Texas Bicycling News December 11th

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Texas State Cross Championships!

texasbikeracing.com


Daniel Curtin is a staple in the Texas ‘cross, death ride, beer, and pastry scene. Following one-to-many sand bagger comments, he recently upgraded to a cat 2. Kudos are in order and we can all say we knew him when – Daniel is also the new editor of CXMagazine.com. Congrats Daniel!
Photos © Jonathan Neve
This past weekend saw cross racers from around Texas descend on Mason Park and Cullen Park for age-based and skills-based races and statewide bragging rights.
The Texas cross schedule was a departure this year with more regional racing than ever before; a corresponding regional cup series; a Texas “Elite Cup” series of races, which the state championships were a part of; and the traditional Texas Cup overall for Elite Series winners and the best …

Holiday Fun Ride! (Ugly Sweater Style)

Saturday, Dec 19, 2015, 9:00 AM

Performance Bicycle
7549 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX

1 Cycling Enthusiasts Went

Check out this Meetup →

More than 40 new businesses make League’s bike-friendly list

by BRAIN Staff        www.bicycleretailer.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BRAIN) — The latest list of bike-friendly businesses from the League of American Bicyclists includes companies across 49 states and the District of Columbia. Two states made the list for the first time: Louisiana, with Great Raft Brewing in Shreveport,earning a silver designation, and Oklahoma, with Oklahoma City’s Allegiance Credit Union earning a bronze award.
“I’m excited to see businesses from so many different communities that see value in creating inviting places for people to bike,” said Alex Doty, the League’s executive director. “When we make great places for biking, we create places where people want to work and live and visit.”
Capitol Metropolitan Transportation Authority was designated a gold award for bringing bicycle-friendly transit to Austin, Texas. Over the past 12 months, more than …

Takin’ Care of Business: Two More Texas Businesses Join the Bike-Friendly List

BikeTexas.org


Getting to work and back is never better than when you work for one of the 28 bicycle friendly businesses in Texas! With this week’s announcement of new bicycle-friendly businesses from the League of American Bicyclists, even more Texas businesses are taking the pledge to make life a bit easier for those who commute by bike. Congratulations to the newest Texas businesses on the …

Challenge Results – Organizations and Departments

www.lovetoride.net/houston

Thanks for taking part in the Houston Bike Challenge! Together you have clocked up an impressive 40,918 miles via 3,650 bike trips!  That’s the equivalent of traveling from Houston to New York City 25 times!
It’s great to see so many people taking part, and banding together to get more people on bikes in Houston!
Winning Teams
Congratulations to our winning teams for getting the highest number of people cycling in your size category. 1st place honors in 2015 go to:
The Williams Companies, Inc.
Walter P Moore
Public Works & Engineering – City of Houston
GVA
TMC Chaplaincy Department – Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital
Subsurface – BP
Each winning team will …

#LongForTheRide: Texas’ Bike-Winning Fifth Grader

BikeTexas.org


Many congratulations to Uzziel Rangel of Bonner Elementary in Tyler, the statewide winner of the Saris 2015 Fifth Grade National Poster Contest.
Uzziel and his father put his new bicycle together this week. George Brigman, Uzziel’s teacher, says, “Uzziel Rangel is so excited about winning in the Saris Bike Poster contest. He was talking about how he would protect it – try to keep from getting any scratches and keep it beside his bed. Uzziel tries his …

Presidio to Lajitas Texas Nov/Dec 2015 Part 1

jonc123        www.bikeforums.net

FM 170 runs between Presidio, TX and Lajitas, TX often hugging the Rio Grande within feet; Mexico is always in the background the whole way. Camping at RV Parks at Presidio and Lajitas. A major portion of the road runs through Big Bend Ranch State Park which does have some primitive camping. This 50 mile section of road is wonderful and the pictures were taken right after …

Presidio to Lajitas Texas Nov/Dec 2015 Part 2

jonc123        www.bikeforums.net

Part 2…more pictures…

… This was only a 11 day vacation and driving down from Missouri we only had so much time to ride.
We did go to Big Bend…we were camping in our truck also. We did 2 overnights on the bikes, the one already described and we also did one where we parked at Panther Junction in the National park and rode down (and I do mean down) to Rio Grande Village and camped. Then back up up and up and more up to Panther Junction. That trip was only 40 miles roundtrip, our legs were tired from our Presidio/lajitas trip (100 miles roundtrip).
Years ago I did some bicycle touring but just got back into it a few …

Texas Bicycling from Twitter

https://twitter.com/bicyclesplus/status/675349371924447232

https://twitter.com/txbikeracing/status/675337416031383554

https://twitter.com/BLifeMcKinney/status/675276599739199490

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Texas Bicycling Event Reminders

Texas Bicycling News December 10th

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Houston Bike Fest Cancelled Due to Rain

Cycling Space City        cyclingspacecity.blogspot.com


This is the second cancellation due to rain.  They are now working on a date in the Spring. …

Flat Creek Open Ride – Sat, Jan 9

by TAF        www.bikemojo.com

Gate opens at 10:00 a.m. Park at the entrance corral area. Post ride grilling, as usual.
$10 land use fee per rider – goes toward material for the new pavilion.
Come get your laps in!

