Bicycling in 21 MPH wind

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When I first assembled the clothes for today’s ride I included a jacket but after walking outside to get the chaise lounge for my wife I could tell the 75 degrees was warm enough to skip the jacket. I substituted a short sleeve jersey over the long sleeve one I already had on. No leg warmers were necessary today.

It was cloudy and windy as I started to ride the Atascocita – Walden – Huffman route. I could tell it was going to be difficult whenever I rode into the wind. Before I left I checked the weather and saw 23 mph gusts. Going south made this a headwind and it wasn’t until I rode through the edge of Walden that I turned enough to get some tailwind. I needed this to get quickly across Lake Houston on FM1960 because the wind was quite chilly coming off the water. I got a strong dose of this when I returned back across the lake on the way home. As soon as I was over the lake the wind temperature felt 20 degrees cooler than before. Today I was able to keep my speed close to 16 mph allowing me to get off the causeway in about 8 minutes for the 2 mile stretch. I felt much warmer on the west shore even with the wind coming at me. When I got home I checked the weather. The wind was from the SW at 14 mph with 21 mph gusts, not that much different from when I started. The temperature was 76 on my home weather station.

My timing was good today as I just missed the freight train crossing Old Atascocita Road but by the time I got to FM2100 and FM1960 the train was beginning to move across FM2100 and I still waited. I did see two other bikers on Old Atascocita Road after the railroad crossing. We waved as we passed.

I didn’t stay too long at the Huffman Chevron to avoid cooling down too much. The ride home from there was going into the wind until I reached Atascocita Shores Drive on the other side of the lake.

The ride totaled 33.06 miles bringing the week’s total miles to 73.73 and February miles up to 103.88.

After yesterday’s 40+ miles I thought I would be sore today but the muscles were okay and I rode at a good pace considering the wind. My maximum average speed was 14.9 mph. It took 25 or 26 miles to get up to that average and I held it until about 30.8 miles into the ride when I was riding through Kingwood stopping and starting as I crossed streets and intersections.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday look like good riding days according to the forecast. Thursday and Friday may be below my temperature tolerance with Saturday bouncing into the 60’s. I will keep an eye on it for the Saturday Humble Lions Club ride.

RideWithGPS map, metrics and charts.

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Texas Bicycling News Digest February 7th

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Monthly Ride at River Bend!

GHORBA


Event category: Rides
Trail: River Bend
Saturday, February 21, 2015 – 10:00am
Join us for our monthly mountain bike ride!
This months ride: River Bend trails in Sugarland!
Check out their Facebook page under
Sugarland MTB Trails!
See you at 10am!

The Bandits: My Cycle Around The World

by Rudy Pospisil        blogs.theprovince.com


Cycling halfway around the Earth on your bike and you’ll see some amazing things.
When I’m not working as a firefighter, I take my vacation and head out on another leg of my quest to cycle all the way around the globe, raising money for the Canadian Cancer Society as I go.
Currently, I just crossed Thailand. I’ve been to 14 countries already, and next year I’ll head to India and Australia.
It takes a lot of planning – especially on desolate stretches of road.
desert road
I hit one  very desolate stretch recently while crossing west Texas. I cycled through the desert areas on lonely side roads and  noticed buzzards following me. I always …

Cycling race officials often underappreciated

by Bill Cullins        www.gosanangelo.com

When you pin on a race number and compete in a bike race sanctioned by USA Cycling, one of the differences you’ll see compared with nonsanctioned events is that all sanctioned races are managed by officials licensed by USA Cycling.
These race officials ensure that the rules and regulations of USA Cycling are followed by performing various tasks that include managing the start and finish, scoring, ensuring compliance with racing rules and — most importantly — making sure that events are …

Barton Creek Greenbelt 360 Entrance (Slow Intermediate Level Main Trail)

Tuesday, Feb 10, 2015, 4:00 PM

Barton Creek Greenbelt – 360 Access
3755 S Capital of Texas Hwy. Austin, TX

6 Mountain Bikers Went

The trail is more technical than Walnut creek. there are more rocks, drops, and roots, so it will wear you down faster.   The greenbelt offers many, many, many miles of fun.  I will try to stick to the main trail and learn trails as I go. I would recommend knee and elbow pads to accompany your helmet.If anyone is interested in exploring new trail…

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Mad Duck Cyclery


Grapevine Chain Gang Rollin’ big from the Might Duck!

