Cow Creek Classic - Waxahachie, TX
June 28, 2008
 This is the only ride I know of that one has to fill out a registration form after pre-registering and paying online. The staggered start times are great. The roads are in fairly good shape. The color coding for the directional arrows on the road changes at the 20 mile point. In the beginning, the color code for the 100 mile route was black. After the 20 mile mark, it becomes white. The only markers for the route are painted on the pavement. There are occasional signs about every 15 miles cautioning motorists about the bicycle rally. The rest stops are stocked with Gatorade, water, oranges, bananas and small bottles of honey. There is food at the end of the ride, but one must pay for it. All proceeds from the food sales go to the American Cancer Society. And don't forget the goody bag, the only thing useful in the bag was the bib number. The rest of the bag contained two pieces of paper advertising other rides and one ink pen from a bank. Although this was the 22nd year for this ride, the organizers could learn a few things from the folks who organized the Cedar Hill ride. Hint: Waxahachie Rotary Club pick up the phone and talk to the Cedar Hill Rotary Club. This was my second time riding this one and will probably be my last.
What a fun day! Lots of great folks and a ride to remember. Registration was a cinch. The rest stops were adequately stocked. The porta potties were actually (somewhat) cleaner this year. The volunteers were great and the mechanical support was outstanding! I saw one of my favorite mechanics there under a different banner but was happy to see that he still comes out to the ralies on behalf of his shop.
As a motorist I get irritated at cyclists because of their lack of consideration for others on the road. As a cyclist I get irritated at motorists for their lack of consideration on the road. What happened to common sense?
Editors Note: A lapse in common sense let me post the above review. In all fairness I am posting Mike's reply. In a few days I will delerte both. J.S.
I give them an A+++ for organization! The rest stops, registration, parking, signage was excellent. You can tell they've been doing this for awhile. Routes, however I have to give a C. Do we really, REALLY have to leave through Midlothian?? There were several stretches where cars were mixed with bikes mixed with more cars and more bikes. Because of oncoming traffic, no one could pass so no one could go faster than the slowest cyclist and I witnessed several near misses. Is there no way to get us out of Waxahachie faster and out into the country? On a positive note, the design on the t-shirt is probably the best so far this year.
Very nice ride! A bit more hills than I was expecting, and that and the wind made for a fun and challenging day. My only criticism would be too many cars! I felt like we were on slightly busy roads for a significant portion of the ride. Eventually, we found ourselves out in the country, and the traffic got a lot lighter. That was nice. Overall a good ride! I’d do it again! -Bianchi Bob
Registration was a JOKE! Why register? You fill out a registration form and pay your money. You get a useless packet but a COOL T-SHIRT and a rider number. They don't register the number with a name. God forbid if anyone got seriously hurt, how would you know who they are or who their emergency contact person was? It truly seemed like they didn't really care about the rider but just give them your money! Coming back into and through town was dicey. NO SUPPORT in town with traffic lights. Saw one cop on the side of the road in the square under the shade of the building but he did NOTHING to assist with either vehicle traffic or cyclist traffic. While waiting for friends to complete the 100 miles, they picked up the cones coming back into the school early making for a very dangerous cross over to make the left turn into the school. For a ride that has been around for 22 years, they need to learn a few things from rides like the Collin Classic or the Mesquite Rodeo. Those folks know how to do it right.
The pavement marking at the left turn where the 36 milers join back up with the 46 milers was on the PAVEMENT ON THE FAR LEFT HAND side of the road. Not until we saw others passing the turn and then having to turn around did we realize we quickly had to make a left turn. When my riding partner fell on the large mound of gravel in the road, there were no first aid kits with SAG, at breakpoints, in the police vehicles or even at the Finish Line. We were told the First Aid folks didn't show up and the only alternative was to call an ambulance for road rash and debridement. Nothing they can do about the first aid folks not showing up, but possibly think about having a stock of first aid kits to go out to breakpoints and at the finish line would be a great idea for the future.
A few years ago I rode with a sag driver and I was impressed with all the training and preparations the sag driver had to do before qualifying. Now what is happening? J.S.
