Texas Bicycling News Digest April 21st 2018

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Child on bike struck by vehicle in NE Austin

cbsaustin.com


AUSTIN, Texas — A child was transported to the hospital after being struck while riding their bike Saturday afternoon, authorities say.

Austin-Travis County EMS received a call around 3:15 p.m. of the collision. Medics responded to the 1000 block of East Rundberg, just east of I-35. …

Video: Stolen bike has sentimental meaning for North Dallas man

Author: Demond Fernandez | www.wfaa.com

“It’s not just some bike,” Harper explained. “It means a good bit more to me than that.”

DALLAS — It’s been a tough week for Stiles Harper. Some unidentified thief stole a bike that was mounted and locked on the back of Harper’s SUV on Tuesday.

”It’s not just some bike,” Harper explained. “It means a good bit more to me than that.”

The bike belonged to Harper’s dad. The man owned it for more than 15 years and rode the …

Concerns over Stanton bike lanes

www.kvia.com


EL PASO, Texas – The Camino Real Regional Mobile Authority is adding the region’s first two-way bike lane, as part of the ongoing El Paso Streetcar project. As the project is closer to becoming finalized, drivers are learning to adjust to the change in traffic and so are bicyclists. …

Out on bicycle ride built for two

Melissa McCaghren | www.brenhambanner.com


Tandem bike riders enjoy a trip through Independence Friday afternoon during the Southwest Tandem Rally. The event, hosted by Houstonians on Tandems Together, will also do rides in Burton and Chappell Hill this weekend.

McLennan County law enforcement officials prepare for statewide memorial ride

By KRISTIN HOPPA | www.wacotrib.com


With 150 miles in front of them, a group of McLennan County law enforcement officials and supporters will pedal with cause May 4 and 5 for the fourth annual Texas Police Officers Memorial Ride.

The local group will join dozens of departments for the annual memorial bicycle ride between San Antonio and Austin in support of the Concerns of Police Survivors nonprofit. The nationwide organization …

Cruising Route 66

By Janice Branham and Barry Branham | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 18: Groom to Amarillo TX: Flying across the Panhandle

Friday April 20, 2018, 64 miles (103 km) – Total so far: 932 miles (1,500 km)
Justin, our host in Groom, has a side gig at Outdoor Element, a bike shop in Amarillo. He was kind enough to haul our panniers in to the shop today so we could ride unfettered of the load. What fun! We sailed on tailwinds up to 32 mph, coasting along with no traffic on straight roads. Our average reached 15.8 over the first 40 miles.
Riding closer to the city was less fun on …

Two Timing Texas Tour

By Richard Hoeg | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 18: Crockett Loop: Smart at Age 62

Saturday April 21, 2018, 36 miles (58 km) – Total so far: 743 miles (1,196 km)
Us old folks can learn how to use this new fangled technology. When the weather app my smartphone indicated possible heavy rain today, we monitored the situation. When yesterday the weather forecast for today still showed extremely wet, we decided let’s do Crockett! Thus, we are hunkered down for two nights in the …

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Flowers, Bridge of Doom 2nd Fast Time Bike Ride

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Today’s bike ride involved perseverance. Within a few hundred feet of beginning the bike ride (11:42 am) I started seeing and feeling some very light mist. Riding the “Atascocita – Walden – Huffman” route to the south I could see dark clouds to the south and east. The light mist stayed with me for the first mile or so and disappeared to only return around mile 2 or 3. I thought since the mist was light and intermittent maybe the wind would move it away. Pedaling south the dark cloud in front about 3 or 4 miles away looking threatening but I didn’t let that shorten the bike ride. I did not ride on Friday because the temperature took too long to get above 60 and I didn’t want to miss another day.

After riding over the San Jacinto River on W. Lake Houston Parkway the dark clouds moved to the east and I thought the ride would stay dry and not stop me. It did that. The weather during the bike ride: start 71 (79% humidity), overcast, wind E 13 mph. Finish 74 (81% humidity), overcast, wind E 12 mph. With the low temperature (for me anyway) I decided to wear shorts, long sleeve thermal jersey and a short sleeve jersey. The first few miles were chilly before I warmed up and rode in the light mist at times. From the time I warmed up I didn’t really think about the temperature but shifted to the wind.

