A Rain Break and Back Biking

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Yesterday (Thursday) was a washout as far as bike riding goes. Today started off that way with a rain front lingering to the south of Houston and slowly moving north. But the weather changes and by noon the rain was gone and the sun peeked through the clouds. By 1:30 the streets were almost drive. I almost gave up biking today until 1:45 when I realized I could get a ride in. I got dressed and ate a quick snack. I punched the start button on the 510 at 2:37 and started riding the “Atascocita – Walden – Huffman” route.

As I rode the sky continued to clear off and by the time I got to the Huffman Chevron at 4:05 and 21.8 miles into the ride there was more blue than white clouds. The weather wasn’t as hot as before the rain yesterday but it was comfortable. Here is the weather screen shots during my 20 minute break at the Chevron station.

After the rain the humidity ramped up some and I was perspiring pretty heavily when I arrived in Huffman even with the cooler temperature. I dried up and cooled down while I ate a snack and drank Powerade. I left the station about 4:30 and headed home for the final 11+ miles arriving there at 5:15. This is the latest I have biked in some time, maybe spring time. I biked 32.97 miles today.

Before the ride I made the mistake of trying to update the Golden Cheetah software program I track my biking activity with. It didn’t go well and now I think I will not use it anymore. I will rely on SportTrack on my desktop, Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS and Strava online.  It is time to simplify. I will need to adjust how I get some of my data but that can be done.

I am now up to 707.96 miles for August, only 248 miles to go to reach my 956 mile goal. Year to date is 4830 miles. This week totals 163.65 miles.

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Texas Bicycling News August 20th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Dallas begins construction 8/19/2015 on temporary trail along  White Rock Creek Trail

City of Dallas

(DALLAS) – After recent flooding severely damaged the popular White Rock Creek Trail at Anderson Bonner Park, the Dallas Park and Recreation Department is constructing a temporary asphalt trail that will make hiking and biking along Park Central Drive between Churchill Way and Forest Lane easier for patrons.
“The trail is currently closed due to damage we received during the floods; however, people have been using the grass to go around the damaged retaining wall between Park Central and the trail,” said Oscar Carmona, Dallas Park and …

Brewers pedal 1,400 miles for prostate health awareness; local ride set for Aug. 29

by Pam LeBlanc        fitness.blog.austin360.com


The foam hand with one finger extended that Davis Tucker handed me the other day makes me a little squeamish, but the cause is a good one.
He calls it “Don’t fear the finger,” and that finger, of course, is the one a doctor uses to check for prostate cancer. Tucker’s mission is to get 1,400 guys to take that test.
To do that, Davis is leading a group of bicyclists on a 1,400-mile ride from Austin to Denver to encourage people to talk about prostate health. The 14 cyclists will pedal an average of 100 miles a …

Riverbend Work Party – Post Flood #2

GHORBA

Event category: General
Trail: River Bend
Sunday, August 23, 2015 – 7:30am
Time to get the West Loop whipped into shape. Work party this Sunday at 7:30.
Agenda: …

HHH: Plenty for families to enjoy during weekend

by Cindy Kahler Thomas        www.timesrecordnews.com


WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Once upon a time, Hotter’N Hell Hundred was all about endurance, speed and watching the toughest member of the family make it to the finish line. These days almost nobody is just a spectator.
Sure, the ride is the main attraction for the thousands who converge on Wichita Falls each year. But the family atmosphere continues to grow, for both visitors and resident families.
From Thermal Thursdays to a free …

Construction Alters Parking Areas, Traffic Flow

www.utdallas.edu


UT Dallas students, faculty and staff will need to allow extra time and plan accordingly to reach their destinations this fall as summer construction projects have significantly changed parking areas and traffic flow on campus.
During the summer, several parking lots, including A, B, C and D, have been renovated and restriped. Drivers will need to use caution and follow the arrows in lots A, B, C and D, which have one-way traffic lanes in some areas. E-parking was eliminated and converted to green spaces, and striping for other colors also has been adjusted. As the …

8/22 & 8/23 Rides: Mellow Johnny’s Field Trip! Red Horn Coffee Shop!

by Thomas        steinerranchcycling.com

Saturday will be the 4th Saturday of the month, and that means field trip time. This month we will join Mellow Johnny’s for their regular rides. There are two ride options depending on how fast and far you want to go. First there is the ‘Middle of the Road Ride’ (MOTR) which departs from Mellow Johnny’s at 8:30 for 30-40 miles at 15-20 mph. Details are here: …

