Texas Bicycling News May 22nd

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Event honors injured, killed cyclists

By DANYA PEREZ-HERNANDEZ Staff Writer        www.valleymorningstar.com


By DANYA PEREZ-HERNANDEZ Staff Writer
McALLEN — It’s been a year since Eduardo “Eddie” Arguelles went to meet a cyclist group for an early bike ride, not knowing that around 4:15 a.m. he would be fatally hit by a man driving a Ford F-150 pickup truck as he rode southbound on Expressway 281.
It was April 17, 2014, and a few hours later two men were caught attempting to dispose Arguelles’ body in a drainage ditch.
Many local cyclists can tell stories of close encounters with drivers who are either too distracted or too careless to notice them. About 300 of these cyclists gathered this week to commemorate those who have been injured or …

5 Reasons to Engage in the Houston Bike Plan

BikeHouston


Houston is planning for bikes for the first time in 20 years. This is a HUGE deal. However, the only way that this plan with translate into a network of comfortable bikeways is if you attend the Bike Plan meetings and communicate your comments and concerns. This plan has the potential to change Houston in a profound manner if Houstonians get engaged and participate at these meetings. Here are 5 reasons why you should be a part of this process: …

Southwest Austin Cyclists and Pedestrians Take Note!

It’s Time To Ride!        by djcurtin

Here’s the latest on the MoPac Bicycle & Pedestrian Bridge. This is going to be great for Southwest Austin!

Tweets About Texas Bicycling

https://twitter.com/BBQ44/status/601929395448586240

https://twitter.com/BBQ44/status/601926122628976640

https://twitter.com/BBQ44/status/601921380578304000

https://twitter.com/BBQ44/status/601911329180356609

https://twitter.com/BBQ44/status/601911036044713984

https://twitter.com/BBQ44/status/601909918019375104

https://twitter.com/BBQ44/status/601907838886117378

https://twitter.com/BBQ44/status/601902007171973120

https://twitter.com/robsupergenius/status/601885696358387712

https://twitter.com/txbikeracing/status/601738649445662721

Texas Bicycling Event Reminders

Weird Weather Day for May

Texbiker.net Posted on by

The weather is weird around southeast Texas. Yesterday it rained until afternoon. No biking on Thursday then. I woke up this morning to 64 degrees, overcast sky and a 10 mph NE wind. The forecast called for a high of 82 but by the time I left on the ride at 11:33 it was only 69 degrees. Who would predict these temperatures so late in May. The temperature has not officially reached 90 degrees this month, more than 20 days past the normal first 90 degree day. Rain comes down someplace each day but not where I rode today. Attempting to make up some of the lost time biking I went on a 40.43 mile ride on the “FM1960 to FM686 – Back” route. I extended the route further east than usual going past FM686 about 6/10 of a mile to get me over the 40 mile mark by the time I finished at 2:40.

Going east on FM1960 was difficult thanks to the NE to ESE 10 mph wind. It took 22 miles to get my average speed up to 15.2 mph. Once I turned around and headed west the wind helped me get it up to 15.8 by the time I stopped at the Huffman Chevron at the 28.8 mile point. With the chilly temperature and wind I gambled that it would warm up some as I rode. I wore a long sleeve and short sleeve jersey atop shorts but no leg warmers. At first I was chilly but as I heated up I didn’t notice the coolness as much. At the Huffman stop Action Sign’s time and temperature banner reported 73 degrees to 75 degrees. The screenshot below shows 71 degrees. I sat in the shade at the Chevron station eating some snacks and drinking Powerade and it was a little chilly as the wind moved across my wet jerseys. The sun was approaching where I sat but the clouds didn’t let much warmth get through. I left before it reached where I was sitting.

Leaving the Chevron station for the last 11 miles back home I was chilly but it didn’t take long to recover the warmth as I sped along at 20 mph or so. This allowed me to build up the average speed to 16.0 mph. I was able to keep it there most of the ride back into Kingwood. Not long after I turned off of FM1960 on Atascocita Shores Drive I saw the only other biker of the day. We exchanged waves going opposite directions. Later on I think I saw him in my mirror until he turned onto a side street.

Weather forecast for Saturday: chance of thunderstorms, rain 50% around noon. Not sure if I will be able to bike. Sunday and Monday look wet again.

Mileage as of today: 107.15 miles this week (3 rides), 361.42 miles in May (10 rides), 2030 miles year to date (60 rides).

