Texas Bicycling News June 30th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Margaret McDermott Bridge

###  TravelByDrone.com Texas

Drone vid of Dallas’ new Calatrava ped/bike/auto bridge

Fort Hood IDs soldier hit, killed by car while on bike

www.militarytimes.com

A 22-year-old soldier stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, died early Saturday morning when an automobile hit the bicycle he was riding, base officials announced late Monday.
Pvt. Michael David Carrasco, with 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, was hit at 1:30 a.m. and …

Texas Cyclocross State Championships

texasbikeracing.com

December 5 – December 6
Houston, TX United States

ARR July Club Ride @ Flat Creek Crossing Ranch

Saturday, Jul 11, 2015, 8:00 AM

Flat Creek Crossing Ranch
County Road 201 & Ulrich Road Johnson City, TX

69 Mountain Bikers Went

Come ride with the Austin Ridge Riders!  Where: Flat Creek Crossing Ranch  When: Saturday July 11, 8:00am arrival, 8:30am wheels down.All riders are welcome, you do not have to be an Austin Ridge Rider member to participate in club rides. Please have $10 in exact change ready (per rider). No dogs, sorry!Please consider the low cost of me…

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Houston City Council Respond to Fatalities

BikeHouston.org

Video

After the Die-in at City Hall last week, a few people spoke in front of City Council asking for safer streets through the enforcement of existing laws and the expansion of slower streets and bikeways. The following is Abrahan Garza’s dialogue, and it can be seen in the video above starting at 73:45.
“My mother never learned how to ride a bike but I remember when I was a kid that I told her that I would get her a bike someday with adult training wheels so she could ride with me. I must have been 5 years old, already on my second bicycle.
My mother was struck and killed by a hit and run driver on fathers day in 2010 on Crosstimbers while sweeping the edge of her driveway. Crosstimbers has a “bike lane” on it and my mother …

Flower Mound cyclist finishes strong in national race

by Sarah Bays        www.crosstimbersgazette.com


Payten Maness of Flower Mound is competing in all types of cycling competitions.  Most recently, she took 3rd place in a USA Cycling National Championship road race.
The Cross Timbers Gazette caught up with Payten before the big race as she was prepping at Mad Duck Adventure Sports in Grapevine. Her coach, …

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets About Texas Bicycling

https://twitter.com/CarFreeDallas/status/615972536036110341

https://twitter.com/txbikeracing/status/615882977688432641

Texas Bicycling Upcoming Event Reminders

Goal Reached and Then It Rained Hard

Texbiker.net Posted on by

I reached my June goal and exceeded it by 16 miles for a total of 984.22 miles for June and 32.9 miles on today’s ride on the “Oakhurst – Cumberland – Valley Ranch” route. I left home a little later than I wanted (12:17) because I tried to be an electrical engineer working on a home weather station module. I failed to change the wiring on a small fan motor that cools the module when it is in the sun. At the time I left home it was 100 degrees according to my home weather station. some other nearby stations were in the mid 90’s. The 5-in-1 weather sensor may have been a little overheated sitting in the sun.

The “Oakhurst – Cumberland – Valley Ranch” route was a good length with the later start and provided enough miles to reach my goal. I was making good time as I rode through Oakhurst and then west on FM1314 to Cumberland Blvd. I did not ride through the Grand Parkway work zone today stopping at the Texaco station at Cumberland Blvd/FM1314/Painted Blvd. I want to check how the construction progressed since I was last there. These photos show the work area looking west from the Texaco station.

The beams are in place and it appears they are working on the deck. Traffic is still messed up getting through the work zone. I will hold off on any rides coming from the west for a couple of weeks to see if the lane layout changes. This was 16.5 miles into the ride. After taking the pictures I headed back to Porter and a rest break at Stripes. With the heat I used up most of my water and needed a break for snacks and Gatorade. Stripes was at the 21.7 mile point. The rest break was about 35 minutes long. Towards the end I started to hear thunder to the south and east and the sky was getting darker. Looking at the weather on my phone the rain was to the southeast. The route from Stripes went north through Valley Ranch and over to US59. I wanted to get further along but the rain threat I needed to think of places for shelter. The Texaco store at Valley Ranch and US59 was the last shelter until FM1314 and US59 in Porter. This would be a place to stop and check the weather before tackling the 1 mile to Porter on the US59 service road. Approaching the Texaco in Valley Ranch I started feel a few rain drops. The closer I got to the station the rain increased slightly but not enough to be a problem. When I got to the station lightening and thunder were in the dark gray sky so I paused at the station to see if the rain was going to increase. That was a good move. After a few minutes the rain increased to a full downpour. I would have been soaked trying to get to Porter plus it was raining so hard and windy I doubt I could ride above 10 mph if that fast. I decided to wait at the Texaco for the rain pass by. On my phone the radar showed a big rain concentration. I left the Stripes store about 2:10, got to the Texaco about 2:25 and didn’t leave until almost 4. It rained so hard cars pulled into the station because they could not see to drive. The porch roof on the station kept the rain off mostly but the wind blew water under most of the roof extension. A roof drain was in the middle and water poured out onto the pavement splashing my bike until I moved from the center of the covered area. At one point it rained and blew hard enough that I went inside for maybe a half hour. The weather screenshots from my phone:

