Texas Biking News April 18th 2020

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Bike business is booming during pandemic

By Baylee Bates | www.kten.com

SHERMAN, Texas (KTEN) — Charlie Jenkins and his wife have been in the cycling business for 15 years. They own Texoma Bicycle Works in Sherman.

Recently they’ve been busy, something he hasn’t typically seen this early in the year. Jenkins said COVID-19 is actually helping his sales.

"Our customers come in, they’re happy, they’re looking for something to enhance their fitness or something to have fun with, or …

Austin retailers get creative ahead of reopening with to-go order approach

by Jordan Bontke | cbsaustin.com

One of the executive orders issued by Governor Greg Abbott on Friday allows retail businesses to open starting next Friday, April 24th, on a to-go basis. Some Austin stores have already adjusted their operations to stay open while others are getting creative to reach their customers. …

… At Bicycle Sport Shop on South Lamar, CEO Hill Abell considers himself grateful to be open with so many stores closed around him. “We are just being inundated with people pulling their bicycles out of the garage because they haven’t ridden them in a decade,” said Abell. …

Frederic Chopin’s Classical Music: The Soundtrack to My Bike Ride

A DUDE ABIKES | adudeabikes.com

Before you read this, if you can, put on your favorite streaming service, CD or album (or imagine) something by Frédéric Chopin. Something like Nocturne No.2 In E Flat, Op. 9 No. 2 performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy from Chopin: Favourite Piano Works. Because that’s what I’m listening to as I write this, and the music seems perfectly suited to my ride and state of mind. Given that it was a grey Friday evening in Austin, Texas after some light rain had fallen, and the pandemic stay at home order, traffic was extremely light.

The surreal experience of biking down Austin’s main street, Congress Avenue, with …

Texas Biking from Twitter

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Two In A Row, High Noon Start, Huffman Bike Ride

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Today was the third time this year to ride what I call the “Atascocita – Huffman – Walden” route. I ride this route on Saturdays to increase the likelihood of seeing other cyclists usually east of Lake Houston. I started at 12:00 PM which meant the other bikers were probably finished by the time I got to FM 1960 and east of the lake.

I delayed the start until noon waiting for the temperature to get near 70 from 59 when I got up this morning. Overcast skies didn’t help to warm it any. As I got dressed for the ride I made the decision to not wear leg warmers which turned out okay. As I got the bike ready to leave I checked the weather and it was 69.7. My legs can handle that. Weather while I rode: start 70 (82% humidity, 64.0 dew point), overcast, wind NE 6 mph. Finish 75 (80% humidity, 68.1 dew point), mostly cloudy, wind NE 8 mph. I did wear shorts, a long sleeve thermal jersey, and a wind jacket. The jacket blunted the wind chill though the 8 mph wind wasn’t as strong as earlier in the week.

Several casual bikers passed me during the bike ride. I did see one serious cyclist (helmet and kit). Walkers have increased with the “stay at home” situation with COVID-19.

Since I changed the rear cassette to an 11×25 on the Canyon Endurace bike (and Lynskey R300) my speed has improved and overall average speed increased too. Probably the 11×28 was too low and slow for my pedaling cadence.

With today’s 33.73 miles my total for the week stands at 202.35 miles, the second week in a row of 200+ miles and fifth week over 200 out of the last six weeks. April totals 577.16 miles with a 630 mile goal. I think I will surpass my April goal with 12 biking days left in the month.

Sunday’s bike ride might get rained out if the forecast can be trusted. Saturday’s forecast called for rain but none fell during my ride.

4-18-2020 SportTracks Bike Ride Summary

Texas Biking April 17th 2020

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Houston engineers designed a Spur 527 plan bicyclists loved. Commuters drove it into the ground.

Dug Begley | www.houstonchronicle.com

City officials planned a pedestrian trail as a replacement for connections from Bagby and Brazos to Spur 527, rather than replace the old bridge, the girders of which hang above the streets on April 15, 2020, in Midtown Houston.

Spur 527, once the path of U.S. 59 into downtown Houston before the freeway moved east, is supposed to carry travelers to and from Midtown and the central business district over a series of street overpasses.

Lately, some of those overpasses are dividing the community more than just physically.

