Texas Bicycling News Digest December 8th

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Live Fast, Ride Fixed

Univeristy of Texas at Arlington     Pop Consciousness


‘Merica! Land of the commuter car culture and short term investments. It seems the 50’s suburban ideology really worked out well, well maybe for the rich. Thanks to the suburbs, if you don’t own a car, you’re not going anywhere fast. The misguided, short term goals that eventually led to corporate bailouts like General Motors should have prescribed suburban car owners and tax payers a plan “B”. So with the economy in the trash, how are the rest of us supposed to get around? Some people have pledged their lives to bikes. I mean REAL transport. The fixie in pop culture today isn’t your granny’s idea of a bike. In fact, the fixie has inspired a whole new identity for commuters. If popular culture can be defined as a culture based on the tastes of ordinary …

Honkin’ Mad’s Go-Pro bike ride

by startelegramvideo


Gordon Dickson goes for a spin on one of the red cruisers from Fort Worth’s bike-sharing program with a Go-Pro video camera attached to his head. Check out his wild ride around downtown and the West 7th area in the …

The Holidaze Marathon at Camp Eagle Results

www.usacycling.org

Rocksprings, TX
Dec 6, 2014
Note: Ranking points are NOT upgrade points. An explanation of ranking points can be found here.
Marathon Men 19-29 Cat 1/2/3
Marathon Men 30-39 Cat 1/2/3
Marathon Women 40-99 Cat 1/2/3
Marathon Men 40-49 Cat 1/2/3
Marathon Men 50-99 Cat 1/2/3
Marathon Men Cat 1/2/3
Marathon Women Cat 1/2/3
Marathon Men SS Open
Marathon Men 19-39 Two Laps
Marathon Men 40-99 Two Laps
Marathon Women Two Laps
Marathon Women One Lap
Marathon Men One Lap

Upcoming Rides

Lone Star Cyclists

Arlington Holiday Lights Ride
JW Dunlop Sports Center, 1500 NW Green Oaks Blvd, Arlington
Thursday, December 11, 2014 – 6:30pm
Mansfield Miles from Katherine Rose Park
Katherine Rose Memorial Park, 303 N Walnut Creek Dr, Mansfield
Saturday, December 13, 2014 – 9:00am

Tour de Festivus Training Camp is Almost Here!!

Violet Crown sports Association

Violet Crown’s winter training camp — to be known affectionately this year as the Tour de Festivus — is almost upon us. As Seinfeld fans are aware, Festivus is the holiday celebrated December 23rd each year — it’s Festivus for the Rest of Us! It includes gathering around the sacred Festivus Pole, followed by the traditional Airing of Grievances, the Festivus Dinner, and then the greatly anticipated Feats of Strength. There is also the mysterious Festivus Miracle, caused – of course – by Kramer.

So in this spirit, we offer our training camp, 15 days in length. For your Festivus pole, traditionally aluminum, you may substitute carbon fiber or titanium, and if you’re really old, steel. There will be a generous Airing of Grievances, since each ride will be a ride with old guys. Feats of Strength must be …

Pics And Recap Of Participating In Richardson’s 42nd Annual Christmas Parade

Bike Friendly Richardson


This past weekend, Bike Friendly Richardson, participated in the City of Richardson’s 42nd Annual Christmas Parade.  Of all the rides we do, this is one of our favorites. It’s not because of the great speeds or distance, but rather the opposite. Since this is a parade, the route is extremely short and equally as slow, which opens it up for people we don’t normally get to ride with, families.
Many folks decorated their bikes and brought candy to hand out to spectators. Local rider, Howard, even brought his goat on a trailer, pulled by a tandem. BFR’s Jenny brought her young baby for his first parade. Both the …

