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2012 MS150

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!


I just received a message from the National MS Society and they are offering the "LOWEST" pre registration fee for all three of the 2012 events. It’s only $20 to register with the $15 discount code that will expire at 5PM on Monday, January 2nd


Use discount code: RTR_2012


http://bikepax.nationalmssociety.org/site/PageServer?pagename=BIKE_PAX_register


greasefoot
2011-12-30 16:56:23

Pumped.


Team Thick 2012: 120 people.


robjdlc
2011-12-30 19:51:28

I'm hoping that this will finally be the year that I ride to the lake with Thick. Thanks for the heads up! :)


headloss
2011-12-30 20:06:17

We had the largest team at 68 last year. Let's kill that next year.


cburch
2011-12-31 04:13:20

My new years resolution will be to finish my new bike before the morning of the MS150.


Now to decide on what kind of stupid bike I want to build.


ndromb
2011-12-31 04:55:38

Nick- build a bike with a sidecar for me. Just kidding.

I will volunteer and I hope to stay at the campsite. I really wanna do it but I am due June 26. I hope a ton of people are able to do it this year. Go for the century!


stefb
2011-12-31 12:31:29

I think I'm in for Team Thick this year. I'll likely do the 'return to Zelie' option on Day 2, as it looks like a fun route and I can avoid riding the bus.


reddan
2011-12-31 12:54:43

So is Team Thick a group who will ride together? Are you guys meeting each other at a certain time so you all start at the same time?


marvelousm3
2011-12-31 13:20:47

I think I'm going to join Team Thick this year, too. @mm, I think you can just join the team openly when you sign up for the ride. The meet-up part I'm not sure about, though I know the team is big enough only some folks end up sticking together.


pseudacris
2011-12-31 16:36:29

Dan, I actually enjoy the bus ride. The return bus ride nap is my favorite part of the ride. Plus, you get a bunch of tourism brochures for Conneaut Lake!


Marvelous, if you sign up for the Thick Team, everyone tried to gather at the start for a group start. Though, it doesn't really mean much, because it breaks up fast. (Though, it might just be me getting dropped the past two years riding tall bikes)


ndromb
2011-12-31 16:41:19

There is a bus you all take that you can bring your bike?


marvelousm3
2011-12-31 16:49:52

You put your bike on a truck and hop on a bus. Just be warned that even though they do their best to prevent it, bikes get scratched often.


ndromb
2011-12-31 17:01:16

I'll have to look into this tuck/bus thing. My portland is already

scratched so no biggie.


marvelousm3
2011-12-31 17:03:25

@mr marv: On Day 2, you choose to either continue north to Erie, in which case you'll get bussed back to Zelie (and your bike will be loaded in a trailer); or, you can choose to ride south back to the start on a different route than was used to come north.


reddan
2011-12-31 18:28:15

Is the return route on day 2 as hilly as the first day is usually?


stefb
2011-12-31 19:10:33

Dan doesn't care about hills--he get just lean back and enjoy them.


[one of the stupid-bike ideas I was thinking of was a lounge chair recumbent trike]


ndromb
2011-12-31 19:44:04

@Nick: I've got a set of plans for these trikes, including the steel versions. I'd not be adverse to welding up a couple of trike frames this winter.


@Stef: (I don't recall how hilly Day 1 was, to be honest.) I helped scout the potential Day 2 return route, and I'd say it's pretty flat. A couple of long shallow climbs, but lots of really nice long, flat low-traffic roads.


reddan
2011-12-31 20:08:19

mr marvelous - if the search on this forum wasn't so painful, I'd say check last years thread for answers to all of your questions.


