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| FreeWheeling Bicycle Shop Ride |
FREEWHEELING RIDE
2. Are SMAFR rides open only to Violet Crown Members? 3. How far and how fast do you go? 4. Do you supply maps? 5. Will you drop me in the middle of nowhere, lost and alone in the vast wastelands controlled by the Texas Farm Bureau where the road from the doublewide to the beer store is scattered with the plucked bones of former training partners and shiny bits of Shimano and Campy which have been twisted into unrecognizable shapes? 6. Do you guys ever stop for water? 7. How does the weather affect the ride? 8. Is there a ride leader? 9. Where do you ride? 10. Why do you meet at Freewheeling? 1. What does SMAFR stand for? Sunday Morning At Freewheeling Ride, because we ride from Freewheeling Bicycles at 24th and San Gabriel on Sunday Morning at 8:00 AM. We roll out at 8:15. 2. Are SMAFR rides open only to Violet Crown Members? Anybody who likes to ride a bike is welcome to our ride. Just bring a friendly attitude and maybe a couple of good stories. 3. How far and how fast do you go? We average about 16-18 mph. Now that doesn't mean we go 16-18 all the time, it's just the average speed. Sometimes we get to feeling a little spritely and jam for a few miles but afterwards we always wait for those who didn't increase their pace. We normally ride 50-60 miles, sometimes a bit more, and there is usually a group that turns back early for about 40-45 miles total. 4. Do you supply maps? No, just hang with us you'll be OK, we promise...really. 5. Will you drop me like a used GU wrapper, sqeezed of every drop of fluid to be flattened by the next Texas Farm Bureau member who passes by on his way to get beer during halftime of the A&M game? Maybe... But if we do someone will stay with you and those up front will slow the pace so that we can regroup. From time to time someone new to the ride under-estimates his/her abilities and finds him/herself at a bit of a disadvantage fitness-wise. When this happens we will find a safe route for the rider, usually with an escort for the trip home. This ride starts together and finishes together, we don't strand people. 6. Do you guys ever stop for water? Yes, we usually have one store stop about 20-30 miles into the ride. Sometimes we stop twice, it all depends. 7. How does the weather affect the ride? When the weather is cold we bundle up. When the weather is hot we sweat a lot and drink a whole bunch of water. As you would expect fewer people show up on rainy days and on sunny spring days people come out of the woodwork to ride. 8. Is there a ride leader? We strive to be a democratic assemblage, devoted to the concept that all people are created equal and no one person is greater than another. But if we get lost we turn to Dave Henderson. 9. Where do you ride? When the wind is out of the north we ride north and take the tailwind home. When the wind is out of the south we sometimes ride south through miles of urban desert or more often we ride to the east and cheat by working a crosswind on the ride out and taking the tailwind to the north of town so that we have the last few miles to warm down while the houses shelter us. We almost never ride west because it's hilly and it's hard to keep a group together in the hills and the reason for riding in a group should be to ride as a group instead of trying to break the group apart. 10. Why do you meet at Freewheeling? Because most of us live in Central Austin and Freewheeling is a good central location to meet. They have a big parking lot and they don't mind if those who drive to the ride park in the lot on Sundays because they aren't open. If you have a question not covered by this FAQ please e-mail Dave Henderson and he will answer them to the best of his ability. Dave Henderson (512) 452.5963 Dave's email |
Frequently Asked Questions