I skipped biking yesterday to allow the weather warm up some. It could’ve worked on it today with the temperature at 73 when I started the ride at 12:37. The sky was overcast but the real problem was the wind. It was from the SSW at 12 mph with 20 mph gusts. I dressed with what I hoped would keep me warm but I might’ve been a little light with shorts, long sleeve jersey and a windbreaker jacket. The wind cut through the wind breaker at times and I felt chilled.
The route was the longer version of the “Atascocita – Walden – Huffman” route coming in at 33.43 miles. I battled the wind most of the way to Huffman where I stopped at the Chevron station for a break.
The weather just before I left to head back home.
The wind does not show as high as the airport. I wanted to think it would not be a problem on the way home and it wasn’t until I started to cross Lake Houston on FM1960. Normally the traffic going the same direction breaks the wind when it comes from my left but the traffic was light. The traffic going east caused the wind to whip at me each time there was a break. I fought the wind all the way until I turned right on Atascocita Shores Drive and was among the house and riding to the northwest. The wide cross section rims caught the wind and sometimes I leaned into the wind to counter the push to the right over the lake.
Reaching home at 3:20 I checked the airport weather: wind from the SSE 15 mph and 23 mph gusts, even stronger than the beginning. March winds are here.
March miles are up to 508 and my goal of 631 miles looks doable. Wednesday it should warm up some, Thursday cools to the 60’s and Friday creeps back in the 70’s.
Day 23: Pedernales Falls State Park to Fredericksburg
Saturday March 12, 2016, 54 miles (87 km) – Total so far: 1,543 miles (2,483 km)
Woke up to the beautiful sun shining on my tent this morning. It sure makes you appreciate it when it’s not around for a few days. We stuck around our campsite for a few hours drying everything out from the humidity before setting off for the day. It was a nice ride through a rolling terrain to make it to Fredericksburg this evening. We’re now camped in a town park on the outskirts of Fredericksburg, with many other …
Day 24: Fredericksburg to Lost Maples State Park
Sunday March 13, 2016, 81 miles (130 km) – Total so far: 1,624 miles (2,614 km)
It was a glorious day to be biking today. We had clear skies and warm temperatures all day for the first time in quite a while. We weren’t able to move as fast as some days because of a headwind for most of the day and hilly terrain again, but the pretty country and nice blue sky made up for it. This morning we stuck around the campsite for a while again to let our stuff dry out (things get really damp at night because of the recent heavy rain). For the first 20 or 30 miles we saw a lot of other cyclists on the road. Apparently something called Hell Week is going on in the nearby town, and around 200 cyclists are participating in the daily rides all …
Day 25: Lost Maples State Park to Camp Wood
Monday March 14, 2016, 46 miles (74 km) – Total so far: 1,670 miles (2,688 km)
Another beautifully warm day on the road today. This morning at the campground we met an older couple traveling by bicycle to San Diego as well, and then they plan to ride up the coast to Seattle, where they’re from. We bumped into them a few times on the road today as well, but unfortunately I forgot to get a picture of them. It’s nice to have pictures of other cyclists we meet on the …
Day 26: Camp Wood to Del Rio
Tuesday March 15, 2016, 83 miles (134 km) – Total so far: 1,753 miles (2,821 km)
This morning after leaving our beautiful campsite on the river, we had a 50 mile stretch without anything, such as a store or place to get water, but we had prepared accordingly so it went fine. We’re definitely getting into some undeveloped parts of the U.S. here in western Texas. The riding today went well, and we made good time in getting to Del Rio just before dark. We’re now camped in an RV park on the …
My friend and I took counterclockwise ride along the Blue Trail of the LBJ Grasslands near TADRA Point. My friend rode a Surly Karate Monkey and I rode a Trek Crossrip Elite. This video shows what the horse gates are like. It also shows how sandy the soil is. There’s some rocks and a little clay, but the vast majority is packed sand with long stretches of loose sand. At one point we crossed a stream. Another point had a nice sturdy bridge over a massive ravine, aka “Royal Gorge”. This is a great location for mountain bike riding.
I rode the BBX last Sunday. This calling up of the Waller deputies left many intersections unmanned that were normally have officers controlling traffic. The officers writing tickets were generally watching stop signs and roads on the additional loop for 55 and 75 routes. I did see a patrol car near the end that kept moving around, but no stop signs in that area.
Complaints were multiple riders riding abreast, not stopping for stop signs where no officer present, littering along the roads, riders using the roadside as their restroom. Many of these complaints were not at the BBX specifically, but all cyclist in that …
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Where: “WFNB†(Woodforest National Bank) at the SW corner of FM 1488 and FM 2978, next to McDonalds, the previous location of the Sunday ride, before Tailgators, aka the ‘BikeLane’ ride.
