Bicycling Texas Roads – October 21, 2023

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BAtB Day 1 Chambers County, Texas

Kent Joosten | strava.com

Round the Block: The last leg

By Curtis Stoker | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 29 – Camp Wood to Vanderpool, TX: Texas Hill Country

Saturday October 21, 2023, 44 miles (71 km) – Total so far: 1,588 miles (2,556 km) I’m sorry this blog sounds the same from day to day. I need to have some ability to add interesting things and I don’t think that ability is in me. I must be getting used to this camping thing or I’m just extremely exhausted because I have been sleeping really well in the tent. Some of it I think is just the comfortable temperatures we are having at night. However, the forecast is showing more chances of rain starting tomorrow evening. I must say we have been very lucky not to have had any rain while riding yet.

Today was a great day of riding. We had some very challenging climbs. Not really in length, but todays climbs were steep. The road was so so as far as a decent surface. Still chip seal vibrations. I have a picture below showing the climbs we did. Each of the …

Saturday Morning Death Ride put on by the Fort Worth Bicycle Association (Sadly 3 riders went down with 2 having more serious injuries – GET WELL SOON DINA AND KATE Real County, Texas

David Patterson | strava.com

I only completed 72 of the 97 mile route. In spite of my pacing strategy, to not attack any climbs, I was not in good enough shape to successfully complete the ride. I started cramping at mile 70 and decided to pull the plug at mile 72.

Haarvarks to Manvel 50 and 50 Solo Pearland, Texas

Troy Serrano | strava.com

Toasty Bike Around the Bay with team Wood Chambers County, Texas

Christoph Klawun | strava.com

Drama Over Lake Houston

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The bike ride started with such great promise with nice weather. I started a little later than I should’ve rolling out at 10:28 AM on my Cervelo Caledonia bike. Because of the later start and wanting to possibly see other cyclists I chose the Atascocita – Spanish Cove – Walden route. I rearranged the streets in Kingwood moving the streets I ride at the start of the route until returning back in Kingwood. This would get me to FM 1960 quicker and increase the likelihood of seeing other cyclists. I didn’t hold a lot of hope but wanted to do my best. On the typical Saturday ride when I get to FM 1960 it is around 14 miles into the ride. Today it was 8.2 miles.

All was going according to plan until about halfway across Lake Houston on the causeway the front tire went flat. I inspected the tire and found a small piece of glass stuck in the tire. I don’t like to fix a flat in that spot because of the traffic noise and no place to sit. The choice: walk back to Atascocita shores Drive or walk east to Lake Houston Brewery. I chose Lake Houston Brewery. You see a lot of things on a bike that you miss driving a car. Well you see even more walking compared to biking. All kinds of things: a box of Scott shop towels, turtles sitting on a log in the lake, a seaplane flying over the lake, and way too many screws and nails waiting to puncture a tire. I was glad I headed east when the flat happened. The Strava segment name is Lake Houston Bridge – EB versus the west bound segment name of Bridge of Death.

I made it to Lake Houston Brewery. Found a shady spot with a piece of wood to sit on and proceeded to fix the flat. I had some trouble getting the tire bead off the rim to get the tube out but overcame that. I found the tiny hole the glass shard made, roughed up the tube, applied glue and waited a couple of minutes for that to dry. My patching skill is not the best but I got the patch in the right spot, aired up the tube to check my work and put the tube back in the tire. I was all set. When I reached Fairlake Lane I noticed the front tire seemed to have a flat spot and each revolution it bumped. I suspected the tire bead wasn’t seated properly but couldn’t tell for sure. When I got home I used a wheel truing stand to locate the flat spot. I marked the area with blue painter’s tape and inspected the bead. The section I marked appeared to not be seated fully on the rim lip. I released the air from the tire, massaged the bead and aired it back up. This took several tries before the bead looked to be seated. I checked the tire with the truing stand and the flat spot seemed to be gone. The next ride will tell.

All of this overshadowed reaching 200+ miles for the week with the 34.51 miles from today’s bike ride putting me over the line. I rode this route 5 times in 2023 before today and today’s distance is about average. I saw 6 cyclists which exceeded my expectations. The weather was great: 78 degrees, humidity 57%, dew point 61.4, mostly cloudy, wind W 3 mph; Finish 89 degrees, humidity 35%, dew point 58.1, mostly cloudy, wind variable 6 mph. No need for an additional jersey. It was in the upper 50’s when I got up though.

10-21-2023 SportTracks 2023 Rides Atascocita-Spanish Cove-Walden
10-21-2023 SportTracks 2023 Rides Atascocita-Spanish Cove-Walden
10-21-2023 Strava Ride Summary Atascocita-Spanish Cove-Walden
10-21-2023 Strava Ride Summary Atascocita-Spanish Cove-Walden

Texas Bicycling News – October 20, 2023

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Ribbon Cutting for The Pedro “Pete” Benavides County Park Mountain Bike Trail & Exercise Court, Oct. 23rd

texasborderbusiness.com

Cameron County is pleased to announce the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of the Pedro “Pete” Benavides County ParkMountain Bike Trail and Exercise Court will be held on Monday, October 23, 2023, at 5:00 p.m., The park is located at 2055 S. Browne Rd., Brownsville, Tx.

