Texas Bicycling News Digest May 7th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Local riders share experiences from riding in the BP MS 150

By Jannise Johnson        www.yourhoustonnews.com

Now that the annual two-wheeled sojourn to Austin known as the BP MS 150 has come and gone; the cyclists who sacrificed time, money and in some cases, skin, discuss some of the highs and lows of this year’s ride.
Any planned outdoor activity in Texas during April can be tricky for some. Add in an overwhelming number of cyclists – many of them new riders — the undertaking becomes even more of a labor.
Rain canceled the first day, forcing riders to scramble for alternate modes of transportation into La Grange, the halfway point of the ride and …

The Violet Crown Trail

from Visual Communication Studio

Texas Hell Week

Texas Hell Week is as common to Spring as are daffodils and wildflowers. Nicknamed “The Rides of March,” TXHW features 8 days of incredible riding and stunning scenery in Texas Hill Country. For 2016 we’re returning some old favorites and adding many new variations. You can register online, by phone, or by mail. Entry fees and online registration are available now. Early registrants can get on board for as low as $99 with our a la carte registration program.

Returning at Texas Hell Week in 2016 are our brevets, including a 200K on Monday, a 200K and 300K on Wednesday, and 200K/300K on Friday. See the Brevets page for more information.

Biking 8,500 Miles Cross-Country With My Dog Changed My Life

by Michael Minnick       www.yahoo.com


I’m writing this from San Luis Obispo on the majestic California coast, and I can only wonder in amazement at how far Bixby, my best friend, and I have come in the past two years. We are on the cross-country adventure of a lifetime, having traveled more than 8,500 miles from Maine to Florida, across to Texas, up through Colorado and the Rockies, on to Seattle and down the West Coast. The journey has transformed our lives and allowed us to see America in a way that few have. Bixby, by the way, is a 5-year-old rescue dog. And did I mention that we are traveling by bicycle? …

Norristown anti-human trafficking activists plan bike ride across U.S.

### By Oscar Gamble, The Times Herald      www.timesherald.com

NORRISTOWN >> Human trafficking and sexual slavery is not someone else’s problem. That’s the message of a group of local activists planning a bike trip from Norristown to San Antonio, Texas, to raise awareness about a practice with more than 20 million victims worldwide, according to the U.S. State Department, but that remains largely in the shadows in America.
Jay Atlas, 25 of Bridgeport, Sylvester Williams, 27 of Norristown and Jonathan Moore, 19, originally from Richmond, Va., will embark May 11 on a meandering route that will take them through the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains while they spread the word through community events and social engagement. They will also be raising funds for The Well, a safe house for sexually exploited and …

City slates events to celebrate Bike Month

by Les Cockrell         www.dentonrc.com

Denton has proclaimed May as Bike Month, and several events are planned to celebrate, according to a press release from the city.
A free Bike 101 class is planned from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. The class will be taught by local certified instructors and cover safety, as well bike maintenance. Registration is limited to 16 participants.
For more information call 940-349-7718 or visit www.bikewalkdenton.com .
Residents can join city staff on Monday for “Cycle with the City,” a 4-mile bike ride that will …

Texas Cup Action — Houston Grand Crit

### txbra.org

The River City Market Racing team setting up there lead out for sprinter Kriten Fee. Fee takes the win in the Womens Pro 1/2/3 at the Houston Grand Criterium.
Photo courtesy of Corvin Alstot.