Trial begins in cyclist’s hit-and-run death

By Dug Begley        www.chron.com


Testimony began Monday in the trial of a woman accused in the hit-and-run death of a young bicyclist a year ago.
Prosecutors and defense lawyers made their opening statements in the trial of Margaret Renee Mayer, 35. Mayer is accused of intentionally failing to stop after her car struck Chelsea Norman, 24. Norman was riding her bicycle home from her job at a nearby Whole Foods store when she was struck and killed on Waugh Drive on the evening of Dec. 1, 2013.
Norman’s death became a rallying cause for …

Fort Worth Bike Sharing to launch new stations

By Caty Hirst        www.star-telegram.com

FORT WORTH — Those looking for a way to get around Cowtown on two wheels instead of four will have more options this spring.
Fort Worth Bike Sharing has announced eight new locations to check out and check in its snazzy red bicycles.
The nonprofit program, started in April 2013 with a $1 million federal grant, is expanding in hopes of attracting more annual members in a city that ranks dead last among the 52 largest cities in bicycling as a means of commuting.
“We definitely want to encourage more annual members, as well as more of a transportation use of the system,” said Kristen Camareno, executive director of Fort Worth Bike Sharing. “Any trip that …

Volunteers Needed THIS WEDNESDAY December 10th

by Alan Charley        Woodlands Cycing Club

The Woodlands Cycling Club is looking for 3 volunteers (at least one with a pick-up truck) to help deliver bicycles and helmets to 3 area CISD Elementary Schools.
We need help THIS WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 10th and it shouldn’t take any more than 3 hours.
The children in these schools are identified as economically disadvantaged, and the bikes are going to children that have been selected by the staff of these schools as recipients of these bikes for Christmas.
PLEASE, PLEASE consider helping, this is …

A Chilly Bike Ride Admiring A Fort Worth Monument Before Egg Foo Yunging

Durango Texas


In the hot tub this morning I was basking under the glow of a clear blue sky, nary a cloud in sight.
A short time after exiting the hot tub clouds arrived to erase that clear blue sky.
A noonday bike ride was on my schedule today. I was hoping the …

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets

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Event Reminders

Texas Bicycling News Digest December 7th

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Cutting It Short

Bike Noob

With the end of the semester rapidly approaching, I’m spending more time at the university, putting out fires that flare up regularly as students realize they haven’t done enough to get that A they so covet. And with standard time bringing about darkness earlier than before, I’m not getting in a lot of riding at the moment. So when the weekend comes, I’m ready to saddle up and hit the road.
But this past weekend didn’t pan out the way I expected. On Saturday, I set out to do about 25 miles, just on roads in my immediate area. It’s easy to rack up the miles without straying too far from home, and that would keep me close to get back for the Christmas shopping my wife had planned for the afternoon.
But as I set out Saturday morning, I had a vague sense of unease — that something wasn’t …

Charity bicycle build 2014

USCG Air Station Houston, Texas

Coast Guard members from Coast Guard Air Station Houston help volunteers assemble a bicycle at a charity bike build Saturday in Houston, Texas. The bikes will be donated to service member families. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Dustin R. Williams

The tattoo Mom didn’t give me

Bill Horner III        www.sanfordherald.com

If that was indeed “Mom” we saw on the front stoop of Mom’s Tattoos, then she sure was an imposingly large mother.
Whoever she was, her girth made me think of Haystacks Calhoun, a wrestler I watched on TV as a kid, only without the mountain-man hair and unruly beard. The person in front of Mom’s was bald. And she was rotund in a profound way, to be sure. But what was most striking about her was that head – shaved, I assumed, and oversized, matching her physique, which she clothed with a flowing, floral-patterned dress of some kind.
Of course, I can’t be certain that was Mom. We never got close enough to tell for sure.
Why? It wasn’t her physical presence that scared Leonard and me away from Mom’s Tattoos, or at least gave us pause. And it wasn’t fear of Mom’s needles.
It was fear of our wives.
So Leonard and I came home from our epic Texas bicycle trip with lots of great stories – killer climbs in the Texas Hill Country, a rattlesnake crossing, Lance Armstrong-ish encounters, a too fast and nearly-blind group descent down a steep hill in the gathering darkness of downtown Austin, delicious organic chili, a run-in with …

