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MS 150 Weekend

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Preparation

Transportation From Austin to Houston on Sunday, April 13th

  • Returning back to Houston Sunday, April 13 is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. Team Shell does not provide transportation.

  • If you don't have your own transportation from Austin, the MS Society offers an excellent service (cost is $35) for you and your bike to the three major starting locations: Tully Stadium, Katy Rhodes Stadium, and Waller Stadium. Buses will transport riders and their luggage while the bikes will be transported separately by truck to those locations.

  • We recommend you get your bike on the appropriate bike truck (i.e. one returning to the location where you started - if it was Woodcreek, find the truck going to Tully Stadium) as soon as you arrive in Austin; they will be located just past the finish line.  This way your bike will be waiting for you in Houston, rather than the other way around. Also, there will be some identification marked on the truck your bike gets loaded into - make note of that as it will facilitate finding your bike in Houston. NOTE: You do not need to show your ticket when you load your bike.

  • To claim your bike in Houston, you need to present your rider number - e.g. jersey number, wrist band, helmut number, etc.

  • The MS Society recommends you purchase your bus ticket ahead of time. However, they will be available for sale in Austin. The cost is $35 for all locations and it is advised you have cash available, although their website indicates they will take certain credit cards (Visa, Mastercard , Discover, and American Express).

  • For more information on the Austin to Houston transportation and to buy your bus ticket online: CLICK HERE.

  • IMPORTANT: The last buses leave Austin at 6:00pm.
     

Packet Pick-Up

•You should have picked up your MS 150 Ride Packet at the Team Shell or one of the MS distribution locations - CLICK HERE for locations.  Last chance for packet pickup is at the MS 150 Expo, Omni Houston Westside Hotel on Friday, April 11, 2 - 9 pm.

What to pack – better to overpack than forget the essentials!

  • •Change of clothes, tennis shoes, shower sandals
            - Fair Weather: Shorts, T-shirts
            - Cold/Wet Weather: Long pants/sweats, sleeves, jacket, socks, rain gear

  • Bike clothes for Day 2 – Extra set of shorts/jersey, or wash clothes from Day 1 in shower

  • •Hat & Sunscreen

  • •Toiletries for shower

  • •Bedding:
        -     Team Shell does NOT provide sleeping gear for LaGrange: you need to bring your own.
        - We strongly recommend you pack an air mattress or folding cot. A thin camping mat may not be
          comfortable as some of the camp area is rocky.
        - Pillow, sheets, sleeping bag and/or blankets - make sure you have enough covers, it normally gets cool
          and damp at night.
        - Ear plugs for sleeping on Saturday night

  • •Appropriate cycling gear for Day 2 (check the weather forecast before packing), spare tubes, CO2, preferred energy bars/gels, etc

  • ••Plastic bag to put over your seat to avoid a wet saddle Sunday morning

Get your Bike Inspected

  • Free bicycle safety inspections are now available through Friday, April 4 at Official BP MS 150 Bike Stores.  Starting April 5, inspections will cost $15 each.  Bikes that pass get a safety inspection sticker, which entitles riders to free labor for repairs during the MS 150 ride.

The Week Leading to the Ride

 A Few Useful Tips

  • Taper down your training.

  • Continue to hydrate with water and electrolyte drinks

  • Start organizing your gear for the MS150 weekend (see Packing List above).

  • Treat yourself to a carb-loaded dinner on Thursday night.

Friday, April 11

Team Shell baggage collection

  • •Riders are allowed 2 bags each for gear - max 25 lb per bag.

  • Label your bags with the MS150 luggage tags provided in your Rider Packet

  • Drop off your bags at Shell Woodcreek, 200 N. Dairy Ashford Rd, in the visitor parking lot between 9am and 5pm. •

  • The truck leaves for LaGrange at 5:00pm• on Friday, so no luggage will be accepted on Saturday morning

Note: The only option you will have on Saturday morning is to use the MS Society's luggage trucks which will have pickup points at each of the three starting locations. The Tully Stadium start is about a mile south of Woodcreek off Dairy Ashford. If you choose to use the MS Society's luggage truck, your bags will NOT be delivered to the Shell tent.  You will be responsible for collecting them from the MS Society's public distribution area in LaGrange. However, bags loaded on the Shell truck on Friday will be available for pick-up in the Shell tent in LaGrange.•

•

Friday Night

  • Continue to hydrate

  • Eat a normal meal. 

  • Organize your cycling gear for the next day.  

  • Put your emergency contact information in indelible ink on the back of your bib number. 

  • Pin your bib number to the back of your jersey 

  • Attach your rider number on your helmet and bike.

  • Put on the Green Wristband provided in the Rider Packet

  • Get a good night's rest.