Riverbend Trail Work Party (with info)

GHORBA


Event category: General
Trail: River Bend
Saturday, May 9, 2015 – 8:00am
Meeting Saturday morning at 8am at the levee gate (see attached map). Bring shovels/hoes/tampers/etc, weed eaters.
Dress in long pants/sleves/socks and bring gloves and plenty of water.
We will be mowing the connectors, cutting back the grabbers and slappers, using the bush hog to cut …

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets

https://twitter.com/txbikeracing/status/596430927586201600

Event Reminders

Texas Bicycling News Roundup May 6th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Houston Grand Crit 2015

Butch Stephens


This year’s best criterium cyclists battled off at Bike Barn’s Annual Houston Grand Crit
Editor & Pilot: Butch Stephens
Gear used: Phantom 2 with Zenmuse H3-3D, using a GoPro Hero3+ and Sony NEX-7 with Sigma 19mm 2.8.
Music: Voyager – Daft Punk

Texas Gran Fondo Bicycle Tour

www.sanantoniomag.com

May 9, 2015
08:00 AM until 05:00 PM
Come ride the Texas Hill Country! The second edition of the Texas Gran Fondo promises to be one of the premier cycling events of the year. Hosted in the City of Fredericksburg, considered by many to be “The Cycling Capital of Texas”. Offering rides of 100, 65 and 36 miles with six fully-stocked aid stations, plenty of SAG and vehicle support, friendly volunteers, a post-ride party, great prizes and breathtaking …

Two Shepherd restaurants set to host Ride for Hope for veterans

By Jacob McAdams        www.yourhoustonnews.com

The Pizza Kitchen and Texas Grill are partnering up to host the Ride for Hope fundraiser on May 30, which will benefit Camp Hope for Wounded Warriors suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome.
“Camp Hope is an interim housing [project] for Wounded Warriors with PTSD,” said Gary Bellinger of the Pizza Kitchen. …

… There will also be a bike ride, which will begin at 10 a. m. that morning. …

Energy Corridor Bike to Work Day 2015

www.bikehouston.org

When: May 14, 2015 @ 6:30 am – 7:30 am
Where: Terry Hershey Park gazebo
15342 Memorial Drive
Houston, TX 77079

Ride of Silence

West Texas Cycling Association

Date: May 20, 2015
Location: Lubbock, TX
Contact: Marta Rosas806-535-0451
Details: This year’s ride will start at 6:30 p.m. Wheels will roll at 7:00 p.m. The parking lot just east of the Texas Tech Credit Union at 19th and Indiana will be the starting point. A police escort will be provided by the Lubbock Police Department as the cyclists travel south along Indiana to 98th Street and back. The route is about 11 miles. Riders should be able to ride 12 miles at 12 miles per hour. Cyclists must also wear helmets and lights are recommended. The Ride of Silence is a free ride where cyclists ride at a slow pace, follow the rules of the road and remain silent during the ride. There are no sponsors and no registration fees. The ride, which is held during National Bike Month, aims to raise the awareness of motorists, police and city officials that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways. The ride is …

Bicyclists to rally at courthouse Thursday at Pedaling for Safer Roads event

by Pam LeBlanc        fitness.blog.austin360.com


Heads up, bicyclists.
Pedaling for Safer Roads III, a rally to remind lawmakers and city officials of the need to enforce laws and prosecute motorists who injure or kill cyclists, is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday.
Please Be Kind to Cyclists, a non-profit group that works to foster cooperation between bicyclists and motorists, is organizing the event.
Cyclists are invited to gather in front of the Travis County Courthouse, 1000 Guadalupe Street, for a short group …

Commuter Stories: Suzanne Wheat

www.bikehouston.org


Suzanne Wheat lives in the First Ward and works at the Texas Medical Center, a 40 minute commute on her bike which she prefers over taking her car. “The medical center is quite crowded and parking is very expensive. For me the best part is the ride home, because all the stress of work goes away in the miles.”
She rides the Heights Bike Trail into downtown and then chooses the more quiet streets to the Medical Center. “Some parts are a bit tricky, I leave around 7 a.m. so I am in the morning rush hour and that can be a bit challenging.”
“I picked my house because of the Heights Bike Trail. I thought this is where I want to live.  I hope we will get more bike lanes like the one on Lamar Street. I despise cycling on sidewalks. I follow the laws and …

