Texas Bicycling News Digest February 24th 2019

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BFO – Ride to the Bridge (a Texas Independence Day Story)

by Bike Friendly Ovilla | www.facebook.com

Saturday, March 2, 2019 at 8 AM – 5:30 PM Heritage Park Ovilla, Tx This is a Texas Independence Day ride. We’ll set off on our story from Ovilla Heritage Park. Ride the train into Dallas and meet up with others for the Texas Loop Ride (near Mockingbird Station). We’ll then ride back into downtown to Dallas Farmers Market on our way to the much anticipated photo op of the year for Texas Independence. Let’s see how many cyclists we can get on the Bridge and celebrate Texas! …

How Mountain Biking has changed in the last 20 years

Johnny Guzman | bicyclepointofview.blogspot.com

The truth is, mountain biking is barely recognizable from what it was in 1998. Back then, bikes had 3 chainrings up front, bar ends, grip shifters, 26 inch wheels with the widest tire width being 1.95. Most people still did not ride with suspension, elbow or knee pads or any mountain bike specific clothing. People did thankfully wear helmets back then but these were poorly designed and made the wearer look like a bobble head doll. …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NgFKQ3mwtA

Cat 2 PaceBend RR.

Philip Shama | www.strava.com

We missed the winning break. Tried to do work to get it back and blew it. I rolled off the front for the last couple laps with a couple guys. Finished up the hill in the small ring…a broken man. Haha

Pack finish with the Cat 3 Bros

Carlos A. Moreno | www.strava.com

My first Cat 3 race ever. I got 13th/54 riders solo representing Rice U…Awesome!! There was a major crash in another race in front of us for women’s. We got neutralized with 4 miles to go. We literally stopped for like 30 mins then we went crazy for the last 4 miles. Super weird finish but I am really happy we rode safe and didn’t crash. I hope that the women who was taken in an ambulance is okay

Karbach 60: Welcome to the Pace Jam!

Jesse Alston | www.strava.com

Kate’s Ride, Spirit of the Pack. Cold, sunny and windy

Jovito Herrero Emmanuelli | www.strava.com

Texas Bike Summit Austin Bike Facilities Tour, Day 2

ADude ABikes | www.strava.com

Texas Bicycling from Twitter

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Texas Bicycling News Digest February 23rd 2019

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Spider Mountain Opening Day with Seth’s Bike Hacks – Texas’s only lift access mountain bike park Video

By NoFrontBrakes | www.trailforks.com

City releases final draft of ‘Austin Strategic Mobility Plan’

KVUE Staff | www.kvue.com

AUSTIN, Texas — Are you willing to ditch your car and ride your bicycle to work?

That’s one of the possibilities promoted by the new "Austin Strategic Mobility Plan" that was made public Friday.

Austin’s transportation plan has a lot to say about steps to reduce traffic congestion.

Among them: increase the share of Austin residents who use public transportation. The city would like to see a 400 percent increase in the number of residents who take transit to work by the year 2039.

The report also recommends that more people ride their bikes to work. The city wants at least 15 percent of …

Bike Ride & Swim on the San Antonio Mission Trail

sanantonio.carpe-diem.events

10 MARCH 15:00 – 18:00 Ride bikes on the safe, motor-free, San Antonio Mission Reach Bike Trail.

Admission is free

3:00 pm: Meet at Mission Espada at 10040 Espada Rd., San Antonio, TX 78214 (This is on the far South Side of San Antonio just south of Loop 410 …

Ciclismo por la tarde

Jaime Quintero Cadena | www.strava.com

Pace Bend Masters 35+ CAT 4/5 (mostly 35)

Danny Dutton | www.strava.com

Helotes with Cyclones

Eduardo Salas (Cyclones) | www.strava.com

Texas Bicycling from Twitter

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Jalapeno 100 Harlingen TX

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For my birthday I asked my wife for us to drive to Harlingen so I could ride in the Jalapeno 100 Bike Ride. One of the main attractions is the usually warmer weather. We drove to Harlingen yesterday and after getting up at 6 AM this morning my wife drove us to the starting location at the Boys Club 1209 W. Washington.

When we arrived many people beat us there. Yesterday at Bicycle World RGV I picked up my packet and asked how riders they expected. The lady said they hoped for 800 but expected 700+. I saw a rider wearing 894 during the ride.

