The time of year is quickly approaching where thousands of riders will mount their road bikes and make the 2 day, 150+ mile ride from Houston, TX to Austin, TX. I can honestly say that I look forward to this ride each year. Many hours and hundreds of miles are spent training and preparing for the MS 150. We all do it with the hope that with the funds raised, a cure for MS will soon be discovered. The 2011 MS-150 will be extremely special and nerve racking for me since our son, Parker's, due date is the week following the ride. Of course, I am a little hesitant to ride because his birth is expected to be so close to this event, but it is just going to motivate me to finish as quickly as possible in order to get home to Sarah!
This will be my 3rd year to ride in the MS-150. Year one we experienced treacherous rain which caused day one of the ride to be canceled, but day two went off without a hitch. Last year we had phenomenal weather on day one. Myself and a group of friends rode 92 miles since we opted to start from one of the guy's houses instead of the main starting area which is hectic beyond belief. I arrived in La Grange around 3:00 and immediately headed for the showers to get cleaned up and ready for dinner. Team Cameron does a great job of taking care of its riders who participate in this event, and for dinner we had a Mexican food which was followed by a much needed massage. Shortly after dinner we were informed that there was a chance for rain overnight and that our location was prone to flooding. Half of the team sought higher ground while the other half decided that we would take our chances and see what happened. After a good night’s sleep and very little rain, I was up at 5:30 to eat breakfast and join the masses that were awaiting the start of day two. The ride begins at 7:00 on day two, but they release riders in waves to prevent injuries and accidents from occurring. At 8:15 I started the last of the 77 mile trek to Austin and once again was blessed with good weather! Shortly into the ride on day two the riders are faced with a decision: take the highway route or choose the challenge route which encompasses steep hills, turns, twists, and great scenery of the Bastrop State Park. I chose to take the challenge route because I'd also done so the year prior and I love getting good speed going down some of the hills in the park. I stopped briefly in Bastrop for a PB&J sandwich and a Gatorade re-fill, and then jumped back on the bike and headed for Austin. During the entire ride, we are blessed with the satisfaction of having people encouraging us from the side of the road or small town squares, but nothing compares to making the final turn to head for the finish line in Austin and seeing the swarms of people cheering for us. I ride in the MS 150 so that a cure can be found for MS, but also because it is fun, challenging, and personally gratifying to know that I am doing my part to help others. My efforts are not without your assistance; I appreciate each donation made and prayer uttered in my name. Your support means all the difference!Thanks again for another year of support.
Donations can be made at the following website: Daniel's Donation Page
2009 BP MS 150
2010 BP MS 150
