Texas Bicycling News August 30th 2016

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Give Elizabeth English a Leg Up!

www.eventbrite.com

Sat, Sep 10 at 1:00 PM, Austin, TX
As many of you have heard, on March 29th a cyclist was hit by a truck and dragged for half a mile, only to be left in her own pool of blood waiting for help to arrive. This UT pre med student, equipped with bike lights and helmet on her head, was at the corner of MLK & Airport when it happened. Elizabeth English’s life was altered forever. …

Austin bicycle infrastructure

TStarry

www.bikemojo.com

In a never-ending state of almost.
1. Soon.
2. It will be great.
3. We’ve had some delays.
4. Contractor has been warned.
5. Cyclists, always bitching about something. (muttered under breath) …

Bike Shop Closing – High End Mountain Bikes – $1 (Bee Cave)

austin.craigslist.org


We are in the final stages of selling our bike inventory. We have great Rocky Mountain and Kona MTB bikes remaining.
Availability current as of 8/26
Please note – item for sale is what is listed, not any attached accessories. Hurry, we will closing soon. …

Galveston County to Get $2 billion in Infrastructure Projects

By Alex Wukman

patch.com

Galveston County residents will see about $2 billion in infrastructure spending pour into the area over the next 10 years.
GALVESTON, TX — It’s going to be a busy few years in the Bay Area. The Texas Department of Transportation is planning to pour about $2 billion in state funding into fixing the infrastructure in the Galveston-Clear Lake region. …

… There also plans to create a $440,000 on-street bicycle network, with 200 bicycle racks on Galveston Island alone.

El Paso mountain bike riders blazing trails

Victor R. Martinez, El Paso Times

www.elpasotimes.com


Holly Lytle is not your typical mountain bike enthusiast.
“It’s a young person’s game, but I’m proud to admit, I’m 52,” Lytle said before taking off on a winding 6-mile ride up Lazy Cow Trail in Franklin Mountains State Park. “I’ve only had this bike since Memorial Day weekend and that’s when I started on these trails. The trails are really nice.” …

RIDE SCHEDULE – September 2016

Georgetown Cyclopaths

www.cyclopathsoftexas.com

Short Rides Long Rides
Day Date Time Meet at Miles Map Miles Map

Saturday 9/3/2016 8:00 AM Berry Springs Park 35 miles B24 46 miles B16
Sunday 9/4/2016 9:00 AM Berry Springs Park 33 miles B46 38 miles B40

Saturday 9/10/2016 8:00 AM Dale’s Essenhaus Restaurant in Walburg 32 miles WA7 46 miles WA8
Sunday 9/11/2016 9:00 AM Berry Springs Park 31 miles B9 37 miles B13

Saturday 9/17/2016 8:00 AM Union State Bank in Florence 29 miles F5 43 miles F3
Sunday 9/18/2016 9:00 AM Berry Springs Park 34 miles B64 41 miles B58

Saturday 9/24/2016 8:00 AM Catholic Church in Andice 35 miles A12 48 miles A14
Sunday 9/25/2016 9:00 AM Berry Springs Park 32 miles B39 43 miles B50

Cycles hit town as city’s bike-share kicks off

By RICK KELLEY

www.valleymorningstar.com


HARLINGEN — They’re racked, stacked and ready to ride.
Harlingen’s new bike-share program is a reality, with 10 shiny-bright commuter bikes now sitting at McKelvey Park and another four bikes at the Regional Academic Health Center on the campus of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. …

Texas Bicycling from Twitter

https://twitter.com/GWCChuck/status/770650622639177728

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Goal Within Sight Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

No threatening clouds, no rain, just good old sunshine on today’s ride on the “Stroker Road – Huffman” route. I rode 42.15 miles improving my August miles to 777, only 23 short of my goal. The weather looks like it will cooperate for tomorrow’s ride so I should be able to meet my goal and go over a few miles. Not too long ago I thought the goal might be out of reach.

Wind slowed me down while I was riding to the east but I held the pace and slowly made the turn to the south onto Ramsey Road. When I was waiting to cross FM2100 I thought about riding the loop east of FM2100 in the reserve direction to get out of the wind but I decided once I reach Ramsey Road about 2 1/2 miles from FM2100 the wind wouldn’t be so bad. From that point the wind was either from my left or a tailwind. The Huffman Chevron rest stop came at 30.6 miles into the ride. It felt good sitting in the shade under the pump canopy with the breeze blowing through. The blue PowerAde washed down the Clif bar and snack crackers. The weather while I was resting.

