Texas Bicycling Action December 4th, 2022

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Content: Instagram posts, 2 recurring bike rides, Santa Cops partner, YouTube videos, Strava photo

Monday Night Lights Mountain Bike Ride

wacoheartoftexas.com

Come join us for a night ride from the Bicycle World shop to Cameron Park on Monday nights. We will meet at the shop and roll out at 7:15pm. Experience the night adrenaline from the trails! Helmets & lights are required!

Thursday Night Hills – Bike Ride in Cameron Park

wacoheartoftexas.com

Join us every Thursday for hill repeats on the roads of Cameron Park. We roll out from Bicycle World at 6pm. We will ride 2-4 laps of the Cameron Park roads. This is 10-20 miles with 1,000-2,000 feet of climbing. This is a challenging but rewarding ride! A conversational, no-drop 2 mile ride to the park where the pace will transition to personal preference. Ride 1 lap or ride 4, it’s your choice. The Cameron Park out-and-back style road lap is only about 4 miles so you’ll see cyclist almost non stop. The hills can be challenging so make sure to bring water and your helmet, as helmets are required. Tail lights are a must as the evenings get darker and headlights are highly encouraged.

Lights and helmets are required. We also encourage you to have your own flat repair kit.

Tri bikes are welcome! If you’re on your Tri/TT bike, please don’t ride in the aero bars when you’re close to other riders. 50 meters off the front or slightly off the back is appropriate.

Video: Santa Cops partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters

www.fox34.com

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Some Lubbock children experienced the joy of Christmas earlier than normal this year.

The Lubbock Police Department’s Santa Cops teamed up with Big Brothers Big Sisters on Saturday, spending the day with kids in the program. Officers dressed up as Santa helped celebrate the holidays by building friendships with the children, taking a trip around Lubbock and shopping.

Melissa Corley, the executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters, stated this event is a great initiative for kids in the Lubbock area. Corley said about two thousand children participated this year.

“It pairs the kids in our program with a police officer for the day for just a lot of Christmas cheer and going out and just enjoying the season of giving and togetherness,” Corley said. “It is a lot of fun to see the smiling faces of the kids and also the officers. It is just a great day.”

The Santa Cops and their kids made stops at various locations, including the Lubbock National Bank and Cardinal’s. The final stop was at Yates Flooring, where each child was given a free bicycle. …

bb’s first half hugel

Monica Merced | strava.com

todays gal gang tho

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New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Texas Bicycling Action December 3rd, 2022

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What is in today’s post: Strava photos, TxDOT spends money, Posts from Instagram

Earnabike 2022 Build and After Ride

Mark Noblitt MTCCSA | strava.com

TxDOT Has $250 Million for Bike Lanes to Reduce Fatalities

By Yantis Green | sanangelolive.com

AUSTIN – As Texas strives to reduce the rising number of pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities, TxDOT is making available around $250 million for its 2023 Transportation Alternatives Call for Projects.

The federal funding will go towards sidewalks, bike lanes, shared-use paths and other projects to enhance walking and biking transportation across the state.

"Making it safer and easier to walk and bike is an important part of our mission of ‘Connecting You with Texas,’” TxDOT Transportation Commissioner Robert “Robie” Vaughn said. “I’m thrilled to see this increase in funding that’ll help communities build impactful improvements for its citizens. As a jogger and cyclist myself, I know the value these enhancements can bring to help Texans get to work, run errands, and enjoy the beautiful Texas outdoors." …

phiddy+!

Monica Merced | strava.com

Wet roads, dry eyes

Alison Carey | strava.com

Fun day of riding with David, Inna, and Kenneth. I finally got proof of Kenneth surfing my wheel

Dream Team! I have been riding with David Baxter for probably 7 years now. Inna, our newest rando who is always down for anything crazy. Kenneth, always in the back of the pic but the front of the pack. This was the end of the ride, back at the police station. What a great day with friends.

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Texas Bicycling Headlines December 2nd, 2022

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Texas Is Trying To Fight Pedestrian And Cyclist Deaths With Words. Is It Enough?

Benton Graham | nextcity.org

“It’s painfully obvious that a person driving a two-ton motorized vehicle is capable of so much more damage than someone riding a 30-pound bicycle…it seems like maybe they’ve forgotten that,” one road safety advocate says.

On a July night in downtown Austin, a sedan struck two pedestrians, reportedly leaving both with serious injuries. Video published by Fox 7 Austin shows the pair had used a crosswalk and the traffic signal indicated that they had the right of way.

That’s why it seemed especially strange that, in explaining the causes of pedestrian deaths to the local Fox affiliate, the Texas Department of Transportation spokesperson began by describing irresponsible pedestrian behavior. “Pedestrians not paying attention at intersections, not yielding the right of way to other vehicles, or by crossing streets or highways not at crosswalks,” a state official listed. “Likewise from the driver’s side, driver inattention, drivers failing to yield at crosswalks and intersections and failure to control speed.”