As I rode I decided to stop on Old Atascocita Road at the railroad tracks and take these pictures. On an earlier ride I saw the pink wildflowers and thought they would make a nice backdrop.

With the pair of private property signs I hoped leaning my bike against the gate was not a threat. After taking the photos I started walking back up to the road. Looking both ways I hurried across the road to resume the ride to the east. Usually this road is light with traffic but two vehicles approached, one from each direction causing me to hurry and get on the bike. Looking forward to making the left turn onto FM 2100 I pedaled hard. At FM 2100 the wind shifted to my right side and wasn’t trying to slow me down.

When I got to FM 1960 there was no need to stop for a rest break and after making the u-turn east of FM 2100 I rolled up to the traffic light to wait for the green light. Starting up I could feel the tailwind and decided after getting up to speed to shift into a gear I don’t use very often: 52 x 17. Normally the headwind and my legs would thwart using this gear combo but not today. I kept riding those gears until I came to the traffic light on the west of Lake Houston at Atascocita Shores Drive. My average speed had jumped from 14.6 mph to 15.0 mph over the 3 miles and Strava told me that was my 2nd fastest time on Bridge of death 

Making my way through Atascocita back to W. Lake Houston Parkway I saw some more dark clouds and hoped I could finish the bike ride and not get wet. The rain stayed away until I was almost at the finish of the ride. As I rolled to a stop the rain picked up some as I pushed the stop button the Elemnt computer. Walking up the driveway the rain continued as I opened the gate and got under the roof I heard the rain hitting the patio cover. Just in time to not get too wet. It was 2:08 pm.

For the week I am at 182.53 miles. I hope to get to 200+ if Sunday’s weather goes per the forecast: early morning showers and clearing by mid-morning. I only need 120 miles to hit my 600 mile goal for the month.

SportTracks Bike Ride Summary

Bike Ride Summary

Texas Bicycling News Digest April 20th 2018

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FrankenBike #87 EaDo Bicycle Co. ~ May 12th ~ 9am till 5pm

houston.craigslist.org


FrankenBike #87 EaDo Bicycle Co. ~ May 12th ~ 9am till 5pm
912 St. Charles St. 77003
Emancipation Ave. at Southeast corner of the soccer stadium
On the Eastside bicycle path

No hero left behind – Ride 2 Recovery made pit stop at Fort Hood

By Lisa Davidson | kdhnews.com


FORT HOOD — III Corps and Fort Hood welcomed over 150 cyclists from the United Health Care Texas Challenge 2018 at the III Corps headquarters Thursday morning.

The United Health Care Texas Challenge is part of the national nonprofit organization Project Hero, which is dedicated to help veterans and first responders affected by post-traumatic stress disorder, brain injuries and other injuries. …

Ride to Recovery makes Fort Hood pit stop

BY LISA DAVIDSON | www.tdtnews.com


FORT HOOD — III Corps and Fort Hood welcomed more than 150 cyclists from the United Health Care Texas Challenge 2018 on Thursday morning at the III Corps headquarters.

The United Health Care Texas Challenge is part of the national nonprofit organization Project Hero, which is dedicated to help veterans and emergency responders affected by post-traumatic stress disorder, brain injuries and other injuries. …

Video: Hundreds attend Veterans Ride Challenge

By: Colby Kirk | www.centexproud.com

More than 150 veterans are in Central Texas for a 400-mile bike ride from San Antonio to Dallas.

The proceeds raised from this event will help vets and first responders affected by injury and PTSD.

FOX44 Photojournalist Colby Kirk was there to capture the action, and you can see it all in the video above.

Mountain Bike Trails near San Antonio, TX bike trails

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Texas A&M System regents approve $85M ’21st Century Classroom’ for flagship campus

By CAITLIN CLARK | www.theeagle.com

The $85 million “21st Century Classroom Building” approved Thursday by the Texas A&M University Board of Regents will bring needed instructional space to Texas A&M’s flagship campus in College Station. …

… Plans presented to the regents during their regular meeting Thursday showed site development work will also include walkways, landscaping, bicycle parking, a student activity area and a covered outdoor plaza. …