First time to ride the Cow Creek Classic. Rode the 75 mile route. Have ridden most of the rides in the area and was looking forward to this Ride, given the good reports. In short I was disappointed. Registration and parking were well organized and went smoothly, and there was plenty of support at the intersections for the first half of the ride. However, there was chip seal everywhere, and riders were buzzed by quite a few large trucks sharing the road. Our group had to contend with two rogue dogs that were interfering with riders. One of the rest stops towards the latter half of the ride didn’t have Gatorade, which given the heat, wind and hills, was disappointing. Once we crossed I-35 and started heading back towards Waxahachie, we were riding along a busy road with quite a bit of traffic. Finally, there was little help guiding riders as we were coming back in through Waxahachie. In my humble opinion, the problem seems to be that they spread themselves too thin by having both a 75 and 100 mile route. I would suggest that they decrease the 75 mile route, which actually turned out to be 78 miles, to a 55 or 60 mile route, the distance most of the other rides around the area (Mesquite Rodeo, Collin Classic, Tour d’ Italia, etc) have for their long route.
Registration seemed a bit chaotic around 7am when I was there. I preregistered but nobody was checking your name off or anything, they just asked for your waiver and your shirt size. For all they knew, I could have just walked up signed a waiver and rode. Might want to rethink that. The staggered start is a good thing. There were a couple roads that may have been lightly traveled country lanes 22 years ago but with the growth to the exurbs; they are no longer that and should be reconsidered. There was one that had a lot of traffic, no shoulder, and some hills. I saw 2-3 guys violate the center line rule during that stretch to pass cars! If that rule is good enough for USCF races, then people abiding by it during a charity ride seems like a no-argument no-brainer. I felt the rest stop volunteers were fantastic, energetic and helpful. Especially the guy handing out paper towels at one rest stop about 9 miles from the end.
Gonna chime in on this after reading some things. I rode the 40 mile portion of the Cow Creek Classic and it seems we have some folks that attended who need to "hike up their skirts" as the great Fred Miller once said. I've been riding this rally since 2001 and the comments are so pitifully predictable that it pains me to look at them. It started back in 2002 with people whining about the chip seal. Then there was a snide comment about a coupon that couldn't be redeemed immediately. I believe there is always something concerning the lack of things in the goody bag.
One thing to start off with is that this is a charity event that the Rotary attempts to raise funds with. These funds are used to help others in need through social programs, outreach, etc. How people got the idea that this and other rallies are for the free keychains and nail clippers is beyond me. Perhaps it could be that most have never done anything other than show up at the rally with a check and a list of demands/expectations. The Waxahachie Rotary is not as big as Mesquite, so understandably, they have to be conservative with how they put this rally on. They don't have as many sponsors, and as a result they have less shiny trinkets to distract whiny bikers. If you are that desperate for things like that, then review past comments on this site and plan accordingly....or stop in at a Dollar General and go nuts.
As for my ride, I see just as much rider carelessness here as any other ride. Nothing can be done to stop this. I ride for myself and try to watch out for others as well. The route was a little bit different from years past. The 2 rest stops I stopped at had it all - Gatorade, Water, etc. and lots of friendly Rotarians. The best was the senior gentlemen at the 2nd from the last stop. A bunch of characters. There is a bit more presence on the feeder roads that take us out for the first 3 miles - that is appreciated. I always go to this one because you really get out away from everything on this ride. There are some good hills and I try to zip through this route a little bit faster than others. This is just a simple ride with some good roads and I will be back next year, maybe with a beanie on my helmet, hoping someone will call me a "little guy".
June 23, 2007
One of my favorite rides. Most of the roads have very little car traffic, very good traffic contol in town. The rotarians manning the rest stops were quite freindly and appreciative of the riders participation in their annual and primary fund raiser. (most if not all the money actually goes to charity).
My wife and I rolled into Waxahachie High School about 7:00 and registered easily and quickly. The personnel were friendly and seemed to be enjoying themselves. We unloaded and waited for the start. The 7:30 start was staggered and took quite a while for the 46 mile group to launch. Normal chaos at the start but everybody stayed upright and we were rolling. Not being an athlete rider the “mostly flat with some rolling hills” was just a bit off. To me it was rolling hills all the way and a few flat spots with a few really challenging hills. The roads were rough in many spots and some angry cars on the roads. Manageable though and pretty much predictable on any ride. The weather was cool and overcast for first half of the ride. The last half had some heat and sun but not too bad. I did not consume the 70 ounces in my camel back. Rest stops ok, I would like more shade and porto potties. Maybe even some chairs for a short sit. There were some uncontrolled intersections, most of the big ones had police or event staff. Not much going on at the finish. Some fanfare even if just symbolic at the finish would be nice. Really liked that last few miles through down town, smooth and mostly down hill. I enjoyed riding this ride with my friends and will come again next year.