A Shivering Wet Bike Ride With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts

by Durango Texas        durangotexas.blogspot.com


I had not been on my bike for a couple days, and with the current Arctic Blast putting a temporary end to sizzling at above 100, today I thought I would have myself a might fine, very cool, time rolling my wheels with the Village Creek Indian Ghosts.
Well.
I should have heeded pre-bike ride advice I got from Miss Julie, who told me …

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets About Texas Bicycling

https://twitter.com/BLifeMcKinney/status/634546342711455744

https://twitter.com/GWCChuck/status/634540349629820930

https://twitter.com/BikeMartFrisco/status/634414358844469248

Texas Bicycling Upcoming Event Reminders

Texas Bicycling News August 19th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Real Life. Real Racers : Lori Bergeron

texasbikeracing.com


TBR had a chance to meet up with everyone’s #WCW at the new St. Philip’s Pizza Parlor + Bakeshop in South Austin.
Lori Bergeron
1. Age : 31
2. Occupation : Cook
3. Team : Team Yacht Club
4. Category : road 3, cross 4, mountain 2
5. Number of years racing bikes : 3
6. Hometown : Lake Charles, Louisiana
7. Current residence : East Austin, Texas
8. Favorite bike you’ve owned : Most definitely my custom disc cross bike by nao tomii
9. What disciplines do you race  : Road. Cross. Mountain.
10. One interesting fact the Texas bike community may not know about you : Before I became a professional cook, I was a …

Bike riding, free movie for children scheduled at Safety City

lubbockonline.com

Parents have been invited to bring their children for a time of bike riding and to attend a summer night movie from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday at Safety City, 46th Street and Avenue U.
The movie is Disney-Pixar’s “Planes,” which begins about …

Mopac Mobility Bridge Update

by djcurtin        bicyclesportshop.wordpress.com

Here’s the latest on the progress of the Mopac Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge. We can’t wait to ride this!

Society Cycle Works Shop Ride

Saturday, Aug 29, 2015, 7:00 AM

Society Cycle Works
13425 University Blvd., Suite 100 Sugarland, TX

4 SH!FT starters Went

Let’s ride Saturday with the Society Cycle Works bike shop in Sugarland, TX. I believe they have three groups so there should be a speed and distance for anyone.I prefer the 30 something mile ride that stays in Sugarland and keeps at about 18mph. We can throw in our own sprints if we need to. A LOT of this route is in the shade so it is VERY enjoy…

Check out this Meetup →

The Austin Mountain Bikers Meetup Group

Austin, TX
3,937 Mountain Bikers

Meet other local mountain bikers to organize rides, review trails, gear and trade tips. All skill-levels welcome. We’ll try to organize rides that fit all experience levels. M…

Check out this Meetup Group →

ARR Free Beginners Skills Clinic

Sunday, Sep 6, 2015, 8:30 AM

Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park
12138 North Lamar Boulevard Austin, TX

31 Mountain Bikers Went

Austin Ridge Riders Free Beginners Skills Clinic Join ARR Sunday morning, September 6, at Walnut Creek Park for a free beginner skills clinic led by Todd. Arrive early enough to prepare yourself and your bike, the clinic starts promptly at 8:30am.  Class will end in time to join the 9:30 ARR ride and practice your new skills :-)From the Instruct…

Check out this Meetup →

ARR Free Intermediate Skills Clinic

Sunday, Aug 23, 2015, 8:30 AM

Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park
12138 North Lamar Boulevard Austin, TX

25 Mountain Bikers Went

Austin Ridge Riders Free Intermediate Skills ClinicJoin ARR Sunday morning, September 13, at Walnut Creek Park for a free Intermediate skills clinic led by Todd. Arrive early enough to prepare yourself and your bike, the clinic starts promptly at 8:30am.Class will end in time to join the 9:30 ARR ride and practice your new skills 🙂 From the i…

Check out this Meetup →

Donating money (and miles) for cancer

www.weatherforddemocrat.com


More than 4,000 miles and $700,000 later, one Weatherford resident is doing his best to tackle cancer one bike pedal at a time.
Andrew Coulter, currently attending the University of Texas at Austin, plans to embark on a bike ride over 4,500 miles long from Austin to Anchorage in order to raise money and …

Tuesday: Intermediate/Advanced Mountain Bike Ride at the Ant Hills

Tuesday, Aug 25, 2015, 6:15 PM

15200 Memorial Dr
15200 Memorial Dr Houston, Te

3 cyclists Went

This will be a medium to fast pace ride through the Ant Hills of Hershey Park! Bring WATER, spare tube/tire, snacks, etc…Helmets required. Call if you are going to be late so we can wait for you. Wheels rolling by 6:30! See you there

Check out this Meetup →

Beginner Intermediate Group training program

Tuesday, Aug 25, 2015, 6:00 PM

River Run Plaza
1071 Country Club Rd El Paso, TX

11 Cyclists Went

The Beginner / Intermediate Group program meets at River Run Plaza, 1071 Country Club Rd. on Tuesday nights. Lesson begins at 6 p.m., followed by ride at 6:15 p.m. Upper Valley rides offered for both beginner and intermediate level riders.