Weather at Stripes
Weather when I stopped at Stripes
Weather at the Texaco store

Slowly the rain and wind let up. The lightening and thunder decreased but still was around. I waited to see if the rain would stop but it didn’t. My wife called to see where I was and asked if I need a ride. At this point I was 24.4 miles into the ride with about 8 miles left. I figured I could be home about as fast as my wife could get to me. After waiting a little longer the rain slowed down and I decided to leave. I headed south on the US59 service road dodging the water in the right gutter but I didn’t gauge one place and rode through about 8″ of water filling my shoes which were relatively dry until then. I stopped at the FM1314 traffic light with two Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constable cruisers to wait for the light to change. It seemed like 5 minutes and I was getting wetter but finally the light changed and I was off riding to Northpark Drive. As I was riding my phone went off but I didn’t stop to answer until the Kroger gas station at Northpark Drive and US59. My wife was checking to see if I wanted her to get me. By now I was about 3 miles from home and the rain wasn’t increasing so I said no and left to finish the ride. I got home at 4:53 soaked and rode up to the garage door. Yesterday I said I would ride in the rain if that was what it took to reach my goal. Well, I reached my goal before the rain started but stayed the course anyway. Other some light drops I think this is the first serious rain I rode in this year.

A new pair of Bellwether Forma shorts covered me during the ride. I replaced a pair of Forma shorts that had wear spots on the seams on each side of the pad with the thread wore away.

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A recap of June biking:

6-30-2015 June to Date

July starts tomorrow so a new goal comes up. The total miles for 2015 now stand at 3217. This puts me time wise and distance wise at the halfway point for the year. I want to bike 6500 miles for the year and there 6 months left.

 

Texas Bicycling News June 29th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Z1 Rider Gimbal footage at Reveille Peak Ranch

by Cooper Sellers

My initial run using the Z1 Rider gimbal with my GoPro2. I need to tweak the mounting to keep the gimbal out of frame, as well as make sure the chesty mount is cinched down all the way, but all in all it has some promise!

Cyclists in the Borderland voice concerns

by Selena Madrigal        www.kfoxtv.com

EL PASO, TX- The city of El Paso says drivers, cyclists and pedestrians should all be treated with respect out on the roads. However, many cyclists feel their needs are not understood. El Paso cycle club president Rick Rivas says, “The city has done an excellent job in the progress of getting these bike lanes completed; they have some ways to go.” There are more than 100 miles of marked bike lanes in the city, but there are concerns on how to maintain them. Cyclists say trash on the bike lanes and …

Water Fountain Bike Ride!!

Sunday, Jul 12, 2015, 8:15 AM

Location details are available to members only.

19 Cyclists Went

Water Fountain Bike RideLet”s check out the fountains of Houston!From the Heights to Allen Parkway to Downtown to the Medical Center an adventure awaits!We will meet at 8:15 AM at Onion Creek Cafe. I will be on my recumbent bike which should be easy to spot.We will start at 8:30 AM and bike towards Allen Parkway to see the dandelion  fountain….

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Bicycle community rallies behind injured cyclist, push stricter laws

By: Ashlei King        FOX San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO – The bicycle community is pushing a message of safety after one of its own is seriously injured.
Friends said Devona Rodriguez, 22, was hit by a car as she tried to turn from Fredericksburg Road to North Flores Street on June 1. Rodriguez’s friends said the driver stopped, but there are conflicted reports on who had the right-of-way.
Rodriguez suffered head trauma and has undergone a number of surgeries.
“She is a really nice young lady, beautiful, cared about …

Intermediate Ride @ Walnut Creek 4:30 PM

Tuesday, Jun 30, 2015, 4:30 PM

Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park
12138 North Lamar Boulevard Austin, TX

4 Mountain Bikers Went

This will be a intermediate ride but we can split into more groups, basic or advanced if others are willing to lead also.Meet in the parking lot by the swimming pool. The route will make it easy for anyone to get back to the parking lot.   Helmets are required along with a bike in good working order.The ride last approximately 1.5 hours. Sometime…

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Biking in Houston; Connecting the Dots with Houston’s Bike Plan – June 30th, Last Formal Evening Meeting

by Christopher Andrews        www.cdandrews.com

It has been over 20 years since the City of Houston has made any changes to the city’s bicycle master plan. For many, the question will be asked “this city has a bike plan?!” For many years alternative infrastructure planning has not been on the radar of many leaders. While Houston’s roadways continued to receive a great deal of attention, alternative modes of transportation were …

GO for a Mountain Bike Ride

Sunday, Jul 5, 2015, 9:00 AM

Collins Park
6727 Cypresswood Drive Spring, TX

1 Bicycle Enthusiasts Went

Join us every Sunday at Collins Park for a 1hour and a half (approx) ride for beginners and intermediate riders.Ride is 10 milesWe will be on the Cypresswood Trail “Collins Park” – the ride will leave from the parking lot just behind/adjacent to the skate park.Any questions please call us at the store:[masked]Bring a helmet, water bottle, …

