My 68-Mile ‘Conquer The Coast’ Bicycle Ride [PHOTOS]

Approximately 1,500 riders line up at the starting gate at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi for the beginning of 'Conquer The Coast' 2011. (Photo By Randy Jones)

This past Saturday my wife and I rode the 'Conquer The Coast' bike ride in Corpus Christi. It's a 68-mile event that takes riders all the way around Corpus Christi Bay. It was a fantastic day with beautiful weather, and also a chance for my wife Kathy and her sister Paula to get together for the first time in about 5 years. The photos below will help to describe a cycling event that is one of the best in Texas. The ocean scenery alone makes it worth the trip, not to mention the fitness benefits and the cameraderie among participants. The ride is mostly flat, since you're at sea level. But it does include several challenging segments, and a couple of very steep bridges. One section of the course is dubbed 'the toughest 18 miles in Texas'. It's a straight 18 mile road that heads directly south with the coastal wind in your face the full distance. At the end of that 18 miles, riders hit the JFK Causeway bridge, which is a very steep incline.
At one point in the ride, you do get a break as you roll your bike onto the ferry to ride across to Port Aransas where the ride continues. Check out my photos of the event with descriptions:

At The Starting Line

My wife Kathy tries to see over the 1,500 riders lined up at the starting gate as the P.A. announcer counts us down to the launch. Her sister Paula looks at the camera. Paula is an experienced cyclist and has ridden the event multiple times. She was a stellar 'tour guide' and support for us throughout the 68 miles. My sincere thanks to my sister in law for hosting us and making the day picture perfect!. The conversations the three of us had during the ride and over the weekend were priceless. It was amazing to see this many bikes lined up to launch into 68-miles of Texas coastline at 7:30 am.

Bikes On A Boat

About halfway through the ride bicyclists board the ferry for the trip across the short inlet to Port Aransas, where the adventure continues into the '18 toughest miles in Texas'. This boat ride is a much needed, if short, rest before the biggest challenge of the day. They had two or three ferry boats traversing back and forth to accommodate riders as they arrived in groups, according to how quickly they could reach this point.

After The Ride

My wife Kathy and me immediately after the 68-mile ride. The event organizers had a huge 'tailgate party' set up in the parking lot of Whataburger Field with free burgers, soft drinks, water, and ice cold drafts. All of the food and drink was included as part of the experience. A nice reward at the end of a challenging morning.

Home On Sunday

The Trek bikes arrive back at home in Abilene on Sunday afternoon. We broke up the 7-hour drive with a stop in Fredericksburg for lunch. We made it back around 3:30 in the afternoon and felt surprisingly well after 'Conquering The Coast'. It was an unforgettable weekend. If you're a cyclist I can highly recommend a trip to Corpus Christi for next year's ride. It's unique, well organized, and a LOT of fun. For info go to ConquerTheCoast.org.