Hot Rocks in Rockwall, TX

August 11, 2007

The good: Nice folks. Very well organized. Very well stocked rest areas. (Nice t-shirt design, too.) Overall good ride for ADULTS.
The bad: The 10 mile ride was actually 16.2 miles long by cycling computer. Don't know whether the other distances were off by this much or not. This was fine for me, but I'll bet it was a shock to some with kids. That was more than half again the distance they had planned. Also, it was mainly up hill. I'd say about 90% of the ride is up. Again - probably not so great for kids and I did see a number of families off on the side with crying children. Fine for adults.
The ugly. The last bit had bad or no shoulders, HEAVY traffic, and virtually NO police or traffic control. (Take those guys out of the country, put up a sign and send them to the dangerous areas.) The end was a pretty good stretch of the frontage road of I30 and with the construction there were SEVERAL 18 wheelers that came past at a VERY high rate of speed. Okay for adults but DANGEROUS AND NOT ADVISABLE FOR CHILDREN.
I will return to this ride again and would recommend it to others, however, I think the designation of "family friendly" needs serious reconsideration.
Also, PLEASE Rockwall Rotrary - RECYCLE !!!!! All those plastic bottles, tin cans and styrofoam plates and not a recycle bin in site!

After reading some of the mixed reviews for this event from years past; I was pretty impressed with the event. Route was plainly marked, police presence at intersections was outstanding, and the roads were in pretty good shape. On my ride on the 43 mile course, I only saw 2 potentially dangerous spots in the pavement. NOTE to ride coordinators: even though many of us did not stop at the last rest stop, only 3 1/2 miles from the finish, with the temperatures as hot as they are in August, it was probably worth having there anyway. If I only carried one water bottle, I would have needed a stop. ALSO, the ice cream goodies at the end were a great surprise.

I rode the Hot Rocks Ride in Rockwall this weekend. This was my first Hot Rocks ride and will be my last. This was the most MISERABLE ride I have ever ridden (and for $35 was not worth it). Note to ride coordinators, you need to start this ride no later than 7:15 and you need to change the course route to better suite bicyclists. Rest stops had very little shade but did have plenty of food and water. Next year if the start time and route changes I will considering coming back.

I really enjoyed this ride. I rode the 100K course but bailed out of the Heath loop as I was very cooked at that point. Be warned, there's not alot of shade on this course so when it's really hot, you really suffer. I registered the morning of the ride for $35 and was greeted by very friendly folks. I agree with what has already been related about the shirt - very cool. The course started out with some rollers but was mostly flat. Another set of rollers hit at about mile 30. The route was enjoyable and well protected for the most part. There was some chip and seal to deal with and more than once I was passed by someone going way too fast and too close for comfort. The rest stops were well stocked and the support folks were very helpful. One suggestion would be to provide some shade for spots that don't have trees. I finished in 5 hours and the rest stops near the end of the route were still stocked and available. I unfortunately did not participate in the free lunch from Applebee's since I just collapsed in my car with the AC on full. This is a great prep ride for the HH100 and I will definitely do it again.

This was my first time to ride this ride. The registration was fast and the people were friendly. The start should have started a half hour to forty-five minutes earlier at this time of year. I have ridden numerous cycling events all over the state. I knew that it would be hot but because The Rotary Club had done this for so long I figured it was a well oiled machine. Well, I wasn't impressed. I did not think that the route was sufficiently marked. The route map, on the website dated 2005, had all the routes color coded. But you never saw a colored arrow anywhere on the route unless it was to turn a corner. Not being from the Rockwall area and having never done the ride before, it is very troubling to be riding along and not be sure that you are going the correct way. The rest stops were stocked with all the same food. I love rest stops that are sponsored by businesses from the city, the ride is held in, and they compete with each other for the best rest stop. At this time of year, protein and salt is especially necessary on a lengthy bike ride. I would have given anything for a small peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a piece of watermelon about mile 33. The lack of shaded areas at the rest stop was a problem, also. I hope the Rotary Club will look at the comments on this website and correct these problems. We might do the ride again, if they did.