When: Every Sunday – (Check Calendar for Start Time)
Description:
27 miles, including the Lake Windcrest loop; 21 miles without Lake Windcrest. Add more miles by riding to and from the ride venue.
Route: -South on Westwind Square to FM 2978 South, -West (right) on Hardin Store Road -North (right)on Dobbin-Huffsmith Rd to the Vet Clinic at Spur 149 for the first regroup. -Continue South on Spur 149. -North (right) on FM 149 -East (right) on FM 1488 to the western most entrance to Lake Windcrest for the second regroup. -Continue with a full …
Langtry, TX: So small
Saturday March 19, 2016, 30 miles (48 km) – Total so far: 378 miles (608 km)
Another day of taking it easy with only 30 miles. I don’t have to do 90 miles if I don’t want to. Some of the time I just sit around waiting for time or Gary to walk over and ask if I want a beer. Hello! I didn’t get a dinner invitation but that’s ok! Another day seeing cyclists going east. Camping is free at the primative community center. Water …
Sanderson, TX: Riding with the wind
Sunday March 20, 2016, 60 miles (97 km) – Total so far: 438 miles (705 km)
During the night I programmed my brain for two options- how strong would the wind be. I settled for Sanderson some 60 miles away. The wind was delicious but light 8 to 13 mph. I felt sorry for the 8 cyclists I met going east, separated into 3 groups. There was soda and chips waiting 40 miles down the …
Sweet, another new Texas team, and even better… a MTB team! We don’t know much about this crew but, hey, if they like bikes, beer, and getting dirty – then they’re definitely friends of ours!
Weaver Technologies Racing
Roster :
Ray Monroy – Austin, TX
Dustin Barton – Blanco, TX
Manny Gallegos – Austin, TX
Sem Gallegos – El Paso, TX
Craig Kunz – Dripping Springs, TX
Eric Novaez – Kyle, TX
Bowen Novaez – Kyle, TX
Matt Shaner – Austin, TX
Justin Stoker – Austin, TX
Jorge Salinas – Laredo, TX
Edward Padron – Laredo, TX
Garin Fons – Austin, TX
Tyson Pendergrass – Austin, TX
Jay Yu – El Paso, TX
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — When Iowa’s largest city joined the boom in urban cycling, work crews painted more bike lanes, erected traffic signals especially for cyclists and installed rental bikes at self-service stands that catered to commuters and tourists alike.
In Des Moines and scores of other U.S. cities, the efforts drew bike riders onto busy streets that were once the sole province of cars and trucks. The changes also heightened the risk of serious collisions like the one that threw Ken Sherman from his bicycle with such force that his body tore off the vehicle’s side mirror.
Cyclists are frustrated that the growing support for two-wheeled transportation has only rarely led to tougher penalties for drivers who hit bikes, many of whom are never ticketed or receive only minor citations, even in accidents that …
Sat, Apr 2 at 9am – 11am
Spring has sprung at the San Jacinto Battleground! Come celebrate the lovely weather and honor the memory of the Texas Revolution by taking a guided bicycle tour around the battleground. The group will bicycle to various locations within the park and stop to discuss the events that occurred at each site before heading to the next area. This is both a bicycle ride and a guided battleground tour–all rolled into one.
Meeting Location: The group will gather and meet the ranger by the flag poles at the parking lot on the west side of the San Jacinto monument.
Distance: Just under 5 miles.
Time: This program will take an estimated 2 hours.
Difficulty: Easy. We will be bicycling on paved roadway. Most of the route is flat with only two small hills.
Age and Experience: All ages are welcome. Bicycling experience is a plus but not required. Beginners are welcome. The ranger will provide a short safety check and bicycling tutorial before the start of the battleground tour.
Over 1,000 bike riders of all experience levels took the opportunity to be the first to utilize the newest segment of the Grand Parkway during a bike ride held Saturday. Segment G runs between I-45 North Freeway and US 59/ I-69 Eastex Freeway.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) teamed up with Zachry-Odebrecht Parkway Builders ZOPB), the United Methodist Church, and the YMCA to commemorate the opening before vehicular traffic is …
Lee Keeling’s love for cycling started on a stationary bike at DeTar Health and Fitness Center.
That was 10 years and nearly 90 pounds ago.
Keeling, 56, said he first got into the sport while working out during his son Powell’s basketball practices. Saturday, he participated in the Eighth Annual Riverside Ride, battling strong winds to finish the event’s 100-mile route in roughly 5 hours and 45 minutes.
