Feeling the Burn for MS 150
by Hilda Correa and Mikail Davenport

Imagine 10,000 bike riders giving it everything they have got for people they may not even know to conquer a disease striking thousands of people every year! Miles and miles forming a blur of color, sweat, metal, and rubber all integrated in devotion to serving one's fellow human beings.
This is the basis of the MS150 Bike Tour, the 183-mile trek from Houston to Austin that occurred April 12-13 this year. Each Tour, the finish line moves, so you never know exactly how many miles each ride will bring. Originating in 1984, this massive fundraiser is the largest bike ride in Texas and the largest fundraiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, with 83% of all dollars raised going directly to programs, services and research to end this devastating disease. The MS150 riders are heroes in the eyes of those living with MS. They are seen by many as valiant crusaders in this important battle.

The soft, cool morning air felt comforting and reassuring as bikers left the starting points, Tully Stadium in Houston and Rhodes Stadium in Katy, bound for the first day's end at LaGrange. The first 32 miles, mostly flat, wound through the East Texas countryside with fragrances of new mown grass, hay, wildflowers, and cows combining into the quintessential Texas bouquet. Bikes would pass one another, their riders exchanging words of encouragement and friendship. The remaining 20 miles to lunch brought the first hills and warmer temperatures.

Complimenting the bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush along Day One roads was a myriad of vibrant colored team jerseys of the riders. Blues, golds, reds, silvers, yellows, green, punctuated with the orange Pedal Partner bandanas, all flash by as the participants pedaled their way into the Bellville lunch stop. High carb meals, water refills, and even a quick nap reinvigorated the riders for their next leg of the journey. One could see bikers, rollerbladers, and handcyclists lounging in the grass under refreshing shade trees.

After the remaining but not too punishing 46 miles, the sea of colored jerseys rolled into LaGrange, where cheering crowds, masseuses, cots, food, and partying awaited the grateful riders. There is an old saying about the end of Day One: "Bring your sleeping bags and your dreams to LaGrange." Expanded choices of shower venues promised welcome relief from sweat and road grime: the old standby showers of LaGrange High School, or shower trucks or cold outdoor showers at the Fairgrounds.
Day Two began with the famous Hot Pancake Breakfast, a staple of the MS150. Starting in 40-degree Spring crispness, the riders began their assault on the most difficult leg of the journey, the challenging hills of Bastrop and Buescher State Parks. For those souls unwilling to attempt the "Killer Hill" at Buescher, a less demanding detour was provided this year.

Another great lunch stop at Bastrop High School and onward to the finish line at Samsung in Austin with strong crosswinds and quickly rising temperatures adding yet another challenge. Throngs of well-wishers, more masseuses, and shower trucks welcomed the weary riders to the end of their quest. After cleaning up and snacking, riders picked up their ride certificates and pins, posing for photographs throughout the Samsung campus. Those riders living in Houston then packed up into the waiting 30 buses for transport back home.

Behind the scenes, unknown to most, are over 2,500 volunteers, a quiet but extremely hard working group of heroes and heroines who give of their time and talent to support the 10,000 riders. Paramedics and nurses, motorcycle escorts, support vehicle drivers, rest stop personnel… the list seems endless, but their impeccable service is not. Every rider knows that someone is always there for him or her throughout this grueling trek to conquer MS.

Words cannot express fully the feelings one has in participating in this incredible event. The sights, sounds, cheers, and tears exhibit the unique spirit of Texans (native or otherwise): all for one and one for all, pulling together to help bring people living with MS out of their suffering! One rider with MS sums it all up: "Just thinking about the MS150 hurts, but I am proud to be a part of this magnificent event. I paused many times during the ride to remember how truly blessed we all are to have so many special people in our lives."

Hilda Correa is the Division Administrative Manager for the Right of Way Division of TxDOT and this was her third MS 150.
Mikail Davenport is the Special Projects Coordinator for the Right of Way Division and rode the MS 150 for the first time this year.