Day 5 – Sheen Ranch: Somewhere on the edge of Hill Country

By Alan Guo, Beaumont to San Francisco (Feb 2015)        www.crazyguyonabike.com

Saturday February 7, 2015
(Photos)
Today was supposed to have been an easy day, but it did not feel that way. The gps took me down 5 miles down a dead end dirt path, there were more of those rolling hills, and there was that same bitching headwind. I’m starting to see a pattern, so I decided to search up something I had thought about pre-tour, but never actually did – look at the wind patterns!
I should’ve gone west to east, but too late to change that now. I’m going to abandon any plans to visit Gila and Tonto National Parks, in order to avoid higher headwinds, and an extra 12-15k ft of climbing. Perhaps I will visit these places later on a motorcycle trip, but not this time. I will also probably need to take a day off here and there, to let my legs, my butt and the …

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Dog Sprint on Tram Road Heats Up Bike Ride

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My first thought was to ride my Atascocita – Walden – Huffman route today but then I remembered today is the Bridgefest on W. Lake Houston Parkway around the YMCA. This is a running event and traffic is re-routed for several hours. Yesterday I almost registered for the Pedaling the Prairie Ride in Hempstead. I hesitated because the last minute registration fee was $45 and the weather looked like it was going to be chilly at the start; maybe 40 degrees. My decision looked good this morning when I checked at 7:45 and the temperature at my house was 38. This is just too cold for me.

I decided to ride north on a route to Splendora and back through Roman Forest. The difference was the return leg home had to be on Loop 494 to get around the Grand Parkway construction. I haven’t biked Loop 494 going south from New Caney so I wasn’t sure what the shoulder would be like. There were some sections without a shoulder when a left turn lane was there. A few other spots had a buildup of gravel and dirt from construction traffic. Overall I think I will not ride south on Loop 494. The north bound shoulder is much better.

Riding north to Splendora was not hard with the tailwind from the south. The sun was out at the start but began to fade as I neared Splendora. I was not looking forward to the ride south without the sun to warm me up and offset the chilly wind. I rode east of Splendora on 2090 to Tram Road without too much trouble from the wind. Turning right onto Tram Road the wind hit me and my speed dropped from 17 to 18 mph to below 15 mph. I put my head down and pedaled toward Roman Forest. I have not had any dog sprints on Tram Road before but today I did. Around the 21 mile point I could a couple of dogs ahead in a yard on the right. From a distance they looked they were tied up but as I got near the driveway one dog wasn’t tied and he set out to me at a fast run. I sped up as much as the headwind would allow but the dog caught up with me and ran along side and then slightly ahead of me. My fear was he would veer in front of me and I would hit him so I shouted at him and surprisingly he stopped and I rode off. That took about all of the extra effort I had and my speed dropped to 11 or 12 mph until I got to Roman forest Blvd and turned to the west. I was able to ride a little faster with the wind hitting my left side all the way to US59.

Riding south on the US59 service road was a bear with the chilly headwind trying to slow me to a crawl. I was able to ride at 12 or 13 mph and I was glad when I reached FM1485 to turn left back to Loop 494. Before going to 494 I stopped at the gas station on the corner to refill my waterbottle and adjust my leg warmers. Other than traffic lights this was my only stop on the 40.67 mile long ride. I was in a hurry to get back home out of the chilly wind and if I stopped too long I would cool off and get chilled.

Fortunately the traffic on Loop 494 southbound was much lighter than when I was going north. This helped me when I rode around the missing shoulder section and the dirt filled ones. I planned to ride 494 to FM1314 but turned onto the street to Walmart to avoid some traffic on FM1314. I stilled had to wait for several traffic light cycles to under US59 and then onto the south service road. Normally I ride the south service road to Kingwood Drive but today I turned left on Northpark Drive to get home a little sooner. I knew I was going to ride 40+ miles which is the longest ride this year. After riding for 2 hour and 48 minutes I got back home at 2:58, ready to get warm.

I tried a new pair of leg warmers on the ride. They are nice and warm but they did not stay up over my shorts. I stopped 3 or 4 times to pull them up. The chilly wind let me know when they got low. Maybe they will do better on another pair of shorts. I wore a long sleeve jersey and jacket but I could’ve used another jersey when I was riding into the wind with the cloudy sky.

My year to date mileage finally got over 200 miles coming in at 212.32 miles. February is up to 70.82 miles.

Sunday’s weather could be in the mid 70’s and overcast. I plan on riding. Monday through Wednesday could be clear and in the low 70’s. More ride opportunities. I may get a chance to reach my 369 mile goal for February. The Humble Lions Club ride is Saturday and I plan on riding if the weather cooperates. The forecast is clear with a high of 64. I may have to ride below my temperature tolerance level.

Link to RideWithGPS map, metrics and charts.

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Texas Bicycling News Digest February 6th

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Reader’s Rides: Joshua is back with Custom Hand Made Carbon Saddles out of Texas

by Zach Overholt        www.bikerumor.com


At first, when Joshua Clark sent in photos of his custom Orbea Alma for our Reader’s Rides segment the Di2 hacks caught our attention. After reading through the specs and looking at the pictures however, it was the handmade carbon components that really piqued our attention. Like many incredibly talented people within the bike industry, it would appear that Joshua is incredibly modest simply pointing out that, oh yeah, I built those carbon parts too. As if that’s something every bike mechanic does in their spare time.
It wasn’t long before Joshua was sending us new photos of a few of the different saddles he’s built over the past two years. When he’s not turning wrenches in his bike shop, Joshua is …

Riders get your wheels turning in Texas state parks

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department        www.yourhoustonnews.com