New bikes for Ector kids

By Louise Gandert        www.ntxe-news.com


Ector — It was an exciting time at the Ector Santa Breakfast on December 5.  Over 200 residents of our small town came bringing their children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews dressed in their Christmas best to have their picture taken with Santa.  In addition to the pictures there was a tasty pancake breakfast which is the best way to start a cold and bright Saturday.  Once the pictures and dining were done, it was time to draw the lucky winners of this …

Texas Chainring Massacre 1/23

Spinistry        forums.mtbr.com

USA Cycling Permit # 2016-294
THE FASTEST 100 MILES ON GRAVEL! No license required.
The Texas Chainring Massacre is a full on gravel grinder featuring a unique combination of dirt roads and desolate country roads that promises to be both scenic and challenging. Riders will be able to enjoy a fantastic route that starts and ends in the “civilized” part of the D/FW Metroplex near Valley View, TX while meandering through some scenic rural areas.
This marked course ride will provide neutral aid/support station at the 50 mile mark but no outside support is allowed except at the aid station. Plan to bring enough food and supplies to be self supported in case of break down since it …

Wednesday Afternoon Ride

Wednesday, Dec 16, 2015, 3:15 PM

River Run Plaza
1071 Country Club Rd El Paso, TX

5 Cyclists Went

Leave PROMPTLY at 3:15 p.m. from River Run Plaza. Ride to Gadsden HS and back. 24 miles. Leaderless ride — goal is to get in a reasonably fast ride  before the sun sets!

Check out this Meetup →

Fort Worth becoming bike-friendly, but North Texas cyclists say it’s a long road

Brandon Wade Star-Telegram        www.star-telegram.com


Cyclists encouraged by more motorists sharing streets
Some areas still dangerous, especially suburbs
Fort Worth pushing forward with expansion of bike lanes
FORT WORTH
Joel Rumfelt rescued his dog, Fiona, from an abusive situation. But these days, when Rumfelt rides his bike, it’s the little Chihuahua who seems to protect him.
Rumfelt, who commutes daily by bicycle 18 miles from his Hurst home to his job at a bike shop in southwest Fort Worth, dealt for years with offensive gestures and angry shouts from motorists who didn’t want to share the road with him. But this year, when he …

Rally to highlight dangers of cycling, walking East Riverside Drive

by Pam LeBlanc        fitness.blog.austin360.com


Bicyclists who have pedaled along East Riverside Drive know the experience can leave you quaking in your bike shoes.
But it’s an important east-west transportation route for many folks, and that’s why Bike Austin wants to draw attention to the need for protected bike lanes and pedestrian safety improvements there.
To do that, they’ve organized the …

12/12 & 12/13 Rides: Scenic to Mellow Johnny’s! Red Horn!

by Thomas        steinerranchcycling.com

Right now the forecast for Saturday is 90% chance of rain with 14 mph winds. Sounds like fun! If the conditions are good enough in the morning we will head downtown to Mellow Johnny’s via Mt. Bonnell and Scenic drive. Stick around after the ride for some …

Flat Creek Open Ride – Sat. January 9th (NOT Flat Rock!)

by June Bug        www.bikemojo.com

Flat Creek Open Ride – Sat, Jan 9
Austinbike.com has a good description of the trails here and some directions.
austinbike.com/west-of-austin/86-flat-creek-ranch
Gate opens at 10:00 a.m. Park at the entrance corral area. Post ride grilling, as usual.
$10 land use fee per rider – goes toward material for the new pavilion.
An update that there is an effort to open Flat Creek for a monthly public ride. That …

Texas Bicycling from Twitter

https://twitter.com/pitvins/status/675172745076981763

https://twitter.com/danielcurtin/status/675151749796257792

https://twitter.com/GWCChuck/status/675052902961008640

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Texas Bicycling Event Reminders

Exploring the Grand Parkway Bike Ride

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This is my second attempt to write about today’s ride on the “Oakhurst – Cumberland – Valley Ranch” route. WordPress decided to burp after I finished writing the first time and all of my words vanished.

I rode north with 80 degree weather under a mostly cloudy sky. The wind was friendly up to the 25 mile point when I turned south on the US59 service road. When I stopped at the Shell station at Cumberland Crossing I took these weather screen shots.

Normally I only ride through the Shell station to get back on east bound FM1314 but today I stopped for a 20 minute or so break. They have $.99 fountain drinks (lowest price on FM1314 and Porter). I ate 2 whole wheat fruit bars as I rested. A glass company was at the station looking at a wind with two large round holes in it. Not sure what caused the holes but there was plenty of glass on the sidewalk below the window. I rode southeast on FM1314 back to Porter. When I got to Valley Ranch Parkway I went left on the route I normally take through Valley Ranch back to US59. Today when I got to Olympic Creek Drive I went straight to explore the Grand Parkway construction. Before I turned around at the overpass but today I continued under to see where it went. The road wound passed some construction sites. One is the new Kroger store but I don’t know about the others. I rode south of the huge New Caney ISD stadium and the gigantic score board. The road ended up at the US59 south bound service road north of the Grand Parkway. In the future this will be a good route when I go north of New Caney. When I turned south onto the service road the strong SSW wind slammed me. When I got home I looked at the airport weather to see 10 mph with 25 mph gusts. I labored on the service road until I reached Northpark Drive where I turned north and then east to get back into Kingwood.

I got home at 3:38 having begun the ride at 12:45. The temperature wasn’t different from Cumberland. tomorrow (Friday) it could get above 80 degrees. Not very often does get this warm in December but I like it.

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