August 12, 2006

This is my second year riding the Hot Rocks Bicycle Race and I rode the 60 mile route. This year was the 20th year for the ride. Same day registration was smooth and friendly but a bit more expensive than other rides ($35). The original founder of the ride was there and after a few words of thanks, he triggered the staggered starts off with a starter’s pistol. I guesstimate maybe 1000 riders. The course was marked only with signs which had small red arrows. I saw two riders go off course from missing these small signs. Although, the course was said to be the same, the roads seemed smoother this year. Last year most of the course seemed to consist of 95% brand new chip-and-seal and was a very rough ride. The course had a few hills, especially in the last 15 miles, as I recorded 1220 feet of ascent. The 30 and 50 mile rest stops were well supplied with bananas, Powerade, water and the volunteers were friendly and eager to help. Police were at all controlled intersections stopping traffic. SAG was frequently visible on the course. I encountered 4 loose dogs early in the course. The finish area had Applebee’s serving ham/turkey sandwiches with cantaloupe and a brownie. There was music, misting fans, shaded seating and all-you-could-eat ice cream, Powerade, water and colas. They even opened up the cafeteria for those that needed a cooler place to recover. I thoroughly enjoyed this ride and will definitely plan to do it again next year.

This is my third year to do the Hot Rocks ride and I must admit that I may have to miss this one next year, even though it's very close to home for me. First, The road surface has always been hard to handle on this ride. I realize that the organizers really can't do anything about the roads, but it's still a factor for me and how much I enjoy the ride. And, before you think I should just "quit being a wimp" you have to realize, everyone enjoys the ride more when the road is smooth and easy. Second, the price is a little steep. I know it's for a good cause, but when my wife pays $35.00 to ride 40+ miles, that's almost a dollar a mile. We could just go out to White Rock and get better roads and ride for free. Third, I had a flat on this ride and I thought I really lucked out because it happen about 100 feet from a rest stop. I walked the bike to the rest stop expecting that I would be able to use a regular size pump and be sure I was getting the right air pressure back in the tire. There was no pump available and no one that could help me out. On other rides, I've had a broken spoke repaired for me while I got my refreshments. I guess I was expecting to much to think a pump would be available. C'mon Rockwall,,,, you can do better than this !!!!

Rode the 100k again this year - but again decided to skip the 4-mi Heath loop because I was afraid that the last rest stop would close before I could get there. Even though I was keeping a 16-mph average pace, it turned out that I was one of the last riders on this route. I guess the 100k is a turning into a racers-only ride -- maybe the hills scare everyone else off. In spite of that, I thought that the ride was much better than last year. The chip seal was still there, of course, but a year's worth of traffic had pounded it down to a tolerable roughness. The weather cooperated for a while with clouds and some rain that kept the temperature down in the 80's to low-90's until almost noon. Rest stop 5 was moved a little closer in, to a spot where you could actually pull off the road and walk around -- much better than previous years. And every rest stop had plenty of water, sports drink, fruit, and cookies. The 20th anniversary T-shirt design was great, but I have always considered the T-shirts to be one of the best things about this ride. Worst thing this year was following several cars that were trapped behind cyclists who insisted on riding completely across the lane. The drivers were very patient and considerate, even with other cyclists repeatedly passing them on both left and right sides. I know these roads are narrow, and the hills tend to slow us down and make us bunch together, but we could at least go to single-file and motion to the drivers when it is OK to pass us -- share the road needs to work both ways.