Getting the Canyon Endurace out of the Jeep I installed the front wheel, put my shoes on and attached the Elemnt computer, water bottle, kissed my wife and walked to the starting area. As I walked I talked to a number of people and handed out Texbiker.net business cards.

Around 7:40 AM riders started rolling out and the ride was underway. At the time I didn’t realize it but I made a big mistake by not having a map of the 65 mile route. Later in the ride I rode part of the 100 mile and after the last rest stop with 10 miles to go I got lost trying to get back to the starting point. I ended up riding 74.44 miles, 12 miles more than I planned for.

The first mistake happened in Raymondville when I missed the right turn for the 65 mile route and went about 1/2 mile on the 50 mile route before I realized it.

On the road heading east from Raymondville I joined three other bikers to the 65 mile route turned south and the 100 mile went straight. It was great talking with them as we rode. One is a nuclear pharmacist, another is a school teacher and the last is the information officer for the El Paso Police Department. They rode together last year and decided to do it again.

So far the wind was not a problem but at the FM 1420 turn the headwind started buffeting me and my average speed slowly started falling from 14.8 mph to 14 mph and lower by the finish at 2 PM.

For me one major problem was the route markers. They were small and I missed several resulting in the extra miles.

The wind started shifting direction around 11 AM from the south to the west and then from the north. Unfortunately this made the last 15 miles tougher with a headwind. Weather during the ride: start 72 (91%humidity), fog mist, wind S 14 mph. Finish 83 (55% humidity), fair, wind N 10 mph.

The last 10 miles turned into 13 miles as I got off the route and ended up putting the finish address in my phone and got directions. Thank goodness for Google Maps. The wind punished me during this time. Two other riders were also off course riding near me. When I stopped to look at Google Maps they did the same. I tried to get their attention as I started following the instructions but they didn’t see me.

This link will take you to the photos I took during the ride.

This link will take you to the ride summary at SportTracks.

Strava Year Progressions Graph

Strava Year Progressions Graph

Texas Bicycling News Digest February 22nd 2019

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Fatal Galveston crash that killed bicyclist, 23, produces lawsuit against bar

By John Suayan | setexasrecord.com

GALVESTON – A state district lawsuit has been filed in response to a single-vehicle accident last year that claimed the life of a bicyclist.

Recent Galveston County District Court records show that Sean O’Rourke of Simon & O’Rourke Law Firm, P.C. in Webster filed the suit on behalf of the parents of the late Marco Pena Beltran in the 405th District Court on Feb. 20. …

Bicycle Advisory Council says UT plan should not preclude safety now

by Ryan Thornton | www.austinmonitor.com

In light of a preventable tragedy resulting in 39-year-old Anthony John Diaz losing his life from being run over by a Capital Metro bus while riding a bicycle on Monday, Jan. 28, the Bicycle Advisory Council is recommending that the University of Texas at Austin assume immediate action to make sure that it will not happen again.

Diaz was killed while riding northbound on San Jacinto Boulevard west of Darrell K. Royal Stadium on the UT campus. The university has …

Transportation Services working on VeoRide placement issues following criticism

by Brooke Colombo | www.ntdaily.com

In response to student feedback, UNT Transportation is working with VeoRide to find long-term solutions to criticism about the implementation of ride-sharing services on campus, according to Transportation Services.

One concern some students have expressed regarding VeoRide bikes is where they are left after use. Trista Moxley, senior communication specialist for Transportation Services, said that since the bikes have previously been found in the middle of sidewalks and green spaces, the university actively relocates them. …

GUEST COMMENTARY: Bring trail under state ownership

By Tim McAlavy | theparisnews.com

Regarding recent news that two bills are afoot in the legislature to improve the Northeast Texas Trail and bring it under the umbrella of state ownership — all I can say is “Go for it.”

The Texas Department of Transportation was assigned stewardship of abandoned rail line properties under the rail-bank program by our state government. The agency has since worked diligently with entities statewide to develop these abandoned properties into rich, multi-use recreation resources. They are for cyclists, walkers, joggers, pet owners and all of us to enjoy. The City of Paris, Northeast Texas Trail Association and City of Reno are but a few of TxDOT’s trail partners. Some of these partners rely on TxDOT expertise and resources to help them apply for and receive federal grants that go to improve and expand these land/trail resources. …

Mind Right Camp Shenanigans Day 1

Jeremy Brown | www.strava.com

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