Most importantly: No whole team rides together in the MS150. It's more of a team in that we try to start together (but not required), we all wear Thick jerseys (thanks Chris!) and we camp together (because we're awesome.)


robjdlc
2011-12-31 20:58:20

There's only one serious hill on day 1, unless you opt for the century which has 3 or 4 extra ones, one of which had me walking.


but, generally it's just rolling hills, and day 2 is even easier (going to erie, no idea on this new "return route" which I don't plan to do)





salty
2012-01-01 05:34:48

No wonder I made such good time on Day 2.


dwillen
2012-01-01 05:44:35

I should also mention that the route this year should be 100% different than what anyone has done in the past, based on the large amount of route changes. So any guesses about how bad either day are going to be, won't be worth much this year.


robjdlc
2012-01-01 18:25:00

Dan scouted some of it though, So that is why I ask


stefb
2012-01-01 18:48:39

Dan lives in New England now, which means he is not to be trusted.


(kidding)


(mostly)


robjdlc
2012-01-01 19:36:39

Wrong Dan.


cburch
2012-01-01 20:41:10

*waves*


Of course, I'm notoriously untrustworthy too.


reddan
2012-01-01 22:06:52

Oh, that Dan.


Well, he has a beard. We share a level of untrustworthyness.


robjdlc
2012-01-02 01:24:20

I'm excited for this. If I'm in good enough shape by then I'm going to ride fixed. Maybe.


kgavala
2012-01-02 02:15:50

You can do it, Kayla!


stefb
2012-01-02 03:09:47

Just don't lose a crank this time.


robjdlc
2012-01-02 05:43:34

Or have a rear blowout.....


kgavala
2012-01-02 05:45:16

Really just don't let a total noob put your bike together.


Ehem.


robjdlc
2012-01-02 06:05:16

@reddan, do you have the equipment to fab these?


ndromb
2012-01-03 05:58:40

@Nick: We'd need to borrow time on a mill for one pair of simple components, and on a tubing bender for one set of bends of the main body tube. Everything else could be worked with hand tools.


I know a guy with a mill, who'd likely be willing. In theory, any decent muffler shop could do the tubing bends for a few bucks or a case of beer or something.


Welding would likely be gas, although, if you're aces with MIGing thinwall tubing, that might work too. (I've got both oxy-acetylene and MIG equipment gathering dust in the garage.) TIG would be ideal, but I don't have access to one.


reddan
2012-01-03 10:38:05

If you guys need to bend some tubing, I have a JD Squared manual tubing bender, so long as you want to use 1.5" O.D. tubing with a 5.5" center line radius bend (the only die set I have). Let me know if you want to give it a try. I am not sure how well it works on thin wall tube (I use it for .120 DOM tube), but it should do just fine.


jmccrea
2012-01-03 14:56:58

@Jacob: the offer's appreciated, but we'd likely be bending something in the range of 1.75-2.0" OD.


reddan
2012-01-03 15:04:42

I was considering buying a manual tubing bender. Maybe this is make me do it.


ndromb
2012-01-03 17:32:09

When I joined I forgot to select Thick as my team and no one responds to my emails asking if they can put me on one, FML, haha


boostuv
2012-01-10 23:21:09

so what does it mean to join team thick? anything at all? is there added responsibility?


dmtroyer
2012-01-11 01:58:49

No, just AWESOME jerseys.


kgavala
2012-01-11 02:36:10

you welcome. :D


cburch
2012-01-11 02:57:29

Signed up w/ Team Thick, with the return to Zelie option. Yee-haw.


reddan
2012-01-18 16:18:20

Did you go to Thick to sign up our did you do it online


marvelousm3
2012-01-18 18:20:50

when you sign up via the MS site, you can pick Join A Team and it'll let you search for a team by name. Just search for Thick, it comes right up.


reddan
2012-01-18 18:27:49

I am signing up for the usual route to the lake with the century option (with thick, of course). I think I may try fixed this year just to torture myself.


stefb
2012-01-18 18:33:35

I chose the return to Zelie so that (unless I get lazy) I can do the whole thing without having to get into a motor vehicle at all.


Ride up to Zelie early AM Saturday, do the Day 1 ride, ride back to Zelie on Day 2, then back to town. No need for drop bags, cars, buses, trucks, or any of that stuff.