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Press Release: Texas Cyclocross Project- 2015 Free Cyclocross Program Registration & Kick Off Orientation Announcement.

texascxproject.org

Parents/Supporters,
Hello. We are excited to announce that we have opened our 2015-2016 Texas Cyclocross Project registration.  Our free Junior/youth cyclocross clinics/training sessions and parent orientation will take place at our NW Park location on Sunday, August 30th at 10am, please make sure to attend as we will discuss all details of our 2015-2016 program.
Also, make sure to like our Facebook page as this is where we usually post all …

Katy Prairie Conservancy to host range ride July 18

By Carol Brejot, Special to The Rancher        www.yourhoustonnews.com


The Katy Prairie Conservancy (KPC) presents Unplugged Adventure: Range Ride on July 18, where you can cruise historic ranch roads on your bicycle searching for wildlife, big Texas icons like oil wells and cattle and new adventures.
Bring your own bike for an evening range ride on the historic Warren Ranch from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. This leisurely ride along ranch roads will be fun for cyclists of all ages, with groups welcome. As the sun goes down, watch the prairie come alive – you might even hear an …

Annual Fourth of July Ride – This Saturday

The Violet Crown Sports Association        violetcrown.org


Continuing the tradition of the last few years we will meet at Thunderbird Coffee at the intersection of Koenig and Woodrow in Beautiful Central Austin at 7:30 AM Saturday July 4th and ride down to historic Lytton Springs TX which makes a loop of around 70 miles. Please don’t park in Thunderbird’s itty bitty parking lot. Hope to see you there.

7/4 and 7/5 rides!

by Thomas        steinerranchcycling.com

SRC!
This Saturday is the 4th of July! Some of us will be joining Nelo’s 4th of July ride — check it out! https://www.facebook.com/events/1633783703502246/ If that isn’t your cup of tea, just show up at Cups & Cones for the usual 7:30 am departure to some destination that will be decided on the spot.
Sunday is the Coffee Shop Ride as usual. Last Sunday there …

Bike2Work story: Scott Guptill’s leap of faith

www.bikehouston.org


Are you interested in a good feel Bike2Work story? Let Scott Guptill inspire you. Scott Guptill took a leap of faith after joining BikeHouston’s Bike2Work day into the Galleria area on Thursday May 14th. After that first safe experience in a group, he decided to commute on his bike as much as he can. Multitasking Scott calls it.
Scott Guptill, 31, works as a financial advisor at a bank in the Galleria area. Cycling to work is multitasking for him: doing his daily work-out while getting to work at the same time. Scott says: …

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets About Texas Bicycling

https://twitter.com/BBQ44/status/615699244008275969

https://twitter.com/GWCChuck/status/615580842652499968

Texas Bicycling Upcoming Event Reminders

The Goal Is In Sight!!

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Only 17 miles to go to reach my 968 mile goal for June! If I need to I will ride in the rain tomorrow around Kingwood to get those miles.

I mixed up streets for today’s route coming up with what I labeled the “Fairlake Drive – May Park Community Center – Huffman” ride. I rode a variation of this route on June 23rd but today I modified it to get the mileage up to 42.37 miles. East of Lake Houston I went south on Fairlake Drive, Old Atascocita Road and FM2100 before going east on FM1960 to Huffman-Eastgate. The previous ride I went north of Fm1960 on E. Lake Houston, Smith Road, FM2100 and Wolf Road to May Park. Today was counterclockwise versus clockwise.

I was wondering why I couldn’t get my speed up to 20 mph and when I got home I checked the Houston IAH weather station showed a south wind at 12 mph and gusts to 23 mph. That explains some of the resistance. I think tired legs is another reason from trying to reach my goal for June. I biked 24 out of 29 days so far. Besides the wind the temperature was 90 degrees when I checked during the rest stop in Huffman. Humidity was 64% and i was pretty wet from all of the sweat.

Near the end of the rest stop at the Huffman Chevron I thought I heard thunder to the southwest but dismissed that when a caravan of loud 18 wheelers pulled up to the traffic light at FM2100 & FM1960. Later biking west on FM1960 to Lake Houston I hear more thunder to the southwest. As I rode across Lake Houston looking south between the causeway and the railroad bridge it looked like it was raining and the wind picked up even more. To the north the sky was blue with white clouds. As I turned north on Atascocita Shores Drive I looked in my rear view mirror and saw a brownish gray sky. I thought I better hurry home in case they came towards me. I made it home with no rain but the wind did came in some strong gusts as I rode through Kings River. Riding across Lake Houston on FM1960 required a firm grip on the handle bars to control the bike because of the wind. Traffic going my direction made the wind effect worse.

A new pair of Bellwether Forma shorts moved in to replace a pair of Voler Avante shorts with a rubbed spot from the saddle bag Velcro. I prefer the Forma shorts over the Newton pair. Interesting the pad on the Newton shorts has a 4 – 7 hour ride time while the Forma shorts are 3 – 6 hour.

There is a chance of rain tomorrow but I plan on biking. I will reach my goal!!

Huffman weather

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