This was my first experience with this particular ride. First off, the money goes to a good cause and I tip my hat to the folks that organize this event in its 20th anniversary.
The Good: I pre-registered so check in was a breeze. I rode the 62 mile route and felt it was more than challenging. Especially since it rained into the first 20 miles of the ride. I've never biked in a down pour and other than feeling a little uneasy about slick conditions, I thought the rain was a gift from the biking gods considering how hot it's been in N.Texas. The hills were challenging, the route scenic and the rest stops were spread out between 8 and 10 miles...perfect! The signage was great! Especially alerting you 2 miles from a rest stop. I personally didn't encounter rude drivers or riders. Yes, there were a few riders that thought they were in a time trial (and for those folks, position yourselves at the very front of the start to compete for the cash prizes). This is the first event I've participated in which they award top 3 finishes to male and female. Each rest stop I encountered was staffed with friendly volunteers and stocked with plenty of beverages and food. Just a nickpick suggestion to the organizer - try not to water down the PowerAde or Gatorade too much. These types of beverages are essential to replace sweat and salt and watering them down too much strips away the benefits. The young volunteers at the last rest stop were the best! They cheered you on and applauded your efforts for being this close to the finish. The SAGS were a good bunch too. My back wheel needed adjustment and the SAG that assisted me couldn't have been more courteous and knowledgeable. Many thanks to the Rockwall fire and police departments. The medics were "Johnny on the spot" throughout the ride and the police guided you through each intersection except for the end. (BTW, did anybody else notice some of the mansions along the route? Some of those homes were enormous!!!)
Needs improvement: It seems the police abandoned the last 3 miles of the route late in the morning. We had to go over I-30 and fight our way through two major stop lights (of entering and exiting I-30 drivers). Didn't really appreciate feeling abandoned so close to the end. NOBODY was at the finish to greet you. A fellow cyclist happening to be standing at the finish congratulated me and pointed me in the right direction. I understand the semi-pro/pro riders were done but that's not the end of the event, folks! There were still a bunch of bikers on the road and I felt as if I was on my own.
Overall a very good ride and well organized. The had free food but I couldn't care less about that. Refer to the "Are we spoiled" rantings. I got stocked up with fruits and other essentials along the route at the rest stops. I encourage anyone reading this who hasn't experienced this ride to give it a go. It truly is a good tune-up for HH.

This was my second year to ride this course and overall it was a very enjoyable event. The registration was smooth and plenty of port-a-pots at the start. This is one of the only charity rides that has cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd men and women. This event ride will bring out the semi-pros, which is good to see. The course was over rolling terrain on typical Texas roads. All of the major intersections where controlled by law enforcement and I would like to send out thanks to all of those officers that allowed cyclist to blow through red lights. I did the 100K and the weather was cloudy and cool with light rain in some parts. The rest stops where positioned approximately 10 miles out and they were stocked with all of the essentials ( I only stopped once). I did witness a bad accident and this need to be a lesson to all of the folks who do not have experience riding in a group. There must of have been about 20 cyclists riding in a double pace line. The pace was good (24- 26 MPH) – here is a tip – if you are in a pace line – stay off the aero bars. Aero bars should only be used when you are riding by yourself. A guy in the pace line either hit the back wheel of the guy in front or someone hit his back wheel, either case he went down hard (doing 25 MPH) and took out several riders behind him. I just hope he is doing well, because it was painful to watch. I would suggest that if you are uncomfortable or do not have any experience in riding in a group situation that you go to your local bike shop and participate in group rides. Doing 25 MPH with 20+ riders is not the place for inexperience, people will get hurt. To get back on track, this was a good ride, well organized, plenty of police support and plenty of SAG wagons. I saw plenty of SAG wagons on the course. This ride is a good ride and I will attend next year. Good warm up for the HHH.

Very great ride, hills were tough and that is a good thing. Rest stop staff were very nice. I will as before ride this ride again.
There is one major safety complaint that not only I witnessed but heard no less then five other groups talking about the same problem. Toward the end of the ride were you had to cross the bridge over I-30 to get to the finish line there were two squad cars with police officers inside. They never got off their lazy butts to direct traffic or tell the riders when to cross or stop the cars to let us cross. I was 1/4 way up the hill and an 18 wheeler started up the hill and was no less then one (1) inch away from my handle bars, very scarry. Very ignorant on the officers part.
Unfortunately the ride organizers can not be blamed for the ignorance of the police but it sure has a bad reflection on the entire event.
I will continue to support the ride. Eric Scott, Mesquite, TX

Roads were better this year, with the exception of whatever road that was past the town of Josephine on 43-mile route....(that's where the rain has started those couple of years!). Nice rest stop volunteers, an abundance of SAG and mechanical help, and a nice lunch and misters at the end were great! Entry fee is kinda steep for late registration, but all things considered, including what you'd burn in gas driving further out of the Metroplex, a good rally. I'll be back! Kathy "Duck"

