Read for the Hills - Cedar Hill, TX
May 10, 2008
I just finished the second annual Cedar Hill "Head for the Hills Rally". Another great job by these folks. You improved the start!!! It was great to stagger it. I did the 100K, but took a wrong turn somewhere(my fault) and ended up on the 41 mile course and logged 52 miles. I only used 2 rest stops, but they were well stocked, well placed, and plent of friendly volunteers. I saw plenty of SAG vehicles throughout the course. Most of the roads were in good repair, with some chip seal.. Thanks to Red Robin for the hamburgers and drinks at the finish line. Thanks to Chic-fil-a and Panera also. All the volunteers did a great job(Rotary members, motorcycle club, radio club, Cedar Hill police, Expressions Chiropractic,etc.). Without all the volunteers and support, this ride would not be possible. Thanks again for another great ride. I appreciate all the hard work and look forward to next year.
Hey if anyone is planning a bike ride, talk to the Rotary Club of Cedar Hill. They had this one staged just right. Got the fast bikes out first and it was smooth sailing right from the beginning.
Plenty of Rest Stops and the roads were well marked. Many with little traffic. The only thing I would have to find fault with would be the food offered at the rest stops. We could use some stuff that is not full of sugar. Some pretzels or crackers will provide the riders with better quality fuel than cookies and bananas. Missed the rest stop with Chick Filet. That will teach me for skipping stops. Also ran out of food at the end The had more coming, but I don't eat meat and all they could offer me was a bun with mustard. No pickles, tomatoes or lettuce, no chips and no diet coke.
That said the volunteers are awesome! It was a first rate ride, just work the kinks out. I'll be back again next year.
Yahoooo ! I have ridden a number of rallies and are always amazed at how some just stand out from the rest. This rally was so organized and well done, it is hard to believe that this was only the second year. What great volunteers and it was so well marked that even I didn’t get lost or on the wrong track. The rest stops were very well supplied and full of surprises. There was plenty of turn support, the only thing that I think might be good next year is to put up a sign saying “last of turn support for a while”, you spoiled us early on. We should all watch carefully no matter what but just a jog of a reminder might be good. Thank you also for doing such a great job of marking hazards and picking beautiful scenery to travel through. This was just a delight. On a funny note: this might be one rally where you don’t want to tell newbies on bikes “oh come, just do the little 20 miler”… someone put the hills there…LOL. See you next year as I have to see what I missed on the 60, I know the 40 was great.
This was my first year for this ride and I was very impressed. The high school is right off of Hwy 67 and almost impossible to miss. There was plenty of parking and registration was a breeze. The staging was innovative, and the staggered start made for less congestion. The roads, for the most part, were in good or great condition, and they did a great job of marking road hazards or warning of sharp turns. The only concern I had with the route selection was one blind curve after a downhill. First, you will have the riders that, despite the warning to slow down, take the hill and curve at a fast pace. However, when I came through that curve, there were three cars, stopped, and waiting for the cyclists. There really needs to be a marshal at this spot for the riders safety. You will not always have such courteous motorists, and a car traveling the road, not expecting a bunch of riders, is a situation that is not good for either. It seems that based on the comments from last year, the rider organizers were proactive in some areas to improve the ride. I hope they are as proactive in this area to improve the safety. I did not stop at any rest stops, but the hamburgers at the end were great, thanks Red Robin. And thanks to the Rotary Club for a great ride. I will be back next year, and will recommend to all.
In my opinion, this was the most enjoyable ride that I have ridden this season. The weather was perfect, the start/finish location was perfect and the volunteer support was great. The route was challenging, but not a killer. The only negative thing I can say about this ride is that there were a few left hand turns that needed someone to stop traffic, but no one was assigned. My wife and I look forward to next year's ride.
A great event! Thanks to all the volunteers and all involved in the
planning of this ride. Great route with not too much traffic (FM 663 at
Midlothian was a bit fast and furious, but it was a short stretch). Great to
see the SAG wagons and the bike shops support vans around frequently. My
mistake not to grab a Chic Filet at mile 50! Highly recommend this ride!
