GDB Ride/Leader Profile – Joe Horner and the Best of the Southwest Ride
by Paul Brown
Welcome to the last GDB Ride / Leader Profile for 2007. This month, we feature the "old hand," who leads the Best of the Southwest Ride, Joe Horner. This ride is somewhat different than others the club features, because it has different starting points and routes depending on the specific week, departing from either Oak Cliff, Joe Pool Lake, Red Oak, or Waxahachie!!!
Joe is in his late 50's, and started road riding about 20 years ago... And as things are so often, he did it because of a woman <grin> -- his wife of 28 years, MJ Cardenas – but also because of another good friend (Gene Moore). He's been a GDB member since 1993!!! He and MJ have tried to convert some friends to cycling but says that none have really maintained the enthusiasm that they continue to have. He grew up in Amarillo, came to Dallas to go to college and has enjoyed living here for 40 years. Joe sez:
I graduated from SMU in 1971 with a BS in Math and Computer Science. That was back when you had to program the computers with punch cards. I got interested in photography when my son was born in 1972 and took a photo class. The instructor hired me at the end of the class and I have been in photo related businesses ever since. I spent over 20 years in the photo lab business. I currently own a photo shoot location agency. I represent homeowners and property owners who don't mind having photo shoots on their property in exchange for a nice fee. Check out my web site at www.scoutdfw.com - I am always looking for new properties.
(Here's an example shot)
In addition, my wife MJ is an advertising photographer who shoots products for companies like Neiman Marcus and Mary Kay Cosmetics. Check out her work at www.mjcardenas.com
Joe, do you (personally) ride year-round?
I do ride year round, not as much as I would like in the winter but still like to get out. I also enjoy evening rides with lights through the neighborhoods in the winter.
What and how many bikes do you have?
I have a mountain bike that gathers dust and a 1993 Klein touring geometry frame that is a great joy to ride.
Do you have an estimate of the number of miles you've ridden in your lifetime?
Rough estimate only of 50,000
What has been your favorite ride you've done outside of Texas?
That has to be an 11 day bike across Italy that went from the east coast to the west coast. MJ and I have done several other European bike trips and they were all wonderful but Italy seems to be something special. We went to the Italian Cycling Center north of Venice last year and liked it so much we planned to go back this year!
What's your favorite Texas Bike Rally to ride in, and why?
That has to be the Easter Hill Country rides in Kerrville-Fredericksburg. I love the open start times, the bikes you see everywhere all weekend, the wildflowers, and the tiny little roads that are all paved. I also like hills too.
What's the most unusual thing you've done on or with a bike?
I like to take pictures and movies while riding including while on hair raising switchback downhills.
What's your favorite:
• Jersey: Italian Cycling Center
• During-ride food: Usually none
• During-ride drink: Gatorade works for me
• Rally Rest-Stop Food: Home made cookies
• After-ride food: Mexican food
• After-ride drink: Water
• LEAST favorite Rally Rest Stop food or drink: Bananas
• Favorite OTHER GDB ride to participate in, yourself as a non-leader: The Lancaster Rally
What's the fastest speed you've attempted on a bike, and would you do it again?
54mph and that's on one of the Best of the Southwest rides, so I do do it again!
What's the longest continuous ride you've ever done? Would you do it again?
11 Days across Italy, would love to do it again. Our goal is to do a US cross country ride one day whenever we have enough free time.
Besides Italy, have you done any other cycling outside of the U.S.?
We have done a trip in the Dordogne area of France that was beautiful and challenging -- but you can only eat so much goat cheese and paté. We also did a week at the Stephen Roche cycling camp on the island of Mallorca, Spain. It was nice to stay at the hotel on the beach and do challenging loop rides every day in the mountains. This is the least expensive European cycling trip we have found and the hotel and food were excellent. We also did a trip in the Canadian Rockies up by Lake Louise, highly recommended for scenery and a nice challenge also.
Let's talk about the ride you lead, for a bit. When and where is the start point for the ride (or rides) you lead?
The Best of the Southwest rides start at four different locations. Usually on the first Saturday we start at the marina at Joe Pool Lake. On the second Saturday we start at Getzendaner park in Waxahachie. For the third Saturday we start at Mountain View college in Oak Cliff. This location used to be the start for all our rides, but we like variety so we have been adding different start locations through the years. On the fourth Saturday of the month we either meet at Gene Moore's house in Red Oak or at the Lancaster square.
How did you get roped into being the ride leader?
I and most of the other ride leaders have been leading the rides since we informally started the group.
Does the ride occur year-round, or seasonal?
We ride all year except if raining or below 40 degrees at start time. We do vary the start time to compensate for the season. Typical distance is usually between 40 and 60 miles with 50 being the most common distance. We flat cruise at 17-18 and have an overall average of 14-16. The group is usually between 6 and 15 people.
For those who haven't done this ride before, please describe the typical ride, painting a mental picture for us.
We are definitely a social group. We don't ride in pacelines unless the wind is really a problem. We don't drop anyone. Faster more aggressive riders will usually go ahead and double back to satisfy their need for speed. We usually do a rest stop at the mid point or a little farther than mid point of each ride. Some of our rides are very hilly and some are almost flat. We don't take the same route every time, the leader and group usually makes up their mind before the ride leaves. Some of our ride leaders like to change the route in mid ride to make it interesting.
What things about your ride do you enjoy the most?
Friends, conversation, the rural countryside, the hill challenges, and the after ride lunches.
What do you think it is about your ride that OTHERS enjoy the most?
I think most of our regular riders enjoy the same things. Some enjoy the hills more and some less though.
What's your favorite memory of a past ride you led?
I probably enjoy the more spontaneous rides more than anything else. Some time ago, we showed up at Mountain View College and it was cold and the wind was howling out of the north. We decided to ride the Dart rail to Plano and then ride our bikes back. It was a great adventure.
Any general advice for someone wanting to join you on your ride?
We are not a ride for novices due to the hills and distances, but we don't ever drop riders. It is best that your desire be to have fun and not be too serious.
Thanks, Joe!
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December 2007
