Bike MS Training, March 22 – 23: Rosedale ride

My training continues for the Bike MS: Sam’s Club Round-Up Ride in north Texas during the first weekend of May. The ride goes from Frisco to Fort Worth with an overnight at the Texas Motor Speedway.

This weekend was the 20th anniversary of the Rosedale ride, a fundraiser for the Rosedale School, the only AISD for children with multiple disabilities. I’ve done this ride almost every year since I’ve started riding, and they always have the best volunteers and route assistance. Every turn marked, often with volunteers in costume to point us in the right direction, great rest stops, and plenty of SAG vehicles.

While the forecast said the morning would be warm with almost no wind, there was definitely a wind out of the south, but I was still able to average 17.5 mph. The course was a bit different this year and the roads were not nearly as bumpy as I remember.

Saturday morning was dreary, and a bit damp. The traffic was bad getting into the ride at Samsung Semiconductor, so they started us 15 minutes late. At least we had the UT band to entertain us. You can see their tubas in the background. They played Can’t Hold Us by Macklemore and then I proceeded to have that song in my head for the entire 62 mile ride.

At the start location – Samsung out on Parmer Lane.

The first of many cows hanging out along the road.

The route was well-marked with signs and volunteers.

I ran into a friend along the route, wearing an awesome pink and green kit.

I passed a rural Cessna airport. You can see the windsock and how the “no wind” prediction was a lie.

Countryside railroad crossing

Donkeys!

Quaint little farm

Riding into Coupland, TX:

Downtown Coupland, as far as I can tell:

The rest stop in Coupland was staffed with boy scouts. The cutest little Cub Scout was shouting to us about water, gatorade, and free snacks. See him there in the blue?

The Coupland rest stop:

House with a white picket fence, on Manda Carlson Road, out in the country:

Rest stop on Manda Carlson Road, at the old two room school house:

The New Sweden Church:

And the cemetery just a bit further down the road:

Windmill:

The last rest stop, at a church:

The last turn on the route had volunteers all dressed up and cheering:

The finish line featured a cheer squad from a local school:

Finish line selfie!

Sunday’s ride was entirely too windy, with a cool northernly wind. I was able to get in 20 miles and felt like I was crawling at few points where it was uphill into the wind. I rode north to the Wells Branch neighborhood and took a few photos of the nice park trails.