playing a symphony. The volunteers are the ones that make the event arguably the premier springtime cycling event in the Texas Hill Country.

13. Do you ride and if yes, what kind of bicycle do you ride and what is your favorite route in your area? Which are your top 3 favorite MUST DO rides in Texas (besides your own)?
I’m primarily a road rider, although I also have a mountain bike (29er), and a touring bike. We have a favorite route starting/ending in Comfort that takes us past a couple of wineries (Bending Branch and Singing Waters). We like to do it on a Friday, when the wineries are open and then we can adjourn for a fried catfish buffet at Guenther’s in Comfort. Hey, I’ve expended those calories!

My favorites ride is the Hotter ‘N Hell 100 in Wichita Falls. I also like the ride down in Goliad. I have not done it for a few years; I wonder what the Eagle Ford Shale traffic has done to the road conditions. The MS 150 from Houston-Austin is another favorite.

14. If you had to come up with a David Letterman style top 10 about the race, what would it read like?

1. Luckenbach ain’t that far away!
2. We’re right in the heart of the second most visited wine appellation in the U.S.
3. The Chisholm Trail is on the other side of Fredericksburg – but this one’s a winery.
4. Some of these country school rest stops will make you want to go back to first grade!
5. Pickle Juice Sport will be at Rest Stop #6.
6. Watch out for those cattle guards. They’ll stop cattle AND cyclists.
7. Enjoy the real toilets at the school rest stops!
8. You’ll be going through a rancher’s back yard on some of those bucolic country lanes.
9. German fluency not needed to visit Fredericksburg.
10. Watch out for that ’65 Continental convertible pace car!

15. Additional stuff you would like the folks to know about this year’s ride?

Join us for this “Ride to Preserve History.” You will have the time of you life!

 

Thanks Nolan for this interview and we hope to catch everyone at the ride!

Click here to view the event details of the 6th Annual LBJ 100 Bicycle Tour