I enjoy every ride I do, no matter the situations. This one was excellent. It had all the elements, a couple miles of bad roads, a couple miles of rain, a couple of good hills, and then at the end a nice bright Texas sunshine! Me and the bro did the 100k to get ready for the HNH and we really enjoyed it and never got bored. I read about some complaints regarding the Police officers...bull crap...they were awesome. If you have a particular problem with an eighteen wheeler on your back, well, pull over and stop. It's something about the weight, but those things can't stop as quick as a Toyota. So, kudos to the 5-0's out there. If you couldn't manage a "thank you" to them at every controlled turn or intersection...maybe you should next time. Quick note on the rest stops: Very good, the folks attending them were very helpful and the poweraid was fine...however, one stop (at a mile I will not mention) had toilet paper that seemed to be of a 300 thread count instead of the "arbitrary" 5000 thread count. This really chaffed my hide. Also, somone knocked on my porta potty when the handle was clearly RED not GREEN! Maybe a sponser could put a little flier in the packet on the color difference? All in all, excellent time, excellent ride, and see ya next year. Jake Bickle

Aug 13, 2005

Sign in was organized and there was plenty of traffic assistance. Other than that I am not so sure what is so great about this ride. The roads are terrible. There is no other way to say it. The last few miles are fine, but the majority of the 62 mile route is horrible. Chip and seal the majority of the way. To make matters worse there was a serious head wind, which the organizer cant be faulted for that. It made the day very tough. The rest stops on the joint 40/62 mile route had very long lines just to get water. That makes it very discouraging fighting the wind and being jolted around on these roads. I was very disappointed in this ride. I can honestly say I will never do this again unless they come up with better routes. 

Very well organized rally, traffic control at all intersections, plenty of food at end. registration a breeze. stiff south wind along with a lot of new chip seal made ride more difficult than prior years. (not organizers fault but TxDOT) 

100K. If there is one community that responded to some of the shortcomings from the write-ups last year, this is it. I tip my helmet to the Rockwall Rotary Club, the multitude of law enforcements, fire departments, personally operated SAG wagons all along the route, and scads of exuberant volunteers for their excellent organization and execution of this event. It showed everywhere. Very cool T-shirt that was too big but I had no problem switching for one smaller. I made a point to acknowledge everyone I could. It was 95 by the end of the ride but the traffic control was still top notch. They were Johnny on the spot to block traffic and let us through. If you were a weenie rider, this was not your day. The wind was a constant 10-15mph gusting to 25-30mph and was a perfect intro to the hotter-n-hell. The entire route minus the last 5 miles was recently resurfaced chip seal and had not been driven on enough to even form tire lanes. This stuff knocks 2-3mph off your average and the toll from the incessant vibration takes a major toll. It's the only complaint I have on the entire event. Well, except for the yellow jacket that flew (or was probably blown) into my face. The little SOB bounced off my shades and stung me on my eyebrow. Ouch! By the end of the ride my right eye was almost swelled shut. Great after ride goodies and lots of really cold ice water. I'll be back.

Well organized ride, went pretty well, too bad about the wind, but otherwise fun. Great finish line food - free food is great and plenty of t-shirts and water bottles it seemed. Much of the road surfacing on the 40 mi route was REALLY rough on the body - not sure I could handle that route again. More cookies at the rest stops for those of us who need the sugar burst ! Thanks to Rockwall Rotary Club for a nice event.

Well organized. Excellent police and volunteer support. A great rally that was marred by extremely rough resurfacing on most of the route, rude drivers, road construction, and a high $30 fee even for those that pre-registered. Rally organizers need to reroute and communicate with the Texas Highway Department to avoid such a mess next year.

Well I guess I have ridden in all their rides. I might have missed one. There have been some changes that have made this ride vicious. First let me say that the organization, road markings, and police support are all first class. There was however no excuse for the Heath loop rest stop running out of water. That's bush league...and can be lethal to overheated riders.
Next the chip seal roads are simply out of hand. Unless you are into whips ,chains, leather straps, bondage and pain for sexual pleasure this is no longer tolerable. A strip or two is one thing...but mile after mile of un-rideable sticky road surface is not acceptable. When the tar starts melting it's like riding on flypaper. Also there is a strange anomaly in this ride. You have repeated sharp 400 -600 meter down hills followed by a 3 mile uphill grade. Then another sharp downhill followed by another 2-3 mile uphill grade. Couple this with a stiff head wind on chip seal roads and this is not pain you want to repeat. Many riders were actually getting physically sick. You must also notice that your route for the 60 mile has a relatively short time where the prevailing Southern tail wind could help you out. There is mile after mile heading South into the prevalent headwind. Bad mojo. Grab a hold of these problems right away.
You must change this route dramatically for next year or I predict a significant loss of riders. Pity, it should be improving not getting worse.- Norm Weatherby

