Texas Bicycling News Digest February 18th

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How to Organize a Ciclovia or Open Streets Event

by Melissa Stanton, AARP Livable Communities        www.aarp.org


When roads are closed to cars and trucks (as Brownsville, Texas, does several times a year), people can safely walk, bicycle and even dance in the streets
Every Sunday in Bogotá, Columbia, more than 70 miles of roads are closed to vehicular traffic so nearly two million people can walk, bicycle, skate, dance, play games, socialize or simply sit and relax in the middle of the city’s streets. The event, which began in 1976, is called the Bogotá Ciclovia. …

The Periwinkle Foundation Presents 20th Cycle for Life Bicycle Spin-a-Thon: Funds raised go toward programs for children with cancer

fatcatwebproductions.com


HOUSTON,TX (February 18, 2015) – The Periwinkle Foundation announces its 20th Annual Cycle for Life Spin-a-Thon at 9 a.m. on March 7 at The Houstonian Club, 111 N. Post Oak Lane, to raise funds to provide healing programs and camps for children, teens and families challenged by cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.  Presented by White Oak Energy, this year’s theme is “There’s No Place Like Periwinkle” and welcomes biking and spinning enthusiasts from around the Houston area who are teaming up to support the Foundation.
Along with riders, the indoor spin-a-thon brings together patients, families and Periwinkle supporters for a …

Road to Recovery: A Texoma Man Involved In Biking Accident Speaks Out

www.newschannel6now.com

(Video)

Wichita Falls, TX – A Texoma man involved in a cycling accident is happy to be alive. He shared his story with Newschannel 6 and has a message for drivers about sharing the road. It happened nearly two weeks ago on the Access Road along Interstate-44 heading southbound.
Newschannel 6 Jimmie Johnson and the rider went back to the crash site as the rider reflected back on that day.
It has been an …

Uptown lacks benefit of designated bike lanes

By Tom J. Compson        www.houstonchronicle.com

From the window of my Galleria-area office, I can see at least a half-dozen cranes looming over sites of new hotels, condos and offices. It’s exciting to see the new buildings, but it’s not so fun contemplating the additional traffic they are generating on our already overcrowded streets and highways, with more to come as the new buildings fill up with employees and residents.
I have worked here for more than 16 years and can well attest to Uptown’s legendary traffic jams. The most difficult part of my daily commute is just …

2.42 Mile Hike & Bike Trail known as “Brays Bayou Connector Trail” Re-bid

www.texasbids.net

Bid Date & Time: 02/02/15 3:30 PM
Prebid: 01/22/15 3:30 PM
Solicitation Title: 2.42 Mile Hike & Bike Trail known as “Brays Bayou Connector Trail” Re-bid
Owner Solic Number: 1151-00    Status: bidding    Report: 5736833
Country :United States     State: TX    County: Harris
Location: Houston
Set Aside Types: MBE/DBE (Minority / Disadvantaged)
Scope: Approx. 12,700 SY of 5-1/2 inch reinforced concrete paving; Approx. 1,121 CY concrete retaining walls; Associated trees, landscaping, and irrigation; Install underpass lighting; 245 LF of C900-DR18 (class 150) PVC waterline; 55 LF of 24″ HDPE pipe; See attached file.
Notes: A non-mandatory pre-bid conference will be held on Thursday, January 22, 2015, at 3:30 PM, Local Time, at the office of Brown & Gay Engineers, Inc.A DBE contract goal of 8.09%. Sealed bids will be received at the office of Brown & Gay Engineers, Inc.; 10777 Westheimer, Suite 400; Houston, Texas, 77042. This project has a “prevailing wage” requirement. …

Featured Video of the Month in Texas MTB Park Newsletter

hunrugger        forums.mtbr.com

My video made the Featured Video of the Month in Reveille Peak Ranch’s February Newsletter.
Like, subscribe and share I’ll be rich.
February News from the Ranch

