Longhorn Tri Scouting Report

I rode the bike course for the Longhorn Tri this morning. I want to write about it so that I remember it for the race. The ride started out on 3177. It's a somewhat busy 4 lane highway, but with decent shoulders. Then, the course takes a right onto 290 and it's busier than 3177 but with wider shoulders. Then, the course takes a right on Old Kimbro Rd. For the next significant portion of the course, it's on farm back roads. There are a few patches of rough pavement, but nothing is that bad for that long. The road conditions vary from semismooth chip seal all the way to very smooth asphalt. It is very scenic with lots of farms, ranches, and fields. The course keep changing directions so it does break it up a bit and you aren't staying on a single road for very long stretches. There is all kinds of terrain. A few small rollers, so nice flat parts, and a few false flats which are somewhat annoying. There is a decent amount of shade along the roads as well but not much prolonged shade. The trees also block the wind a bit. The changing directions also prevents the wind from being a straight headwind or straight tailwind for a long period of time, too. Littig was kind of annoying because I think that was the roughest patch of pavement and it was a lot of false flats. Like I said, all of these roads are very lightly traveled two lane farm roads and there was very little traffic, but if there was traffic, it was big trucks and sometimes they were hauling trailers.

About half way through the course, you turn onto 1704. This stretch of road is very nice in some regards. The pavement is absolutely glassy smooth and it's fast. There is a pretty good amount of shade and there are some stretches of slight downhills. There are a few rollers, too. Now, the bad part about this road. It's a two lane highway with no shoulder and a decent amount of traffic. Then, you take a turn onto 969. Once again, a 2 lane highway with little to no shoulder but slightly less traffic. A right onto Blake-Manor leads into a somewhat significant hill. The pavement is mostly smooth for the majority of this road. A left onto Taylor puts you on probably the roughest parts of the course, but it still isn't too bad. As usual for this course, it's pretty scenic and you won't get bored with the course. Very nice Texas farmland. Decker Lake and Nez Pearce have some rough patches as well. Mostly fissures in the pavement and stuff like that, but still very lightly traveled. Gilbert leading up to 973 is nice. It's a slight uphill, but very fresh asphalt. Then, you take a left onto 973 which is the most dangerous part because it's a left at a red light and 973 is somewhat busy. It's a 2 lane highway with no shoulder and I got buzzed once that scared the crap out of me. On this road is a slight hill and then the toughest hill of the entire course. It's pretty big for Texas standards but not htat bad. It's maybe a 2-3 minute climb and you have to get in the little chain ring unless you are a beast. Oh, I got in my little chain ring maybe 3-4 times if that gives you any indication of the hilliness of this course, but I also tend to go up hills in the big chain ring, too. Once you crest the hill, you're about 2 miles from the transition area and there is another slight hill up into the transition area.

Overall, it's a very scenic course on either highways with big shoulders or little traveled farm roads for the most part. Some rolling hills, false flats, and flat, fast sections with only 2 or 3 moderate hills. Lots of changing directions as well to keep it interesting. I think Keith Jordan did a pretty good job selecting this bike course. I'm happy with it.