To access 2014 MS150 route and event maps that are available - CLICK HERE

NOTE: The timeline below contains links to referenced individual maps from the 2012 MS150 event
which are not likely to change significantly for 2013. Use the link above to access the latest maps as they become available.

Saturday, April 12

Team Shell start at Woodcreek office: I-10 & Dairy Ashford

  • The Shell Woodcreek Facility will be the meeting place for our team start. We are located at 200 N. Dairy Ashford. We will not have Team Shell starts at Rhodes or Waller.

  • If you didn't drop off your baggage on Friday at Woodcreek, take it to the MS Society luggage pickup at Tully Stadium. NOTE: If you use the MS Society to transport your luggage, you have to pick it up in LaGrange at the MS location - IT WILL NOT BE DROPPED OFF AT THE SHELL TENT!

  • Arrive at Woodcreek by 5:30am.

  • Vehicles are secure in Shell lot over the weekend.

  • Check in with Team Shell and ensure emergency contact numbers are correct.

  • Jersey pick-up will be available at 5:45 - 6:15am.

  • Prepare bike gear, have a drink, snack, restroom break, etc.

  • Team photo and safety orientation will take place at approx 6:15am

  • We plan to leave from Woodcreek at approximately 6:40am, a few minutes before the start at Tully.

The Ride – Day 1

  • •Rest stops  with food, hydration, port-a-potties, etc. every 8 – 15 miles.

  • •Lunch in Bellville provided by the MS Society, approximately 50 miles from Woodcreek.

  • •Total mileage for Day 1 is approximately 100 miles from Woodcreek to LaGrange

  • First Day Route Map

Team Shell tent in LaGrange – Arrival, Massage & Showers

  • Team Shell tent (#'s 117 and 118 - purple area on map) - same location as last year - about two blocks beyond the finish line on the left (see map).

  • Please check-in on arrival even if you don’t plan to stay for dinner or overnight. This would help us determine how many of our riders are still the road.

  • Family and friends are welcome to wait for you in the team tent and join us for dinner.

  • Bikes can be left at the Bike Compound, or on ropes outside the team tent.

  • Snacks, beverages, cold towels, etc. will be available.

  • Collect your bags and claim a sleeping spot.

  • Head for the showers - campsite shower trucks or via bus to school gym.

  • Messages will be available in the team tent for $15 per 15mins.

  • Private team port-a-potties and wash sinks by the tent.

  • See Map of LaGrange Fairgrounds for location of facilities and events.

  • CHICK HERE for programs, events, bus shuttles, etc. at the  LaGrange fairgrounds.

Dinner and Overnight in LaGrange

  • •Catered dinner is provided by Shell in the team tent at approximately 5:00pm.

  • •Team orientation regarding Day 2 in the tent immediately after dinner.

  • •Get out and enjoy the LaGrange experience - Fairgrounds Map.

  • Lights out at Team Shell tent at 9 PM, but campground activities continue until...

Sunday, April 13

Wake-Up & Breakfast in LaGrange

  • Lights on in the tent at 5am.

  • Team breakfast in the tent at 5:15am - tacos, donuts, milk, juice, coffee, etc.

  • Pancake breakfast by the MS Society for all riders - see Fairgrounds Map for location.

  • Get your cycling gear ready, take down your sleeping kit, and pack your bags.

  • Have bags loaded on team truck next to the tent by 6:00am.

The Ride - Day 2

  • Route opens at about 7:00am with staggered starts for groups of approx. 200 riders at a time.

  • Rest stops with food, hydration, port-a-potties, etc. every 8 – 15 miles.

  • Two separate starts - one for Express route, the other for the Becthel Challenge route.

  • Pay attention to announcements, volunteers and the ride marshals giving directions.

  • While the Bastrop Park road was closed last year, it is open this year for the ride.

  • Lunch in Bastrop, approximately 44 miles from LaGrange on the Bechtel Challenge route and 33 miles on Express route.

  • After lunch all riders have approximately 33 miles to go to the finish line in Austin.

  • Second Day Route Map

Day 2 Finish

  • Finish line in downtown Austin near the Texas State Capitol (See map for details).

  • Be extra careful cycling into Austin – most accidents happen here.

  • Team Shell tent (#75) is located in the Red Zone, just after the finish, at the SW corner of the intersection of Congress and 17th Street- See Austin Team Tent map.

  • Check-in at Team Shell tent – volunteers will be working until ALL our riders are in.

  • Shower trucks are about two blocks away from the Shell tent..

  • Massage will be available at the tent for $15 per 15 mins.

  • Snacks and beverages will be available at the Shell tent.

  • The MS Society/Hooters provides a free meal to riders with wrist bands ($5 to family and friends).

  • The MS Society provides ride completion certificates on 18th street south of the Green Lot.

  • See Austin Finish Line Site Map for locations of showers, bus, parking, events, facilities, etc

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