This was the first time that we had done the Cow Creek Classic rally in Waxahachie. The registration was very well done. It started on time with staggered starts but maybe make them a little closer together. Most intersections were well managed. Beautiful country side with not alot of traffice on the 75 mile route once you got out into the country. Some suggestions for next year. 1. A few more portapotties would be nice to see. 2. Maybe a little more signage either on the roads or signs on side of roads on the longer routes marking turns etc. as a couple of riders missed their turns and kept going. 3. A few more marked SAG vehicles visible on the longer routes. 4. Marks some of the really bad spots on the road. 5. On the 75/100 mi route #3 34 mile rest stop ran out of ice, water, and gatorade. All rides needs to have some kind of emergency plan on getting stuff to a stn if they run. OVERALL this is a great ride that needs just a little more work and it'll be one of the top rides around. We will be back next year. Thanks for all you do.
I completed the 46 mile route. On a scale from 1-10 (ten being the best); I rate this ride a 7.
The scenary was beautiful, some challenging hills and no rain this time! The hills were not the reason I rank this a 7. The 7 comes from the last two rides which have spoiled me rotten. I determined I had relied heavily on the food-factor and cool-drink-factor. When I approached my first rest stop I almost arrested when I noticed the food and drink tables were bare; only a few lonely bottles of honey. See, I had been anticipating an ice cold Pickle Juice, a few cookies and a banana for the past thirty minutes. And each rest stop thereafter was similar, no food... no pickle juice... great planning! This year we had plenty of T-shirts, but not enough food. I do have one compliment for the last Rest Stop - great Gatorade flavors and super-ice-cold Mango Gatorade -- YUM
June 24, 2006
It has been 19 years since I rode in this rally…. I forgot about the HILLS. To make up for the HILLS they included the most beautiful RAINBOW. We rode toward it for many miles. Although we rode through rain in the car to get there, it was dry at registration and predicted to have only a little drizzling. They were watching the weather for us at registration. So the organizers produced a rainbow and a little cooling mist. The ride was fun (? HILLS ?) and the volunteers were great. The crowds were smaller than at some other events and that made it very nice for the riders. The start was well organized and sane, parking ample, registration smooth. Thanks HEB, the $1 hot dogs hit the spot (proceeds for charity). Could you smooth out some of those hills or make me stronger? Oh, I forgot, the HILLS are there to make me stronger! My only suggestion would be a little more support at a couple of the busy intersections. Absolutely I’ll be back. - Nancy
Even though this was the 20th anniversary ride, there was nothing stale about this one! It was well-organized and well-run. All of the volunteers were enthusiastic and fun to talk with. I really enjoyed the route. If you weren't here today, you missed a good one!
The 20th anniversary of the Cow Creek Country Classic started off with a full rainbow across the sky. I knew it was going to be a GREAT ride. I preregistered with no probem. The website gave everything but the route maps, which were available at the start. Easy to find (Waxahachie H.S. on route 77), plenty of parking , and plenty of volunteers at packet pickup. Staggered start with 100 milers starting first. I skipped breakfast and rest stops 1 and 2 , and was really looking forward to rest stop 3 to get some food in me. They had bananas , cookies, and honey , along with water and electrolytes. I stopped at three more rest stops and all were well -stocked. A light rain held the temperature down to a reasonable level all day . Also there was a very light wind, which made the going easier. The 100 mile route (at the start) was full of great little county roads with really smooth pavement. Not many hills, but enough to make it interesting. Some rough roads along the way, but nothing bad...l just slowed down a little in those sections. Traffic control was very good, although on the hundred there were a couple of blind intersections ( hey, they can't be everywhere). I'm sure everyone is aware that WE are responsible for traffic safety, and on a rally we as cyclists must obey all traffic laws and communicate with each other (clear, car up, etc). The SAG wagons and bike shop vans stayed busy. Nice touch having that last rest stop just a few miles from the finish . The Rotary Club and all the volunteers did an outstanding job . Thanks again for all the hard work of everyone involved. The 100 mile route was almost perfect. I had a BLAST !! I will definitely be back next year. DeWayne Shepard (Roadkill)
Did the 37 miles and the ride organized well. Rest
stops were stocked with the basics. Some beautiful
scenery on the ride. Nice looking t-shirt. Most of the
intersections were manned and a few were not. Many
thanks to all the volunteers and sag wagons that were
on the route. Back when this was the Ride the Ring,
Waxahachie was out in the country. Sadly, this is no
longer the case. I thought there was just too much
vehicular traffic on the two lane shoulderless roads
we were on. Perhaps the longer routes were better.