The Cedar Hills bike ride was the best we've participated in. Great course, excellent support, very good rest stops including the outstanding stretching exercises from a quiropractor at the last rest stops and the hamburgers at the end were delicious!!! We highly recommend it!!!
What a great ride in Cedar Hill! One place I would change was crossing Hwy 287. There was no one there stopping traffic. Every other place was great. Thanks for such a great ride.
This was our 2nd year there, and we will be back. The staging at the start was the best organized rally start I have ever seen. This is our favorite rally in the Metroplex; the routes are challenging and offer beautiful countryside views with wildflowers in bloom. This rally is well organized, offering plenty of support, clearly marked turns and road obstacle marking, well stocked and staffed rest areas, enthusiastic volunteers, cool swag in the registration bags (no one's mentioned the spice packet!?!) and it's at the perfect time of year where it starts off cool but warms up nicely. An excellent rally, looking forward to next year to try a longer route! A big thank you to the organizers, this ride really rocks.
This is the first time I have done this ride. With the competing North Texas Classic ride, I decided to give this one a whirl since the North Texas Classic is a bust. So where do I start. I thought the route was very good. Yeah I heard some riders complain about some of the potholes, but with the drilling going on, it's hard to find a road that doesn't have them. Even with them, the ride organizers had painted warnings around them! The start was very good. Not a lot of chit chatter, just welcomed and thanked us, did the national anthem (have you wondered why people don't put their hand over their hearts lately?) and got the show on the road. I thought the rest stops were amazing. Pickle juice in May? Nice thought. Oh, did I mention the Chic-Filet and the Panera Cinnamon bagels! I've never had a warm bagel on a bike ride before....definitely hit the spot. Well staffed rest stops and VERY friendly people at them. I did the 100k route and it was beautiful. When we finished, it was nice to take a shower and GUESS WHAT? Included in the ride fee was a free burger from Red Robin.... WOW. All I can say is that I will be back next year. The ONLY thing I would recommend is to change the route away from the 4 lane highway in Midlothian. The traffic was really bad in that area and they were going quite fast... BUT, if you can't change it, I'll still be back...LOVE THOSE BAGELS
What a great ride. My wife and I do lots of these, and it's hard to believe this is only their second time hosting a biking event. We did the 41 mile route. Nice scenery and enough hills to keep the heart rate up. Loved the rest stop with Chic-fil-a sandwiches and volunteers giving massages–worth the cost of the ride all by itself. Next year I think we’ll go straight to this stop and skip the rest of the ride! Super job Rotary Club of Cedar Hill. Terrific alternative to the disappointing Saginaw ride.
May 12, 2007
I rode the first annual Head for the Hills Cedar Hill Bike Rally. These people did a fantastic job considering this was their first ride to put together. The signage was great, big, helpful, set far enough from the road or the turn, etc. The rest stops I stopped at had plenty of refreshments and port a potties. Most of the major intersections and turns were manned by police or volunteers. The route was well thought out with good roads most of the time (we know you cannot control road conditions). Most hazards were marked with orange road paint. This saved me from hitting several large pot holes when I was in a crowd. I appreciate the folks at Panera and Chik Fila providing food. Weather was beautiful with a very gentle wind that kicked up late in the morning. All in all, this was a great ride whether or not it was the very first one that these folks had put on or not. Turn out was a lot higher than I expected, so I did not get a T-shirt--my fault for not registering early. Thanks again for putting together a great bike rally so close to home.
