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Shiner ride from Austin

mmez

Apr 25, 12 15:04

Post #1 of 15 (955 views)

Shiner ride from Austin	Quote \| Reply

Anyone signed up to do the Austin to Shiner ride in May? I just signed up and then spent an hour looking for a hotel!

dseiler

Apr 25, 12 17:27

Post #2 of 15 (918 views)

Re: Shiner ride from Austin [mmez] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

mmez wrote:

Anyone signed up to do the Austin to Shiner ride in May? I just signed up and then spent an hour looking for a hotel!

In Shiner? Good luck.

I've not done this ride in years, back when it was called the BASH -- Bike Austin, San Antonio, Houston. However, SA's contingent (from where I started) was so pitiful & Houston's too close to the Bike MS (then the MS150), that the organizers just had the ride leave from Austin.

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mmez

Apr 25, 12 22:00

Post #3 of 15 (866 views)

Re: Shiner ride from Austin [off242] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Should have clarified - had trouble finding a hotel in Austin.

bt

Apr 26, 12 6:04

Post #4 of 15 (843 views)

Re: Shiner ride from Austin [mmez] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

There are 2 hotels very near the ride start that sort of serve the airport folks: a Hampton Inn and a Marriott Courtyard. Surprised you had trouble finding room, unless you are looking to stay in town.

runboorun

Apr 26, 12 7:31

Post #5 of 15 (808 views)

Re: Shiner ride from Austin [mmez] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Here's a few thoughts. I usually avoid big group rides, but this one is fun. There will be people at the front that will be hammering the whole way. You will see the most expensive tri bikes with people in full aero gear and you will see people in cut off shorts on cruisers.

For the hotel, I would stay in town and either ride out or cab it to the start. Austin is a great city, and you will be missing out if you stay near the airport. If you choose to ride to the start, just plan your route in advance. At that time in the morning, the roads will be pretty clear, but you will have some early morning drunks that are making it home.
edit: I have had many friends stay here: http://www.homesteadhotels.com/...lake-directions.html

You will be close to downtown, 3 bike shops, and many place to eat. If you want to cruise a bike around and not ride your road bike, Austin Tri Cyclist has some rentals that you can use to see some of the local sites.

Have fun, and buy extra beer tickets!
56-11...the only way to fly

(This post was edited by runboorun on Apr 26, 12 7:37)

mungub50

May 1, 12 12:54

Post #6 of 15 (722 views)

Re: Shiner ride from Austin [runboorun] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

So there's a faster paced group? Any idea how competitive it is?

Thanks for the info.

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http://benmunguia.blogspot.com

djastroman

May 1, 12 13:12

Post #7 of 15 (709 views)

Re: Shiner ride from Austin [mmez] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

This is a really fun ride, I did it last year. Not in the competetive group by a long shot, just rode for fun. Shiner is a pretty cool little town and I always like visiting the brewery. Of course you can't go wrong with some BBQ and free beer after the ride either. I would do it again this year if they didn't plan the Tour de Cure for the same day. D'oh!

@davempratt | Team Novo Nordisk | Donate to my Tour de Cure ride

jackmott

May 1, 12 13:17

Post #8 of 15 (700 views)

Re: Shiner ride from Austin [djastroman] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

missing this for the 3rd year in a row

strong sad

An Interview with Matty Reed, and his Fuji Norcom Straight
The newest tri shop in Austin - ATC 360
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

sto

Apr 5, 13 11:37

Post #9 of 15 (259 views)

Re: Shiner ride from Austin [jackmott] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

I'm being dragged across the country for a wedding in some godforsaken hamlet called Buda, TX, whilst at the tail end of my IMTX buildup (and being forced to miss Wildflower, grrrr), which turns out to be the same weekend as the Shiner GASP. So, the hubs and I are going to fly in our bikes and do this thing?

Having done the king of all shitshow group rides, aka RAGBRAI, I've more than done my time in sketchy pacelines, dodging squirrelly riders who decide they have to pee and go shooting across the road just as you are trying to pass them, and generally people who have no clue how to ride a bike, and breaking 10mph is sort of a big deal because they are pulling a keg and a boom box playing "Kung Foo Fighting" on and endless cassette loop, but I digress. I'm still baffled at how I survived that rolling disaster.