We did the Cow Country Classic in Waxahatchie yesterday and it was a really nice experience...nice course, we did the 46 because we were a little late getting there. This portion of the ride was about 70% nice, smooth city or country roads with very few traffic problems. The remaing 30% was chip and seal with a little more traffic than I prefer but, all in all, not a problem....remember, it's Texas so chip and seal is a fact of life for most of us, anyway, their chip and seal was better than most of the roads we have to ride in our part of the State! They had slightly over 1000 riders and I thought they did a great job in handling that big a group. ALL volunteer's were friendly and helpful even in the case of one screwball rider who complained about the fact that the second rest stop had run out of cookies! Come on riders, get real, do you pay and ride for the meal or the fun and friendship of being with like-minded riders? If it's the meal, well, that's what those three pockets in the back of your jersey are for, fill them with your OWN stuff and let these people who are working for nothing and trying to raise some money do just that! Ride helpers EVERYWHERE are unpaid and don't deserve ANY flack from any of us, without them we could all just stay home and ride the same roads everyday, everyday, everyday!!! Back to the ride, WELL marked with painted roads and signs, busy intersections were WELL attended with police or ride workers, LOTS of fruit, honey, drinks and, again, FRIENDLY local folks who worked hard and put on a good show! Weather was fine, a little drizzle but it served to keep the temps well below what you would expect to get in mid-Texas in late June. We will put this one on the "to do" list for next year and get there early to do the 75 or 100 miler. One last throught, everybody that I ride with is SURE to shout a "thanks for being out here today to help us" to each and every policeman, policewoman, and local ride volunteer that stands out on the course for hours to guide us and guard our safety and those folks almost always return a smile and wave to us...remember how importance these people are to us and really try to go out of the way to thank them! Mike
I love this ride. Especially when it is cloudy and a possibility of
rain. Really!! I rode this ride 3 times now and I think the verdict is
in. When it rains, I have a wonderful time and when it is sunny and hot,
I ponder to myself, "is this really fun?". Anyway, the course delivers
one of the best "century" routes in the area. It comes in a little short
but if you want to do 100 miles you only have to ride a mile or two to
get it done. This was a fast course until we hit 308. After that, it
slowed down a bit until Milford. After Milford, we hit a downpour for
about 8 miles until a little after Mertens. If I could have had anything
I wanted, I would have chosen a few more miles in the rain. It really
steamed up after that for me. This is a great route and I will come
back. The volunteers do a great job as do the law enforcement teams that
man the intersections. Good job folks!
First time to ride the Cow Creek Classic. Enjoyed it greatly. Volunteers were great. 46 mile route was good. Only suggestion would be support at all intersections. One rider in front of me went down when he stopped at last minute to avoid on coming traffic. I know it’s the riders responsibility, but I would still like to see someone at all intersections. Having said that, I will still make it an annual ride. Big thank you to all the volunteers who worked tirelessly to put on this event.
My husband, Ed, and I participated in the 20th Annual Cow Creek Classic this past weekend and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. This was our third year in a row. The weather was perfect for cycling - overcast and much cooler than usual. We were also blessed with a double, beautiful rainbow at the begining of the race, which we have never seen before. It was neat! This rally is our favorite due to the people of Waxahachie (volunteers, rally members, etc). They are truly wonderful, giving and enjoyable at all the rest stops! Thanks again for a fantastic race. See you next year!
My husband and I did the 46 miles, awesome, easy ride with cool weather and little wind this year and a rainbow!. Very well marked course, quick registration, great parking and facilities, beautiful scenery, I give it a ten! Ditto what everyone else is saying about the riders who ignore the traffic rules. Pretty stupid, but hey, they are probably not reading this anyway.
This was my first time riding the Cow Creek Country Classic and I am not affiliated with the ride or its sponsors. I rode the 100 mile route and I had no problem with “day of” registration. The volunteers were friendly even at 6 a.m. They had staggered starts for different distances and the course was marked with color-coded road paint and signs. The route was not overly hilly but I measured 2280 feet of ascent. There was 80% chip and seal and about 5% bad country back roads which made it more challenging in addition to the wind, scattered showers and slippery road conditions. All rest stops were well supplied with bananas, cookies, sports drink, water and small bottles of honey. After 100 miles I was severely yearning for something else like a pickle or something with protein. All the volunteers there were glad to see us at every stop although toward the end of the ride their enthusiasm was flagging a bit. The two fellas at Mertens were going out into the rain to wave in bikers in that might not see them across the street under the abandoned gas station awning. SAG was visible throughout the course and police directed traffic near I-35. However, I did get buzzed by a couple of drivers on the back country roads where there was no shoulder and worried I might be hit in the haze of the rain. I encountered two loose packs of dogs with their owners present which forced me to stop to avoid being nipped. I had to wait until they could be distracted by other riders before I could go on. They had massages inside the A/C at the High School for $1/min. Overall, it was a well organized and challenging ride and I will probably do it again. I recommend stopping for lunch somewhere in the middle, though, to break the monotony for the taste buds and get more fuel than cookies or bananas. Mace might also be a consideration if you ride solo.