This is another example of a first time ride where the organizers don't appear to have done their homework on the details that makes a ride fun, safe, and worthwhile. The directions were not very clear, I saw many frustrated drivers trying to figure out how to get to the event - signage and volunteers at the major thorougfares would have helped direct traffic to the high school parking lot. The parking and registration was laid out well and it was nice to see at least two different bike store repair tents close to the registration area. The staging area was too small and riders doing the 64 mile option had a hard time wading through the crowd of riders as they tried to get to the area where the 64 mile group was staged. Nice job on announcement and singing at the start line. The first 1/2 mile of the course leaving the stadium was unsafe due to the patchwork asphalt, minor potholes, and gravel. Once we got out of the residential neighborhood it was wider and the quality of the road were somewhat better. The roads on this ride were among the most dangerous I have ever done on an organized ride; unfortunately, the roads on this ride were somehow worse than those on the Red Hot Chili Pepper Ride. Most intersections close to the start had marshalls, but after a few miles there were almost no ride marshalls. The roads were full of potholes and gravel, although most were adequately marked. Next time, more ride marshalls should be stationed where roads and turns are dangerous, so that they can warn the riders to slow down and be more careful. I did the 64 mile route and it appears that nobody swept the corners before the ride; way too much gravel and junk on the roads. There are several intersections that needed a ride marshall, especially an adult ride marshall... I did one rest stop about 50 miles into the ride and the volunteers did a great job, especially with the ice cold towels for the head and neck - good job ya'll!!! The rest of the ride was pretty much the same, although as we got closer to the finish line there were more ride marshalls. The burgers and dogs at the finish was a nice touch and I think the song selection was the best I have ever heard at a ride - good job to the spinner!!! I don't think I will do this ride next year nor will I recommend it because the roads are not particularly safe to ride a bike on, especially when you are in a pack of riders travelling fast; these roads are best suited for a leisurely club ride. Somebody needs to rethink the downhill on Texas Plume and the hairpin turn up Lakeridge. I saw an injured rider and several others who almost wrecked on either the gravel or the severely cracked concrete road surface. This is a classic example of not doing your homework, and as a result, somebody was injured. I would suggest that the organizers of this event start riding a bike and do two or three really good rides, such as the Wildflower Ride in Richardson, or the Mesquite Rodeo Ride, or the Tour d'Italia. Talk to these folks and you will find out how to greatly improve the quality of the ride so that it will be fun, safe, and worthwhile. You'll also find out what makes a rider want to come back and do it next year. Good luck folks, you have your work cut out for you on this ride.
It was quite obvious the organizers talked to Mesquite about how to conduct a rally. It was that good. In fact it was just as if we were at the Mesquite Rally. Very impressive for a first rally. Good course too. Can't think of anything I'd change. Looks like they had a lot more people than they expected. I hope they raised a lot of money for their cause. I hope to return next year. Way to go Cedar Hill.
For the inaugural run of the Head for the Hills Rally in Cedar Hills, I have the following comments.
Registration: On-line registration was provided.
Parking and Traffic: The rally left from Cedar Hills High School, so there was adequate parking. There were even adequate restrooms in the sports stadium with no wait for the pre-ride ablutions.
Packets. There were not enough sizes of T-shirts available. Even though I pre-registered my wife, she did not get the small T-Shirt. The rest of the content was a large water bottle and a sample of those “sportlegs” dietary supplement.
Route: (These comments pertain to the 41 (actually 43) mile route). Very well marked with signs and orange paint on the road. A color map was provided. There were also volunteers posted at the main intersections. Since this was the “Head for the Hills Rally” there were many hills and the ride was a good workout.
Rest stops: Very good with soft cookies in addition to the usual bananas and sports drinks.
I was impressed with this ride because it was the inaugural ride, yet it seemed as if the organizers and volunteers had done this every year for quite a while. They did a good job and this was a good ride.
This year was a toss - up between riding in the North Texas Classic and the Cedar Hill rally. I decided this year to head for the hills, (and based on previous years experiences with N.T.C., I think I made the right choice). In a word - Perfect. Good job for the 1st. annual rally. Impressive turnout, good mix of enthusiasts and family groups. The 41 mile route did have the usual country road character, but that just makes it more interesting. Whoever planned out the route (weather on purpose or not) included a nice variation between reidential, farm, frontage and highway terrain. There was only one spot - where the 22mi. met up with the other routes - were there was a sign down/missing. Other than that, signage, volunteers and sag vehicles were abundant. I will be back next year to check out the 64 mile route.