Huffman weather at the rest stop 28.8 miles

Huffman weather at the rest stop 28.8 miles

[iframe https://connect.garmin.com/activity/embed/781702038 465px 500px] [iframe https://www.strava.com/activities/309612387/embed/63a91ab2fb248c6a2a4eaff2701e82752c7c6a26 590px 500px]

Texas Bicycling News Digest May 21st

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Cancelled – Lampasas Hillacious Bike Tour in Lampasas

by Joe Corcoran        lampasashillaciousbiketour.com

URGENT: In the interest of cycling safety, and as a courtesy to our wonderful sponsors and volunteers, I am unfortunately canceling the Lampasas Hillacious Bike Tour in Lampasas scheduled for this weekend, May 23rd, due to the pervasive threat of thunderstorms in the area.  We will re-schedule this event some time in the future, probably October or November.  We look forward to a rewarding cycling event for all.

2015 New Years Resolution Followup

by Ray Garza            rgvcycling.com

Earlier this year I set out two goals for 2015, lose weight and do long rides. Many people have these resolutions and are really sincere in achieving them, but as time slips on by, circumstances changes and eventually those resolutions are a distant memory. For some there is a brief resurgence with an iron will and by golly I’m gonna get it done! As with anything that iron will turn to putty and the whole idea is shelved for next year. Well it has been five months and it’s time for an update. Did I turn to putty like everyone else?
I am happy to say that I still got the iron will and fortitude. So far I’ve lost a little over twenty pounds since February 1st and have gone down three pant sizes! I did have to get some new cloths and a belt! I ran out of holes on my old belt. That’s always a good sign.
It hasn’t been easy but with a lot of cycling (three plus hour rides on the weekends and about seven hours during the week) I’ve managed to put some miles in on my bike. I’m not …

Navy vet cycling 1,000 miles across Texas

By Isis Romero, Anchor        www.ksat.com


SAN ANTONIO – A Navy veteran is cycling over 1,000 miles from the Texas Panhandle to South Padre Island, hoping to raise money and inspire others.
Jonathan Cathey, 40, said he is not an avid cyclist and did not train for the journey, but enjoys spending time outdoors.
Cathey is hoping to raise money for his startup nonprofit, Armadillo Adventures, which would provide outdoor adventures to veterans with depression, disabilities or post-traumatic stress disorder. Additional …

Get a free safety helmet for your child through the Heads In Helmets campaign

by Sandra Fernandez        hispanichouston.com

Riding on your bike is one of those universal childhood activities — most of us have a memory of doing this, getting our kids to do this, or seeing someone in our neighborhood do it. May is National Bike Month, a good opportunity to think about improving your child’s safety while biking.
Spiva Law Group of Savannah (www.spivalaw.com) and Sloan, Bagley, Hatcher & Perry Law Firm of Longview and Houston (www.sloanfirm.com and www.sloanfirmhouston.com)  are working with the Heads in Helmets Head Injury Prevention and Safety Program to provide free …

Lifesavers for Drivers and Bicyclists

www.bikehouston.org


Have you been driving in your car and felt worried about driving around a person on a bicycle or wondered what the heck they are doing on the street?
Or maybe you have been riding on your bike and felt unsafe and didn’t know a safe way to ride to your destination?
Lifesavers for Drivers:
Follow the Law.
Speeding & DUI are killing us.
Motor on, cell phone off.  Save a life.
Give cyclists a wide pass.
Sometimes you may need to take an extra few seconds, but it is worth it.
Intersections require special attention.  Always scan carefully before proceeding.
Never open your car door without looking for passing traffic.
Lifesavers for Cyclists:
Follow the Law.  Same rights & duties as drivers.
Be Predictable. Make your intentions clear.
Be Extremely Visible.  Use appropriate lights and wear bright, reflective clothing.
Think Ahead. Plan your route carefully to avoid dangerous situations.
Ride Ready.  Leave the earplugs and phone.  Always, always wear a helmet.
We can prevent crashes!
Consider taking our Traffic Skills 101 course – check out calendar of events – or an online course.
BikeHouston is working to …

Saturday 5/23 and Sunday 5/24 Rides!

by Thomas        steinerranchcycling.com

More wet weather inbound! But don’t plan for that to spoil your rides this weekend, it might be just fine.
This Saturday is a road trip! We will join our Bat City Cycling friends for their Saturday ride which leaves Red Horn Coffee House & Brewing at 8am. Their ride splits into groups of various ability and I am told that it is completely compatible with our regular Saturday rides (not just the hammers). Show up early and have some coffee. Details are here: …

Southern Walnut Creek Trail – Austin Meetup Group Ride

by George Hsu


Austin Meetup social ride on May 16, 2015. This is just part of the trail, from the 51st St YMCA ramp up to the top of the hill. Riding my cyclocross bike, a Fuji Cross 1.3

gopro mountain biking

by Austin Nerren

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H45_uVYGB54
mountain biking lewisville lake, texas

(MTB CRASH) MTB ride 6th street austin, downtown, the drag, capital building, ut tower

