2015 Bike the Bricks

The 2015 Bike the Bricks had some great racing this year and also, came with a few spills on the track.  Thankfully, there were not any really bad injuries.  It was looking like we might have to watch these great racers ride in the rain, but thankfully the heavy rain passed over just before the first event really got started.  I would say, by 5pm, the crowd was really starting to pour in.

There was plenty of food around the downtown square on food trucks and under tents.  The beer garden was large enough for the fans to watch the racing in many areas of the track and still enjoy the local beverage of choice.  There was live entertainment on stage at the east end of Louisiana St. as well as in a few businesses or on their patio's.  This year also had a jumbo screen on the square within the beer garden for fans to see some live racing being filmed by the drone flying around the track.  The purse was worth more than $25,000 this year, which made for some super competitive racing.

McKinney Main Street did a wonderful job hosting this event and the volunteers that do a lot of the work to help this event happen.  There was the great service of the McKinney Police and Fire Departments to keep the event safe and to help any fans and racers during the event.  Lastly, you can't forget the sponsors that help make this event happen.  The title sponsor was Alfa Romero FIAT of McKinney, and other sponsors include McKinney Community Development Corporation, Richardson Bike Mart, McKinney Velo, Sheraton McKinney-Official Hotel of Bike the Bricks, Excalibur, Mellow Mushroom, Baylor Medical Center of McKinney, Real Ale Brewing Company, TAPS Public Transit, Kroger, NOW 102.9, The Edge 102.1, The Dallas Morning News, and Bein Salsa.

I hope that you were able to go out to see the event, but if not, to see a few of the photos I took, please click here.  Hope you enjoy them!  I am already excited for next year's event!

2014 Bike the Bricks

Another great year of Bike the Bricks!  I was able to get lots of good photos again this year and enjoy the great Crit style racing.  The excitement of the racers flying by you, while they are side by side just inches away from each other is so awesome!  The wind they bring when traveling by you will almost blow your hat off.  All the races are fun to watch.  The early races that include the younger racers as well as the less experienced, which makes for a great race.  There are also the women's races, that are very exciting.  They are very experienced and fast.  Then at the end of the night comes the professional speedsters.  Great thing this year is that there were not any bad wrecks.  Pretty fortunate, since they are all so close and they all rely on each others skill to keep them from hitting the pavement or "bricks" around the square of downtown McKinney.

McKinney Main Street does a great job with this event and it only gets better each year.  A great partner with McKinney Velo, the local competitive cycling group.  For this year, the prize amounts get up to $25,000.  How exciting is that! The spectators line the streets of the course in their lawn chairs, blankets, standing on the rails, or just sitting on a street curb. Their is plenty of entertainment for the kids and adults.  Lots of restaurants, food trucks, the expanded beer garden with great Texas beers, vendors on site, and a VIP section.

The admission is free and the parking is free.  What more could you ask for in a great evening of entertainment?  The racing starts a 3 pm and is over somewhere in the 11 pm range.  So, get out and enjoy a great family fun filled evening in downtown McKinney, Texas.  See you there!

2013 Bike the Bricks

McKinney's annual Bike the Bricks was another success this year!  This past Friday night, McKinney Main Street and McKinney Velo partnered to host a great racing event in downtown McKinney.  The camaraderie of the cyclists, the community support, the food and drinks along with the excitement in the air made for a wonderful evening in our beautiful downtown.

This Criterium (Crit) Style Race allowed spectators to watch from their own chairs, seated on the curbs of merchants or standing near the edge of the rails that outline the track, some just inches away from the racers as they come by at speeds in excess of 40 mph.  The racers competed for a share of the $20,000 prize money.  First place payouts ranged from $125 for Jr.'s to $11,000 for the Pro category.  Registration fees ranged from $20-$40 for the different categories.

The cyclists traveled at high speeds just inches from each other trusting their intuition and experience.  Although there were a few crashes, luckily there were no major injuries during the event.

Unfortunately, as the event was nearing the final race, mother nature laid her hand upon the evening.  The Pro race was shortened and the final race was canceled, but all in all, it was still a great event supported by our citizens, the City, the biking community, and the many sponsors.

I highly recommend attending this event annually.  It has definitely become my favorite event in downtown McKinney, TX.

Please visit here to view more photos.

Fourth Annual Bike the Bricks

This year's Bike the Bricks is just around the corner.  It is one of my favorite events to attend anywhere and it just happens to be in my hometown.  How lucky is that?  This event has the greatest back drop for a race of this style, downtown McKinney, Texas.  If you have never attended this race, it is a must see.  If you have been, you are probably hooked like I am.  Not only do I love to watch the excitement of the race, but I get some of the greatest pictures of these competitors giving their all in a crit style race.

So, mark your calendar, May 24, 2013 from 4pm till 11pm with warmups starting at 3:30pm.  For more information check it out here.

2012 Bike the Bricks

                       






Well, it was another great year for Bike the Bricks in Historic Downtown McKinney, TX.  A great event that included awesome racing as well as children activities from The Goddard School of McKinney, Alice the Face Painter, and fun in Mitchell Park.  The friendly camaraderie along with food and drinks in the Beer Garden was a nice area to watch the racing as well as the bleachers set up at the start/finish line.  You could also watch from all around the square on the sidewalks or from the outdoor seating areas from many of the restaurants and pubs.

The Criterium (Crit) style racing is a timed multi-lap race on a closed course that is typically one mile or less.  This particular track was a 1-mile L-shaped course.  Entry fees were from $20 - $40 for the different categories and the race lengths were from 40 min. - 70 min. races.  Prizes ranged from $125 - $11,000.  The speeds reaching an excess of 40 mph. in some races.

Hosted by McKinney Main Street, a portion of the proceeds benefit the McKinney Education Foundation.  McKinney Main Street does a great job with this event and puts in a lot of hard work.  City employees also contribute a great deal of hard work to make this event happen.  Not to forget, the Volunteers that give their time and hard work to help with this event.  Without all of these people, this event would not have grown to be such a fun event.  I applaud all of their efforts.  I too have been a Volunteer at this event, but only spectated this year to be able to get more photos to share.

I fully support this event as something that I would recommend for all to go out and experience the excitement that this event brings to the great City of McKinney and it's beautiful downtown.

 Please visit my link to view more photos.    https://plus.google.com/photos/101386713750253753597/albums/5746704840849756289

Upcoming Bike the Bricks 2012

Fun at Bike the Bricks.  This is a great event hosted in Downtown McKinney, Tx.  This year will be the third year for the event to be held on May 25, 2012.  The Crit(Criterium) style racing is very exciting to watch.  I will be looking forward to the event which also includes food, beverages, child activities and the beautiful background of Downtown McKinney.  Join the fun.

Please feel free to share your experiences with this event or if you have never been and are planning to attend this year.  What do you like about it?