For an inaugural rally I thought the Rotory Club of Cedar Hill did a wonderful job!! We did the 41 and the routes were well marked, there were well stocked rest stops w multiple porta-potties, road hazards outlined w orange paint, visible sag and mech vehicles, volunteers directing traffic at most (not all) intersections and food at the finish. They must have been reading this website! Unfortunately, when you do a ride in Ellis County you have to use Ellis county roads and that's a shame since some of them were not good. Plus, this ride had a little too much vehicular traffic for my tastes so I don't know if I'll be back. I know the Rotary can't control everything but they still did a great job w everything else.
Great Job Cedar Hill! You guys did a great job putting this event together. I certainly hope you continue. I only have a couple of suggestions. More tshirts are needed. Even though people do not register early they still want a tshirt as a token of your ride. I think most of the bad places in the roads were well marked. May want to review a few of these roads though because they need some serious patching. Also, it would be nice after riding in the heat to be able to shower before leaving. I came from out of town and would like to have had the opportunity to clean up for the two hour trip home. I would say this is very important to most people. A big thanks to all of your volunteers! I hope to make it back next year.
This was a great ride. Yea were some of the roads bad but you know thats texas. Some of the roads on the Tour of Dallas are pretty bad and Dallas is alot richer than Ellis County. Some of you guys just like to bitch. It was great and I will be back.
Good job everyone! I've ridden most of these roads many times, but
still got to ride on a few new ones. Great route marking,
enthusiastic volunteers at the rest stops, free food at the end. Yes,
there were a few potholes and such-what roads don't have them?
Vehicular traffic-well, they are public roads. I'm the director of a
popular area ride-Judy and crew did a GREAT job, especially for their
first year. I'll be back in 2008.
I thought the Head for the Hills ride was better than some rides that are years older. Whoever gave the ride coordinators advice, did an excellent job. My expectations for a first-time rally were far exceeded. The 41/42/43 mile route was beautiful, with varied scenery and lots of rolling hills for a good workout. All the volunteers were friendly, the signage on the route was near perfect, and those warning of hazards were particularly appreciated. I agree with some others that roads with less potholes and bumps would make a near perfect ride just about perfect. Red Robin at the end was terrific. I will try to convince my husband to go back next year.
All in all, the ride organizers did a great job on the first annual Head for the Hills Cedar Hill bike rally. A map to the start was not provided on the website, but typing in Cedar Hill High School into Yahoo Maps got me there without any problems. The high school was a nice staging area for the ride. There was plenty of parking, and registration was fast. The start was a little confusing. They were supposed to stagger the starts, with the 64 mile group taking off at 8:15 am. But all routes started together at 8:00 am. This made it tricky at the beginning, because the roads getting out of Cedar Hill were narrow at times and there were too many riders at all levels/speeds riding. So it took a long time for the field to spread out. For safety reasons, next year I hope they do the staggered start. The route was nice and quiet and very pretty. The roads were a little rough at times, but in Texas it is very difficult to find roads that are lightly traveled AND well maintained/smooth. The State does not put money into maintaining lightly traveled roads, only busy ones. So it is really a trade off. My personal opinion is I would rather have the quiet roads we had on the 64 mile route, than busier ones. If you ride like you are supposed to...cautiously and safely...you should be able to avoid potholes/bumps. For the most part, the hazards were marked. There were some that were missed...but next year maybe those could be marked as well. The signage was great, the rest stops were awesome (some of the best I have seen at a rally), and the volunteers were very nice and helpful. However, on the 64 mile route the SAG wagons were few and far between. I saw them at the beginning, and I saw them at the end. But there was a 30 mile stretch in the middle where I did not see adequate SAG support. My recommendation is you should have a SAG drive by about every 15-20 minutes. Overall...this was a fantastic first rally...and I will be back next year!
Great ride for a first event! It ranks up there with some of the best local rides who have been doing this a lot longer!
Two small suggestions if you want them: I never did find directions to the start. I assumed CHHS was Cedar Hill High School, and that the address to mail-in entries was the correct start address. Thank God for Yahoo maps! Also, your site never actually said you registered riders on the day of the ride. I took a chance, and am GLAD I DID! Fabulous ride! I'll be back next year, hope you raised a million!
