And the countdown continues, only 3 more training weekends before 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 is my 7th year participating in a Bike MS ride, fundraising for the National MS Society in honor of my godmother and other family members that have been affected by Multiple Sclerosis. If you can, please consider making a donation in support of my participation.

This weekend I rode the Spokes N Spurs, a ride benefitting Spirit Reins Ranch. Spirit Reins transforms the lives of children and families impacted by abuse, neglect and other trauma by healing the past, strengthening families and communities, and building hope for the future. While not the first time I did this ride, it was the first time in quite a while. It’s a good ride, well-supported and goes through nice country roads out of Liberty Hill, Texas. Saturday was cool, with a chance of rain. I ended up wearing a jacket and did not regret it.

The ride starts in the dirt driveway of the ranch:

Two horses were out to send us off:

 

Small country road:

 

Ranch gate with bluebonnets to the right:

 

Bluebonnets amongst the rocks:

 

Oh the things you see, fire hydrants lining a driveway:

 

There were times it felt like I could see for miles – this was looking out over a small valley:

 

Two horses checking me out:

 

About halfway through the ride, the skies starting getting very interesting…

 

We rode under a couple of railroad tunnels / bridges made out of black railroad wood:

 

A bike and bluebonnets:

 

We went through the non-existent town of Oatmeal, TX.

 

Ominous skies. I did not get rained on, luckily, but the wind really picked up when we were near the dark clouds.

 

Bike selfie at a rest stop:

 

The skies from the rest stop:

 

The Oatmeal Cemetery and some great sky:

 

Some fluffy sheep, some shorn sheep:

 

I added a few extra miles at the end of the ride to meet my training plan. I ended up riding 67 miles on Saturday.