This was my first time doing the Waxahachie Cow Creek Classic. I did the 100-mile version. The scattered storms made for an interesting day, to be sure, but the cloud cover and storm front was a blessing, keeping the temperatures WAY down through most of the ride.
Parking was easy, as was packet/shirt pickup. The start was also well-organized, although I’m not sure what the guys in the Frontier gear and old-time rifles had to do with it… perhaps to keep riders from taking off early?? (grin) The start was trouble-free, and within 5 miles we were riding facing a full arch rainbow across the sky, thanks to the sun behind us and the rain in front a few miles… For the first 10 or so miles, I seemed to be about 20 minutes behind whatever rain was falling, only having to dodge occasional puddles, and the road surface was good… out to the first rest stop. Traffic control to this point was good, but once you’re out of the main area, you’re on your own. The rest stop (and all others) was staffed with friendly people, cookies, oranges/bananas, bottles of honey (a nice touch), and fluids. [However, may I recommend having more than one porta-potty per stop??? The lines were typically 8+ long at every stop…]
Immediately after this first rest stop, the chipseal began… However, I ride a LWB recumbent, so it didn’t really bother me very much! Most of the roads beyond this were two-lane, and traffic wasn’t too bad – and I had/saw no problems with impatient or angry drivers along the way, but there were definitely long stretches with no appreciable shoulder to move over on to if you needed to. This became a real concern when I hit rain at about mile 54, shortly after the 75/100 mile split… I rode through heavy downpour for about 30 minutes, hoping no one would come up behind me fast in a car…
The sun came out as I approached Ennis, for the long ride up 77 back to Waxahachie. This, at least, had decent shoulder area to ride in, and it was relatively clean, although I saw a few people having flats along the way. Additionally, most of the trip up 77 is somewhat uphill, which made for a tough last 20+ miles. I had 98.25 miles on the odometer when I hit the finish. (I did an extra 1.75 up and down the street to hit 100 even, just because…) There was no banner or anything to indicate “finish”, but at least they had more dispensers of fluids available outside the main building, and a few people doing massage inside if you needed it. There weren’t many cars left in the parking lot by then (2:30), although I had a 16.5 mph riding average…
Overall, I consider it a good ride. Excellent paint arrows at the turns, good rest stops, and cool temps due to the local storms. This would have been a rough century if it had been hot, because there were lots of long hills to climb along the way, especially the section around mile 45… But I’ll probably do it again next year!
I have over 1500 miles in the saddle this season. This is not my first ride by any means. I did the 100 mile route. First I will rate aspects of the ride and then provide some personal commentary. <<<<<<Overall Ride Rating: 6 of 10. Rest Stops: 7 of 10 - (Nice touch with the honey. Bananas and Oranges plentiful. Cookies provided. Some stops ran out.) Organization: 8 of 10. Scenery: 8 of 10 Route: 7 of 10 Road Surface: 6 of 10 Public Safety Support: 7 of 10. Ride Support: 6 of 10 Social Atmosphere: 4 of 10 Likelihood of attending next year: 6. >>>> Comments: Ouch! Chip seal galore. Though not as harsh as other chip seal I've ridden on. But Texas is notorious for cheap seal. But a good 60% of the 100 mile route was cheap seal. The weather was great. The cloudy start and light rain during the first 3 hours was welcomed. It cleared up and the blazing hot sun dried things off quickly. My BIL who did the 75 said it didn't rain for them. I disagree with one reviewer who said you don't ride for a meal. I traveled 50 miles each way and paid 25.00 to ride on roads my taxes paid for. To pay $20-$25 per person to ride bikes on a road cyclists are legally entitled to is a little much if they should not expect support and refreshments. I base my ratings and comments on other rides I have attended throughout the country. I think these "charity" rides should focus on the riders first. Part of safe biking in 100 degree heat is nutrition and hydration. In rural TX, there aren't stores lining the roads and you need a lot of calories to go the distance. Ride organizers are responsible to provide safety and support. I pay for the support, convenience and the festivities. I can ride any road in TX for free. I can contribute to any charity and get a tax deduction, and I do. I have attended rides where they provide not only the basics but bands, full meals and a socially enriching atmosphere after the ride. For the same price. I actually helped with the organization of a ride in WI and I can tell you there is a lot of work involved but the organizers put the cyclists first. I'd say overall the CCC was a good experience because of the people. Just don't expect a whole lot otherwise.