Bike to Work in May

www.bikehouston.org

Bike to Work with BikeHouston in May. Find all the details on our events calendar.
Celebratory Ride Downtown May 15
Texas Medical Center ride planned May 8
Greenway Plaza, Galleria ride on May 14
You can also participate in Bike to Work events in the Woodlands – May 12th, Energy Corridor – May 14th, and Sugarland – May 15th.
From the perspective of many Houstonians navigating Houston traffic in a car or truck, riding a bicycle to work may appear to be a tough alternative. But with proper planning for a good ride, biking to work can be liberating and convenient, and save time and money.
BikeHouston, Houston’s bicycle advocacy organization, and its partners are planning Bike to Work events as part of Bike Month in Houston to focus attention during May on …

Tweets

https://twitter.com/BSS_Road_Club/status/596000266526162945

Event Reminders

Retirement Flexibility Gets Me Around Rain

Texbiker.net Posted on by

One of the luxuries of retirement is flexibility on when I get to bike. Today I need that flexibility. Rain started early this morning and continued off and on until after 11:00. I rearranged my chores to then and waited for the streets to dry off and the radar to clear up in the direction I wanted to ride. By the time everything was clearing off it was time for Kingwood HS to let out so I waited until 2:53 to leave home. By the time I got the high school almost everyone was gone and traffic was thinning out.

The ride plan took me on the “Stroker Road – Huffman” route to get extra miles in my quest to catch up on the miles I am behind. Today I biked 38.51 miles. I had to fight the wind again until the 20 mile point when I turned left onto Ramsey Road and the wind became my ally. Until that turn I was fighting the SE 21 mph wind almost all the way there. It wasn’t quite as bad as yesterday but it took a lower gear and constant pedaling to get through it. My average speed up to that turn was around 14.0 mph. From there I started to increase my average speed thanks to the wind. Riding with the tailwind I realized I was doing intervals. I would pedal as hard as I could for 10 seconds, build up to 20 or 21 mph and then coast down to 19 mph and repeat. With this effort by the time I got to the Huffman Chevron at about 27 miles I averaged 15.1 mph. On the 11 miles home from Huffman I got it up to 15.2 mph for a mile or so before I drifted lower ending up at 15.0 mph when I got home at 6:04. This is the latest I rode in some time. When  I worked I usually was starting the evening ride about this time. I prefer the earlier in the day rides.

It was around 80 degrees most of the ride but when the sun popped out from behind the clouds it felt warmer. The long sleeve jersey was fine but it won’t be too much long when short sleeves will be the norm. Today’s rain was much needed at my house and plants perked up. The wind dried the streets quickly and I didn’t have to dodge any puddles.

After battling the wind and the longer ride the rest break at the Huffman Chevron was well received by my legs. It was nice sitting in the shade, eating a snack and drinking the Powerade. I had to rally myself after the Powerade was gone to get going.

Strava reports these: (All of these are with a tailwind or at least not into the wind)

  • PR on Westbound Atascocita Rd to FM2100 (7:46)
  • 2nd fastest time on Gum Gully Sprint (2:23)
  • 3rd fastest time on Ramsey Drag (4:21)

Mileage standings: 110.07 for this week, 221.16 for May and 1890 YTD.  May 2015 is within 44 miles of the total of May 2014. I should make progress on catching up this year’s miles the rest of May. I will take a few days off now. Next planned ride is Monday May 11th.