I will need to carry a bit of extra clothing and plan to sleep in the dorms, but that's no big deal.


reddan
2012-01-18 18:39:32

yeah i think we are doing dorms this year. we have camped before, and usually there is a fight the morning of the second day about tearing it down haha. also, i usually fall asleep early and don't hang too much at the camp site. i plan on bringing a multitool or whatever in case i decide that doing it fixed sucks too badly and i need to flip to single speed.


stefb
2012-01-18 18:51:49

For anyone who wants to join thick but forgot to select it when they signed up, just call them - they're super nice. 412-261-6347


robjdlc
2012-01-19 03:40:54

Just joined team thick! registering for the ms150 this early makes the crap winter weather seem less endless.


parvipica
2012-01-19 21:10:09

Wasn't there a thread called "The Beginners Guide to the MS150" or something? I searched but didn't come up with anything.


From time to time I like to read these threads and fantasize about joining Team Thick and doing the ride.


rzod
2012-03-01 18:14:22

I signed up, joined the THICK team and met the minimum fundraising goal less than a week later.


*edit, I posted before rzod bumped it up.


rsprake
2012-03-01 18:15:42

Thanks Kayla! I don't know why I couldn't find it myself.


rzod
2012-03-01 19:35:49

Does everyone on Team Thick ride the MS 150 on a mountain bike?


ultimattfrisbee
2012-03-03 21:04:32

No.


BTW, I am officially on Team Thick this year, I signed up last week. But I feel like I should go buy a bike there to qualify... if only Surly would hurry their asses up - although Chris did send me a message last week asking what size so I think it's getting close.


Also, apparently Lauren resigned from the MS Society to take another job, so she won't be running the event this year.


salty
2012-03-03 21:11:38

Man, I sure did type a lot in that guide to the ms150 thread.


I talked to Lauren about her resigning last year, she said she had no plans of leaving... Seems this rumor repeats itself every year.


robjdlc
2012-03-03 21:45:34

It's not a rumor this year, unfortunately (and she did also work for Google for a brief time in 2010).


salty
2012-03-03 22:44:43

Huh...guess that's why I haven't heard from her re: new routes for a while.


reddan
2012-03-04 12:47:57

argh - while talking about the ms150 with bikeygirl this weekend, I came to the sudden realization I have a wedding to go to that weekend so I won't be able to make it.


anyone planning to do the other (keystone) ride? it's july 28/29, i can pay for gas if someone can give me a ride there.


salty
2012-03-13 04:48:34

I think we are celebrating my niece's birthday that weekend in NY. I really wanna do the cook forest ride again.


stefb
2012-03-13 10:31:32

I did Cooks Forest this past summer, it was a nice ride. Pretty flat, well supported, nice scenery. We went up and camped at the park over that weekend and would highly recommend it.


boostuv
2012-03-15 03:04:10

Cook Forest is a different thing (one day, 35/60 miles). There's another two-day MS150 called the "Keystone Country Ride" in July:


http://bikepax.nationalmssociety.org/site/PageServer?pagename=BIKE_PAX_homepage


Although, I might be up for both - the Cook Forest one sounds cool, especially if you can amortize the drive by making a weekend out of it.


FWIW, this is seriously the first time I've been a little sorry about selling my car. There are other ways to get to these events but they're not very practical.


salty
2012-03-15 05:17:35

Salty, if we do Cooks Forest again you're more than welcome to ride up with us.


boostuv
2012-03-15 13:02:58

And talking about the MS150, can anybody give details into what are the "consensus" about the ride this year?


I know there are different alternatives to do the ride this year, and I'll be honest, I'm being slightly-lazy to look into it further, so I'm asking for the "skinny" in here.


Basics: Gonna go for the Century again this year (doing it for you Salty since you're wedding-bailing on it!). Riding with Team Thick Bikes again -that was so much fun last year!