From an organizational standpoint, I think the Rockwall Rotary Club does an excellent job, as they have done in the past. When I read some of the reviews, I could get the impression that the Rotary Club does not care about the road surface issue and just did not bother to change the route when new chiprock was laid down this year! I have rode the majority of roads around Rockwall and guess what? - THEY ARE ALMOST ALL CHIPROCK! North Texas bicyclists better wake up and realize that we will have more and more chiprock roads in the future. I'm sure the Rotary Club could have put the ride on loops of high traffic roads through the center of Rockwall but justifiably they would have really heard the complaints then. I have no affiliation with this ride but I like to see reviews that reflect fairness. The weather and road surface did make this an extremely challenging ride this year. Most of us participate in these tours for the experiences. The parking, port-a-toilets, traffic control and after ride feed by Applebees/Bluebell were all top notch. I did read legitimate controllable complaints stated about the ride and thats what we all want to hear about. This website is viewed by hundreds of bicyclists and the ride organizers. We should weigh our opinions more objectively. John's website is a great resource for North Texas bicyclists. 

Agree with all! I will not do this ride again.... Can't help the wind, but the road was really tough.

this was the worst ride i have been on! I don't mind the wind or any other force of mother nature but come on! you cant tell me that there wasn't some one who knew the entire route was paved with chip seal!! The other problem was the water lines, if you can have t-shirts for every one why cant you have enough water? I will say that the registration was fast and there were enough pottys. there was also great support along the way! I wont be back next year, the route was horrible and the price was too high for that kind of punishment.

This is one of my favorite rides of the year, not because it's perfect but mostly because it's a great tune-up for the HHH. The hills (moderate to mild) are at the beginning, when one has better legs for them. There is plenty of chip-seal (ride the HHH and then evaluate your complaints on this one). There is usually a headwind out of the South, when the chip-seal is flat, and this year was no exception. This year the heat and humidity added to the challenge. Rest stops were well stocked. Traffic assistance was great. The only complaint I have is that, on the 43 and 62.5 mile routes, the distance between Rest Stop 3 and Rest Stop 5 is waaay too long, especially on that chip-seal in that headwind. Knowing this from last year, though, I prepared for a self-selected pit stop on that leg. Please add a rest stop for us between these two stops.

Based on previous years' comments, I was expecting a great ride. It started off with great promise with very smooth registration. The route away from town took too long to spread out the riders however. The chip seal was the worst I have ever ridden. The first major rest stop had one jug of water and one of powerade. That is not enough for around 14 miles (I think) and the heat which had to be expected at this time of year. The rest stop where the 43 and 62 mile routes diverged was completely out of water when I was there. There apparently was no water supply there, and they had to bring water to the site.

Whine, whine, whine.
Look kids, toughen up a bit.
That rough chip/seal stuff is here to stay.
So just pull over, hop on the SAG Wagon and let the real riders through.
Just like heat, wind and hills, the road surface is part of the challenge. I remember there was a long strip of fresh chip/seal last year on this route right before one of the rest stops at a school (don't remember which stop that was). This year, that part of the road was smoother. Maybe next year, it'll be even better.
The organization of the Rotary Club is very good. Lots of support along the way at intersections and SAG vehicles on the route. Applebee's was nice enough to provide a bit of food at the finish. The fee had increased this year, but you KNEW that when you signed up.
Next year, there should be more cheese to go with all the whine after the route.
Maybe they should provide a whaaambulance, too.

August 14,2004

This is a very well organized ride with excellent police support at all the major intersections. As a result, I felt very safe on this ride. I got to the ride an hour before the start. I had no problems parking or finding registration. I had pre-registered so I had expected to get a T-shirt in my size - unfortunately they only had Large and X-Large available. Oh well, since they are 100% cotton I figured I could wash them hot and see what they would reduce to.
Rest stops were numerous and came at the right times. I would have liked a greater selection than bananas, oranges, chocolate chip cookies (which were quite good), water and powerade. I craved a convenience store and finally was reunited with a coke at about the 40 mile mark. The route was well-marked as I never checked my map and I was glad to find out that I was still on my 62 mile route after 30-35 miles into it.
There was about 5 miles of the roughest chip seal I had ever in my life experienced. The road vibrations traveled thru every part of me and was pure torture. My only thought was to ride faster. I do not fault the ride organizers for this but, rather the powers that be who make such decisions.
There was sandwiches, drinks and ice cream at the finish line which was a nice treat.
This is an excellent ride with beautiful scenery and at $15 for pre-registrants quite the bargain to boot.