Saturday 2/21 [Avery Ranch] & Sunday 2/22 [Coffee Shop Ride]

by Thomas, Steiner Ranch Cycling

On Saturday 2/21 join us for the Avery Ranch Ride!  The ride leaves from Cups & Cones at 8:30am.  There will be two distinct ride groups to accommodate everyone (15-17 mph and 18-20 mph).  Note that the 18-20 mph group may be lightly attended due to the Pace Bend Road Race on Sunday.  This is NOT a no-drop ride, so check the ,,,

Big Southie pre-ride South loop

Sunday, Feb 22, 2015, 9:00 AM

Dick Nichols Park
8011 Beckett Austin, TX

4 Mountain Bikers Went

2/22, 9 AM, Dick Nichols Park: full South loop w/ concrete Veloway and Bauerle, 20 miles.Link to the event webpage.  Contains maps, GPS files and route descriptions:  https://thebigsouthie.wordpress.com/

Check out this Meetup →

 

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

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Texas Bicycling News Digest February 17th

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Recreational cycling in city continues to grow

By: Exsar Arguello, News Reporter        star.txstate.edu


An on-campus organization has created a bike-sharing program as recreational cycling grows in San Marcos.
The bike-sharing trend has grown in popularity in San Antonio and Austin. Existing systems in these cities allow citizens to rent bikes to get around town or simply for recreational use.
The Bike Cave, an organization and business run by Auxiliary Services at Texas State, was the first to offer a similar program in San Marcos. The …

The Texas Monuments

By Michael Pincus, Super Squadra pb Austinbikes        texasbikeracing.com


Milan-San Remo. Flanders. Paris-Roubaix. Liege. These are the “Spring Classics,” the monuments of the sport of cycling. The names of these historic WorldTour events will turn the head of anyone with a passion for bike racing. And much like the WorldTour, Texas has its own set of spring classics: Walburg. Pace Bend. Lago Vista. Most Texas bike racers recognize the names of these races and dream of one day winning one of these Texas monuments.
In February and March, much of the country is still plowing snow. But here in Texas, legs are being readied for some of the oldest and most historic races in the state. Actual pros and full-time amateurs travel from across the country to train and race in Texas this time of year, and it’s not uncommon to …

Some ATX Council Members Need Educating: Sidewalks Are Not a Solution

Austin on a Bike

I sensed this would be the case when we held a District One City Council forum at Yellow Bike last October.
Ora Houston from District One is quoted in the Austin Monitor today as saying “Who thought this was a good idea?” in response to “a proposal that the Austin Transportation Department accept $200,000 in federal grant money already awarded by the Texas Department of Transportation to install bike-visible signals and bicycle detection equipment at 32 city intersections.”
The resolution, which passed 8-3, also got a …

Day 13 – El Paso: TRAIN to LA and then SF

By Alan Guo, Across Texas and California (Feb 2015)        www.crazyguyonabike.com

Sunday February 15, 2015
El Paso is a neat town. The population is almost all Hispanic, some who don’t even speak English. There’s a dichotomy of really flat and really hilly areas. Because the town is integrated next to a mountain, there are residential neighborhoods established far up in the hills, which must make for a nice view from the front porch, and from below as well.
I spent the morning packing, and exploring the town a little. Mostly, I just biked to the post office to drop off a ~2 lbs package filled with things I don’t believe I need anymore (bug spray, long sleeve jersey, other misc items). It …

Trail Cleanup Day – Saturday, February 21, 2015

Bike Friendly Richardson


This was an idea inspired on our Facebook page. Some riders have been noticing some issues with trash, animal waste and broken glass on some of our trails. Instead of complaining, we are going to take action by organizing our first trail cleanup day.
Date: Saturday, February 21. 2015
Time: 9:00 am (earlier if you choose) – 11:00 am (later if you choose)
Location: Spring Creek Trail parking lot (southeast corner of Renner Road and Central)
Who: All volunteers who care about our trails
Since this is our first attempt at this, we’re going to keep it simple, starting at one location. Everybody is welcome to jump in and …