So yeah, let me know what to do/click, and will go from there! :D


bikeygirl
2012-03-19 12:51:22

Im doing the century that continues to Conneaut, OH. I *believe* Nick and Kayla are dong that as well.


boostuv
2012-03-19 12:55:34

I don't know about the century, but I am going to the lake.


ndromb
2012-03-19 18:28:56

Lake


cburch
2012-03-19 21:42:57

Great


mick
2012-03-19 21:59:21

I'm a contrarian...doing the return to Zelie.


reddan
2012-03-19 22:24:26

Lake, and packing a jacket.


robjdlc
2012-03-19 23:06:44

Probably no century, but camping, and lake.


And DEFINITELY bringing a jacket. Wearing a damp sweatshirt on the bus ride home was no fun at all.


kgavala
2012-03-20 01:19:30

lake. century. fixed gear perhaps (but def single speed again). staying in dorm this year. no jacket.


one time a year cici's trip in cranberry on the way home.


stefb
2012-03-20 02:22:21

Alas, Cici's in Cranberry is no more.


stuinmccandless
2012-03-20 11:09:28

I had a KFC sadness bowl after the ride last year. Man, that was good.


kgavala
2012-03-20 12:58:03

K-Fry.


ndromb
2012-03-20 17:07:05

I had 4 peoples worth of food from Lin's Asian Fusion last year. Like, three appetizers and two entrees. All me.


robjdlc
2012-03-21 00:21:35

Not sure if I'm more excited for the ride, or all the food I get to eat afterward.


kgavala
2012-03-21 02:22:39

Just talked to Chris. There he is planning a few group training rides to lead up to the MS150.


I will be leading a 50-mile ride on May 13 which will definitely be the coolest of the series (or the only that everyone skips).


ndromb
2012-03-21 03:27:27

Stu- noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

But I need shitty cheap food to eat after. *tear*


stefb
2012-03-21 09:25:52

Hey ho, long time - no post. I'm going, I was just going to do the 75 mile option, since I'm also training for the Pittsburgh Triathlon Sprint, but I have a pipe dream of doing the GAPCANDO in 3 or 4 days in September so I may do the century option just to make sure I'm on track to do that. The plus about doing centuries on the trail = no killer hills...so maybe I don't need to do that...


gimppac
2012-03-26 17:37:56

So as far as getting up there and back: do people carpool or is it every man for himself? I'm hoping there a way for a noob (referring to myself) to get a ride, even though I don't really know most of you IRL outside of some casual chit-chatting during a Flock. I kind of feel like I'm crashing a party.


rzod
2012-03-29 15:38:51

If you're with team thick, we all meet at thick (usually around 5am) and carpool up.


robjdlc
2012-03-29 15:54:37

I'm 75% sure that I'm signing up for the ride. I can take 3 others with me if anyone wants to carpool. Hit me up closer to the date.


smarti6
2012-03-29 15:56:52

Thanks! The 25 mile Thick training ride yesterday had 1,781 ft of climbing.


rsprake
2012-04-02 17:35:10

@rsprake


My SO is a bit nervous about riding the MS150 so we did training rides Saturday and Sunday. 25 miles with 1,660 feet and 32 miles with 2,096.


Not too worried about the climbing just getting the sensitive areas ready for that many hours in a saddle!


sew
2012-04-02 17:45:26

This is a lot closer than I realized. Exciting!


I know the first ~25 miles of the first day pretty well; it should be a nice ride.


kgavala
2012-04-02 17:52:28

Lantiseptic cream is what I use on my "junk", sew. I use it preventatively and it has worked on the last 135 mile ride I did. I think it would work well for both males and females.


I am still trying to decide if I want to do the whole thing (century option) on a fixie. How badly do I want to punish my knees?


stefb
2012-04-02 21:36:27

I still plan on riding fixed, but no century. Unless I'm feeling some magic that day or something.


kgavala
2012-04-02 21:38:29

Does anyone know if the routes Salty posted a few months ago are still valid? I want to add them into my GPS.


