Texas Bicycling News April 30th 2017

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Bicyclist found dead along IH-35 Frontage Road, police say driver hit him & did not stop

by News 4 San Antonio | news4sanantonio.com


LIVE OAK, Texas — Authorities are looking for the driver of a Honda Accord with front end damage after a male bicyclist was found dead along the IH35 North frontage road early Saturday morning.
The Live Oak police department says a man in his 20s was riding his bike in the north bound access lane when a driver struck him. The bicyclist, who has yet to …

Video: Police Officers Ride Bikes from Fort Worth to Austin

www.fox4news.com


Hundreds of law enforcement officers are taking part in the 2017 Texas Peace Officers Memorial Ride.
The ride is meant to honor officers who died in the line of duty. It also raises funds for the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.)
Officers took off from Fort Worth Saturday, April 29. They are traveling 150 miles on their bikes for two days. The first stop was Dallas City Hall, where the group held a ceremony for the police officers who were killed on the …

Texas tour

By Liam Healy | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Lajitas to Presidio: Javalina parade and lots of scenery
Friday April 7, 2017, 51 miles (82 km) – Total so far: 510 miles (821 km)
Today we entered and road along the edge of Big Bend Ranch State Park. The route follows the Rio Grande, which was visible off and on during the ride. Shortly out of Lajitas, there is an abandoned movie set that looks like a ghost town. I didn’t explore it.
There is a roadside stop and hike to the river in a slot canyon which is very interesting. It is over a mile and the boulder drops in the canyon become very large such that you need to climb on all fours and preferably have another person to help, so I did not go all the way to the river. When I got back to the van parked at the pull-off, it was locked with my biking shoes inside. While I was trying to …

Presidio to Marfa
Saturday April 8, 2017, 59 miles (95 km) – Total so far: 569 miles (916 km)
A long but gradual climb (mostly) away from the river. We had to pass through border control north of Presidio even though we never left the US.
We camped in Marfa at “El Cosmico”, an odd campground. All the facilities, shower-sinks-toilets, are outdoors. There are trailers available for rent, but we camped. There are hammocks set up which turn out are community facilities, and we weren’t supposed to camp within 20 feet of them. Despite that, Joe slept in one of the hammocks (rather than setting up his own camping hammock).
We had a farewell dinner at The Pizza Foundation, a very popular restaurant in …

Marfa to Fort Davis: A few final miles and a long drive back
Sunday April 9, 2017, 22 miles (35 km) – Total so far: 591 miles (951 km)
This was a short day with a mild climb and then descent into Fort Davis and back to Stone Village.
I got back late morning, took a shower and packed up. Jim wanted to ride in the hill country before meeting his wife in Austin on Saturday, so we put his bike on my rack (there are two slots) and we took off. We took turns driving, and stopped at his hotel in New Braunfels (south of Austin) before heading for dinner next door. Then I drove alone back to …

Hotter’N Hell Hundred Pace Group

by Athletes On Track | www.bikereg.com


The Official Pace Group
The Hotter’N Hell Hundred Pace Group is the premier VIP Experience for Hotter’n Hell.
You’ll start first, in front of the crowd. At the finish, you’ll relax in air conditioned comfort at the Finish Line Lounge. Additionally, riders receive a special edition jersey and professional level support throughout the ride.
Ever wondered what it’s like to be a team leader in the Tour de France peloton? This is your opportunity to experience the royal treatment like Contador, Froome, or Cavendish!
Join us for our 7th year as we ride a controlled pace to help you break the coveted 5-hour mark. To help you in your quest, you will have a premier starting spot, support vehicles, and a team of experienced coaches and elite racers leading the way – your own personal domestiques!

Texas Bicycling from Twitter

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

April Biking Goal Accomplished Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

The weather changed overnight just like the forecast predicted. It was a little chilly when  started today’s bike ride (1:15 pm) with 70 degrees. I delayed riding hoping to not need to wear a wind breaker jacket. I got my wish and before leaving I switched to a short sleeve jersey over a long sleeve thermal one. It was a good choice and I was comfortable bicycling the 23.22 miles on the “Atascocita – Walden” route. A big change from yesterday’s sauna like weather. Today’s wind moved to the WNW at 14 mph with 26 mph gusts. I could feel the chill when one of those gusts hit me.

With April cycling over I ended up biking 804.54 miles, exceeding my 772 mile goal. Last month I rode 677 miles so April weather was kinder to me. I rode 23 days for an average of 34.98 miles per ride. I will not get that many miles in May with some activities we will be doing.

Two other bicyclists crossed my path during the ride. I guess they didn’t do the BP MS150 to Austin.