BAC to consider West 5th/6th protected bike lanes

Austin on a Bike


According to one s%%%%% local news station I refuse to link to because of their yearly “pedicabs are a danger and menace to society and all things safe, nevermind the plethora of drunk ass drivers blowing red lights and racing down Congress” stories, downtown may be getting some more …

Bike signal debate triggers acrimony at Council

by Jenny Blair        www.austinmonitor.com


Some Austin City Council members grew irritated while debating the problems of bicycles at intersections and whether to accept grant money that could ease those problems at Thursday’s meeting.
At issue was a proposal that the Austin Transportation Department accept $200,000 in federal grant money already awarded by the Texas Department of Transportation to install bike-visible signals and bicycle detection equipment at 32 city intersections.
Asking about the item’s background and implications, District 1 Council Member Ora Houston asked, …

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 →

Mountain Biking 101 Brushy Creek 02-14-15

DT’s Videos


Join the UT Informal Class MTB 101 as they tackle the trails at Brushy Creek near Cedar Park, Texas.

Mountain Biking at Terry Hershey Houston TX

elias832


Taking the camera on trail for the first time! Enjoy

Mountain Biking Selma Texas….Test Video

Levi Eden

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6g3Jm8TKDo

A Bicycle’s Point Of View: Fat Biking at Erwin Park

Johnny Guzman


My first ride on my new Motobecane Boris X5 Fat bike. I am completely new to Fat bikes and decided to capture mine in action. Enjoy!

RIDE TEXAS 2014 – THE FINISH!

WishForOurHeroes


After 6 days and 575 miles, our heroes completed their journey, in-style at Brewsters in Corpus Christi. What an incredible event!

Maiden Voyage of the New Yuba Mundo V4.3

Bike4Heck


I’ve been a bit excited about the new bicycle in the garage and eager to ride it since I brought it home in it’s giant cardboard box. After I put it together it did spend sometime at REI getting everything checked over after I put it together. It really only needed minor adjusting of the disc breaks, front derailleur and a new spoke to replace a broken one. It ended up being about $36 worth of work which I thought was more than reasonable.
Looking at the pantry, it became apparent that I needed to make a trip to  HEB (my local grocery store). So Friday night I installed the Go-Getter bags on the new Mundo then took it for a spin around the block. Everything seemed …

City Council approves funding for bicycle detection technology

by Jackie Wang        www.dailytexanonline.com


Cyclists in Austin will soon be able to use their smartphones to optimize travel time on busy intersections.
Austin City Council voted Thursday to accept $200,000 from a Texas Department of Transportation grant for the installation of 12 bicycle signals and bicycle detection equipment at 20 intersections around the city. The City Council will provide an additional $50,000 to the project, which was proposed in the 2013 Bicycle Advisory Committee.
Two bicycle detection systems will be located …

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

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Texas Cycling News February 16th

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Just two more years until we have better bike options from the ped bridge

Austin on a Bike

If there’s one place I find myself on a bike more than anywhere else in this town, it’s the pedestrian bridge and the surrounding paths. No, really. I take it whenever I can to cross the river. It’s by the Springs, connects to the ol’ “Hippie Highway” of south Austin (Dawson/South 5th), and it connects to what network of downtown bike paths and common routes we have. But man, has it sorta sucked for the past year or so without that connector down by the creek, where there’s now …

Bertram- Burnet Loop

Austin Cycling

02/21 (Sat)     9:00am     D-2     26 mi
Join our regular group of Easy Riders in the rolling country around Bertram, through Oatmeal, Burnet and Mohamet.  Suitable for beginners, older riders and those who like to smell the flowers and enjoy each other’s company.  We do not ride in bad weather.  Afterwards, we eat together nearby.
Take 183 north to 29, then west to Bertram.  Turn left at the Exxon station and park along the iron fence of the little city park at Vaughn and Lampasas.
Please email austin.katykappel@yahoo.com if you plan to ride. …