In recognition of this ride as an inaugural event, it was a job very well done. Way to go Cedar Hill Rotary Club!! Good job with the bright orange paint marking the bad spots on the majority of the roads. I went for the long haul and for those of you reading these reviews don’t let the word “Hills” fool you, all of the “Hills” were lots of fun, mostly rollers, some really nice downers, and a few lightly challenging inclines thrown in here and there, but absolutely none too difficult at any point during the ride. There were lots of riders, the weather was as good as anyone could ask for, and there was very little traffic throughout the entire ride. (The roads were not cluttered with trash of any kind that I could see, nor was this ride anything like the Chili Pepper which I can agree was a terrible mess.) For me, this was the perfect “Back in the Saddle” ride after last weeks MS-150. And although some of the rest stops seemed to be a little “Hidden”, I enjoyed every mile of it and will definitely be back next year.
In closing, it troubles me to say, the single most thing that bugged me about this ride were those careless riders. At least more than I’ve ever witnessed in a single ride, you know the ones who jump into the oncoming traffic lane and blaze downhill into a blind left handed curve only to find out that there is a car less than 50 feet in front of them, and then nearly run you over trying to avoid a head on collision in a desperate attempt to get back where they should have been riding all along. Then those who simply refused to ride single file in areas where the signs clearly asked us to, ultimately forcing motorists to go around, regardless of the fact people were yelling “Car Back” trying to warn them to move over. And finally those who are so busy trying to get to the front of the pack that they almost rub tires with nearly everyone they pass along the way, and never use the proper verbal signals to make slower riders aware of their position. A message to all riders: there is nothing ride organizers can do to keep us safe on the road if we don’t practice safety ourselves, and maintain a certain level of courtesy and respect for our fellow riders and the drivers of other motor vehicles with which we share the road. Great Job Cedar Hill R.C.!! See yall at “The Hills” next year.
Having ridden many of the rallies in the area, I can say that this was one
of the best. The route (64 mile) was through some of the most beautiful
rural farmland and wildflower covered fields anywhere.Highway access roads
and busy four lane roads were less than 5 miles. The rest stops were
friendly, well stocked and located. My thanks to all who held our bikes
while we refreshed. All this and less than 30 minutes from Dallas. We will
be back next year.
did the long leg of the Cedar Hill "Head to the Hills" ride last Saturday, May 12, 2007. It was a beautiful day, registration was smooth, they seemed to have enough maps, the route was well marked, great rest stops, and it was generally safe--but the Texas Plume segment had two significant safety problems.
I was very concerned about two riders I saw headed down the Texas Plume in the middle of the left lane! They apparently assumed the road was closed--it was not. I yelled out that the road was not closed but they didn't seem to hear. They were coming up on a hill whose crest they couldn't see over--imagine what might have happened if a car or truck had crested that hill at even 10 mph and encountered a couple of cyclists coming at them in the center of their lane? A few volunteers stationed at the beginning and part way down the hill could have warned these riders of their stupidity much more effectively than I and other riders. Or how about a big sign at the top warning everyone to stay in the right lane? We had signs instructing us to Single File it on busy highways. I have to assume those two weren't the only clueless ones.
The other problem with the descent down the Plume is that it was too early in the ride and hence the field was still all bunched up. The whole field was there--including the 22 milers, which included lots of novice riders who often don't even know what it means to "hold your line." We needed a few good climbs to spread the field out. Taking Kingswood Dr. south from 67 before we got to the Plume would have been a much safer route--albeit significantly harder. Instead of the Texas Plume we were to take Kingswood Drive, then right on Castleview Drive, left on Valleyview Drive, left on Lakeview Drive *then* turn right up Lakeridge Parkway? That would really spread the field out. You might want to direct the 22 milers to stay on the frontage road and skip all that climbing. Several of the more experienced riders in my club elected to do just that--not because they wanted to avoid climbing up Lakeridge Parkway but because they were concerned about coming down the Plume in such a bunched pack of riders.
Riding is risky--we all know that. There's no way to eliminate the risk but organizations that plan organized rides and profit from them must do all they can to minimize it.