This ride was exceptionally well organized and I must say one of the  better rides in the North Texas area. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of rolling hills throughout the course. Though I will say the stiff south wind kept the pace a little slower. One of the best things about the ride was the extremely good traffic control at all the intersections. In addition to the signs pointing to the turns, there were usually people directing you to the turns. Cant comment about the rest stops since I did not stop at any. The post ride food and ice cream was quite welcome. The estimated riders were approximately 1700-1800. Will be back next year.

To the Rockwall Rotary Club and all the volunteers that worked this rally. GREAT JOB. The 100K route was very good, mostly flat but with enough rollers from mile 40 to near the end to challenge the riders some but not kill them though there was a small stretch from mile 20 to 25 that had the infamous Texas Chip Seal pavement (couldn't really help that). All the major intersections had traffic control, and the rest stops, manned by some very enthusiastic volunteers, were very well stocked with fruit and cookies. We were even treated to a rare cool day in August. I am sure a lot of riders took advantage of this great weather and booked some "personal best" cycling performances. I certainly enjoyed the lunch and treats at the end of the ride. There was plenty left when I finished the ride at around 11:30am.

I did notice that every rest stop had looooooog lines at the porta potties. Sure glad I skipped that cup of coffee.

I completely enjoyed Hot Rocks 2004. I grant that the organizers did not arrange for the wonderful weather but they did arrange for everything else. Registration was fast and painless (I wish CamelBack would put permanent clips on the back to hold your number on!). The signs were easy to follow. There were crossing guards at every intersection - I only had to slow down once. In one case, a truck had pulled out in front of me at a four way stop. The policeman had traffic stopped in all directions. He actually motioned me to pull out from behind the truck and come on through the intersection while everyone else waited! It was actually embarrassing. I only stopped once during the 100k but there was plenty of food and PowerAid. There was one bad strip of chip seal but it didn't last long - otherwise smooth course. They were giving away all kinds of food at the finish line. I thought the ride was great. I encourage everyone to come back next year.

I have ridden the Hot Rocks Rally for several years now. I wouldn't say it is the best rally in North Texas; but it certainly isn't the worst either. It fits right into my rankings, as a very good warm up for the Hotter than Hell Hundred every year. Many Dallas area riders arrive early and ride the twenty mile loop before the official 100 k start to get some extra miles. This years ride was much cooler and less windy than normal. The rest  stops were numerous and appeared well staffed by enthusiastic volunteers---although I rode the 100 k route nonstop. Most of the loop is on lightly traveled FM roads with a short segment of STATE HIGHWAY  SHOULDER and a mile or two of interstate access road. The course is fairly flat with a few rollers. Most of the roads were fairly smooth and fast; except some rough chip coat on the 5 mile leg from Josephine down to Royce City. It appeared that some of the route near Nevada was the same roads as the Wild Flower Ride earlier this year. Most of the major intersections were monitored by local police and fire departments. One intersection was controlled by a sheriff on horseback---this is Texas after all. Seems like the sheriff on horseback is out there every year. Three cheers for that traffic control, it makes us cyclists feel much safer knowing they are out there watching out for us. While most of the roads were pretty clear of traffic; towards the end of the ride; there were some angry motorists  who had to wait for cyclists. They expressed their displeasure by honking  their horns. This intersection was a problem last year as well; then I received a verbal berating from some local rednecks in a enormous pick up truck. The rednecks from last year made me nervous---but the horns weren't especially menacing. At least, the motorists in this area haven't started closely buzzing the cyclists like the drivers up in Collin County. But, you can  tell that traffic will become a growing concern with this ride due to the suburb sprawl claiming much of the farm land around Rockwall. I would suspect  that the local Rotary Club will have to adjust several portions of this loop within the next few years to keep it safe. Finally the T-shirts this year were white with very cool graphics. I enjoyed the 2004 Hot Rocks and will likely ride it next year.

