Weekly News and Ride Post -- First Day of Spring, 2014

[david]

Hello cyclists,

Weather permitting, here's the TRK ride for Saturday, March 22  (same ride posted last weekend):

Saturday, March 15:  Wheels will roll at 8:30 a.m. -- that's 8:30 -- from the South Park Pool parking area on Dennis Drive in Copperas Cove.  The route will take us south on FM116/Ivy Gap Road to Oakalla Road.  We'll head southwest of FM 2657, and the south to FM963.  There are several options from there.  If you want to get in about 50 miles (Tammy), you can head out 963 to Watson and then back to the River Road, then to US 190 and Kempner, to FM 2808.  At FM 2657, we'll turn right, and head south of Boys Ranch Road, then left to FM116/ Ivy Gap Road, and left back to the start area.  A shorter version of the ride excludes the Watson out-and-back on FM963.  Coffee and carbs at 7:30 at Lil' Tex on Main Street in Cove.

Upcoming:

-- Wednesday, March 26 -- Ride 2 Recovery (Fort Hood to Waco) -- Check the R2R Website for detailed info, but you can join the ride through Fort Hood, on to Belton and finally Waco.  The local pre-ride briefing is at the Shilo Inn, 3701 W.S. Young Drive in Killeen.  The group will depart for Fort Hood at 9 a.m.  There will be a brief ceremony at III Corps Headquarters, and the group will depart through the post to Waco at between 9:30 and 9:45 a.m.  Check ride2recovery.com for info on how to donate.  Lunch is in Belton where some of us locals will turn back and some will go on to Waco.  I know that Wayne McCart and Bud Alvarez are leaving vehicles up there for a return trip.  

--My favorite ride ever, the LBJ 100 out of Stonewall in the heart of the old German settlements in the Texas Hill Country, is set for March 29. It is a beauty, and starts on the runway that welcomed Air Force One during Lyndon Baines Johnson's presidency. All of the info, and preregistration stuff is available at http://www.lbj100bicycletour.org. I know I'm going to this one, as is Wayne McCart. I think all of us who have done this ride absolutely love it. The ride includes a great lunch, and a tour of the "Western White House" led by LBJ's daughter, Lucy. But...

--Also on March 29 is the annual Salado Smokin' Spokes bike tour. It's closer and it benefits a local fire department. All of the info is at http://www.saladospokes.com.

-- April 5 -- Aware Bike Tour, 8 a.m. Hewitt Park near Waco.  Can't tell you much about this ride, except that it is free -- at least the organizers say it is.  It offers distances from 3 miles to 100K.  Info is available at http://www.pastimes.org, and click on "Projects."

-- April 12 -- Lampasas Hillaceous Bike Tour -- This is the inaugural edition of a Lampasas area bike tour organizers say is designed "by cyclists, for cyclists".  Detail info is available at http//:www.lampasashillaciousbiketour.com.  The routes are similar to one we used to do, and probably ought to do again, and wind through the hilly ranch country west and north of Lampasas.  The ride starts at 8:30 a.m. in Lampasas.