Day 1

Day 2


rsprake
2012-06-04 14:32:55

Questions for the campers: We get two luggage tags, so how do you handle your tent, sleeping bag, etc? Put your clothes/toiletries in one bag and stuff your camping gear in another, jumbo sack? Backpack (I don't have one)?


rzod
2012-06-04 16:49:29

Also: Holy crap this is 5 days away.


rzod
2012-06-04 16:50:03


Taking my bike apart for some new paint because it didn't feel right having a bike ready to ride a week in advance.


ndromb
2012-06-04 17:37:20

regarding routes, is there a map for the century option as well?


melange396
2012-06-04 23:30:16

rzod: re-camping bags, you got it. you get two paper tags, just gotta figure out how to make that work, even if it means a giant duffel bag for your camping stuff.


robjdlc
2012-06-05 01:10:28

I've gone the duffel bag route. A backpack is a little easier to tote around (IMO) if you're trying to manage bike and bag at the same time.


icemanbb
2012-06-05 01:16:40

Crushed it. Best times, strongest finishes I've ever had. Photos to come in a few days.


robjdlc
2012-06-10 23:06:24

i think i had the best time today, even though i was fixed. my training payed off. yesterday i was fine until the century option. i slowed down to make sure i saved enough energy to finish. even then, i finished in great time. i had some hip issues today, but nothing ibuprofen couldn't help with. i feel great now. just thirsty and i think i should go to bed at a decent time.


stefb
2012-06-11 00:21:05

Interesting, I always thought this was a ride not a race. Won't say I didn't do my fair share of pace-lining out there but lets be real...


boostuv
2012-06-11 02:08:20

Gotta admit I kinda-raced all day today at the MS150, and yes: t*his is a ride not a race* but since I had a sub-par finish the first day after SAG the end, I really wanted to push myself today.....


bikeygirl
2012-06-11 02:49:01

I like to get out of the sun as soon as possible this time of year. I get light triggered migraines. So yeah I kinda pick up the pace on this ride, but I can go fast and enjoy myself. It was great to see everyone in one place this weekend. And thanks to everyone who did this. My aunt has MS.


stefb
2012-06-11 09:44:54

I had a lot of fun! The route was awesome despite the searing sun and the support was incredible. Glad to have met and talked to so many of you. I will be there next year.


rsprake
2012-06-11 13:32:05

Yeah, good fun indeed. Hanging with Kyle on the century was a good way to spend the first day...hammering on the rolling hills of the Day 2 loop route was a blast, even though I jacked up my hamstrings a bit.


The loop route was (IMO) almost as hard as the Day 1 route...much tougher than the lake route. Fun, though.


I think I'll likely alternate lake and loop in coming years.


reddan
2012-06-11 13:51:07

Awesome 2 day ride! I was afraid I did not train enough but ended up the best I've felt in a long time.


greasefoot
2012-06-11 15:26:35

This was such a great experience. As a first timer, I wasn't sure what to expect and had quite a bit of anxiety going in. What really struck me was just how nice the volunteers were. I didn't encounter a single person who seemed like he or she didn't want to be there. Everyone was super friendly, helpful, and really appreciative of the riders. You're treated very well and it helps you relax and have a good ride.


If you were considering doing this ride and didn't for one reason or another, I highly recommend you give it a try next year (and join Team Thick). Others have said this before, but there are all types of riders of every ability level riding all types of bikes. There were people who looked like they were in a triathlon to people on department store mountain bikes.


rzod
2012-06-11 19:37:11

I was concerned beforehand because I had been sick for awhile and was riding fixed, but I made fantastic time both days and don't feel too terrible today. Especially considering how little sleep I got both nights, and how much beer was consumed on Saturday.


kgavala
2012-06-12 00:32:14

I said I found some photos.. Not good photos or in focus photos ... Just some photos. haha.


stefb
2012-06-12 13:19:20

Ha! I found one of me that looks ok!!


This is low-res, but will prolly get the good downloads later!




bikeygirl
2012-06-12 13:46:50

Pro. :)


edmonds59
2012-06-12 13:57:30

AND!!! Here's another one finishing the 2nd Day!!!!


I know it looks dorkie w/me hoisting my insulate bladder to the bike's handle bars, BUT it was worth it so I didn't have to carry anything on my back & could still keep cool!!!




bikeygirl
2012-06-12 14:02:28

@rzod: I think your account just convinced me to sign up for this next year!


