After 3 days off due to some crazy March weather I got back on the bike today and rode through Walden at Lake Houston and Huffman. The crazy March weather those three days include wind up to 35 mph and temperatures down in the 30’s at night slowly crawling up to the low 60’s by the late afternoon. Today the wind still was a problem at 15 mph from the southeast and 22 mph gusts. My legs did not appreciate putting them into the wind so the average speed was 14.9 mph and it was lower than that until I started riding back home from Huffman with somewhat of a tailwind. The sky was a nice bright blue and the sun helped offset the wind chill. When I took a break in Huffman I sat in the sun but the wind chill kept the warmth at bay.
I rode 32.53 miles today. This moves my March miles up to 549.4 leaving 32 miles to reach my goal. Year to date miles now total 1230.98. I saw one other rider on Fairlake Drive. With at least two more riding days I should reach my March goal. Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS.com links offer other views of the ride.
I woke up early Saturday morning to drive down with Michael Wert from GS Tenzing for the weekend’s racing down in Waco.
Saturday:
EARLY wake up. I stayed at my mother’s house to make it easier to meet up with Michael in the morning and so had a great breakfast and coffee before the drive. Thanks, Mom! We got there and went through the whole hassle with all the TT gear that was allowed–skinsuit that I needed help getting into, shoe covers, trainer warm-up, pulling out all the stops to get those fractions of a…
Thinking of a Bike Tour Vacation
RGV Cycling
I was chowing down some food with a friend of mine and she brought up an interesting topic, bike touring. You know, one of those three to four-day trip on bike where everything is planned for you. The route, food, lodging and support are all provided and all you have to do is show up and pedal. We talked about it further and who could go with us and as a result, I have a hankering for a guided road bike tour somewhere in the US of A.
A bike tour is something that I’ve always wanted to do since I was a kid. I rarely take a vacation and I’m due for one. My buddy asked me to go with her and drag her…
METRO Bike & Ride Public Meeting
Attention Bicyclists and Transit Users
The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) is working with METRO on the METRO Bike and Ride Sub-Regional Planning Study, an effort to better connect bike and transit trips. Please join us on April 4th to provide your input.
Thursday April 4, 2013
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
H-GAC Conference Room A
3555 Timmons Lane
Houston, TX 77027
Bike: Bicycle parking is available on the first floor Visitor Area of the parking garage.
Bus: Bus routes to the H-GAC office include the 25, 53, 73 and 78.
Car: The parking garage will be open and free to the public for all visitors.
Update to Deep Ellum Hit and Run
by Eliot Landrum   Biking in Dallas
Earlier this month, Melanie Jarrett and Sean Clancy were hit by a red-light running motorist while they were cycling in Deep Ellum. The original story was covered by Robert Wilonsky on the Dallas Morning News Crime Blog: “Cycling advocates out for a ride are victims of hit and run near Deep Ellum after truck runs red lightâ€.
After the story was published, many of us in the cycling community were concerned that this would become “yet another†crash that simply ignored and left behind. Personally, I believe that strict Enforcement of the laws that we have right now (such as not running red lights) would go a…
Bicyclists use of Toll 49 restricted, but not denied
By Melanie Torre
Posted by Stephanie Frazier      www.kltv.com KLTV.com-Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville, Texas | ETX News
TYLER, TX (KLTV) – On Tuesday, North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority board members voted 7-2 to allow bicyclists to use Toll 49 from State Highway 110 South to Highway 155 South. Bicyclists will be prohibited from riding on any other section of the toll road, effective immediately.
NET RMA is also asking the bicycling community to provide up to $60,000 in funding that is needed to implement striping and signage to make the toll road…
Houston (Sugarland) area – River Bend new trail
by dirkdaddy      forums.mtbr.com/texas
A newish trail (new additions to recently) is down by the Brazos & 59 South, just past hwy 6. Its not super technical but has good for the area dips and nice flow. I just rode it, some old trees that were rotted fell recently and some vines need ducking, but otherwise in fine shape. Please be good sport about being nice to folks (access is through neighborhood street parking) and…
Tweets
March 29 7:00 a.m. till March 31 12;00 p.m. Easter Hill Country Tour, bicycle ride in Texas hill country ,Kerrvillehttp://t.co/UJrUK9yxr5
I knew I had better run around and take as many pictures of San Angelo riders as I could, because just as soon as the ride started, I knew I wouldn’t see them again until the finish line. …
…Start time. Two hundred twenty five of us lined up for various distances. Those who chose to enter the race were to go 48 miles. Some of us who just were there for a good time rode the 32 miles. They had a twelve miler for beginners and families.? …
All Level Ride @ Walnut Creek Spring/Summer hours
The Austin Mountain Bikers Meetup Group
Sunday, March 31, 2013Â Â Â Â Â Â 9:30 AM
Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park
12138 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, TX (map)
We set up under the trees in the parking lot near the swimming pool. Look for the ARR Banner.
New Spring/Summer hours to help when the weather gets hotter. Starting 3/31 we go to 9:30 am.
We know that this time change doesn’t work for everyone so we hope you considering hosting a ride for yourself and those who might want to ride at a different time or on a different day.
You do NOT have to be a ARR member to attend most club riders. You will need to sign a waiver and wear a helmets when riding.
