Ever Want to Go to Venus? Group Ride this Saturday 11/14

[Cher]

Yep, Venus, TX and beyond    Lunch in Hico at the Koffee Kup restaurant.  The weather should be awesome.

Ride starts at 9:30 in Mansfield at this Starbucks:

http://search.yahoo.com/local/s;_ylt=A0LEVx3qUT1WWHIAMKJXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEyYW05bXRzBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjEyNTNfMQRzZWMDc2M-?p=Starbucks&addr=Mansfield%2CTX&listingid=161745559

*OR* some of us are meeting for breakfast in Grapevine at The Original Pancake House at 8:00.  Here is their address:

http://search.yahoo.com/local/s;_ylt=A0SO8wruUD1W1TEAvW9XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEyNDYzN3VpBGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjEyNTNfMQRzZWMDc2M-?p=The+Original+Pancake+House&addr=Grapevine%2CTX&listingid=73283321

So, if you'd like some 'cakes before the ride and can meet in Grapevine at 8 am, that's cool.  Or if you'd just as soon meet us in Mansfield at 9:30, that's great too.

Here's the ride route:

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=zwZRdrkpWBNM.kgLB-C7pvmM4

From Mansfield to I-30 is exactly 200 miles.  Having ridden this route recently, I'd allow pretty much all day.  And just a friendly word of advice: take two preemptive Advil and wear your bicycle shorts!

Great scenery on this ride and some really nice roads to boot so I hope you can make it  

Lisa

[Cher]

Also, please post up tonight or tomorrow where you will be meeting us.  Alan and I, and Mhanis are meeting at The Original Pancake house.

And, if you get a chance, check out the google map of the ride route; FM 916 and 219 kick arse.  Jus' sayin'   

[Mhanis]

So, obviously I am in, and I can't wait! I am meeting a buddy at 121 and Independence at a racetrac on the north west corner at 7:30 and we'll hop on 121 to meet you at breakfast.

Swanny, I am in Allen, aren't you somewhere over here? Do you want to hook up with us there and go to breakfast or will you just deadhead to Mansfield?

Mark

[Cher]

Alan reminded me of one other important thing:  Koffee Kup cafe does NOT accept anything other than cash (screw you Uncle Sam ).  But they do have FREE Wi-Fi...

[swanny]

So, obviously I am in, and I can't wait! I am meeting a buddy at 121 and Independence at a racetrac on the north west corner at 7:30 and we'll hop on 121 to meet you at breakfast.

Swanny, I am in Allen, aren't you somewhere over here? Do you want to hook up with us there and go to breakfast or will you just deadhead to Mansfield?

Mark

Mark,

Thanks for the offer.  I will make my way over to Grapevine in the morning and meet up with everyone.

Thanks,

Swanny

[Mhanis]

Sounds good, we'll see you there!

Mark

[Cher]

Well, it looks like you couldn't ask for better riding weather tomorrow!  Gonna be a bit chilly in the morning but otherwise, it will be *perfect*

I ran the route again the other day and all the heavily flooded areas are gone and the road closures that we need to make the ride route work  are open as well.

Can not wait for this ride.  Been a while since a Duc group has gotten together, so let's ride!    See you tomorrow.

[swanny]

Great seeing everyone at breakfast this morning.  Hope you guys had a great ride and didn't get rained on!  Post up and let everyone know how the ride was.  We should do one of these to Mena, AR via the Talimena Trail one day.

Swanny

[Cher]

No hits, no runs, no errors     Good ride and good company, tho we did get rained on a bit.  Worked out to be about 350 miles total.  About 9 and a half hours because Mark had to stop and buy chocolate at some fancy chocolate place in Hico…  

I think in retrospect, the best way to do this ride would be to go back the way you came and not do any 281/I-20 highway nonsense.  Would have made for a longer day probably, but it would have negated the really crappy last 2 hours of just getting back home.

I think Mena, AR would be better fun.  Just plan it, and they will come  

[Mhanis]

Hey, Mama was happy with her chocolate so it was worth making all of you guys wait! 

I'll admit it, I was in bed at 9pm sleeping like a baby.  Not even a beer when I got home.

It was a lot of fun and I agree that coming back the way we went out would be more fun, I just don't know if I would have had the energy for that, I was beat.

Swanny, it was great to meet you!

Lisa, thanks again for doing it!

Mark

[Cher]

Actually, the *best* way to do this ride would be to leave the metromess at zero-dark-thirty so you're hitting Mansfield at sun up. 

Two and half hours later, you're in Hico where you can amply fortify yourself with 9,000 calories of fancy chocolate from the Hico chocolate shop (right across the parking lot from the Koffee Kup), then turn right around and head back home the way you came. 

Bodacious sugar buzz + any form of motorized transportation would make the return trip at least 15 minutes quicker so you're easily home in time for the PBS Newshour…