Weather when I stopped at the Huffman Chevron

Weather when I stopped at the Huffman Chevron

[iframe https://connect.garmin.com/activity/embed/767189513 465px 500px] [iframe https://www.strava.com/activities/299512838/embed/e387b24d835e41fcd073fca5e5c9084749e49c76 590px 500px]

Texas Bicycling News May 5th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Some Bike for Mike pics:

by the sci guy        www.bikeforums.net

Starting line at the entrance to the Ranch/Vineyards

FrankenBike # 52 ~ Southwest Schwinn (6607 S Braeswood Blvd)

houston.craigslist.org

FrankenBike # 52 ~ May 16th ~ 10am till 4 pm
Southwest Schwinn
6607 S Braeswood Blvd
Houston, TX 77096

Boone Cycles and Houston bike history

By Leah Binkovitz        www.houstonchronicle.com


The Sign: “You have to know about us to get here,” said Joy Boone, seated in a lawn chair underneath the blue tarp set up beside her shop. From the street, the blue sheet disappears behind the lush greenery of the front yard. Passersby might spot the table with bike shoes or the rows of bicycles set up just behind that, but they might just see a beautiful old house on a leafy corner of a changing neighborhood. A few blocks northeast of Hermann Park, Crawford Street at Prospect is now more surrounded by mid-rise condominiums than the sort of single-family spreads Boone recalls from the early days.
“We never did a sign,” she explained. Closest thing they’ve got now is just a thin vertical one that …

Biking in Ft. Worth, Texas. Trinity Trail/ Stockyards

SindtsFlicks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycdlcoE8ON4
Biking along the Trinity Trail in downtown Ft. Worth. This adventure includes horses along the trail and the historic Ft. Worth Stockyards. 5-3-15

Double Lakes Mountain Biking (Coldspring, TX GoPro Hero3+)

Canuck Texan


GoPro footage of the 2015 Texas Mountain Bike Racing Assocation Big Ring Challenge race course at the Double Lakes in Coldspring, TX. Shot 4/30/2015.

President George W Bush’s 2015 W100k bike ride

ghost@nigthy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7iE1w4iWWk

GoPro Hero 4: Park Bike Ride

BradleyG050


GoPro Hero 4 silver of a picture lapse of my bike ride in 2.7k! Texas City Bike Ride around the park. This timelapse shot solely on the new GoPro Hero 4 Silver.
Bike: Schwinn mountain bike
Bike Ride 2.7k. Shot with GoPro Hero 4 chest mount.

Corinth, TX Mountain Bike Trail

Sean Birdsall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw4TyVa1Xro
Riding the Corinth, TX mountain bike trail on 5/4/2014.

Sun & Ski had a blast at the 2015 Big Ring Challenge!

Sun & Ski


The Big Ring Challenge is a cross country mountain bike race for all ages and skill levels. Hosted by GHORBA, it is one of the best races in Texas!!! Sun & Ski has been a proud sponsor for many years!

Texas Cycling Team Criterium Practice

Preston Glace

New company offers order fulfillment, purchasing and e-commerce help for IBDs

by BRAIN Staff        www.bicycleretailer.com

BEE CAVE, Texas (BRAIN) —     , being launched by a Texas bike retailer, will offer bike shops three services related to profitability and efficiency. All three services essentially let a shop farm out aspects of their businesses that aren’t directly related to customer service and sales.
Cycle Commerce was co-founded by Rick Applewhite, owner of Crank House Cycles in Bee Cave, Texas, outside Austin.
“We are bike shop people,” Applewhite said of the team behind Cycle Commerce. “We recognized many areas of inefficiency in our shop’s operation, due to lack of information, lack of access to products, lack of tools to minimize cost and create opportunity … so we looked at creating tools that really leverage relationships and technology in an effort to increase margins for bike shops.”
Cycle Commerce is getting ready to …

Sugar Land celebrates Bike to Work Day

www.chron.com

The city of Sugar Land and Shape Up Fort Bend will celebrate National Bike Month on May 15 with the fifth annual Bike to Work Day and third annual Bike to School Day.
Join the celebratory ride from Sugar Land Memorial Park, 15300 University Blvd., to Fort Settlement Middle School, 5440 Elkins Road, and Sugar Land Town Square at U.S. 59 and Texas 6.
The event begins at 7:30 a.m. with food and prizes at the South Meadow Pavilion at Sugar Land Memorial Park, located adjacent to the Pawm Springs Dog Park.
Participants will depart at 8:15 a.m. for a 1.1-mile ride along University Boulevard to Fort Settlement Middle School. After dropping off …

