Texas Bicycling News April 22nd 2017

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Three Texas sixth graders help police catch burglary suspect

By Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth | www.foxnews.com


Three sixth graders from Glencrest Sixth Grade School in Fort Worth were lauded as heroes Thursday for helping Fort Worth police catch a burglary suspect.
Officers presented David Willis, Kenyon Maloney and Travontae Barker each a bicycle, a police challenge coin and a certificate in front of their classmates today.
Officers pooled their money to buy the new bikes, which came with donated helmets, to …

City seeks to expand trail system

By FERNANDO DEL VALLE | www.valleymorningstar.com


HARLINGEN — The city’s next trail could wind 2.4 miles along the Arroyo Colorado, from Dixieland to McKelvey parks.
Earlier this week, city commissioners approved an application for a $2.5 million grant from the Texas Department of Transportation.
As part of the grant’s requirements, the city must come up with $865,912 to fund the $3.4 million project.
“It expands our trail system and provides more miles for the public to enjoy and be active in …

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New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Big Weather Shift Bike Ride

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It’s a good thing I looked at the weather forecast before leaving on today’s bike ride. A “cool” front would pass through while I rode the “Atascocita – Walden – Huffman” route dropping the temperature and increasing the wind. I decided to over dress and wear a long sleeve jersey and a short sleeve jersey, and shorts. I was extra warm until about 12 miles into what ended up being a 33.55 mile long ride when the front arrived. This was on Pinehurst Trail riding to Walden. I could feel the change in the temperature. When I started the ride at 11:10 it was 82 degrees with mostly cloudy skies and a light breeze. By the time I finished at 1:37 the temperature dropped to 73 degrees and the wind was out of the NW at 17 mph. Thankfully my precaution wardrobe choice kept me comfortable.

Many years ago I got caught while out biking when a strong cold front arrived. I was riding along US59 near New Caney. In a matter of minutes the temperature dropped sharply into the 50’s and the wind chill got hold of me. That time I had not dressed like I did today. It was a shock to my body. I made it home but it took awhile to warm up.

Other bikers were out along the route. When I rode by the Church on the Lake on Fairlake Drive there were several bikers in the parking lot chatting. I waved and they waved back. One bicyclist was coming towards the street and I thought he might follow me but I didn’t see him in my rearview mirror as I rode south and through the curve. Later riding on Atascocita Shores Drive on the way back to Kingwood another biker was going the opposite direction.

The wind was a problem from the 12 mile point until the end of the ride. I was surprised the wind wasn’t as tough when I rode west over Lake Houston on FM 1960. Without any wind break I expect to buffeted around but I was able to keep a steady line. Riding east was tougher with the wind catching my high profile rims and trying push me to the side.

I need 202 miles to reach my April goal. I plan on biking tomorrow after church. The weather should be like today after the front moves out.

Yesterday I received my new bike. With the help of my wife I assembled it yesterday evening. It is the Blue Norcross AL cyclocross bike. The plan is to replace my heavy Motobecane 700HT mountain bike with this lighter bike. I hope to ride it tomorrow. I need to move the pedals from the MTB until the Shimano 105 pedals arrive next week. I will post pictures when I do the first ride.

Links to Strava.com and RideWithGPS.com

Strava Extended Statistics

Strava Extended Statistics

Strava Extended Statistics

Airport weather at the end of the ride

Texas Bicycling News April 21st 2017

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Lance Armstrong launches Texas Hill Country Bike ride

www.endurancesportswire.com


Inaugural TEXAS HUNDRED set for June 3rd outside Austin,TX
Austin, Texas – WEDU, the endurance sports platform spearheaded by Lance Armstrong, will present the first-ever TEXAS HUNDRED, a non-competitive ride that measures 100 miles but is not your common century ride or grand fondo. Touring the sprawling ranches and wide-open spaces around Burnet (less than an hour outside of Austin), the HUNDRED was designed to satisfy a healthy appetite for adventure on two wheels. Riders will encounter sweeping landscapes and some local wildlife, including zebras, ostriches, llamas and longhorns. There will also be a beginner-friendly 20-mile option, and all participants will be treated to the best after-party out there.
The course
Starting at …

Pflugerville High grad cycling 4,000 miles to fight cancer

by Christine Bolaños | www.statesman.com


Adrian Rios’ life turned upside down when his mother was diagnosed with a non-cancerous but inoperable brain tumor a few years ago.
All seemed hopeless as the tight-knit family of four, whose extended family lives in Puerto Rico, prepared to say goodbye to their matriarch. Then medical staff at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston offered Bruny Rios an experimental surgery that could give her a second lease on life.
“They removed over 99 percent of the tumor and …