June 25, 2005
A well-orchestrated ride! Good Route + Good People = A Good Ride Great job, Waxahachie Rotary Club!
SHARE THE ROAD!! Gawd, I can't believe you idiot riders who don't move over when there's a car BEHIND
YOU. SHARE THE ROAD,IDIOT and let the car pass! Cyclists are at the bottom of the "food chain" when
yielding. We yield to EVERYONE (cars, motorcycles, skaters, horses.. EVERYONE). Now onto the review:
This was my first year doing the Cow Creek Classic. I wasn't sure I really wanted to do this ride because of
all the "bad" reviews (whiners) from the past. But, I admit I am pleasantly surprised at how well the ride
seemed to go on the 45 mile route. Maybe all the "problems" are on the longer 75 and 100 mile routes? I
had a great time and plan to return next year for the ride. I even thought that the "Buy a motor"
spray-painted on the road was funny. Of course, this quickly becomes a bad idea because of the "added
weight" issue, right? The roads were pretty good considering this is Texas. I find that running the
tires at 100psi helps smooth out the "rumbling" on some of the chip seal. While I hate waiting at the
start of the ride, I can certainly appreciate the value of staggered starting. Traffic control was good
and present at the major intersections. Route markings were very visible and difficult to miss. Heck, they
even spray-painted the words "GRAVEL AHEAD" on the road in certain sections. Rest Stops were good.
Volunteers were excellent. The food at the rest stops was fantastic: Roasted chicken breast; Tender,
marinated filet mignon; Honey butter rolls. Mmm-mm! What? You missed that stop? Overall, I give the Cow
Creek Classic an "8" on a scale of 1 to 10. I give some riders a "1" for their attitude and lack of
consideration for traffic in general. The "locals" seemed nice and patient enough to wait to pass us by,
even with the "lackies" that infiltrate the rides all too often. I hope nobody complains because there was
no "free food" at the end. Remember, your money goes toward the CHARITABLE organization that we ride for...not YOU. All the extras come from local sponsorship,
so go complain to the area restaurants as to why they won't give away any food to you. This is a good rally
in its present form. All the basic needs are there. Maybe some of us just need to toughen up a bit.
Wow! This year's Cow Creek Country Classic was a cyclist's dream. Ride organizers could learn from this
ride...route, route, route. The 75 miler was full of twists and turns, choppy hills, and more twists and turns. They definitely get you off the beaten path. This ride really does strive to get better and better. Everything that I saw was well thought out. The start is very easy to find...Waxahachie High School, on 77. Plenty of parking within yards of registration. Packet pick-up was a breeze. They had fruit, water, Gatorade right at the start. Might as well get ahead on the hydration . They had a staggered start, with the 100 milers going out first. Oh, routes of 19, 36, 46, 75, and 100 miles. The rest stops were
adequate, but nothing to write home about. I believe it was rest stop # 4 that had cold watermelon. I skipped rest stop # 3, so the watermelon was a real life-saver . The rest stops seemed to be spaced at about 10-15 miles apart. Traffic control and signage was excellent. Police officers and volunteers did an excellent job. Oh, one more thing about the rest stops...they had a rest stop just four miles from the
finish. It was very hot and this last rest stop made the finish line just that much more attainable. Did I mention the really cool t-shirts? The ride was to benefit the Waxahachie Rotary Club. They had a route map that was very extensive, and was readable. It was actually printed, not just photo copied. The more you look at this ride the more you realize the tremendous organization and effort it took to pull it all
together. Thanks to all. The one downer was the long stretch of very rough pavement about the last 30 miles of the 75 miler. The last pull down 77 was rather tedious... a stark contrast to the winding county roads at the
start. SAGS could be seen throughout the ride. Oh, they included a rider survey in the packet to make next year even better. All in all I loved this ride. I'll definitely be back!!!! DeWayne Shepard
(Roadkill)
This ride was very well organized, registration was easy and very appreciative volunteers. Most of the roads were very lightly travelled by cars. out of the 75 miles only 5 miles had more than token auto traffic. Even though the route had chip seal on approx 20 miles, the chip seal was very smooth for chip seal. substantially smoother than collin county classic route. No complaints about the ride (except the heat).
