Texas Bicycling News Digest June 11th 2019

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Shared-use path at Hwy. 290 and SH 130 benefits from funding windfall

By Emma Freer | communityimpact.com

The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization board members unanimously approved the allocation of $1 million to the Texas Department of Transportation for a shared-use path bridge at Hwy. 290 and SH 130 at a meeting June 10.

The project will help resolve pedestrian and bicycle safety issues, provide improved mobility for cyclists and pedestrians, and benefit communities protected under the Civil Rights Act, according to a summary prepared by CAMPO staff.

The funding for the shared-use path became available as a result of a project transfer. …

Texas 4000 cyclists give $75,000 to MD Anderson and Texas Children’s Hospital

Julie Garcia | www.houstonchronicle.com

Members of Texas 4000 UT Austin team present a $25,000 check to support The Texas Children’s Hospital’s Retiro de Renovación program in Houston, Wednesday, June 5, 2019. The team, which hopes to raise money for cancer research and support services, visited with patients and toured the hospital.

Before one of the longest journeys of their lives, student cyclists from the University of Texas at Austin stopped in Houston to help save lives.

The Texas 4000 for Cancer cycling team is riding 4,000-plus miles from Austin to Anchorage, Alaska. Members presented a grant check last week to MD Anderson Cancer Center for $50,000 to help fund its ongoing research on …

Velofix hires Donny Perry, to open Austin office

www.bicycleretailer.com

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (BRAIN) — Mobile service franchiser Velofix has hired industry veteran Donny Perry as its senior vice president of retail strategy and operations.

Perry was most recently the head of retail for North America for Bang & Olufsen. He is well known to bike reatilers as the former retail development manager for Specialized and as the author of "Leading Out Retail: A Creative Look at Bicycle Retail and What All Retailers Can Learn from It."

Among other tasks, Perry will be responsible for opening a new office in Austin, Texas. Velofix’s headquarters remain in Vancouver. …

Gallivanting On The Greenway On A Gorgeous Day.

Curt Culliton | www.strava.com

VCC Recovery Ride

Leo Vela (VCC) | www.strava.com

Richmond residents remember life of ‘The Wonderful World of Mr. Louis’

Author: Levi Ismail | www.khou.com

Family, friends and complete strangers hosted a vigil for the beloved bike rider with an infectious smile.

<iframe width=”640″ height=”360″ style=”border-width:1px; border-style:solid; border-color:#e6e6e6;” src=”https://media.khou.com/embeds/video/285-a569879d-b9da-4f0c-8f8b-dea11a74ed25/iframe” allowfullscreen=”true” webkitallowfullscreen=”true” mozallowfullscreen=”true”></iframe>

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas — At the center of complete strangers, friends and family was the last bike Louis Butler rode before he died Monday.

Outside Handlebar Cyclery in Richmond, people shared their stories of when they crossed paths with Butler and what it meant to them. Often every encounter ended with a photo that was later posted on the popular Facebook page, "The Wonderful World of Mr. Louis." …

Texas Bicycling from Twitter

A Cool Day Sneaks Into June Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

During the night the weather changed making today a very pleasant day for a bike ride. Sunday was 97 degrees and it was 86 degrees when I finished today’s bike ride. The dew point and humidity enhanced the coolness during the ride too. Wheels rolled at 10:44 AM as I set off on the “Stroker Road – Huffman” route. The last time I rode this route was April 20th which surprised me some, I thought it had not been that long ago.

I chose this route for variety and because it had the mileage that would get me to 90+ miles for the week. Today I biked 43.03 miles, the week totals 90.52 miles and June totals 348.01 miles, 44% of the way to my goal. YTD is 3,528 miles.

Weather during the bike ride: start 77 (63% humidity, 63 dew point), overcast, wind NE 9 mph. Finish 86 (53% humidity, 66 dew point), a few clouds, wind N 6 mph. At the beginning of the ride it felt like a fall day.

The Atascocita Hike & Bike Trail was part of the ride today. I tried to find the northern starting point but it wasn’t where I thought it was so I have to look some more. At the southern point I read the map and noticed that several spots are marked “coming soon”. Looks like this is a work in process.

Riding east on Old Atascocita Road east of FM 2100 another cyclist approached from the east and we exchanged waves and hello.

After turning right onto Ramsey Road I stopped and took these photos. The wide open spaces and sky caught my eye.