This is for all levels of riders, which will break into groups according to…
Dallas across the Trinity
from Bike Forums by tcs
So they built the ?signature? Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge with no pedestrian or cycle utilization features or access. You?d think they could throw down some sharrows and a couple of ?May Use Full Lane? signs on the crumbing Continental Viaduct that runs along beside the MHH.
The current approved design for the planned Margaret McDermott Bridge (I30) calls for a pretty standard TxDOT simple beam bridge flanked and disguised with Calatrava arches carrying the pedestrian and cycle lanes. As a stand alone component, this might be the most expensive cycle bridge in the USA, which would be kinda cool except (as I understand the public discussion, drawings and models) this is a recreational facility rather than an all-weather transportation bridge for cyclists. The cycle/pedestrian portion will only run from the…
DEWITT — DeWitt resident Janna Rowan, 40, will combine two of her favorite activities next September when she sets out on a 1,200-mile road trip to Fort Worth, Texas: bicycling and assisting people in the deaf-blind community.
The journey will take place on Rowan’s trusty Giant 24-speed, unless she’s fortunate enough to snag donations for a new light weight carbon fiber bike.
Money pledged during the trip will go to Self Help for Independence in Michigan Equalizing the DeafBlind (SHI-M=DB), an organization…
I didn’t have very high expectations for this 3-stage omnium. Because of spring break and a business trip, I went into this race weekend over-rested. For the power geeks, my TSB (Training Stress Balance) had gone from -28 to +20 in 14 days. Hill and I drove up to Waco on Friday night, but took advantage of his local connections to have his daughter pick up our race packets, and his mom to give us a place to stay and have breakfast ready. What a treat!
Hill did the 35+ and I opted for the 50+, which raced together with the 40+ guys. The theme of the weekend was short, fast and intense. The TT was just under 3 miles, with…
Happy Monday!
Today I want to let everyone know about the 25 Miles Of Erwin Park event we are doing on April 20th.
Yes, I already disclosed the 50 Miles of Erwin Park on May 25th, and this isn’t anything up to that caliber. This is not a race, this is just a nice relaxed training session for the bigger and tougher event in May, should you make a gentlemen’s wager with your fellow riding partner, that is between you and them.
Here’s the details you need to know.
25 Miles of Erwin Park
What: Challenge yourself to ride 25 Miles at Erwin Park
When: Saturday April 20th at 8am…
Tweets
In the coming years, Houston will have over 150 miles of connected biking & walking paths. Houston transformed! http://t.co/5Rr5YWT2RJ
March 17, 2013 – Bent Wheel Bash is held at Buck Creek Trails, just north of Abilene, Texas.
The 2013 route was changed dramatically from the Fall 2012 route, with much less elevation change, much less technical features, and more of a wide open hammerfest. …
March 2, 2013 – Mellow Johnny’s Classic is held at Flat Creek Crossing Ranch, a great trail and race venue near Johnson City, Texas. The course has some technical aspects, a couple of good (for Texas) climbs and some great riding.
My first MTB race was on this course 1 year ago. Through a lot of riding and training, I’ve come a long way from finishing 32nd of 52 last year. …
Due to circumstances surrounding kiddos, dance conventions and babysitting, I found myself in the position of being in San Marcos, Texas with a couple of hours to get away from it all. After hunting around and asking for tips, I settled on heading out to the Madrone Trail at Canyon Lake Park.
The day was cloudy and cool. Temps were around 51F. I met up with a fellow Bike Mojo rider and we hit up the trail for a…
Walnut Wednesday Workday
from Austin Ridge Riders – Keep Austin Knobby by Il Pirate
Wednesday, April 10, 2013 – 17:30
We will be conducting a Walnut Wednesday Workday on Wednesday April 10th from 5:30PM til dark.
If you cannot meet us on the western edge of the parking lot, we will be working at the bottom of the Powerline Hill repairing erosion and improving sight lines at the bottom of the trail.
If you would like to help, please bring gloves, shovels, and loppers.
We will have electronic waivers for all to sign and check in.
Big Bend second thoughts
from Bike Forums by raybo
It is less than a month before I leave on my next bike tour and I am having second thoughts about the destination I’ve chosen.
At present, I am planning on flying into Midland, TX, busing over to Alpine and then ride a loop down to Big Bend National Park and then back to Alpine (bus, plane back home) via the Rio Grande, Presidio, and Marfa. Since I will be riding in late April, I assume the temperatures will be in the 80s or higher and there could be some vicious wind. I look everyday at the Alpine forecast and there is always wind, usually 20+ MPH. Usually it is from the SW, where Big Bend is relative to Alpine. Though, since it is a loop, one direction’s headwind is another’s tailwind.
I’ve been thinking that this is a ride to do earlier in the year and wondering if a ride from, say, Austin to New Orleans would be any better. Or, for that matter, from Midland to…
FIRST FRIDAY RIDE
from Austin Cycling Association by onefiftyfour
FIRST FRIDAY RIDE
April 5, 2013 at 6:30 pm
Capitol Building
(End of the Walkway near 11th Street – Look for Group of Cyclists)
This month’s FIRST FRIDAY ride is on April 5, 2013 and will begin at the Capitol Building at 6:30pm for a no drop easy 9 mile bike ride that will end at East Side Pedal Pushers. The First Friday ride is intended for…
Tweets
Lots of great racing these past 2 weeks from our teammates at Fayetteville, the Driveway, Waco and Double Lake…. http://t.co/5YpTYCJqWW