Links to RideWithGPS.com and Strava.com

Strava Extended Statistics

Strava Extended Statistics

Golden Cheetah April Rides Summary

GC April Ride Summary

Texas Bicycling News April 29th 2017

Texbiker.net Posted on by

BP MS 150 riders, organizers hope bad weather stays away

by Sarah Navoy | keyetv.com


AUSTIN, Texas — For the last two years, bad April weather forced organizers of the BP MS 150 bike ride to cancel portions of the event. This year, both riders and organizers are hopeful.
Riders start in 1 of 3 locations in Houston on Saturday, stop for the night in La Grange, then finish on Congress Avenue in Austin on Sunday.
800 riders took off in buses from downtown Austin throughout the day Friday. More than …

Man and his dog are cycling for a world record

by Pam Kragen | www.sandiegouniontribune.com

Four years ago, ex-bartender Mike Minnick and his rescue dog, Bixby, climbed aboard a touring bicycle in Galveston, Texas, with the goal of seeing how far they could go. Forty-four U.S. states and nearly 25,000 miles later, they’re still on the move in a world record-settting cycling campaign billed as “Where’s Bixby?”
Over the years, Minnick, Bixby and a rubber chicken named Charlie, have circled the country twice, suffered several crashes and enjoyed the hospitality of hundreds of …

More ATX100K lunacy

by Desert Nomad | www.bikemojo.com

Coldspring cancelled so…
5/7/17 at 7am.
ATX100K Death-March. It will be a semi “guided” ride. Barton-creek Greenbelt. All or most of the trails. Unknown mileage. Unknown finish time. It’s going to be seriously hard.
Thad and I will trade out ride leader roles as we hit pretty much everything at a moderately easy pace. If you are still with the group at the end, you get credit for finishing.
If you don’t keep up, you will be dropped and responsible for getting yourself back to your car. We make reasonable efforts to keep the lead riders together. If you are fast and blaze off ahead, you won’t know the exact route and you will be dropped and find yourself alone.
We will meet back at the cars to re-up on water and food during the ride once maybe twice.
Plan for sick rock gardens and …

MS-150 rider fulfills promise to slain wife

By St. John Barned-Smith | www.chron.com


Though she was a bit of a cycling novice, Keri Guillory threw herself into training for this year’s BP MS-150 ride.
Soon, the 48-year-old mother of two was riding dozens of miles every weekend with her husband, growing stronger, getting ready for the annual Houston-to-Austin ride.
“Train hard enough, and I’ll get you across the finish line,” 53-year-old Michael Guillory told her.
He will keep that promise Sunday as he carries her ashes across the finish line in a small, tawny wooden box strapped to the …

Texas tour

By Liam Healy | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Chisos Basin to Lajitas
Thursday April 6, 2017, 46 miles (74 km) – Total so far: 459 miles (739 km)
Up as short hill to the rim and then down the steep hill back to TX118, we continued west and exited the national park. At the Cottonwood general store, we had the second shopping trip. When I got there most of the shopping was done, but I bought some cornmeal to bread the chicken chunks; they didn’t have any bread crumbs or flour.

Tall Bikes do exist in San Antonio!

by Matthew | bike4heck.com


I’ve been aware that slowly over the years Cargo bikes have been catching on in San Antonio, Texas. Mostly I see Madsen Cargo Bikes and a few Surly Big Dummies. I’ve not seen another Yuba Mundo in a while but I do know they are out there as I’ve seen them. cargo bikes in generally are a rare sight but …

Bicyclists pedal from Houston to Austin for 33rd annual BP MS 150

By Ashlynn Turner | www.click2houston.com

HOUSTON – The BP MS 150 bike riders, riding for research, have rolled out.
The trip will take two days to get from Houston to La Grange and then eventually to Austin as a part of the world’s largest multiple sclerosis fundraiser.
“Day two is definitely the toughest part,” said participant Rudy Mendez.
This will be Mendez’s sixth year doing the 150. In 2012, he started riding for his best friend who has …

Texas Bicycling from Twitter

8 Pounds Heavier With 32 MPH Gusts Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Another ride on the new Blue Norcross AL bike. This bike is about 8 pounds heavier than my Stradalli Red Pro 14 carbon bike and getting it in motion from a stop can take a big effort especially if the wind is like it was during today’s bike ride. I started late for a Saturday (12:45 pm) because I ran a couple of errands taking my niece home. Once I got finished and got ready I hit the road. The first thing I noticed was the humidity. If had been any higher I suppose it would be rain. With spring in full force the temperature has edged up (83 degrees at the start) but the very strong SSE wind brought lots of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico ashore.

With the heavier bike under me the headwind slowed me down while riding south on the “Atascocita – Walden – E. Lake Houston Parkway” route. That wind put white caps on Lake Houston as I rode over it on FM 1960. Steady 15 mph wind is not super bad but the 32 mph gusts are stiff. Even with the wind I biked 26.75 miles putting me over my April goal of 772 miles for a total of 781.32 miles. I might get to add to that total if the weather forecast is correct and the rain passes through during the night.

Opting for a slightly shorter ride than usual I wanted to be sure and ride at least 14 miles to reach my goal. Bicycling east over Lake Houston wasn’t too bad for the wind but the return trip west the wind tried to get me. Several times I found myself leaning left into the wind to offset the force it put on me. The tall rims/tires caught the wind enough to push me to the side. Off the causeway I rode north and the wind was a big boost to my speed.

The overcast sky looked threatening the entire ride but I only felt a few sprinkles. By the time I finished (2:47 pm) I was glad I made it before any rain fell on the new bike. Sooner or later it will happen though.

Links to Strava.com and RideWithGPS.com.

Strava extended statistics

Strava Extended Statistics

Golden Cheetah April Ride Summary to Date

April Ride Summary to Date