Fire Ant tour, Gatesville, TX

June 14, 2008

This ride is now in its 13th year. The Gatesville Exchange Club seems to always be well-organized, from registration to rest stops to sno-cones at the finish line. I heard the announcer at the beginning of the ride say that five sag vehicles were available on the routes, so the support was there. This ride is a laid back setting on a pretty challenging, scenic course (10 mile, 30 miles, 50 miles and 100K). Conditions this year were hot and windy but, with only 200 riders and low traffic on the roads, you can focus on the ride and visiting with other cyclists rather than fool with busy intersections and other hazards of the road.

June 9, 2007

This is my fourth time to ride the Fire Ant 100K route. I estimate that 200 riders were there, which seems to be a consistent number from previous years. I always find this route challenging. The usual hills (about 2000 feet of climbing), the south winds and high humidity kept the challenge level intact.
The Fire Ant is a pretty “bare bones” ride. You go for the ride and not the freebies and fanfare. The cop car simply turns on its siren and the bikers follow it out of the parking lot to begin the route. The scenery is outstanding and traffic count low. The ranchers pulling their trailers to market wave to you and tended to give the bikers wide berth.
The Gatesville Exchange Club has been putting on this ride for many years, so the volunteers seem to have the ride organization under control. As a biker, you show up, ride your ride with other friendly riders and you leave with a good feeling about the day’s riding experience. I love rides like this.

June 10, 2006

This is my third year to ride the Fire Ant 100K Tour, and I really do love this ride. This Central Texas area is really pretty—lots of long, gradual hills with nice views at the top, well kept and well operated ranches and not too much vehicular traffic to worry about. It is a small ride, probably about 200 riders, and the Gatesville Exchange Club does a good job with the organization of the event. People at the rest stops were friendly, that includes the bikers too! After the ride, the organizers provided watermelon and shade. Also, bikers were given passes to shower and clean up at the local fitness club located next to the finish line area which was worth taking advantage of. There are other area rides which are bigger and have splashier presentations, but the Fire Ant Tour is the right combination of a challenging ride in some wonderful countryside sponsored by good people. Hopefully the other bikers who attended this event share these sentiments.

June 11, 2005

This was an excellent ride. There was a decent turnout. I didn't get a head count, but I'm sure it was in the neighborhood of 200 riders. I had originally planned to do the 50-mile course, but since I was having such a good time, I decided go the extra 12 miles to make it a metric century. The scenery consisted of rolling fields, various farm and ranch lands. There were even a couple small townships along the way. The rest stations seemed to be placed in the perfect spots. There were signs in place to let the riders know when they were a mile from the next rest stop. The rest station staff members were very friendly and helpful. The rest stations were well-stocked with water, sport drinks, oranges, bananas, and loads of cookies. Restrooms were available at each stop as well.
Course maps were provided for each of the courses. The routes were marked both by signs on the side of the road and painted arrows on the asphalt. The course was challenging with numerous hills and a bit of wind that seemed to switch directions to keep the ride honest. There were 3 or 4 fast descents, which I'm a big fan of. The last one being close to the finish line, which I'm a very big fan of. The finish line arch was a nice addition and I was very happy to finally pass under it. After the ride, there were volunteers from the Austin School of Massage giving free treatments. Also, there was watermelon for all.
There were only two downsides to this tour in my opinion. The first being that the pre-ride registration could have been smoother. But, this did improve as more volunteers trickled in. The other being that the asphalt on the course was sketchy in some spots. But that's more a knock on the road department as far as I'm concerned. Neither of these things diminished what turned out to be an awesome tour.
Many thanks to the Gatesville Exchange Club and the many sponsors who came together to make this event special. This ride is already on my calendar for next year!

June 12, 2004

What a great ride!! The weather was perfect, refreshment station staffers were great and the 30 mile route was challenging. Others who rode the longer routes may have had different experiences although I doubt it. Route maps were provided at the starting point however all routes were very clearly marked with painted arrows on the concrete. I understand that more than 200 people entered this year which was more than last year. Keep up the good work, hopefully the ride will continue to grow in popularity. Definitely a "must ride" for next year!!!