We rode the 100 mile route and enjoyed it very much. The volunteers at registration and especially at the rest stops were great, cheerful and helpful especially the guy on the 100 mile route who made sure everyone got sprayed down with cold water whether they wanted it or not. The roads were for the most part OK the Chip Seal was well chip seal but it was mild when u consider some that we all have ridden on lately My only suggestion would be work on the route as we got back into Waxahachie It was confusing and the little dicey All in all I recommend this ride
It was a good ride. I rode with a group so I actually visited several rest stops and found them well stocked with water, some type of "ade", ice, fruit and honey. The route was pretty good, there was quite a bit of chip and seal, but that is expected in Texas and on a 100 mile route. No, it was not unbearable. I made it through just fine on a fixed gear aluminum track bike. I will be back next year as long as there is a 100 mile route - chip and seal or not.
June 26, 2004
As usual a very excellent and well organized ride. I can highly
recommend this ride to all levels of riders. I did the 75 mile route which had
very few cars until highway 77. Only disappointment of the day was the rain
which started around the 45 mile point and continued until the end. Was going to
do the 100 until rain started. I did develop a new appreciation for the chip
seal - the spray from the wheel in front is substantially less with the chip
seal. Only stopped at two rest stops, but they were very helpful and
appreciative of the support for their charity. Will be back next year.
We rode the Cow Creek Country Classic today; we chose this rally
for the 100-mile course. I read the reviews from the previous year and was
prepared for the chipseal. I had hoped with so many negative comments about the
chipseal roads the routes would have been adjusted this year but that wasn't the
case.
Although we could not register online, I did send in our registration the of the
event and pre-registration was a breeze. I thought there were more hills than
flats and some of the hills were more challenging than "rolling" which
counters what the brochure and website stated. We started out with support but
it quickly ran out by the time we hit Midlothian. We actually had to stop for a
traffic light at a major intersection while a police officer was sitting in his
car watching us; maybe for riders willing to risk a ticket? There was no other
support until we neared the school at the end.
I'm not sure why the support wasn't there. My guess is manpower and/or money.
However, I do think the support could have been strategically placed to protect
riders that the route put in harm's way. We chose the 100-mile course and part
of the course turned across a two-lane fast highway with no support to get the
riders across.
I was very disappointed with this ride. This was a paid ride with minimal
support and no food afterwards (I'm not counting oranges, and this point I am
looking for something more substantial). I chose this ride for the 100-mile
course but I'll find a different one next year. This one was not worth the fee.
This is another well organized ride. Parking and registration
were easy. Good t-shirts this year. I estimate 800 to 1000 riders participated.
Route markings were excellent. I rode the 76 mile route. They warned us about
that one section of fresh chip seal around Milford but said it wouldn't be too
bad. Well, it was bad. That chip seal road surface creates significant rolling
resistance. That section of road was also a gradual climb and I didn't think it
would ever end. The rain started about halfway through the route but really
wasn't that bad to me because it was a steady rain, not a typical Texas gully
washer (the gully washer occurred on the drive back to Dallas) I stopped at one
rest stop at about mile 50 to refuel and it was well stocked including
watermelon which really tasted good at that point. My only real complaint beside
the section of chip seal road finish was that the last 20 miles or so were on
Highway 77. The shoulder wasn't that wide and there was a lot of traffic.
Overall, though, this is a good ride. There is a fair amount of climbing on the
76 mile route. There were no big hills but enough rolling terrain that the
climbing did add up to about 2040 feet by my computer. By contrast, the Italy
ride, which is just south of this ride only had 1100 feet over 60 miles. It was
my second time to ride this ride (did the 50 mile route last year). I hope to do
it again next year.
Here's the good part: easy registration, apparently well staffed
rest stops (I only stopped once). Now for the rest: The routes were
unimpressive: who thought that it would be a good idea to hug the shoulder of a
two line highway for 16 miles? There were no crossing guards other than at the
very beginning and the very end. My group had to numerous intersections
including two highways without assistance. I will not return despite the reviews
from previous years
As I expected this ride was very well organized from start to
finish. The start is my favorite of all the rides I have done, staggered starts
are awesome especially when a police car leads us out, classy. The 45 mile
course was good, albiet few roads with any shoulders, with only one hill of any
merit. My wife and I had planned on doing the 75 but after looking at the
weather forecast we opted for the 45 instead, good choice as it rained on us the
last 10 miles as it was. Suggestions for next year: T-Shirt should have the year
on it, more cookies at some rest stops as one of the two we stopped at was out,
and how about some "one mile to rest stop" signs. The use of the
indoor restrooms at the start and finish was awesome and parking was fantastic.
One complaint: The free sandwich coupons we got were only good after July 1st,
since we are from out of town (3 hour drive) we cant use it, bummer. Will be
back next year!