AUSTIN— February brings visitors a variety of biking opportunities in Texas state parks.
Hundreds of miles of dirt, caliche, crushed granite and paved bike trails wind and climb through Texas state parks, offering safe and scenic rides for everyone, no matter their skill level. February marks an ideal time to pack up your bike and hit the trails, whether that means joining a scheduled ride, tackling an ambitious biking event or simply taking a self-guided two-wheeled journey with family and friends.
Skill ratings from beginner to intermediate to difficult, as well as mileage information and trail descriptions, can be found on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Biking activity page. Cyclists can also …

Using Smartphones to Collect Bicycle Travel Data in Texas

texashistory.unt.edu


Description:
This report provides information on the belief that smartphones could prove to be an effective tool for collecting bicycle travel data and that the information could be used for aiding decision making as to what types of facilities users prefer and guiding decisions about future facilities. …

Pflugerville Commission Meeting – City Council Chambers

Thursday, Feb 19, 2015, 7:00 PM

City of Pflugerville
100 E Main St Suite 500 Pflugerville, TX

10 Mountain Bikers Went

Join Bike lovers to meet with the City of Pflugerville in order to express joint interest in new trails. ARR sent a letter asking the City to allow ARR to build New Trails throughout the Green Belt in Pflugerville. We now need Pflugerville Residents as well as Trail Builders to attend the Thursday Feb. 19th at 7 pm Commission Meeting City Council C…

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Day 3 – Austin!: I like this town    Thursday February 5, 2015

By Alan Guo, Beaumont to San Francisco (Feb 2015)        www.crazyguyonabike.com

Coming from living in flat areas for as long as I’ve been biking, I’m starting to realize how much of a factor rolling hills play, especially with 25 extra pounds of gear. The weather was cold and overcast, with a consistent crosswind from the north, which at times, turned into a headwind. But when I got to Austin, it was all forgotten. The place is pretty sweet. I visited the state capitol and the UT campus. I would’ve gone to Zilker Park, but it was getting late, and the sun wasn’t shining. Didn’t get wet today. Warmshower is plentiful in Austin. I am staying with John, who has two big dogs and two cats. He has toured all over Texas, and has provided a lot of good advice.
West Texas is going to be a challenge. Everyone who told me about West Texas says …

DATES Mesquite Ride

Dallas Area Tandem Enthusiasts

When: Mar 01, 2015 09:15 AM
Where: Lowe’s at Barnes Bridge – Mesquite, TX – Mesquite
Category: DATES ride
Description
Let’s get your winter legs ready for spring! Scott and Mindy Mashburn will lead a ride through Mesquite and Sunnyvale on Sunday, March 1st. There will be two routes of approximately 37 and 55 miles. Meet in the Lowe’s parking lot on I-30 and Galloway at 9 AM for a 9:15 departure.  Additional details to follow. …

Spring Break Event: ¡Paletas y Bicicletas!

Bike Friendly Oak Cliff

Bike Friendly Oak Cliff announces a new Spring Break event:

First middle-schoolers join mountain bike team

by Rachel Rice        www.statesman.com


Over the rocks and through the woods, here comes the newly-formed middle school mountain bike team, with 35 race-ready athletes pumped up to go to state competition.
This is the first year that the Texas league of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association is allowing middle school athletes to compete. A cluster of states, including California, Utah and Colorado, have been the first to include younger athletes in competition.
So far, only a handful of Texas middle school teams have assembled, among them the Hudson Bend Middle School/Lake Travis Middle School team pulled …

Lamar bike lane work starts Saturday

By Dug Begley        blog.chron.com


The Lamar bike lane will allow cyclists two-way access across downtown, though car traffic will only head east. Rendering courtesy City of Houston

After a delay, crews will start work Saturday on a two-way bike lane along Lamar Street in downtown Houston, considered a critical link for bicyclists between popular area trails.
Work to paint, install signs and separate the lane from vehicle traffic will occur only on weekends, according to a memo from Houston Public Works. Crews will work from 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. when possible, starting at Lamar and Bagby. The plan is to build the lane two blocks at a time over consecutive weekends, before …

Day 4 – Mason, TX: Hill Country  Friday February 6, 2015

By Alan Guo, Beaumont to San Francisco (Feb 2015)        www.crazyguyonabike.com

Once again, rolling hills and head/crosswinds kicked my ass today. I had planned to go 145 miles, but called it quits at 108, which was my contingency plan. I bought a skin ointment cream from the dollar store, for the irritable nooks and crannies (~_^). So far, it’s worked out ok. The drive train is making a lot more noise now. The chain seems to be skipping a little toward the lower sprockets, which is consistent with a bent derailleur hanger. I hope that’s not the case, and that I only need to adjust the cable tension. Anyway, I’ll worry about that stuff tomorrow. Tomorrow is a rest day, sort of. I will go about 62 miles to a ranch, where a warmshower host lives. Tonight, it’s camping time. The lows is 40 deg, so I lucked out there. Also, Mason is a pretty little town. I’m going to …

Anthills Trail Ride

Tuesday, Feb 17, 2015, 4:45 PM

1 Dirty SOB’s Went

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New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

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