Police: Man on bicycle shot outside Missouri City shopping center

KHOU.com


MISSOURI CITY, Texas – Police are searching for a male suspect after a man on a bicycle was shot in Missouri City overnight.
According to the Missouri City Police Department, it happened at 10:15 p.m. Thursday night in a shopping center located at Texas Parkway and …

Girl’s Letter To Houston Mayor Results In Sidewalk Action

By James Brock | patch.com

Sophie Blitz, an 8-year-old student at Harvard Elementary, was tired of having to ride her bike in the street.
Houston, TX — Walk around Houston long enough, and you’ll become accustomed to sidewalks full of bumps, cracks, and buckles. Walking on them is an adventure by day, and can be outright dangerous at night. Just ask 8-year-old Sophie Blitz, who lives in the Heights and decided to take matters to the top. She recently wrote Houston’s mayor, Sylvester Turner, complaining about a …

Jury acquits Dallas cop who was fired after running over biker during chase

by Tasha Tsiaperas | www.dallasnews.com

Jurors on Friday acquitted a Dallas police officer accused of driving dangerously when he struck a fleeing bicyclist with his squad car in 2013.
Bryan Burgess, 31, was accused of criminally negligent homicide in the death of 51-year-old Fred Bradford Jr.
Dallas police officer Bryan Burgess insisted he was innocent “from Day 1,” his attorney said after the verdict Friday. (Dallas County Jail) Dallas police officer Bryan Burgess insisted he was innocent “from Day
1,” his attorney said after the …

Waco: Bike shop will anchor major new downtown development

By Rissa Shaw | www.kwtx.com


WACO, Texas (KWTX) A major new development in the works in downtown Waco is expected to bring bike enthusiasts and more to the city.
The development will fill an entire block, bounded by Mary Avenue and Jackson Avenue and University Parks Drive and South 2nd Street.
The $9 million project by businessmen Todd Behringer and Shane Turner will bring more retail, restaurants, and office space to the area.
The anchor store will be Bicycle World, already headquartered in Waco, which developers hope will …

Florida Bound

By Charles Brun | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 38: Silsbee Texas to Merryville Louisiana
Friday April 21, 2017, 54 miles (87 km) – Total so far: 2,093 miles (3,368 km)
Today was another good day to be riding the Southern Tier route. The roads were smooth with wide shoulders and there was little traffic. It did warmer today, perhaps 83 degrees for a brief period. For much of the ride I was going north so I actually had a tailwind.
This morning woke up early to train horns and road traffic. The Red Cloud RV camp was laid out well and everything worked, but alas it was not very quiet. I talked to the Ohio riders who were going to stay here today as one of them, Mike, had to get back to his home remodeling business. But they were going to a replacement driver fly in to support the three remaining riders through to Saint Augustine. I joked about how they all seemed to get along so well. Two of them, Steve and Mike are both MG car buffs and we talked about their hobby. I don’t know if they will catch up to me in the …

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New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Back on the Road From Watching Astros Bike Ride

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After a day off when my wife and I went to the Astros game I was back bicycling today on the “New Caney – Roman Forest – Valley Ranch” route for a total of 40.59 miles. I started at 11:42 with the temperature around 82, mostly cloud sky and a 10 mph breeze. By the time I finished at 2:52 the temperature bumped up to 85, the sky was still mostly cloudy but the wind was a killer: from the south at 13 mph with 22 mph gusts. This explained why I rode so easily to Roman Forest Blvd. and into Roman Forest.

The return leg from Roman Forest Blvd. to Kingwood wasn’t as easy or quick. The wind slowed the speed down and the pedaling effort up. For a time after a quick stop at the New Caney Mobil station to wipe the screen of my Elemnt computer I shifted down a gear to help me on the south bound service road while biking by the closed shoulder in front of the new Walmart under construction. Once I was beyond that area I shifted back to the 34 x 13 gearing. I could see the watts go up some with the increased effort pedaling.

I took a short stop at the Stripes store to refill my water bottle and eat a trail mix bar before doing battle with the wind again.

Once I was back in Kingwood I thought I might get caught in the rain again when a few drops starting falling while I was about 2 miles from the finish but the drops ended and I made it without getting wet again. I hosed the Stradalli at home since I didn’t take time to do that after Wednesday’s wet ride.

With today’s bike ride I am at 536.34 miles for April, 236 miles to reach my goal. With 9 possible biking days left I will need to average 26.2 miles per day if I ride each day.

Links to Strava.com and RideWithGPS.com for today’s ride.

Strava Extended Statistics

Strava Extended Statistics

Airport weather at the end of the bike ride