Lewisville police officer participates in memorial ride

by Heather Goodwin        starlocalmedia.com


The Department of Public Safety Memorial Ride and Metroplex C.O.P.S Cycling hosted the first annual “Texas Peace Officers Memorial Ride” event. The event started on May 2 in Houston with a unity type bike ride to LaGrange for the first night’s rest stop.  On May 3 the ride continued to the final destination in Austin at the Texas Peace Officers Memorial. The 150-mile event honors all of the fallen Texas Peace Officers and their families.
Lewisville Police Department Honor Guard …

57-Year-Old Man Cycling Across America For His Wife Battling Cancer

By Melissa Adan        www.everythinglubbock.com

LUBBOCK, TX– The Hub City serving as a pit stop for Eric McIntyre, 57, who is cycling 7,200 miles for his wife, Liz who is battling pancreatic cancer.
McIntyre calls the cross-country bike ride The Pancreatic Victory Tour.
“We are going to make some real change happen that’s what it’s all about not just doing something and pedaling, but having a plan and getting people on board that we can attack [pancreatic cancer] now,” said McIntyre.
McIntyre is very passionate for the cause as his wife has …

Bike Month Buzz

BikeHouston

Jump on a bike and join us for a ride or come party with us at a non-ride event such as Mid Main’s First Thursday. 45% of Houstonians want to ride their bike more – let’s make it happen!
May 6th Ready to Roll Night
May 7th Mid Main First Thursday
May 8th Bike to Work TX Medical Center
May 10th CycloFemme
May 14th Bike to Work  Greenway Plaza & Galleria
May 15th Bike to Work Day  Downtown
May 15th Dinner + Bikes
May 17th East End Mural Tour
May 20th Ride of Silence
Volunteer with Us!
Hey Houstonian, Got a Bike? …

Local veteran mountain bikes with former President Bush

Karissa Neely Daily Herald        www.heraldextra.com


Leslie Zimmerman, right, poses with former President George W. Bush in Texas at the fifth annual Warrior 100K mountain biking event.

PLEASANT GROVE — Retired Army Sgt. Leslie Zimmerman is a skilled mountain biker, so she had no qualms about riding with former President George W. Bush last weekend.
Well, not about the bike riding part. She was a bit nervous about meeting the former leader of the free world.
“I mean, what do you say to a former president?” Zimmerman said. “But he was so warm and …

May Newsletter Published

Dallas Area Tandem Enthusiasts

The May edition of the DATES-Line Newsletter is published and available for download from the newsletters page. This month’s edition includes the following:
Upcoming Rides
DATES Blue Ridge Ramble
Ardmore DATES Weekend
DATES Social
Ride Reports
Chisholm Trail White Oak Ride
Tax Relief Ride Around the Lake
DATES Bluebonnet Ride
DATES Loop the Lake Ride
Southwest Missouri Tandem Weekend
DATES Rides & Activities

DATES Blue Ridge Ramble

Dallas Area Tandem Enthusiasts

When:    May 09, 2015 09:00 AM
Where:   Mitas Hill Vineyard – McKinney
Join DATES for a scenic country ramble from Melissa to Blue Ridge in northeast Collin County. The 38 and 56 mile options traverse rolling terrain on smooth asphalt, some chip seal and paved county roads. We will eat lunch afterward at Mitas Hill Vineyard, which has a great patio and view.
Date: May 9, 2015
Time: Meet at 8:30 AM, rolling at 9:00 AM
Leaders: Marc and Susie Mumby …

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets

https://twitter.com/BikePaulie/status/595632830023106561

https://twitter.com/whodatashkid/status/595616407586533376

Event Reminders