Bike The Woodlands Month kicks off in May with activities and workshops

fatcatwebproductions.com


THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS (April 19, 2018) – May is recognized as National Bike Month, and for the sixth consecutive year The Woodlands will host a number of activities celebrating the event. The Woodlands Township is a supporter of Bike The Woodlands Coalition’s efforts to create a better community through bicycling, and the events in May offer a prime opportunity for residents to get involved. …

THINGS I’VE LEARNED: HILL ABELL

BY SARAH THURMOND | www.austinmonthly.com


HOW THE BRAINS BEHIND BICYCLE SPORT SHOP WENT FROM BEING A CYCLING ENTHUSIAST TO OWNING AN AUSTIN INSTITUTION

For almost 30 years, Wichita Falls native Hill Abell has been a cycling advocate. When he’s not riding the trails of the Barton Creek Greenbelt, he serves on the boards of Bike Austin and the city’s B-Cycle bike share program, working to increase ridership and bike facilities throughout the community. This National Bicycle Month, he’s encouraging all Austinites to take part in Bike to Work Day on May 18. …

US 183 South toll project about 50% complete, first nontolled section opening to traffic

By Amy Denney | communityimpact.com

Work has finished on the first stretch of nontolled lanes on the US 183 South toll road in East Austin, as construction hits a major milestone at the halfway point.

The $743 million toll project—the largest transportation project underway in the region—includes adding six tolled lanes on US 183 between Hwy. 290 and Hwy. 71 near the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Construction began May 2016 and the project is 50 percent complete and on track to fully open in 2020, said …

… The project also includes 9 miles of new sidewalks and 16 miles of new bike facilities along the nontolled lanes. These new facilities will also connect to shared-use paths on the 290 Toll and SH 71 Toll projects and the Lance Armstrong Bikeway. …

Bike share is everywhere. Is that a good thing?

Douglas Johnson | www.houstonchronicle.com


Residents of major U.S. cities are becoming used to seeing docks for bike sharing programs nestled into parking spaces or next to subway station entrances. Adorned with stylish branding and corporate sponsors’ logos, these facilities are transforming transportation in cities across the country.

McClain’s crystal ball: Predicting the Texans’ 2018 schedule Johnny Manziel: ‘I’ll find a place to play football somewhere’ Former Maxwell House coffee plant to close Barbara Bush, wife and mother of presidents, dies at 92 Starbucks protest boosts indie coffee shop in Third Ward Annoyed by robocalls to your cell phone? You can fight back Barbara Bush’s personal pastor reflects on former first lady
The modern concept of bike sharing – offering bikes for short-term public rental from multiple stations in cities – was launched in …

The Build 50 Challenge

bikehouston.org


The Build 50 Challenge is a campaign developed by BikeHouston and issued to the City of Houston, Harris County, Metro, Houston Parks Board, and others to build 50 miles of on and off street bikeways in 12 months.

The goal of the Build 50 Challenge is to build 50 miles of high-comfort bikeways in the City of Houston by April 16, 2019. This is no easy goal and will require the continued advocacy and …

This weekend’s rides: Doh! Red Horn!

by Thomas | steinerranchcycling.com

Note: Next Saturday, April 28, we will have a farewell ride for Bob Brown. Be sure to join us for that and allow some time to hang out after.

Saturday’s weather looks like a no-starter. If by some chance we do have an opening, just show up at the start and we will figure it out. After the ride we meet up at Lakeside for some discounted burgers and beer!

Sunday is …

Cruising Route 66

By Janice Branham and Barry Branham | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 17: Shamrock to Groom TX: Cruising the Interstate

Thursday April 19, 2018, 54 miles (87 km) – Total so far: 868 miles (1,397 km)
It was a fun day to ride with tailwinds in the 20s. In Oklahoma we were usually far enough from the interstate to not hear the noise. Route 66 through Texas is mostly on I-40 service roads, and today we had our first taste of riding on the Interstate.
From Shamrock we rode the interstate south service road 21 miles straight west to the McLean post office to mail home some excess baggage. Could not resist the Deviil’s Rope museum of barbed wire. Its free! Cool displays of every imaginable type of wire fence, the history of farming and ranching in the west and rooms devoted to Route 66, the Dust Bowl and the migration of desperate people west on the Mother Road. …

The Southern Tier: San Diego to St. Augustine (and further?)