2012-06-12 14:05:57

@Pearmask: You definitely should do it next year!!!! :D


bikeygirl
2012-06-12 14:16:16

Uh, most of those photos are... disappointing. Maybe the good ones are still being processed? I'm waiting to see Rob's.


Pearmask, you should do it! Join Team Thick! Resistance is futile!


rzod
2012-06-12 15:37:06

"Some of these are quite blurry due to motion, " yeah because they don't make cameras with a high iso and shutter speed to deal with that...


cburch
2012-06-12 16:12:27

@cburch yeah... that's unfortunate. hopefully the photographer learned a lot.


dmtroyer
2012-06-12 17:02:11

He was the photographer last year.


stefb
2012-06-12 18:16:25

There is a note that pictures taken with his "K-7" are better...he should throw the other one away if the K-7 is better?! I found better pics later in the set. They look like day 2, lake route.


sew
2012-06-12 19:44:26

There are thousands more to be uploaded. I haven't found myself yet either.


stefb
2012-06-13 08:53:24

That dog is awesome. I haven't had my microdog out in a long while.


edmonds59
2012-06-13 11:16:32

^that's what she said.


marko82
2012-06-13 13:17:24

aaaaaaaaah!


edmonds59
2012-06-13 13:22:37

> heres a good one that i think this was taken with the...


please remove extraneous 'this'. how can i read some bad english that i wrote and have it look fine, and then look 8 hours later and feel like an idiot?? but, i digress.


the photographer appears to be filling in newly edited pictures in the middle of the set. that makes it very difficult to find the more recent additions. perhaps i should wait until they are done with all of them before i look through the whole series again.


melange396
2012-06-13 13:35:13

Here Melange, in all your glory!!!! :D




bikeygirl
2012-06-13 13:45:02

hah! with my wife becky and awesome riding partner tricia! thats from your private stock, eh? i see no motion artifacts -- maybe you should be the ms150 staff photographer.


melange396
2012-06-13 13:54:22

Yes -pic is from my private stock!


I don't think I would want to photograph that event -SO many people to papparazzi around!


bikeygirl
2012-06-13 14:06:45

I wanted to photobomb this picture but I didn't.


stefb
2012-06-13 16:10:46

you shoulda


melange396
2012-06-13 20:05:59

Next time!


stefb
2012-06-13 20:12:42

Speaking of photobombs:



Had I know the photog was there, I totally would have bombed this. I was too distracted by my own euphoria at finishing this ride.


rzod
2012-06-14 15:57:30

@rzod...I wish you had since those are my coworkers. How great that would have been!


sew
2012-06-14 19:04:43

Hey sew, I worked at Muriel for a few years. Good shot of Bob, George, and Tom there. The other guys I don't know, they're from the mill.


joeframbach
2012-06-14 20:45:09

I had some knobby tire comfort bikes in the supeR SAG mobile. None comfortable for those riders. I'll have you know that I.was tempted to tap at least one of those kegs early. Ms Lifesaver socks just did something special for me. I will ride again next year, but then I will be sure to carry an extra cold 6 for 'her"!


p-rob
2012-06-15 01:44:12

I had some knobby tire comfort bikes in the supeR SAG mobile. None comfortable for those riders. I'll have you know that I.was tempted to tap at least one of those kegs early. Ms Lifesaver socks just did something special for me. I will ride again next year, but then I will be sure to carry an extra cold 6 for 'her"!


p-rob
2012-06-15 01:44:12

bootay. Was gonna get closer but i feared a fast sit up into my bum.


stefb
2012-06-20 02:05:17

rob's photos are better.


stefb
2012-06-20 02:25:12

yeah. they load faster, too. im only featured in one of them as a leg, though. i want an action shot


melange396
2012-06-20 02:38:35

Oh thank god that's the first photo everyone sees. For a second i thought it'd be embarassing.Haha.


cpollack
2012-06-20 05:17:37

I should be but I am not haha. I have problems.


stefb
2012-06-20 11:05:26