“I started taking a spin class, and I really liked it,” Keeling said. “I thought to myself, ‘It’d be really cool to get on a …
Cyclists make their way to the end stop at the Kingwood Community Center before heading back toward city of Houston City Hall during the Tour de Houston bike ride Sunday, March 20, 2016. The ride, sponsored by Apache, included Kingwood for the first time in the annual ride. The ride to Kingwood was used by many as training for the upcoming BP MS 150 since it was a 70-mile ride. …
HARLINGEN — Ladies and gentlemen, abandon your engines.
A proposal for a bike-share program in the city has been approved by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and now awaits an up-or-down vote from the City Commission.
The plan is to lease 20 commuter bicycles in partnership with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and place bike racks at two locations — the Regional Academic Health Center on campus and McKelvey Park.
Bike-sharing is a rapidly growing innovation in urban transportation. It allows people who have an account to use utility bikes to get from Point A to Point B. The bikes …
By Zandra Bainas and Steve Marsh www.crazyguyonabike.com
Day 20 – Plain View Lakes to Van Horn: Tail Wind! (Lots of photos)
Monday March 14, 2016, 145 km (90 miles) – Total so far: 1,734 km (1,077 miles)
Zandra woke up this morning a bit unhappy. Those sun cracked lips of hers have developed the ugliest set of cold sores she has ever had, and she ran out of Abbreva (favoured cold sore med) last night. We will have to look for more along the route today, as apparently we are going through small towns marked “full service” on the ACA map. Should be pretty easy – it’s an over the counter med that even the convenience stores carry back home.
Denny rolls by already packed up as we are tearing down our tent, and we chat some more. He is interested in what direction we plan to go in the next couple of days – over the Davis Mountains by the McDonald Observatory, or by the flatter Marfa route (a common alternate choice for cyclists but not on the route maps). We haven’t quite decided yet, as we want to judge the wind direction from Van Horn, but we would prefer to go by the Observatory and …
Mar 19: Around Austin
Saturday March 19, 2016, 31 miles (50 km) – Total so far: 1,971 miles (3,172 km)
Posted via email Sun Mar 20 18:39:02 2016 PDT
The shortest distance day of the trip so far! Which I think is fair enough as today was supposed to be kind of a rest day.
Waking at Emma Long Park, last night’s storm had long been and gone leaving a clear and cool morning. I arranged to meet Bruce a few miles from the park at noon. That gave me a(nother) leisurely morning to sort a few things out. I could also enjoy the hilly but scenic cycle out from the park at a slow pace.
I made it to the end of the park access road around half an hour early. Serendipitously there was a Mexican food stand there so I ordered a second breakfast/early lunch of a burrito. Good but on the small side!
Meeting up with Bruce he led me back to his house so I could leave my luggage and come up with a plan for the rest of the day. Without realising it I had ended up in Austin while South by Southwest (SXSW) was on – this is the final weekend. So it seemed a bit of a no-brainer to head into town and take in some of that.
On the way into town I experienced arguably the biggest mechanical issue of the trip so …
… Additionally, watch out for lots of bike traffic on Sunday! The Tour de Houston is a bike ride for both competitive and leisure riders. The ride has a staggered start — 7:30am for the 70-mile route, 8:00am for the 45-mile route and 8:30am for the 20-mile route. The ride begins and ends at Hermann Square in front of City Hall. The Houston Police Department in coordination with other security entities will manage traffic control at all intersections along the route. …
Bicycle riders from all around the Houston area begin their trek on the Grand Parkway ride Saturday, March 19, 2016. Bikers had the chance to ride the newest portion of the Grand Parkway in New Caney before it is open to motorists. The ride was hosted through a unique partnership between the …
Morris Matthis, pedaling steadily, could hardly believe the scene around him.
Cyclists whizzed up and down a roadway where no cars crowded the lanes — and, for that matter, where drivers hadn’t yet been permitted to maneuver at all.
More than 1,000 people, born by two-spoked wheels and the power of their own legs, scaled on-ramps, passed under toll scanners, and flew by traffic signs on a 12.5-mile segment of the much-awaited Grand Parkway, a new passageway being constructed bit by bit to circle the greater Houston area, carving through suburban areas beyond the 610 Loop and Beltway 8.
The participants traversed what roadway officials have dubbed “segment G,” which stretches from Interstate 45 on the west to Highway 59 on the east. It is expected to be open by the end of this month to connect with two other segments of the Grand Parkway, from U.S. 290 to Interstate 45, that already opened last month.