By Susanne Holste | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 38. Austin

Saturday April 21, 2018, 15 km (9 miles) – Total so far: 2,724 km (1,693 miles)
Day 39. We’re having a wonderful cool rest day in Austin. We had made up a little plan of what we wanted and needed to do and Google Maps took us again on a great tour around town. We came across a couple interesting murals and art installations, including wonderful bike art, Forever Bicycles, by Ai Weiwei which creates a …

Two Timing Texas Tour

By Richard Hoeg | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 17: Huntsville to Crockett: Wildflower Tour!?

Friday April 20, 2018, 49 miles (79 km) – Total so far: 707 miles (1,138 km)
Perhaps we should have named this trip the Texas Wildflower Tour! The flowers continue mile after mile along the roadsides. Texas #19 was a dramatic difference from yesterday. We always had a HUGE shoulder and the traffic was not bad. Unlike yesterday the 10 foot wide shoulders encouraged us to stop and enjoy the countryside. I documented many …

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Texas Bicycling News Digest April 19th 2018

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Bike-share companies are transforming US cities – and they’re just getting started

Douglas Johnson | www.oaoa.com

(THE CONVERSATION) Residents of major U.S. cities are becoming used to seeing docks for bike sharing programs nestled into parking spaces or next to subway station entrances. Adorned with stylish branding and corporate sponsors’ logos, these facilities are transforming transportation in cities across the country.

The modern concept of bike sharing – offering bikes for short-term public rental from multiple stations in cities – was launched in Copenhagen in 1995, but U.S. cities only started piloting their own systems in the past decade. Washington D.C. led the way, launching SmartBike DC in 2008 and an expanded network called …

The Southern Tier: San Diego to St. Augustine (and further?)

By Susanne Holste | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 38. Johnson City to Austin

Friday April 20, 2018, 83 km (52 miles) – Total so far: 2,709 km (1,683 miles)
I had been a bit worried about the wind forecast for today and also about cycling into Austin. Fortunately it all worked out perfectly and Gustav did an excellent job navigation us through the city. The cycling from Johnson City was once again beautiful and there was little traffic on the first stretch. The ups and downs continued and gave us once again a good workout. When we reached the Austin city limit there was suddenly a lot of fast moving traffic with little shoulder. Google Maps got us …

Two Timing Texas Tour

By Richard Hoeg | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 16: College Station to Huntsville: Kissing the Pavement

Thursday April 19, 2018, 53 miles (85 km) – Total so far: 658 miles (1,059 km)
Quartering headwinds … limited to no shoulder … crumbling chip seal. This was the scenario for 35 miles as we biked out of College Station of Texas Route 30. The combination insured one kept your head down and concentrated on cycling the very narrow shoulder provided between the grass and rumble strips. …

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Veterans stop in Killeen as part of Project Hero cycling challenge

By Brittany Sodic | kdhnews.com


Around 130 Ride 2 Recovery cyclists pedal into Cleo Bay Subaru in Killeen on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, participating in United Health Care’s Texas Challenge benefiting Project Hero.

Close to 150 veterans and first responders cycled into Killeen from Georgetown Wednesday afternoon as a part of the Project Hero United Healthcare Texas Challenge.

The challenge, which is celebrating its 10th year in Texas and third year stopping at Cleo Bay Subaru in Killeen, is a 401-mile-long cycling trek that is broken up into seven days. Cyclists started in …

Residents invited to provide input April 24 on proposed bike lanes on Cedar Bend Drive in North Austin

By Amy Denney | communityimpact.com


The city of Austin is proposing to add bike lanes on Cedar Bend Drive from MoPac to Metric Boulevard in North Austin and is asking residents to weigh in.

Austin Public Works will be resurfacing the roadway within the next six months, so the transportation department is looking at new striping options to include bike lanes. Funding would come from the 2016 mobility bond, which includes $20 million for bikeway projects. …

Video: New bike sharing program coming to Texas Tech

By Amanda Ruiz | www.kcbd.com


LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) – A new form of shareable transportation is about to hit Texas Tech’s campus, and the city of Lubbock may not be far behind.

The bike sharing program promises to give users the convenience of having a bike to ride without needing to buy one.

“With the dockless bike sharing system, it’s done through an app. You download the app and …

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