Packing for La Grange and Austin – I've expanded the list from the MS150 Website
We send stuff to both La Grange and Austin. On the Saint Arnold's team, you will not be able to send anything from La Grange to Austin. Some of the things may need to be duplicated! If you MUST send something to Austin, the MS Society has a truck, but I have never used it.
En Route:
• Helmet – REQUIRED
• Rider Numbers and wristband – REQUIRED
• Padded bike shorts and jersey
• Cycling gloves and shoes
• Sunglasses
• Tire patch kit, spare tubes, tire pump or CO2 (also one of those little square plastic patch kits, if you run out of tubes!)
• Water bottles/hydration pack
• Quart Zip-lock bags for keeping stuff dry in your jersey pockets
• Lip balm and sunscreen, a couple of mini packets of Butt Butter (Chamois Butt’R)
• Identification (driver’s license!!!)
• Emergency cash and credit card, remember cash for the massages!!!
• Cell Phone
• A small amount of baby wipes in a Zip-lock bag
• A small cloth or tissue in a plastic bag (to clean glasses)
• A few teaspoons of “Light salt” (to treat cramps!), or "Salt Tabs".
• Goo or food you like to carry.
• Don't bother with Jacket/rain poncho, unless they are predicting serious rain
La Grange:
Air Mattress (generally limited to twin size, unless you are sharing) or a Cot – We've used cots the past few years and I think they work better than air mattresses. They are quicker to setup and they do not deflate in the middle of the night.
Sleeping bag - (It can get cold in La Grange). You might also pack an extra blanket.
A small pillow
Ground Cloth (4’x8’) plastic tarp (for under your air mattress)
Ear plugs (the little soft ones), ‘cause some people snore. And yes, that would be me. I am an OSHA violation.
Eye Covers
Nose plugs (just kidding, well, not really...)
A Change of clothes for the afternoon/night, Warm up pants are good if you start cramping
A jacket (gets cold in La Grange Night/Morning)
Sneakers/flip-flops, what ever
A Change of bicycle clothes for Sunday. Most of the Saint Arnold Riders wear Summer Pilsner (The tie dyed jersey) on day two.
A couple of spare tire tubes! This is in case you used them up on day one. You can also buy them in La Grange.
A Spare CO2 cartridge if you use those
A towel, face towel, soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.
A small bag/backpack for your change of clothes and with your shower stuff already packed. This is really handy so that you can grab a couple of beers and head straight for the showers!
A soft folding chair since there aren't (m)any chairs. Seriously, this is one of those things that makes it much easier in La Grange!
Spare “goo” and Gatorade, etc. for Sunday. Usually Saint Arnold's has big bottles of Gatorade and water.
Drugs (Aspirin/Ibuprofen, Hydrocodone, birth control, cyanide if all else fails, etc.). I usually stock a wide variety of things to cure potential ails. I generally don't have extra birth control pills, so don't ask...
“Lite Salt” (to treat cramps!)
Spare glasses (Sun, regular, everything)
Money (Money is always good)
Sunscreen (for Sunday)
Plastic cover (grocery plastic bag) for bike seat on Saturday night. Don't tie it, you will need to carry on the ride to Austin.
Baby Wipes (you'll thank me later).
If you plan to use the MS Society trucks in Austin to get your bike back to Houston, carry at least one plastic grocery bag in your jersey pocket on Sunday so you have a way to carry your bottles, bike computer, etc., from your bike. If you don't knot the one you used Saturday night, it can server double duty.
For La Grange, I use a large lockable plastic storage box. Regular luggage works well too.
Austin Bag(s):
A Change of clothes
A jacket (gets cold, sometimes and you might need it for the ride back)
Sneakers/flip-flops
If you plan to shower in Austin – a towel, face towel, soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste
A small bag/backpack for your change of clothes and shower stuff already packed
Drugs (Aspirin/Ibuprofen, etc)
“Light salt” (to treat cramps!)
Spare glasses
Money
If you plan to head back to Houston on Sunday, I like the Coaches provided by MS Society. You dump your bike at
the finish (choose where you want your bike sent and remember your truck name!), head for a few beers, take a shower, then catch a bus ride back to Houston. The buses go to all of the regular starting points including Waller. You don’t have to have a reservation or even money!!! They will trust you to send a check.
Oh, and as usual, Lennie says no dogs...