After deteriorating conditions closed the northern access points to the spur …

Try The Online 12-Week Challenge With The Hill Country Ride For AIDS

www.kxan.com

Rosie spoke with Taylor Stockett, Executive Director of the Hill Country Ride For AIDS.

What is the Hill Country Ride For AIDS and who does it benefit?

“Our mission is to produce an annual HIV/AIDS fundraising event promoting awareness of the disease and raising funds for nine agencies in Central Texas providing of HIV/AIDS services and prevention efforts. · It’s a festive and family-friendly cycling event · We’ve had 21 years of serious hills & serious fun · It raises money to support HIV/AIDS services in ATX · We’ve raised $10 million in 20 years · It’s a ‘Community of Kindness’

The funds raised help our …

Audio: Cities Are Taking Advantage Of Less Traffic To Rethink Their Roads

Texas Public Radio | www.tpr.org

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

Streets are noticeably quiet now with stay-at-home orders in place. Gone are the rattling trucks, the smell of exhaust and the gridlock, and in their place are joggers, cyclists and dog walkers – many of them wearing masks, all looking to stay active during the lockdown. And some cities are taking advantage of this moment to rethink how people can use the roads. Alex Davies wrote about this for Wired, and he joins us now. …

Police Beat – Teen on bike hit by truck

baytownsun.com

A 13-year-old boy riding his bicycle about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 100 block of West Texas Avenue was struck by a pickup truck that then fled without rendering aid, according to police.

The boy had multiple injuries including abrasions to his face, a leg injury and a possible arm injury, according to Baytown police spokesman Lt. Steve Dorris. He was taken to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston for treatment.

Dorris said an older white Ford pickup truck driven by an older Hispanic man hit the boy and knocked him off his bicycle. The truck stopped briefly but then left without helping.

26" Schwinn cruiser stolen from uptown 4/17. from dfwbike

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Oh What Big Beams You Have Bike Ride to Gene Campbell Blvd.

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Before leaving on today’s bike ride I checked to see what route I rode last year on April 17th. Turned out to be the same route I planned on riding today: “New Caney – Gene Campbell Road”. Somehow I got ready and pushed the start ride button on the Bolt computer at 11:51 AM.

The sun left leaving an overcast sky for today’s bike ride. What the weather look like as I biked around SE Montgomery County: start 78 (79% humidity, 70.7 dew point), overcast, wind E 8 mph. Finish 82 (70% humidity, 71.2 dew point), overcast, wind SE 7 mph. Thankfully the wind let up from yesterday and the temperature went up. I wore shorts, long sleeve jersey, and a short sleeve USA Cycling jersey. The wind didn’t bother me until I turned onto FM 1314 to ride back to the SE. Headwind tried to slow me but I held my average speed at 14.0 mph improving it to 14.1 mph by the time I reached Old Sorters Road where I turned right. This put me among some trees to block the wind some.

As I approached Community Drive traffic backed up on the frontage road. Tonight the contractor will place big beams over the southbound lanes of US59 and they have some of the barriers out forcing three lanes into two. Later as I went under US59 at the Caney Creek u-turn I saw the long trucks loaded with the beams parked on the southbound frontage road shoulder waiting until tonight to go about a mile south to unload. As big as those beams are the cranes lift them into place gently. I think the northbound lanes will be closed next weekend. The slow traffic ruined my average speed, dropping from 13.8 mph to 12.9 mph as I crawled north. It took me all the way to FM 1314 to recover it.

When I got home and checked my email there was one from the Houston Mayor Pro Tem alerting Kingwood residents of the northbound W. Lake Houston bridge over the river will be closed starting April 27th to replace a bunch of bearing pads. This will disrupt my biking to the south.

Before the ride I took this photo in my backyard. I couldn’t resist the bright blooms of the Knockout Roses.

4-17-2020 Bike Ride Backyard Roses-1

Near the end of the ride I became concerned about rain but I finished the ride at 2:46 PM dry (not counting the sweat). The ride covered 37.44 miles. I noticed the Canyon Endurace only needs 15 miles to reach the 16,000 mark.

4-17-2020 SportTracks Bike Ride Summary
  • 4-17-2020 Golden Cheetah Bike Ride Data-1
  • 4-17-2020 Golden Cheetah Bike Ride Data-2