The weather was perfect for the ride this year. Cool temps and no rain for a change. I was glad to see people directing parking lot control - unlike some other rallies where parking is a free-for-all. There was even a golf cart running people to/from registration. Now that's service!! I did the 43 mile and it was a fast start (except for the RR tracks) and a relatively fast ride with most of the hills south of I-30. The rest stop I used was well stocked (especially with cookies!!) with a lot of helpful volunteers. The PD control through the various towns was outstanding. I agree with a previous poster that the Rotary may have to alter the course or perhaps move the start further out to lessen our impact on traffic. Rockwell County is growing and I appreciate the patience showed by the people stuck in their cars waiting for me. Overall it was a well run event with my only complaint being the road condition on 1777 from Josephine to Royse City. It was recently "repaved" and is now a rougher ride than it originally was. I had to drop my speed waaaaay down and it still shook one of my WB cages loose and I think I lost a filling! Well, I'm kidding about the filling but it wasn't fun.

Very interesting start to the day.across from the start in the church parking lot, a few guys decided it was OK to publicly urinate, on church property no less. Never mind that there were ample port a potties across from the start line. This is so disgusting and reflects on all of us. Thanks, gentlemen.
Great ride, though! Hard day for me with that south wind. The rest stops were great. Very friendly folks and the Boy Scouts were holding bikes and telling riders where the 40 & 60 mile routes spilt. Awesome post-ride meal. The chip-seal always gets complaints but I find if you lean into the handlebars a bit, its like a shihatsu massage. The traffic control was great but I too saw some displeasure on the faces of those stuck at the intersection. Oh well, it's a Saturday morning, deal with it.

It's hard to add to the glowing remarks already posted about this ride.
I just want to thank all the police and fire departments and the County Sheriff for providing the best traffic control I have ever experienced on an organized ride. Every intersection was manned by at least one and often several officers. These officers were obviously experienced doing this type of traffic control -- they were very good.
When approaching an intersection I like to look the controlling officer in the eye to be certain I had the right of way and was doing what the officer wanted me to do. There have been times at other rides -- even with traffic control -- when, due to an officer's inattention or inexperience, I was uncertain of how to proceed. On this ride, I felt completely secure at each intersection. Kudos to all the officers involved.
It seemed everyone involved with the ride were extremely concerned with our safety. I even saw an adult Boy Scout at Rest stop # 6 at McLendon-Chisolm tear off on his motorcycle after a motorist towing a horse trailer that had barreled past the rest stop with complete disregard for the approaching cyclists.
My only, criticism of this ride is hard to control. Because of the large number of riders and what appeared to be long lines of backed up motorists at some intersections, there seemed to be a greater than average number of very angry and aggressive drivers. This coupled with single lane country roads with no shoulders always seems to result in aggression with all its inherent dangers. My sense is that the police forces were very attentive to aggressive driving and did all the could to prevent it, but it is a large course and I did see a lot of dangerous driving.
When these elements combine, I get nervous. We cyclists should not throw gas on the fire by riding several abreast and disregarding "Car Back" calls from behind. It only makes things worse.
Otherwise, this was a fun and well-organized ride. Thank you Rockwall Rotary for holding such an enjoyable event.

I enjoyed this ride on the 14th, except for the stretch between Josephine and Royce City. This portion of the ride was arguably the WORST rode I have written on in 15 years of riding. Not only did it beat up my bike, but it beat up my body, and 4 days after the ride, I am still feeling the effects.
While at the rest stop by the Royce City schools, many of the other riders were complaining about that section of road as well. That rest station only had 2 Porta Potties which resulted in about a 20 minute wait before getting back on the road. It took so long to get through that line, I did not even attempt to stop at the refreshment stands because of the long wait.
I have ridden "Hot Rocks" about 5 times and usually enjoy it. I hope you will make changes next year so that we do not have to experience the same things that are listed here.

This was my first Hot Rocks and my guests from the Shreveport Bicycle Club and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Great organization and beautiful scenery, rest stops were spaced out perfectly on the well marked route (little short on the recovery goodies though), don't know what happened with the t-shirts though, I preregd. and did not get my size. On the other hand, we are looking forward to this great ride next year. Word of caution, if not for my carbon ride, that extremely long stretch of state highway vibration torture woouulldd hhaavvee rraattttlleedd aallll my teeth out.