Check out this Meetup →

HPD releases list of worst zip codes in the Houston-area for bike theft

By Craig Hlavaty        www.chron.com


Anyone who bikes in and around Houston should know by now that your bicycle isn’t safe from thieves. Most avid cyclists have something, U-lock or otherwise, that they trust to keep their prized two-wheeler in place.
According to Houston Police Department data the Houston Chronicle received this week, the worst zip codes for bicycle theft during the first six months of 2015 and the first few days of July were 77004 and 77006, which each saw some 72 bikes whisked away by thieves.
Yes if you live in or …

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets About Texas Bicycling

https://twitter.com/GWCChuck/status/634177696164147200

https://twitter.com/GWCChuck/status/634162617293144065

https://twitter.com/GWCChuck/status/633978718646611968

A Chilly Ride With Thunder and Lightening

Texbiker.net Posted on by

When I got ready to leave on today’s ride (10:54) I checked the weather radar since the sky was cloudy in places. The rain was to the southeast and appeared to be moving to the east. I decided to ride the “Fairlake Drive – May Park Community Center – Huffman” route (3rd time on this route this year) because it offered some places to get out of the rain. As I rode south into Atascocita the curb area puddles started to appear. Riding through Walden I looked to the south and east and the dark clouds were in the distance but still no rain on me. I made my way to FM1960 to ride east over Lake Houston. The shoulder was dry but the low places had standing water. I turned south on Fairlake Drive and the sky over Crosby was getting darker. I made it to FM2100 and went to the left moving away from the dark clouds and looking at less stormy weather to the north.

FM1960 east was next on the route to the Liberty County line where I turn left on Huffman – Eastgate to begin the return to Huffman. By now the sky was darkening and I could hear thunder once in awhile. So far no rain though. Willy Lane is where I turned right to head to the May Community Center. I stayed on that road until I got to the center and turned left on Wolf Road. At this point I started to feel a feel scattered rain drops or drizzle. It wasn’t much; I was sweating more than the drops produced. Now the thunder increased and the sky was getting darker as I raced to FM2100. The traffic light at FM2100 and Wolf Road doesn’t trip for bicycles so I rode into the Texaco station to get on FM2100 north of the light. Traffic was heavy of course since I was in a hurry to get to the Huffman Chevron and shelter. There were other places I could pull into between the Texaco and the Chevron stations but I wanted to get positioned for riding home if the rain caught up with me.

I got across FM2100 and rode the shoulder to Huffman in a light rain drizzle. I still was sweating more than it was raining. The east wind was starting to be cool and the sweat was cooling me down more than I liked. Around 1:00 I rode into the Chevron at the 28.5 mile point. I went inside to get a drink after wiping some of the rain/sweat from my arms and legs. It was ice cold inside with my wet jersey and shorts. I got back outside as quickly as possible. As I sat eating and drinking the thunder and lightening to the south and east picked up and I figured I should start home quickly. The weather screen shots at the Chevron station.

In the image on the right I am at the little blue dot and the thunder and lightening is the yellow orange blob below and right of the blue dot. I need to ride to the area where the 85 is. The wind is my helper in this case coming from the SSE at 11 mph with 23 mph gusts. I got back on the bike and left the chevron. For the first time in months I was actually chilled as I rode west on FM1960. Between the cool wind and the wet jersey I was cold but by the time I reached Lake Houston I warmed enough.

My goal was to ride 41 miles. I almost got there riding 40.92 miles today. For the second time this week I had to wash my bike when I got home. Though I didn’t ride in the rain once I left the Chevron station the shoulder was wet all the way to Atascocita Shores Drive and the streets were damp from there to West Lake Houston Parkway. Once I was on West Lake Houston Parkway the road wasn’t as wet and eventually dried the closer I got to home. I arrived home at 2:26 with dark skies to the south and east.

Rain is possible this evening and maybe during the night. A “cold” front is supposed to arrive sometime Thursday. Not sure how that will affect my biking.

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8-19-2015 Route Rides Comparison Summary YTD