MS 150 SAG drivers – thanks again for all that you have done to support MS and ham radio!! In case you didn’t notice from the calendar and the beautiful day out yesterday, Spring is approaching!!
The BP MS 150, traveling from Houston to Austin, is April 18 & 19. If you like BIG, EXCITING events, this one is the king of events. MS will arrange for you to pick up your SAG van in Houston, San Antonio or Austin (your choice) on Friday.
MS will arrange a hotel room Friday night near the Addicks Park and Ride in Houston. Then Saturday morning at 5:30 we meet and hit the road with 13,000 bicycle riders and about 50 SAG vans and buses.
We overnight in LaGrange Saturday night and MS will find us a place to sleep – usually a motel room, sometimes a bunk house at one of the camps there. MS will provide us a supper Saturday night and breakfast Sunday morning in LaGrange. Plus all the bananas you can eat at the break points. 🙂 We finish around 6: 00 pm Sunday, go home, and turn in the van Sunday night or Monday morning. And you will have many grateful riders as you help them along on the ride.
Having done this for many years, I can tell you it is a LOT of fun and is very rewarding. You are part of an event that will raise over $20,000,000 for MS, the biggest bicycle fundraiser in the country. – Charlie KC5NKK
If you would be willing to consider this event, let me know and please contact Susan and Steve Shirk and get on their email distro. If you haven’t worked with them before, you will be delighted at how well organized they are and how appreciative they are of your contribution.
The Houston ride strongly encourages you to have a co-pilot. There are a lot more times when you have to maneuver through a LOT of bikes and having two more eyes as well as someone to talk to the riders on your passenger side is a huge help. Plus having someone to help handle bikes while the driver controls the vehicle is helpful as well as having company along the way.
And I can’t think of a better way to introduce a newbie to ham radio than to listen, and help talk, on the radio. If you have someone you would like to bring along, please talk to them and do so. Once in awhile MS will have an extra volunteer or two that can serve as co-pilots, but we can’t depend on that.
There are also openings for break point operators and tour official shadows if you are looking for something that doesn’t involve driving.
For insurance reasons, MS requires a background check (criminal and driving record) of all drivers. In the past, no background checks have been required of co-pilots, shadows or break point operators. MS works hard to protect confidentiality. they are only looking for the more egregious and recent issues. It is a fairly painless process that takes about 15 minutes on line and is paid for by MS.
Charlie Land KC5NKK
kc5nkk@hillcountryreact.org
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From the SAG Queen!!
All Sag Volunteers Mandatory Meeting – Tour info, safer brief & Pick up Materials. You or your designated alternate (such as your navigator) must attend this meeting.
Volunteers from San Antonio / Austin area will meet on Saturday, April 11th, in San Marcos at a hotel conference room located along IH-35. Exact location will be shared with the participants.
So that’s ball park