  • Bike Ride Ramsey Road-1
  • Bike Ride Ramsey Road-2
  • Bike Ride Ramsey Road-3

After taking the photos riding south with a tailwind I rode faster improving my average speed. By the time I got back to FM 2100 it was up 14.0 mph which I held until I was back in Kingwood. A brief stop at the Huffman Chevron allowed me to refill my water bottle and eat a Clif Bar to power me to the end of the ride. I finished the ride at 2:09 PM. Strava told me this ride was consistent with your usual efforts.

SportTracks Bike Ride Summary

SportTracks Bike Ride Summary

Strava Year Progressions YTD Bike Ride Miles

Strava Year Progressions YTD Bike Ride Miles

Texas Bicycling News Digest June 10th 2019

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Tour de Agua Dublin, Texas June 8, 2019

Roy Pedal Pushers | roy-pedalpushers.blogspot.com

Start of the line up for the 41 milers. The 100K’s had already taken off. Staggered start for the racers.

Kristie Holt Wants a Bike-Friendly Deep Ellum

ALEX GONZALEZ | www.dallasobserver.com

As Deep Ellum continues to grow in business and in opportunities for artists, the more necessary the means to accommodate various forms of transportation. Earlier this year, Deep Ellum implemented plans to help reduce traffic by designating certain intersections as rideshare drop-off and pick-up spots. Shuttles from downtown Dallas offer residents and …

Broken bottles on Market Trail bridge, White Oak Bayou, Sunday morning. Why!? from bikehouston

Driveway Series • May 23 2019

www.road-results.com

Categories » Men Cat 1/2/3
» Men Cat 3/4
» Men Cat 4/5
» Men Junior 11-17 Cat 4/5
» Men Master 35+ Cat 1/2/3/4
» Women Cat 1/2/3
» Women Cat 3/4/5

Driveway Series • May 30 2019

www.road-results.com

Categories » Men Cat 1/2/3
» Men Cat 3/4
» Men Cat 4/5
» Men Junior 11-17 Cat 4/5
» Men Master 35+ Cat 1/2/3/4
» Women Cat 1/2/3
» Women Cat 3/4/5

A Word From Our Director June 10 2019

bikehouston.org

Back from a four day bike ride across Nebraska with good news. A grant we have been preparing for, we got. As we prepare the final agreements, BikeHouston will be updating our strategic plan to recognize the goals we set for the next three years. Weather is turning to summer and a shower at work is a blessing (albeit cold, brrrrr). Bo was ahead of me on Feagan as we rode our bikes to work this morning. He had more steam than I but I caught up with him as he waited for the …

Saturday Bagel Ride

El Paso Cyclists | www.epcyclists.com

8:30am MST – 11:30am MST February 9th, 2019 We Offer a Short, Medium and Long Ride. Need more information check us out at https://www.facebook.com/epcyclists/ We’ll have a SHORT 15 Miles Ride for Cat 15 , and a MEDIUM & LONG Rides for intermediate and advanced riders…Make plans to ride Location: The Hospitals of Providence East Campus, Joe Battle Boulevard, El Paso, TX, USA – Hospital Parking Lot Edgemere and Lp375

Upcoming Rides

Chasing Watts | chasingwatts.com

MPPPL Tuesday, June 11, 2019 @ 5:30 AM

Smackdown TNE Tuesday, June 11, 2019 @ 6:00 PM

Paperclip Tuesday, June 11, 2019 @ 5:45 PM

Wednesday UBG Wednesday, June 12, 2019 @ 6:30 PM

Sugar Land WNW 2019 Wednesday, June 12, 2019 @ 6:00 PM

Cool Cat Cycles Wed Night Gravel Wednesday, June 12, 2019 @ 6:30 PM

Paperclip Thursday, June 13, 2019 @ 5:45 PM

Thursday Night Shop Ride – Short Route (12.5) Miles – Pearland Bicycles Thursday, June 13, 2019 @ 6:00 PM

Smackdown TNE Thursday, June 13, 2019 @ 6:00 PM

Pearland Bicycles Thursday Night Shop Ride 25.8 Miles Thursday, June 13, 2019 @ 6:00 PM

Zube NWCC ride – Multiple groups Saturday, June 15, 2019 @ 7:30 AM

Sugar Cycles MS150 Group Ride Sunday, June 16, 2019 @ 7:30 AM

Update on Safer Streets Initiative

City of Houston

Sparked by the deaths of two pedestrians crossing a street in the Heights area in March, Mayor Sylvester Turner today announced the completion of new street safety projects and plans for more as part of the city’s Safe Streets initiative.