August 9, 2003

We are fortunate to have so many excellent rides in which to participate in the Metroplex and surrounding communities and the Hot Rocks is one of them. The organizers know what they are doing. It looked to me like approximately 1500 riders and racers participated. I rode the 100K route. The route was well marked and traffic control at the intersections was outstanding. The route map in the registration packet is the best one I have seen. It was very easy to follow, there wasn't too much detail making it hard to read. Overall the road surfaces were good and the portions of the route on the chip and seal road surfaces that are so prevalent in North Texas didn't bother me too much. There is one short segment on the Old Greenville Road in Royse City, just south of I-30, that had too many potholes. I think it would have been better to bypass this section which could have been done quite easily with a minor adjustment to the route (turn right to the I-30 service road before the bad section for the ride organizers reading this). The weather was perfect until late in the ride when the rain storm blew in. The gusty winds and wet roads made for an interesting challenge, but that is Mother Nature, can't control that. I didn't stop at any rest stops so I cannot rate those but it seemed like there were sufficient rest stops to me. I didn't participate in the lunch at the end of the ride but that is a nice touch. There were sufficient porta-potties so that I didn't have to wait in line too long before the ride. Overall, a great ride, I plan to be back next year.

Enjoyed the ride! The cooler temps made it delightful. Signage was good, as was the route (I chose the 43 mile route). The major intersections were well staffed with policemen. Stopped at two rest stops--the first one I stopped at (#3, I think) didn't have PowerAde but the next one I stopped at did. The bananas were a little on the green side, but still edible. The rain made it a bit messy, but fortunately it didn't hit until late in the ride. The lunch afterwards was great--sandwiches, brownies, cookies, ice cream, and fruit. Had a nice time; will do it again next year.

The 2003 Hotrocks ride was its usual superior self. Great support, good rest stops, good markings and traffic control, good food and drink afterwards. I did the 100K ride and only stopped at two rest stops so that's all I can vouch for. If you're looking for a good ride around this time of year look no further than Rockwall Rotary's HotRocks ride.

Well the "Hot Rocks" ride was as excellent as ever. Roads: Excellent to superior; 65 % flat, few rollers and grades, couple of fair hills. Nothing drastic. A very fast course. I didn't stop so flew past rest stops, which seemed adequate. I also averaged 18.5 so missed the rain! Just a few drops. This ride is a classic. Negatives: Just one. Those tiny weenie road route signs on the intersection sign post bases are sort of ok...but not when that's all there is. Too many intersections were confusing because cars being held up by police for bikers blocked the view. Which way to turn caused several miscues for riders. I suggest large signs 100 meters before each turn on the side of the road with turn arrows for that route. Also...PLEASE, PLEASE indicate 100 meters after the turn that you are indeed on the right road. Accidents do occur when turning riders, unsure they are on the right route, turn back against traffic to "check out the course". The sub sandwiches, brownies, and ice cream drumsticks at the finish were great! Fix the signs and this ride is as close to perfect as you can get!! Norm Weatherby

Outstanding ride, from the volunteers to the overall course! I rode the 100K route, and stopped at all the rest stops. All but one were completely stocked with POWERade, ice, fruit, and cookies. I was in no hurry, and talked to many of the folks supporting the event. They were all very encouraging, and made the ride very enjoyable. Traffic control was excellent, and there were plenty of SAG wagons available. The weather was quite cool for August, with overcast skies and a sprinkle now and then. There were pretty long lines at the porta-potties located at the first few rest stops, but South of I-30 there were no problems. I was one of the last ones in at 1 PM, and Applebee's still had plenty of sandwiches and brownies to eat. (Unfortunately, the FINISH sign came down promptly at 1 PM, so I missed that thrill by only a minute... Maybe next year they could looks to see if any stragglers are still coming and wait.) I picked up a map several days before the ride, but would have liked to see the course posted on the web earlier. Overall, I had a great time and definitely plan to do this ride again next year! Mike Miller

This was an excellent ride with the best traffic control I have seen. Thank you so very much! The rest stops were well stocked and the porta potties at the start/finish were in abundance as well as on the ride. The food at the end was good eating and it really hit the spot. My husband and I did the 100K and liked the route very well. Can't say enough good things about the traffic support - super good and a big Thank You to all the volunteers. We will be back next year!