Mountain Biking at an Advanced Age

Bike Noob

There’s a nifty event coming up in Austin in a few weeks. It’s called the “Big Southie,” and is an unsupported mountain bike ride consisting of three different loops on the myriad of bike trails in the south part of town.
I’m going to ride it. Not the whole thing, but parts of it. So when I saw that a pre-ride of the route was planned for Sunday, I decided to join in.
The pre-ride was just the north loop, and would cover about 17 miles. This is described as the “most technical” of the three loops. “Technical,” in mountain bike talk, means you have to bounce over lots of rocks. I figured if I was part of a group covering some trails that I have not yet ridden, I’d be okay — even though I’m not very good at …

What the Last 4 U.S. Presidents Have Done for Bicycling

By Josh Cohen        nextcity.org


… George H. W. Bush was the first president to include bike and pedestrian funding in a federal transportation bill. Signed into law in 1991, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) recognized the potential for biking and walking to help mitigate congestion and air quality problems. It came on the heels of Bush’s Clean Air Act amendment, which aimed to mitigate urban smog and the impact of automobile emissions. …

Comfort: 2015 STORM Hill Country Mountain Bike Challenge

by Maurice Moore        bestevents.us


March 15, 2015 at Flat Rock Ranch in Comfort, TX.
Online Registration available at https://www.bikereg.com/2015stormrace
Official Race Flyer can be downloaded here: http://www.storm-web.org/files/2015xcrace_poster.pdf
EVENT SCHEDULE
FRIDAY March 13
XC Courses open for pre-riding all day
SATURDAY March 14
XC Courses open for pre-riding all day
Noon – 1:45PM ……..……Kids Cup Registration
1:00 PM ……………………First Time Racer Clinic
1:00PM – 5:00PM …….… XC Race Registration
2:00 PM ……………………Kids Cup Seminar
SUNDAY March 15
XC Courses closed during racing
7:00AM …. Registration opens (registration ends 30 minutes prior to start of your race)
9:00 AM …. Category 3 Start
10:30 AM .. All Other Categories Start
TBA ………….Cat 3 Raffle and Awards for each category/class …

Brownsville installs downtown bike corral

BY TY JOHNSON | STAFF WRITER        www.brownsvilleherald.com


City crews last week installed the first bicycle corral in the Rio Grande Valley in front of the downtown H-E-B location on East Elizabeth Street.
The corral, which has space for 14 bikes to lock up, took the place of a parking space as part of the city’s continued investment into encouraging sustainable transportation.
“You give up one car space, but you’re bringing 14 people to the same location — the same spot,” explained …

FrankenBike # 115 ~ February 28, 2015 ~ 10am-4pm

Frankenbike Austin

SHIFT Gear Exchange ~ 9705 Burnet Rd #107 ~ 78758 ~ 512-428-5282

We will be giving away a Bicycle during the event. The free raffle for a Bicycle will be held at 3:30pm on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at SHIFT Gear Exchange during FrankenBike # 115. The rules are simple in that you must be present to win and everyone gets one free raffle ticket. Please note that past bicycle winners are excluded from participating in the free raffle as are current and …

Get a Jump on Spring Cycling in McKinney’s Craig Ranch

by crblog        www.craigranchtexas.com


Is it just us, or is the sun starting to shine a little bit brighter these days? Must be time to start training to hit the bike trails!
Luckily, Craig Ranch in McKinney, TX hooks up to a network of regional bike trails – in addition to the neighborhood trails the whole family can use. In fact, McKinney, Plano and Frisco, TX (along with Allen, Richardson and Garland) make up the Six-Cities Trails, a plan to …

Two Wheels of Awesome – Episode 13

The Ghisallo Foundation


Mendez Middle School Bike Club is back in full swing.
New and veteran students were excited about the new semester. We started with some review and some foundational work to get all the students up to speed. The veteran riders, Michelle, and Myron were a big help with the new recruits.
After some short rides around the school, we were ready to head into the neighborhood and work on our on-street skills. The new students earned their Ride, Stop, Inflate Tires and Chain Check badges on the first day! Michelle was able to help the others work on …