“It’s been beyond my wildest expectations,” Matthis said, out of …
By Zandra Bainas and Steve Marsh www.crazyguyonabike.com
Day 18 – Las Cruces to El Paso: Halfway Through – OK Around – the City
Saturday March 12, 2016, 85 km (53 miles) – Total so far: 1,505 km (935 miles)
We are up after a good nights’ sleep at John’s and Donetta’s place. They have a little grey and white Shi-tzu , called Trixie, who is very quiet but quite friendly. John was a teacher in San Diego before he retired, and he spent his summers biking between the midwest and coast for over 30 years. He provides a quiet stop in the middle of Las Cruces, just what we needed in order to start us on our way to Texas today. John is an excellent second Warmshowers stop for us.
We have a downhill run back to the Adventure Cycling route, with a brief stop at an IHOP along the way. The stop might have been longer but their wifi is not working, so we push along after eating. We expect today to have a west wind – so a cross wind to start and then as we take a turnoff to go through the Anthony Gap – a tail wind and then a tail/cross wind around El Paso.
The wind starts off lightly enough, but soon turns into a headwind as we head south. We really start to appreciate the sight of an orchard or a …
Day 19 – El Paso to Plain View Lakes: Slow Getting Out of Town
Sunday March 13, 2016, 84 km (52 miles) – Total so far: 1,589 km (987 miles)
The trouble with staying in a motel is that the room stays dark into the morning, making it a lot harder to wake up! We slowly pack up and leave, deciding to have breakfast along our way. We find our best breakfast and salsa yet at the Chihuahua Cafe, maybe three blocks from the hotel.Note that this is two and a half blocks further than we had the energy to go last night, so the overnight rest has already done us some good.
We get back onto the Southern Tier route at TransMountain Drive, which turns into the Purple Heart #375 highway which loops around the huge plot of land for military base. As we merge onto the 375 Loop, we go through a military reservation. It is huge, dry, and sandy with green bushes but no flowers. There must be a shooting range to the north/left as we can hear a lot of noise, even with a tailwind whipping the sound away from us.
We finish with the 375 Loop and get onto the frontage road called Joe Battle. It runs in one direction on one side of the Loop highway, and in the other direction on the other side. It’s not really a frontage road, but is more of a slower 2 to 3 lane version of the Loop highway with shopping or residential access. We cross under the Loop to stop at Lowes and pick up a new fuel to try which will hopefully be less sooty. Steve suggests that …
Comstock, TX: Saturday and NCAA
Friday March 18, 2016, 35 miles (56 km) – Total so far: 348 miles (560 km)
3rd of 4 easy days! What’s the hurry when life is a journey and the journey itself is home. Headwinds of 13-15 mph, chilly morning and day, maybe 60. I climbed into Comstock. I’m always refreshed meeting other cyclists. Today 3 going east. Well tanned and great smiles. Father, daughter and add on. Where is my companion?
Day 32 – El Paso, TX to Hatch, NM
Saturday March 19, 2016, 70 miles (113 km) – Total so far: 1,898 miles (3,054 km)
Well, saved the best for last! Today was about as perfect a day as I can hope for riding. The temperature was cool (mid-60s), there were very few hills, there wasn’t much of any wind (and when there was it was a tail wind), and it was nice scenery through New Mexico!
Stayed at a hotel on the west side of El Paso, but didn’t want to take a chance with busy traffic, so loaded up the bikes in the car and drove over to the start of the bike trail along the Rio Grande, which was a short for mile drive. Had a 1/4 Mike stretch of dirt track, but came upon a wide, paved bike trail that ran along the Rio Grande (it was actually just a dry riverbed, as there wasn’t a drop of water in it). First thing I noticed was this sign….not something you want to see on your biketrail, but fortunately it was a cool morning, so no need to worry!
Did see five roadrunners down by the bike trail…one was a bit far from the brush on the side, so chased him down to make him run like his name…he definitely did!
The bike trail went along for just over eight miles and the joined on a county road to head over to New Mexico to start …
Wildflower Trails has just added a new event that has widespread appeal to area bicyclists, Tour De Wildflower Trail Bike Ride with 3 routes (38 miles, 15 miles and 8 miles) that include Linden, Hughes Springs and Avinger. The route covers beautiful wildflower trails on Highway 11 to 49 to 155.
On a sunny and breezy Saturday morning at Nelson Park, a crew of bikers gathered to test themselves at the 24th annual Steam-N-Wheels bike race and fun ride.
This brave group varied in age, experience and reasons for biking.
Take Evan Goldstrohm, for example. Though he’s a member of the Steamboat Mountain Cycling Club, this just so happened to be the Abilene native’s first bike race.
The 27-year old took up biking just recently actually, deciding to make the …