The response from the state agency generated a wave of criticism from road safety advocates about how the state talks about safety. “TXDOT: can you tell us how these pedestrians could have been wiser and thus safer? According to the article, they had the …

Gravel Rides and Race Calendar 2023

wheelbrothers.com

If you’re searching for a comprehensive list of gravel rides in and around Texas, you’ve come to the right place. Click any link on a ride below, and you’ll see: the date, times, address (including a map to get there), ride lengths, course maps, and elevation info. After you’re done with a ride, please take the time and drop us a note on how you liked it! Other riders will want to know!

TEXAS SIDEWALKS, BIKE LANES RECEIVE FUNDING

Posted By: rwturner | www.koxe.com

AUSTIN – As Texas strives to reduce the rising number of pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities, TxDOT is making available around $250 million for its 2023 Transportation Alternatives Call for Projects.

The federal funding will go towards sidewalks, bike lanes, shared-use paths and other projects to enhance walking and biking transportation across the state.

“Making it safer and easier to walk and bike is an important part of our mission of ‘Connecting You with Texas,’” TxDOT Transportation Commissioner Robert “Robie” Vaughn said. “I’m thrilled to see this increase in funding that’ll help communities build impactful improvements for its citizens. As a jogger and cyclist myself, I know the value these enhancements can bring to help Texans get to work, run errands, and enjoy the beautiful Texas outdoors.”

TxDOT will hold virtual workshops to …

Sewing: Houston wants to add bike lanes on a busy Third Ward street. Residents are torn.

Joy Sewing | www.houstonchronicle.com

The construction along Blodgett Street in Third Ward isn’t what alarmed Pastor Keith Edwards of Pilgrim Congregational United Church.

Three weeks ago, Edwards, whose church has been in the community for nearly 120 years and on Blodgett since 1973, learned that the construction is part of a plan to add a bike lane to the busy street— as well as expand its sidewalks, repair drainage issues and improve safety and beautification.

No one would argue the need to improve street infrastructure in a community that tends to be a low priority, as communities of color often are. And the bike lane, for some, is a needed amenity that will offer greater access to the Columbia Tap Bike Trail that leads to the Texas Medical Center, Texas Southern University and downtown.

But the bike lane addition has …

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New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Texas Bicycling News December 1st, 2022

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Video: Katy donors fill Christmas wishes for over 1,000 kids through ministry program, setting new record

Claire Goodman | www.houstonchronicle.com

Christmas will be a little merrier this year for more than 1,000 children thanks to the Katy community. Through the Katy Christian Ministries’ Santa’s Sleigh program, donors filled the Christmas wishes of 1,359 children and 123 senior citizens.

The beneficiaries of the gifts are children from families at Katy Christian Ministries who are unable to afford Christmas presents for their children. …

‘God Allowed the Accident’: Stunning Discovery Saves Texas Pastor’s Life, All Because He Crashed His Bike

Talia Wise | www1.cbn.com

A Texas pastor is thanking God after a bicycle crash led doctors to discover a malignant tumor on his brain.

Tan Flippin, 57, has stayed pretty active most of his life, but a torn meniscus ended his running regimen and led him to start cycling.

In 2018, his daily ride led him past a stretch beside a subdivision that was undergoing repair.

"I guess they had a little bit of asphalt left over and put it on the shoulder," Flippin explained to Kentucky Today. "I’d gone through that area before with no issues."

Flippin hit the …

New bikes given to second graders at 2 Amarillo elementary schools

by Matthew Watkins | abc7amarillo.com

AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — The United Way of Amarillo and Canyon, along with Xcel Energy partnered to give away new bikes to every second grader at Rogers Elementary.

Though the initial plan was to keep the big surprise a secret, the staff at Rogers knew they needed to find out which students do not know how to ride a bike so that they could get them ready to ride safely.

So, the United Way, Xcel and Atmos Energy sent volunteers to help teach them.

"They come to school every day ready to learn – they give it their all, whatever we ask them to do they …

This Couple Started Indoor Cycling Post-Pandemic and Gained Confidence and Better Health

By Lei and Mika Burgs, as told to Emily Shiffer | www.bicycling.com

They also dropped 100 pounds together.

Names: Lei and Mika Burgs Ages: 42, 38 Hometown: Houston, Texas Occupations: Barber/Business Owner, Hairstylist Time Cycling: 1 year Reason for Cycling: To improve overall health and wellness and to get back in shape.

Lei: In 2019, I was in good shape as I was preparing for my wedding. I was exercising regularly, and eating well—that is, until 2020. That’s when everything changed during the COVID pandemic and we were home and quarantined. I was doing a lot of sitting, eating and drinking. As a barber, we were shut down and couldn’t work for a good portion of the year. Needless to say, with such a sedentary lifestyle, I was packing on the pounds.

Mika: Before COVID in 2019, I first was introduced to cycling by my sister. I was trying to lose weight for our upcoming wedding. …

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