8-30-2016 Huffman Weather

I left the Chevron station rested for the 11+ miles to finish the ride at 2:21. This was going to make me late for the Kingwood High School dismissal traffic so I rode to the traffic light at Kingwood Drive and W. Lake Houston Parkway to cross. I finished the ride at 3:13.

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Texas Bicycling News August 29th 2016

Texbiker.net Posted on by

A Plan for a Bike Trail Across the U.S.-Mexico Border

by Ana Arana

www.citylab.com


BROWNSVILLE, United States & MATAMOROS, Mexico — The international border between these two cities is marked by the winding waters of the Rio Grande and fortified by a tall rust-color fence. But Mauricio Ibarra prefers to think of the two sides as one. …

Lessons from 1890s bike advocates

By Margaret Guroff

www.houstonchronicle.com


Before there were cars, America’s country roads were unpaved, and they were abysmal. Back then, roads were so unreliable for travelers that most state maps didn’t even show them. This all started to change when early cyclists came together to transform some U.S. travel routes, and lay the groundwork for the interstate highways we use today. …

Devinci Spartan ride on Barton Creek Greenbelt – MTB Vlog

By TC

www.turnincranks.com


A little review/video of taking the Devinci Spartan out for a spin. I’m potentially looking for a more Enduro/All Mountain rig and Wes at …

Texas Bicycling from Twitter

https://twitter.com/GWCChuck/status/770362321730465792

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Bad Omen But The Bike Ride Goes On

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Relying on weather radar is not a sure thing. Before leaving on the “New Caney – Gene Campbell Road” ride today i checked for rain and nothing showed up any where close to the route. It didn’t take long for an omen of what was to come though. As I rode on the north bound I-69 service road I hit two patches of light drizzle but they didn’t last long and I continued riding thinking it would not rain. The sky was starting to get dark to the north and west but I thought I could ride away from as the route turned west at New Caney and then southeast riding on FM1314.

The ride was going well on Gene Campbell Road until a couple of claps of thunder hit to the west. I still thought I was far enough away that I would stay dry. Once I was on FM1314 riding towards Porter the pavement was damp with the rain just in front of me. The sky was dark ahead but I figured it was east of where I was going. As I passed River Walk it looked like rain ahead and I started thinking of places I could take cover. Just west of the Texaco at Sorters Road the rain started coming down. Traffic slowly passed and I rode across FM1314 to get under the pump canopy. I got a little wet but not as bad as yesterday. After waiting a few minutes I decided to take my rest break there but when I went inside they didn’t have any sport drink fountain drinks so I decided to wait until the Porter Stripes station. After about 10 minutes the rain stopped and the road wasn’t too wet and I left. My Elemnt screen when I stopped at the Texaco station.

8-29-2016 Sorters Rd Texaco

The Stripes station was east about 1 mile. As I pulled into the station I could see more dark clouds to the northeast, north and northwest. I went inside and bought a fountain Gatorade to drink with my snack crackers. Sitting by the pumps I watched the sky get darker. The Elemnt screen at the Stripes station and the weather while I ate.

I rushed eating and didn’t finish the Gatorade so I could leave hoping to beat the rain. All was going well riding through Briar Tree passed the elementary school before parents arrived. Next I needed to get through Oakhurst and then Kings Manor. Oakhurst went quickly and the dark clouds were getting closer. Some more thunder and I rode quickly to Kings Manor. Parents were gathered at the Kings Manor school but the left lane was open. As I rode I thought of places I could take cover if it started to rain. The next place was the Kings Manor Community Center and Pool. Turning onto Kings Manor Drive South the rain drops started falling. I picked up speed but the rain increased. I was about 1/2 a block from the center and I moved to the sidewalk to get cover under some trees and then up to the porch of the center. I got a little wet but again not like yesterday. The came down hard as I waited in the dry area. It slowed a couple times trying to tempt me to leave but I stayed until it quit, about 20 minutes. Then I rode on the wet streets to the finish. Hosing the bike off I then went inside the house. The ride started at 11:36 and finished at 3:22 with two rain breaks.

Tomorrow the rain chance is less than 25%. I plan on biking again but I would like a dry ride.

Link to RideWithGPS map and data.

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