In January of 2023, Cameron County began the development of the Mountain Bike Trail and Exercise Court at Pedro “Pete” Benavides County Park, located in Precinct 1.

The mountain bike trail is approximately 2.5 miles in total length and features three areas of graduated skill level withan advanced, intermediate and beginner trail. Each trail-head is marked with an informational kiosk letting riders know where they are and what they …

Bicyclist Struck, Killed Near Pampa, TX

www.kecofm.com

The Texas Department of Public Safety reported that a man riding a bicycle east of Pampa, Texas was struck and killed Tuesday afternoon.

DPS officials said that 53-year-old Donald Mundell of Pampa was struck by a 1998 Lincoln Executive while he rode the bicycle on a county road a half mile east of Pampa in Gray County.

The report stated that the driver of the vehicle stated the sun was in their field of vision, and they could not see the bike that pulled out in front.

Mundell was pronounced dead at the scene by Gray County Justice of the Peace. DPS said that the driver of the Lincoln Executive was not injured.

The crash was investigated by Texas Highway Patrol Troopers.

Northwest Cycling Club in Houston focuses on safe cycling, giving back to community

By Danica Lloyd | communityimpact.com

Geoff Donnelly, president of the Northwest Cycling Club, said at 73 years old, he cycles about 6,000 miles a year to stay mentally and physically healthy. He said Texas—and the Houston region, in particular—is not known for being bike-friendly, so he is excited to see improvements to the local trails over the next several years.

Harris County Precinct 3 recently released a comprehensive plan to improve existing parks and trails as well as the development of new ones over the next several years in the Cypress, Spring, Humble and Crosby areas.

“I think [the plan] shows that …

Round the Block: The last leg

By Curtis Stoker | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 28 – Del Rio to Camp Wood, TX

Friday October 20, 2023, 75 miles (121 km) – Total so far: 1,544 miles (2,485 km) Had a good rest on the bed. ?We had a big day ahead of us. We rode on Highway 90 again today for about 30 miles and the traffic was pretty heavy all that way. Also for much of that the surface was a bit to be desired. Too much traffic to ride where the cars had flattened things out a little better so just had to deal with the roughness. I have a bell on the bike and with so much bouncing around today it came apart. Lost the main bolt so no more bell.

We had a stop at a Dollar General Store in Bracketville about 30 miles on and switched roads. Had a good snack and we were all hoping the surface would improve. It did, but not by much. Just a rough uneven road. Once we got to Uvalde County, we did get the roads we wanted.

We crossed the 100th Meridian today. It supposedly is a …

I Didn’t Mean To Slight Roman Forest; Biked Only 4 Times Before Today In 2023

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The day arrived for a longer than usual bike ride. I picked the New Caney – Roman Forest – Valley Ranch route because the average distance is 43.5 miles which would get me within range for a 200+ mile week. Interesting that I’ve only biked this route 4 times before today in 2023. I really didn’t mean to slight the people of Roman Forest. Its a nice place to bike. I rode out the driveway at 10:45 AM on my Canyon Endurace bike. After the last ride on the Canyon I waxed the chain because it was making sounds. Today the chain was much quieter and smoother. The ride went north along US59 to community Drive where I moved to Loop 494. I rode over the unopened new Caney Creek bridge again before entering Tavola. I stayed on Via Principale Parkway after taking Gran Roble and other side streets to Aragoste Parkway. Aragoste ended at Roman Forest Blvd. A right turn onto Roman Forest Blvd. and into the town. The main street shoulder provides space to ride with traffic to my left. Magnolia Bend circled to Appian Way but I took a side street to Dogwood Lane and then to Appian. Galaxy Blvd. connected me back to Roman Forest Blvd. to start the return to Kingwood. The weather was great with plenty of sun, moderate wind and humidity. I finished at 2:12 PM after biking 43.39 miles. The week rides now total 178 miles. Saturday’s ride should get me over the 200 mile mark. I’m 77% of the way (540 road miles) to my 700 mile goal for October. I’m getting 2023 YTD miles closer to 2022 trailing by only 49 miles. Weather: Start 78 degrees, humidity 55%, dew point 60.5, fair, wind W 4 mph; Finish 88 degrees, humidity 37%, dew point 58.5, fair, wind W 9 mph.

10-20-2023 SportTracks 2023 Rides New Caney-Roman Forest-Valley Ranch
10-20-2023 SportTracks 2023 Rides New Caney-Roman Forest-Valley Ranch
10-20-2023 Strava Ride Summary New Caney-Roman Forest-Valley Ranch
10-20-2023 Strava Ride Summary New Caney-Roman Forest-Valley Ranch