Feature: McKinney Velo Club

McKinney Velo Club

McKinney Velo Club

1. Who founded the McKinney Velo Club and how did it come to life?

The club was founded by 6 guys, Steve Weber, Paul Harrison, Jeff Steinman, Mitch Blackwell, Patrick Burke and Tony Nevotti, who were all neighbors. They were racing for one club and wanted to branch out and form a team and race the way they wanted to race. They also wanted to get back to the community and do things differently.

2. What is your cycling clubs mission?

McKinney Velo is a competitive cycling organization whose members share a passion for racing and a strong commitment to making a difference in the local community. Our members compete across multiple disciplines including; Road, Triathlons, Mountain Bike, Velodrome, Duathlons and Cyclocross.

In our Community the team is focused on cultivating a cycling culture in the Greater McKinney area through teaching safe and responsible cycling while also supporting individuals new to the sport of cycling; encouraging active and healthy lifestyles; and actively supporting local charities.

Some of our community activities include:

– Sponsoring Bike Rodeos for Children in conjunction with Richardson Bike Mart, the McKinney Independent School District, McKinney Police Dept. and McKinney Fire Dept.

– Adopt-A-Highway: Volunteer to clean roadside each quarter. Designated road is located South of the McKinney Airport

– MS 150 Frisco to Fort Worth in early May: Raise funds and ride along the route to support participants

– Supporting McKinney High School Cycling Team Bike to Bricks event where proceeds go to charities such as the

– McKinney Education Foundation to provide educational sports opportunities in the district.

3. How many members does you team/club have?

We have right around 100 members. We started with 25 when we started in 2008.

4. Which are your top 3 favorite MUST DO rides/routes in Texas?

  1. The Walburg Classic Road Race- A big road race of the season that takes place in the small town of Walburg, TX.
  2. La Primavera Bike Race- Takes place at Lago Vista on the north shore of Lake Travis, northwest of Austin.
  3. Texas State Road Race- A 30 mile loop on the Fort Hood military base.

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

  1. Find a group or team to ride with. It’s invaluable for learning training ideas and tactics along with riding etiquette. Also a big motivation booster!
  2. Cycling is a difficult and challenging sport which makes it enjoyable and hard so be patient with yourself.

6. What is the best advice someone ever gave you?

The best advice I’ve been given is twofold: one, consistency is always key and two, rest and recovery is as important as riding hard.

7. How does the club make you a better rider?

The club makes me a better rider because it motivates me to ride more and train more. I like to keep up with buddies who push me really hard.

McKinney Velo Club Ride

8. What has been your most memorable experience involving your club?

The First trading camp we put together in the first year we formed in Kerrville, TX. We rode in the cold and rainy weather for 4 days. It really let us know what we were getting into.

9. How do you keep everyone motivated?

Our team is great at constantly pushing people by talking about the sport, encouraging people to ride, share their own personal experiences and ideas. Those that have headed their advice have come on leaps and bounds.

10. Do you ave any photos/videos you would like to share?

Our website has all the latest pictures of the club as well as more information about joining the team. Visit us here: http://www.mckinneyvelo.org/aboutus.html

Wish 100 Rally in McKinney, TX

The Wish 100 Rally benefiting the Make a Wish foundation invites you to join their ride on October 6, 2012 starting at 111 N. Tennessee St. McKinney, TX 75069

We were lucky enough to be granted an interview with Bryan Perkins of Wish 100 to ask some questions about their upcoming ride.

Wish 100

Why join this year’s Wish 100 Bike Rally? 
There are two reasons to join this year’s bike rally. First of all it’s a great cause that provides the opportunity for ill kids to do something special and take their minds off of their struggles. Secondly, the city of McKinney rolls out the red carpet for this ride and provides a great course in the country with rolling tree line roads and lots of livestock. So it’s great for people who want to experience the countryside!

How long has the event been around?
This will be the 4th year for the event but the first year that we (McKinney Velo Club) along with theMatrix Cycling Club and City of McKinney have helped organize and sponsor the event.

What was the motivation behind starting the tour and who benefits from it?
The motivation behind the ride is to benefit the make a wish foundation. It’s a great vehicle for their organization to get people involved and to help raise awareness and support. We stepped in this year because Make a Wish were looking for more promoters so Richardson Bike Mart, Matrix Cycle Cluband ourselves joined forces as so the event and race could continue.

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.
All the information for the routes can be found on the Wish 100 website:http://www.wish100tx.org/routes.html  and you can also go to http://ridewithgps.com/ for the GPS links.

Do you have a map of the start facility showing registration point, parking, all toilets, water/snacks, start line? 
Yes we do. All that information can be found here: http://www.wish100tx.org/routes.html

Logistically, can you give us an idea how many volunteers, finances, and planning it takes to put on this event?
From sheriff deputies to the fire department volunteers from two cities, people from the sponsoring clubs and the City of McKinney there has been around 150 volunteers. It has been a true community effort to put this event on.

What is the average number of participants per year?
During the First three years of the event the numbers have grown from 1000 to 1300 participants in the third year.

What can folks do to support you and your mission?  Apart from joining in on the event, people can support Make a Wish Foundation through charitable donations and participating in other events they organize. You can find out more here: http://www.wish.org/

What is your role in this race and the success of it? 
The role I’ve played in this race is mostly the logistical side of things like the planning and developing of the route and rest stops by working with the city and sheriffs.

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

Come join in on the event and support a great cause!

 

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

Click here to view the event details of the Wish 100 Rally