I was really disappointed with this ride. Although it was well
organized (good parking, fast registration, and smooth start) and the volunteers
were terrific (very friendly at well-stocked rest stops), the route sucks -
there's no other way to say it. I did the 100 mile route. The chip seal
started at about mile 40, and except for the stretch between Frost and Italy, it
continued until we got back into Waxahachie. About half of it was the worst road
I've ever ridden on, and the other half was just plain uncomfortable. I had a
broken spoke (on a Ksyrium wheel!) and two flats because of the stuff. The point
is this: Most riders don't come to a rally for the T-shirt, the goodie bag,
the cookies, or any of the other folderol; we come for the route. We want to
enjoy ourselves on our bikes over whatever distance we choose. Clearly, the
organizers of this ride are not sensitive to this fact. And given the number of
complaints from last year about the road surfaces, they're not listening
either. I love riding in the rain, and I was fully prepared for a long, strong
ride, but 50+ miles of chip seal absolutely ruined my fun. I won't be back.
I rode the Waxahachie Cow Creek Classic ride this weekend. The
100 miler was the one that I chose. 10 miles in, we got to watch a policeman eat
donuts while he watched us. After what seemed like 4 minute of looking at us
from across the street, he decided that he would allow us to pass through, now
the light that had finally turned green. Once that was out of the way, it was a
really pleasant cruise for another 35-40 miles. Some decent climbs and a few
exhilarating descents filled in that section of the course. Once we hit the chip
n seal, we also hit the rain and with it, the wonderful milky by-product of
water on recently tarred roads . What would have normally have been good
conditions were made worse because of the rain. We hit some smooth roads that
normally would have been "happy roads" and because of the tire spray,
the weren't so "happy". Oh well, nothing could have been done about
that so we can't and won't fault the organizers. The course made it's way down
some of the same roads from the previous weeks ride in Italy. By the time I got
back to town, the town was awake and downtown was quite busy. Mother Nature
decided to get busy as well. A little support would have been nice at this
point. We really had had to stop a lot of times during the final few miles due
to busy intersections. It wasn't terrible but it could have been controlled a
little better. All in all, it was a described in previous years reviews. I ran
my bomb proof rims with larger diameter tires to smooth out some of the
roughness of the chip n seal and that is a suggestion I would make to anyone
riding this ride. I had a pretty decent ride and enjoyed the total experience. I
would like to try this course "dry" next time. That might make an
already fast course and make a little faster. I would do this ride again. It
covered some pretty country and the folks were friendly.
I don't like to criticize any ride, since putting one on is a
thankless task. And I appreciate that the rides are for charity and most of the
money should be for the cause. But the Waxahachie organizers are downright
stingy with the $25 entry fee. The packet is minimal, with a t-shirt drawn by
someone's kid and no water bottle. And at the end,--there was nothing but some
cookies and fruit. Many rides have pizza, barbeque, hot wings, or a full lunch.
Chick-Fillet was a "platinum" sponsor and their cow danced around at
the start,--I assumed there would be a sandwich or two. Instead, nothing but a
coupon for a restaurant which didn't open until July, so virtually no one could
use it. Otherwise, I thought the route was fine. More or less the same one
they've used for last 10 or so years that I've done the ride. There is some
chip-seal, but where can you go any distance in Texas without it? And the
traffic isn't perfect, but it's half-hour from the Metroplex, it's going to be
busier than a more-distant ride.
I'm never at a loss for good comments on this ride. I love the
course and I loved the weather this year. A lot of folks will cry about little
things like the chip seal and (you have got to be kidding) a ticket for
something free that they can't redeem immediately. I had an absolutely
wonderful ride. I had my fastest average of the year at this rally.
Chip Seal - You should have been there a few years back when it was
first put down. Bone jarring. You cannot expect smooth riding all the way in
this area. I find this section to be a minimal problem with respect to the
overwhelming majority of miles on roads that are just fine, if not perfect for
the ride. Some folks will hate it, others will suck it up and deal with it.
Traffic Support - As cyclists, we should set the standard for obeying
traffic laws. I don't think we need our hands held the entire way to get
through roads in rural areas. If one has to stop and look both ways before
crossing, I think that is fine. In fact, it might just be downright mandatory. I
appreciate all of those who held the intersections for us during the first part
of the ride. I thought the support was adequate.
So many people micro-criticize a rally to death. This is a great rally. I think
too many people expect their entry fee to go towards stuff they can get in
return. The last time I read brochures, it states that this money is going
towards charitable causes. I don't expect much in the line of rest-stops and
post-ride stuff. Just have some water, Gatorade, ice, and small snacks. Let the
bulk of the money go to those who need help.
I'll be back next year, for sure.
A great, well organized rally. I had a wet but thoroughly
enjoyable morning. Keep up the good work.
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