With the pedestrians’ survivors looking on, the mayor reported the citywide upgrades and activated a newly installed traffic signal at North Shepherd Drive and West 10th Street, where the pair was killed. In her Good Samaritan style, Lesha White, 54, was driving nearby March 30 when she saw Jesus “Jesse” Perez struggling to cross the intersection in a wheelchair. She pulled over and was helping Perez when another vehicle struck the pair.

“Just because (Houston Public Works) upgraded this intersection does not mean we will forget Lesha Adams and Jesus Perez,” Mayor Turner said. “And just because we made this intersection safer for pedestrians and everyone else does not mean we need another horrific accident to take place before we improve other intersections.”

The city streamlined the way it addresses reports of dangerous intersection as of the mayor’s April 11 news conference at the site. As a result, the city made repairs traffic light repairs, wheelchair ramp installations and other improvements at many of the 667 intersections reported by the public in the last two months.

Also since April 11, the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities logged and relayed to Public Works 20 requests for pedestrian access reviews, four times the usual amount. Metro removed a bus stop three blocks south of the intersection to make it safer for bus riders to cross the street.

Mayor Turner announced today that the city is joining the national Vision Zero network designed to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030. He emphasized the network’s principles, including that all roadway fatalities are preventable.

Police Chief Art Acevedo, Metro board chair Carrin Patman, Mayor Pro Tem Ellen Cohen, Public Works Director Carol Haddock and Office of People with Disabilities Director Maria Towns joined Mayor Turner to urge drivers to be more aware of pedestrians and cyclists.

“As the city doubles down on making streets safer for everyone, we always need residents, especially drivers, to work with us,” the mayor said. “Please take care, look out for your fellow Houstonians who are on foot, and avoid distractions such as cell phone use.”

Monday Monster Mash

JON BLAZE | www.strava.com

Texas Bicycling from Twitter

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

3 Deer Scampering on The Greenway Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Today’s bike ride is my monthly jaunt on the Spring Creek Greenway. Wheels rolled at 10:10 AM and finished at 2:42 PM. I biked 47.48 miles. These miles improved June’s total to 304.97 miles, 38% of my goal for June.

After yesterday’s high temperature of 97 today moderated some, weather during the bike ride: start 84 (75% humidity), mostly cloudy, wind N 10 mph 20 mph gusts. Finish 90 (61% humidity), partly cloudy, wind N 13 mph. With all of the shade on the greenway it felt comfortable and at the rest stops the breeze was cooling.

I intended to ride easy and Strava confirmed that with this summary: ” This was easier than your usual effort. ”

Below are photos on the bridge over the San Jacinto River to get to the trailhead.

  • Bike Bevell Jarrell Bridge-1
  • Bike Bevell Jarrell Bridge-2

Not many other bikers on the greenway today but when I came around a curve around the 13 mile point 3 deer on the edge of the greenway scampered into the brush when they heard me. No major changes along the ride but the west end is still closed east of the I-45 underpass. I didn’t inspect why but I am guessing the high water from the early May storms eroded the bank close to concrete greenway.

  • Bike Ride Spring Creek Greenway-1
  • Bike Ride Spring Creek Greenway-1
  • Bike Ride Spring Creek Greenway-1
  • Bike Ride Spring Creek Greenway-1
  • Bike Ride Spring Creek Greenway-1

I stopped at Dennis Johnston Park on the way back east to refill my water bottle. The next stop was at John Pundt Park to eat a snack and take a break for the 7 miles back to Jesse Jones Park. At Jesse Jones Park I stopped long enough to eat a Clif Bar and refill my water bottle to get me back home about 9 miles away.

On the way back to Kingwood as I came down the ramp from the bridge I saw a TXDot truck parked under the freeway. I rode over to the truck and asked the driver who I should report the dead deer carcass laying on the ramp now mostly out of the plastic sheeting it was in the last time I rode this route. He paused and then said he would ask someone at TXDot to pick it up.

Weather this week is favorable for more biking.

SportTracks Bike Ride Summary

SportTracks Bike Ride Summary

Strava Year Progressions YTD Bike Ride Miles

2019 now leads all years.

Strava Year Progressions Graph