I'm trying to avoid carnage. The sort of carnage that will leaving me hospitalized and unable to attend said nupitials and complete IMTX. The problem is, I'm like Ricky Bobby, I wanna go fast, but I've lost my nerve to ride in the big hammer packs, (and Karen the cougar can't fit in my bottle launcher, even though the hubby would tape a kilo of columbian bam-bam to my P3).

Questions....

Can a girl like me find open road, at any point in this event? Or will the roads be more clogged than my arteries after a KFC bender?

Is it bad form to leave "early", like say 6:30 and just hit it before the trains leave the station? Is it even light out at 6:30am in Austin in May? I'm leaning toward this.

Homegirl needs a good training day, but no ER visit. Anyone who has done this ride, give a holla

-------------------------------------------------
"so i've got that going for me, which is nice"
- Carl Spackler

duffman

Apr 5, 13 12:04

Post #10 of 15 (225 views)

Re: Shiner ride from Austin [sto] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

the shiner ride was my first century a few years ago. it tends to be upwind the whole way, which makes it obviously much harder. maybe you'll get lucky though with the wind. i don't remember ever feeling in danger. it's a fun ride!
__________________________

Oh yeah!

jackmott

Apr 5, 13 12:31

Post #11 of 15 (207 views)

Re: Shiner ride from Austin [sto] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

The WTC races you are doing have crowded bike legs. Would be hugely beneficial if you develop the skill of 'not giving a F' about a few goobers riding around you. easy to dodge =)

An Interview with Matty Reed, and his Fuji Norcom Straight
The newest tri shop in Austin - ATC 360
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

sto

Apr 5, 13 13:18

Post #12 of 15 (175 views)

Re: Shiner ride from Austin [jackmott] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

hahaha Jack. yes, i've been goober dodging around IM's for like 15 years with no issues, but these rides tend to be a little more no group riding skills / paceline skills. besides, i don't paceline in IM, and i'm not worried about stupid, well except at the aid stations, lots of stupid going on there.

RAGBRAI was a whole nother level of insanity. 10-20K people on one 70 mile stretch of huge rollers, with food and beer stops every few miles. maybe i'm projecting my RAGBRAI experience on Shiner. i must have said "on your left", literally 100 times every day.

i just want some free, open road to go hammer on for a few hours. and drink beer that the end. is that too much to ask :)

-------------------------------------------------
"so i've got that going for me, which is nice"
- Carl Spackler

DFWTri

Apr 5, 13 13:35

Post #13 of 15 (155 views)

Re: Shiner ride from Austin [sto] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Why no just start 10-15minutes after OR before the start?

Using the ride as my last long ride pre-IMTX too. I have heard nothing negative about the ride.
-----------------------------------------------------------
2013:|IMTX|IMMT|IMTAHOE
http://www.optimizedtraininglabs.com/home

sto

Apr 5, 13 13:51

Post #14 of 15 (144 views)

Re: Shiner ride from Austin [DFWTri] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

yeah, i'm thinking 15 minutes BEFORE, the ride start. starting after, it would be passing non-stop and i prefer to not have to deal with that.

-------------------------------------------------
"so i've got that going for me, which is nice"
- Carl Spackler

bt

Apr 5, 13 15:16

Post #15 of 15 (112 views)

Re: Shiner ride from Austin [sto] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

sto wrote:

yeah, i'm thinking 15 minutes BEFORE, the ride start. starting after, it would be passing non-stop and i prefer to not have to deal with that.

Start a little bit early or with the front of the pack and you'll be fine. This ride is not that huge...maybe a couple of thousand? Also, since it usually is headwind most of the way, the people you want to dodge will end up behind you. It's a good ride. Plenty of wind, chipseal, and some rollers. No major climbs that I remember. That last bit coming into Shiner was a bitch the year I did it, but then there is beer, so ... :)