NightriderMTB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huUxi3Fhqsc
Urban Mountain bike (MTB) ride with road bike commuter tires.
We rode from north austin to spider house coffee, then down the drag at the university of texas, UT, then to the texas state capitol building, then continued down to 6th street, then down to 2nd and headed back north through the UT campus, and …

Mountain Biking in Northeast San Antonio, TX

by Jonathan Puga


Just got done cruising my Mongoose Mountain Bike in my neighborhood in San Antonio, TX

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets About Texas Bicycling

https://twitter.com/txbikeracing/status/601474498060275712

Texas Bicycling Event Reminders

Texas Bicycling News May 20th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

PeopleForBikes partners with National Interscholastic Cycling Association

www.peopleforbikes.org


PeopleForBikes is partnering with the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) to aid in the development of interscholastic middle and high school mountain biking programs across the United States.
PeopleForBikes will provide NICA with more than $32,000 in cash support during 2015: $15,000 from the PeopleForBikes Coalition and $17,000 from the PeopleForBikes Foundation and its Paul David Clark Bicycling Safety Fund. The Clark Fund is a legacy project dedicated to Paul Clark—a San Francisco bike rider who died in a bicycle-truck collision in 2005. The Clark Fund focuses on initiatives that promote safety and youth ridership. It has previously supported programs like …

Bicycle Friendly State: Texas Takes a Small Step Forward

BikeTexas.org


The League of American Bicyclists released the new Bicycle Friendly State rankings last week, and Texas has moved up to #30 from #33 in 2014.
BikeTexas is happy that Texas has improved its ranking after last year’s disappointing tumble. TxDOT is working on a number of activities to support bicycling in Texas, such as a bicycle safety manual and a statewide inventory of bicycle infrastructure. However, we still lack dedicated state-level funding for bicycling infrastructure, and the …

Deception Update – more trail, bail out closures, new bail out, etc…

by rugger        www.bikemojo.com

So, FirstBlood and I had a good on site mtg with the county today.
We are authorized to do the following IMMEDIATELY:
1) Reopen the original line to Swag Rock – the line parallel to the existing one (First Blood probably had this open before I posted this). The reason for this is to a) provide a turn around for users to head back and ride the trail back to the trailhead, b) an option to ride to the beginning of Snake Ridge and ride back to the trail head or c) ride down about 500 yards to the BCRT – this will be a NEW bail out. We should have this completed by the end of the week – tomorrow from 10-2 we will be out there.
It will look like this: …

Construction of Hike and Bike Trail from Jones Road to YMCA, Precinct 4

www.texasbids.net

Bid Date & Time: 06/08/15 2:00 PM
Prebid: 05/27/15 9:00 AM
Solicitation Title: Construction of Hike and Bike Trail from Jones Road to YMCA, Precinct 4
Owner Solic Number: 15/0106    Status: bidding
Report: 6311965
Country : United States     State: TX    County: Harris  Location: Houston
Est. Low Value: $550,000    Est. High Value: $550,000
Scope: Construction of hike and bike trail.
Notes: PRE-BID CONFERENCE on May 27, 2015, 9:00 a.m. CST, in the conference room of the Office of the Purchasing Agent, 1001 Preston,
Suite #670, Houston, TX 77002.This project has a “prevailing wage” requirement.
Plans: From Owner.
Outside Link:
https://bids.hctx.net/bso/external/bidDetail.sdo?bidId=15/0106&parentUrl=activeBids
Update Notes: Amendment 1 issued, see linked file.
Owner Type: Public …

ARR Free Beginners Skills Clinic

Sunday, Jun 7, 2015, 8:30 AM

Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park
12138 North Lamar Boulevard Austin, TX

17 Mountain Bikers Went

Austin Ridge Riders Free Beginners Skills ClinicJoin ARR Sunday morning, June 7, at Walnut Creek Park for a free beginner skills clinic led by Aric Meyer. Arrive early enough to prepare yourself and your bike, the clinic starts promptly at 8:30am.In this month’s clinic Aric will cover the basics of: neutral & ready positions, body separation (fro…

Check out this Meetup →

New Uplawn-Oaktown Route! … err, I mean, Uptown-Oak Lawn!

bikeabledallas.com

https://bikeabledallas.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/uplawn-route-compressed.jpg?w=700&h=906
It’s here! Say hello to our little friend: A new bike route between Uptown and Oak Lawn! We lovingly refer to it as the UPLAWN route…
This new route uses Fairmount Street, Welborn Street, and Holland Avenue to create an easy ride from the State-Thomas area, through Uptown, and …

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets About Texas Bicycling

https://twitter.com/wsbhtx/status/601167656071331841

https://twitter.com/NicoleCBulcher/status/601129993159192576

https://twitter.com/txbikeracing/status/601049379579908096

Texas Bicycling Event Reminder