Dear Friends,

First and foremost I want to thank everyone who has sent us donations to "National MS Society". So far we have raised over $2000 and that is over 3 times the amount I raised back in 1999. Special thanks go out to each and everyone who has contributed. This is for a great cause and every bit helps. For you slow pokes, I am still accepting contributions up to May 15th.

It has been a short 2 weeks since Lance (my 16 year old son) & I rode from Houston to Austin, Texas. In that time, my attitude about the trip has changed considerably. When we first returned I told Jeanne (my wife) "well we survived the trip..." Three days later "the trip was pretty neat"...and after the first week I was almost saying I would do it again. Riding 170+ miles in 2 days fighting hills, cross winds and trying to avoid being a road casualty can be exhausting & draining (a kin to running a marathon). During the tour we all hit some kind of wall either mentally or physically. But the pain of the trip quickly evaporates, like child birth, to become a gentle glow. Both Lance & I hit various walls along this trip and now both have the after glow of a real accomplishment and satisfaction of completing a 170+ mile bicycle trip for a great cause.

A little about our preparation and the adventure. I had been cycling in the basement for 2 months doing at least 40 minutes on a wind trainer every morning. When ever there was clear roads, I tried to get out and do some road work. Lance on the other hand, humored me by going out 3 times on road tours varying in length from 10 to 18 miles (and breezed through each ride).

Lance & I flew down to Houston on Thursday night. I picked up Lance after school and we did the car to the airport thing and bags through check-in (the normal stuff). We arrived in hot Houston around 9PM and we met my brother Lance (Big Lance). Friday was re-building the bikes and finding one of Lance's pedal crank's stripped. Road trip to REI, they didn't have the replacement but gave us a comparable substitute (for Free!). We also discovered that Big Lance's lift on his H.C. van needed some welding repairs so we found a shop and had that repaired too. Some where in Friday we also visited NASA at Houston...very cool!

We woke up Saturday morning around 5AM and loaded bikes in 1 car and all the rest of our stuff in Lance's van and headed out. We parked about 3 miles from the course and joined the tour close to the start. We started pedaling in a bright sunny morning around 7:30AM. Imagine 9000 riders starting a bicycle tour, the entire morning was flat terrain and very congested with bicycles and riders. We found our adrenaline charging and our feet pedaling and doing about 18-22 mph (a good clip). Lunch in Bayville at 11AM in the bright sunny 80 degree morning (see photo). Enron (the team we were riding with) provided us lunch and all the fixings. I ate too much and still had to ride another 50 miles after lunch, ugh. We ended up riding with Patrick (a friend of big Lance) and Downey (my sister-in-law) for much of the trip. Little Lance started to bonk in the afternoon, so I stayed with him and let the others push on ahead. We ended our 1st day in LaGrange at 3:30PM after completing just over 100 miles. We found the Enron tent and enjoyed a massage, 1 beer (only Dad), a shower (which required a 45 minute wait), 2 dinners and a welcome comatose sleep.

Sunday morning started at 6AM with packing up our stuff, changing in to our cycling gear and getting on the road just before 7AM. We cycled 15 miles to the 1st rest area and had a breakfast of bananas, power aid and Oreo cookies (the breakfast of champions). We stopped at almost every rest stop to catch our breath, re-position our anatomy and to refill our water bottles. Although Sunday was cloudier, we were still cycling in the high 70's. We entered Balstop State Park around 9:30 and rode the many hills. The hills in the park are abrupt up & downhills (similar to Whipporwill Road). The park roads are very narrow and have sand and steep grades up & down. Lance proved to us all the resiliency of youth. G_ D DAMN @#*%ing kids!!! This phrase became my mantra throughout the MS150 tour. Lance showed us all up in the park. He lead the way and muscled his way up every hill. I graciously took up the rear... After the park we had lunch at 10AM and then quickly got on the road again. The entire 2nd day was scattered cloud covered with the wind blowing at 20-25 mph from the southeast. Most of the time we had a component of a tailwind and a cross wind. We had a glorious session of 15 miles of full 25 mph tailwind. We also encountered strong cross winds and head winds that would almost stop the bike (very depressing). The roads from Balstop to Austin are rolling with the steeper ups & downs coming closer to the river valleys. The Colorado River cross close to Austin, the state capital. Lance & I finally finished around 1PM to a large crowd of supporters and well wishers. It is a really neat feeling to come down a gentle hill to be greeted by a huge crowd of over 200 well wishers all clapping and cheering us on. To be congratulated by so many well wishers is a warm heart felt feeling that reminds us of the purpose of our trip. We checked in, ate, tore down and packed up our bikes and headed to Lance & Downey's for a quick shower and quick good-byes and back to the airport. Our journey ended at 1:30AM Monday morning back in Armonk, tired, sore, exhausted, but with a warm feeling of satisfaction, a feeling that we had participated in a event that helped others. In the final thought the pain and sacrifice that we endured for a weekend is a very small price to pay for the thought of helping our friends and loved ones...

All in all, a very satisfying worthwhile trip.

By the numbers, 178 miles over 2 days. Riding time of 10 hours 53 minutes, averaging 16.3 mph. maximum speed 40 mph. So far we have received over $2000 in contributions (congratulations to you all !!!). Thank you again one and all. And for those of you who missed the 1st letter (or who are a little lazy) you have until May 15th to get a donation.

Thanks again,

Sincerely,

Karl & Lance Hinrichs