Protected bike lanes eyed for some downtown streets

By Amanda Dugan        kxan.com

(Video)
AUSTIN (KXAN) – A new proposal aims to get more cyclists riding through Downtown Austin.
The city’s Bicycle Advisory Council will consider a plan Tuesday to add protected bike lanes on West 5th and 6th streets. The roads are already very busy given all the recent growth on the west side of downtown.
The council has not laid out the exact locations for the lanes, but the goal is to simply make roads safer for cyclists. The proposal comes out of the Bicycle Master Plan which calls for a layout that is easily navigable for …

Weekend Update!!

by Alan Charley        woodlandscycling.org

The Sunday Blue Mug Ride
Another great turnout this morning. About 20 at the start. Thank you for coming out and welcome to those who joined us for the first time. …

Walburg Finish Stretch

Bat City Cycling

The last few miles of the #Walburg15 race course

183 North Mobility Project Open House

by Darron        BicycleAustin.info

Short update and another open house March 5th.
More than $5 million proposed for bicycle and pedestrian enhancements
You spoke up, and we heard you! Many of the public comments received have urged the team to consider bicycle and pedestrian improvements as part of the 183 North Mobility Project. As part of the Express Lanes alternative, the project team is proposing more than $5 million in enhancements to bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the corridor, including two shared use path segments connecting existing bike lanes parallel to the US 183 corridor, sidewalks along each frontage road where none currently exist and cross street connections for bicycles.
WHAT: 183 North Mobility Project Open House
WHEN: Thursday, March 5th, 2015 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
WHERE: Westwood High School (cafeteria), 12400 Mellow Meadow, Austin, TX 78750
Attendees will be able to review and provide comments on the preliminary design of the Express Lanes concept, which will include more than $5 million in enhancements to bicycle and pedestrian accommodations in …

 

Bike Ride on TerryHershey Park

Sunday, Feb 22, 2015, 9:00 AM

Terry Hershey Park on Memorial Dr.
15200 Memorial Dr. Houston, TX

1 Tour de Friends Went

Another ride on Terry Hershey park!!Sorry for the short notice cyclists. Please forgive me…Does 9:00 AM sounds good or can we push it to 10:00 AM?Lets gather at the Terry Hershey park on memorial Dr by 8:45AM and roll out by 9:00 AM. Let bike towards the end of Beltway and come back to the start point. We can then join with the NEO cyclists,…

Check out this Meetup →

Weekly Moderate Intermediate-Level Ride — Barton Creek (15-ish miles)

Sunday, Feb 22, 2015, 10:45 AM

Barton Creek Greenbelt – Spyglass Entrance
1500 Spyglass Road Austin, TX

2 Mountain Bikers Went

NOTE: I’ve been informed that, after a few weeks of leading these rides, I’m apparently not riding very “slow” anymore, so I changed the pace description to “moderate”.  I’m still not a racer, but we’re definitely not making as many stops as we were when this ride series began.About my riding styleI am a technical rider with advanced skill, but…

Check out this Meetup →

Westside Hills

Sunday, Feb 22, 2015, 8:00 AM

The Bagel Shop
985 N Resler El Paso, TX

4 Cyclists Went

Meet at Bagel Shop, 985 N. Resler, for 3,500 feet of climbing zig-zagging the West Side. Olac Fuentes,[masked]

Check out this Meetup →

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

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Texas Bicycling News Roundup February 15th

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Just a photo from today

Bike4Heck

Just a quick photograph from the maiden voyage of the Yuba Mundo V4.3 to my local grocery store, HEB. I will do a full write up soon.