Overall, it was a great ride. The wildflowers were beautiful, the wind was light, and the temperature was moderate for this time of year. They even fed us and provided a place to sit in shade at the end. Good job Cedar Hill. I'll be back next year.
People, if there is traffic at a four way stop, then you should STOP! I’m sorry, but this bad behavior was observed in MY town. These are roads I cycle almost daily. This behavior is a small part of what causes some motorists to want us off the road. Some would like to see us banned from public roadways permanently. Cyclists are supposed to obey traffic laws. I even saw some cyclists run the light at N. Midlothian Parkway and FM-1387 (a busy intersection). Shame on you! Do I run the occasional four-way stop? Yes, only if there is no traffic. Do I run the occasional red-light? Not unless I have sat there for more than one cycle.
I can not disagree more with the reviewer who bashed this event. I have done many bike rallies and for a first time event there were many, many positives. I have been to rides that their learning curve still does not reach the apex this one has in the first year. I do not see Richardson's Wild Ride, a good rally mind you, being any better. Italy also has a narrow start area, so the complaints seem agenda laden. A close in bike rally to the city needs to be supported. The folks at Cedar Hill need to be commended for putting on a ride in this area that has been lacking due to Grand Prairie's short sided ban on bike rallies (I could write a long bashing note of that city's mayor, but that is for another forum). The terrain in Cedar Hill and environs makes for a great ride, far better than most rides in this area. The elevation climbed was very close to Muenster (3,185 vs. 3,300 according to Mr. Garmin), yet it really did not seem difficult. I, for one, want more roads like Texas Plume as it is one of my favorite roads in DFW to ride, but I like the other direction better since it is more "up" than "down". We spent very little time on busier roads, and very few pedal turns on interstate access roads (Aledo!) The signage was better than at any rally I have ever done, there was one intersection near the glider port that had 5 signs to make sure you turned when you should. Areas of crumbled asphalt are common on small roads in Texas, and I have yet to do a ride that had 100 percent perfect roads. That is not something to fault the organizers. I saw only one serious road hazard that had not been marked by orange paint. Where marshals were needed, they were there. Too often a ride is criticized due to bad bike riders rather than bad organizers. I wonder if some of the people who complain about these events do any bike riding on their own without marshals and police officers. Everyone should do club or group rides to learn how to ride with throngs of people who depend on each other for safety. If you are moving at a leisurely pace, don’t take up the whole road talking to your companions, and then act pissed off when you get nudged over. Be aware of what is in front and well as behind you. One caveat about this ride, I would be very wary if I was in a 40-50 strong pack hammering away on this route. The start has just a few too many narrow, tight turns on . Hopefully those that choose to make a race of it neutralize the first 10 miles or so. My only suggestion, a few more chairs at rest stops, my companion’s lightheadedness due to allergy medicine warranted a place to sit, and there were none.
This ride will go on my permanent schedule to do every year.
I rode the 40 mile route at Cedar Hill’s “Head for the Hills” last Saturday. What a great turn out. There were right around 1,000 riders.
This is a great ride and I will be back, God willing, next year. Setting up at the high school stadium made parking a snap. Registration was really accessible. Even though the flyer called for a staggered start, there was a mass start at 8 am. Riders, in my experience, don’t like to be told when to start! They want to start right now and get done earlier. Personally I prefer a staggered start. I have witnessed too closely so many accidents from inexperience in the large peletons.
The support was awesome. There were numerous SAG vehicles. The rest stops were well enough stocked with water, Gatorade, bananas and cookies. And there were volunteers to hold your bike while you partake of the fare! At 30 miles there was an older gentleman handing out napkins soaked in cool water. The busy intersections were all manned by local police. The roads were good, some new, and one kind of rough on the 40 miler. But the potholes and rough spots were marked with paint.
Judy Pluto and the team did an awesome job on their first ride.
I had just finished the 40 mile, after riding fast, I was dog tired. Between the finish line area and the parking lot I saw an old friend, one time best friend, Shannon Smith. Anyone who can give me Shannon's contact info, or give mine to Shannon would be AWESOME. Please respond: JamesGeorge@avaya.com
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