Houston: Tanner Road to Addicks Dam Trail: Need to contact frequent users

flangehead        www.bikeforums.net

The project status as of February 14, 2015:
Harris County Parks will design the Connector Trail in 2015 and apply for the Corps of Engineers permit, among others.
The MUDs have funded the design of the Tanner Sidewalk Trail, which will proceed in coordination with progress on the Connector Trail design.
We expect the Corps of Engineers process to be lengthy. Realistically, construction will not occur before 2016.
We currently have over 150 supporters identified. We would like to continue contact with users or potential users of the trail to communicate progress directly. This project is of particular interest to cyclists and hikers in the subdivisions Lakes on Eldridge, Lakes on Eldridge North, Twin Lakes, Eldridge Park, and Villages at Lakepointe as well as the business parks Brittmoore Park and Brittmoore-Tanner.
If you would support and use this connection and you aren’t already getting email updates, please contact bryan.dotson@live.com.
AT-Brief-Feb-14-2015.pdf

Late-risers ride

Saturday, Feb 21, 2015, 9:30 AM

River Run Plaza
1071 Country Club Rd El Paso, TX

4 Cyclists Went

Meet at River Run Plaza, 1071 Country Club, for 25-mile tour of Upper Valley. 15-17 mph. Bob Clark,[masked]

Check out this Meetup →

OUTDOORS: Bicycling is TPWD’s activity of the month

bowienewsonline.com


The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has named bicycling as the official activity for the month of February.
There are plenty of places to bicycle in Texas state parks, too.
Hundreds of miles of dirt, crushed granite and paved bike trails wind and climb through Texas state parks – offering safe and scenic rides for everyone – no matter the skill level.
Trail descriptions and skill ratings can be found on the TPWD’s Biking activity page. Cyclists also may watch a video roundup of what it’s like to bike in a variety of state park settings.
One of those trails is the Lost Creek Reservoir Thruway.
The thruway was constructed during the mid-1990s. It is about 10 miles in length, and features hiking, biking and equestrian trails along Lost Creek – which is the main watershed for …

GRAVELTHON!

Gravelthon!

Saturday March 7, 2015
Dallas, TX US 75208
Open Ride Any Distance
Start Time: 10:30am CST
End Time: 3:00pm CST
Price: $40.00 Race Fee + $3.00 SignUp Fee
Gravelthon! Dallas is a collaborative effort by several key affiliates to promote cycling adventures within the urban sprawl of Dallas. This is a unique event which is accessible to almost anyone who can ride a bicycle while still …

Veon McReynolds

Alkek Velodrome

We have some terrible news for a beloved member of our Alkek Velodrome family. Please put Eldon and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Today my friend training partner was hit by a car. He is currently in Memorial Herman Med Cntr. He has no internal injuries but many broken bones in head accompanied by brain bleeding. He on breathing tube. We are waiting on 10pm brain scan for bleeding prognosis.

Lone Star XC 2015 Northshore Kickoff

lonestarxc.com

The 2015 season is upon us! We will be kicking off our 2015 race schedule on March 14th at Northshore Trail.
Lone Star XC Northshore
Saturday March 14, 2015
Flower Mound, TX US 75022
A Race Expert (Cash Payout Open Male/Open Female)
Start Time: 9:00am CDT
End Time: 11:59pm CDT
Price: $30.00 Race Fee + $2.50 SignUp Fee …

City receives $100,000 grant from Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation

www.kveo.com

BROWNSVILLE, TX — Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation (The Legacy Foundation) has awarded $100,000 to the City of Brownsville, in partnership with The University of Texas School of Public Health Brownsville Regional Campus, for the Cameron County in Motion: Active Transport Master Plan project.
The Active Transport Master Plan will evaluate the connectivity possibilities between neighborhoods and cities within Cameron County, and provide an outline for interconnected pedestrian and bicycle routes. These routes would not only connect the …

City exploring feasibility study to address cyclists’ concerns

By MATT DOTRAY        lubbockonline.com

The Lubbock Metropolitan Planning Organization will host a public meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at Cavazos Middle School to hear suggestions
The last time a feasibility study was done to analyze the need to improve bicycle infrastructure in Lubbock was in 1995.
A lot has changed since then — like population growth and residential development. The need to update bicycle safety and infrastructure has picked up some momentum, and …

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

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