2014 Bike Build – Another Roaring Success

Plano Bicycle Association

Cycling in the Wind

by Bill Cullins        Team San Angelo


Over the past several weeks, I’ve listened to cycling friends curse the ‘joy’ of battling 30 mile per hour or higher winds during their bike workouts.
I’ve also been doing my share of whining about the wind.
Like it or not, the wind does blow a lot here in West Texas so if you enjoy cycling (especially on the road) you have to deal with the wind, use it to your advantage where possible and look forward to those great days when the wind is light.
According to weatherspark.com, our highest average wind speed occurs in late March when we often see an average daily maximum wind speed of 20 mph.
Days with stronger winds gusting to 30 mph or more can happen during any month of the year.
Combine the actual wind velocity with the ‘apparent wind’ generated by a bike’s forward motion and — on a …

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets

https://twitter.com/thejurgy/status/541703422144425984

https://twitter.com/thejurgy/status/541672444172316672

Texas Cycling News Digest December 6th

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Fall/Winter riding

by MrMentallo        forums.mtbr.com

(several replies)
Being in Texas and riding in the summer has it’s mixed blessings. Night rides are a necessity if you don’t like riding in 100+ weather and Hydration is a major concern. That’s why this time of year is my favorite time to ride. I’m more active (weather permitting) this time of year than the hotter months because of heat stroke and so on. I’d rather add layers I can take off than bear through the heat. Plus it doesn’t get really cold that often. Yeah it takes longer for the more frequent rains to dry out, but I’d rather deal with that than riding 15 or 20 miles in 103 heat. Plus here in Austin, we haven’t had accumulated snow in a few years.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ll ride all summer long because I gotta ride. But I enjoy …

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Pennsylvania man bikes the U.S. for St. Jude’s

by Andrew Atterbury        www.gosanangelo.com


SAN ANGELO, Texas – Bernie Buffone sat in a bicycle shop with a phone to his ear, his boisterous voice and Pennsylvanian accent resonating over clanking ratchets and hissing air pumps.
Through the black flip phone, basic as they come, he was on the line with his wingman, Addam French, discussing the next place Buffone would sleep.
The San Angelo State Park was Friday night’s destination.
His bike leaned on a glass case inside Concho Bike Shop, bulging with supplies — a jar of peanut butter secured in the water bottle holster, a …

Peddling bike maintenance awareness

By SAM PESHEK        www.theeagle.com

The HUB on Texas A&M campus offers riders means to perform repairs themselves

An estimated 10,000 bicycles can be found on the Texas A&M University campus, and The HUB self-service repair post adjacent to The Commons residence halls on Lubbock Street aims to make sure their wheels keep spinning after its grand opening Friday afternoon.
For just a $5 one-time fee or $20 for a semester pass, Texas A&M cyclists can use The HUB’s tools and equipment to make minor repairs to their bicycles and get back on the road or are referred by the students who staff the building during operation hours to a local full-service cycling retail and repair shop if the job is …

Hell week in Fredricksburg

by paulp1        www.bikeforums.net

I think I want to attend this hell week and would like to know if anyone on the forum has been there and their thoughts,,,any info besides what I read on the website would be appreciated,,,like does it get very crowded?Is it hard to get a room?Does anyone ride to it from the austin area?The little things that you don’t read on the web,,,,,thank you all,,,,

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets

https://twitter.com/Jarredliketacos/status/541439399704424449

https://twitter.com/thejurgy/status/540675056415047680

https://twitter.com/IamWillPowers/status/541325641527091200

https://twitter.com/thejurgy/status/541301777505996800

Texas Bicycling News December 5th

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Times Have Changed in the Rio Grande Valley

by Ray Garza        RGV Cycling

When I lived in the Dallas during the late 80’s and all the 90’s, I would often take part in the charity cycling rides that seem to be in great abundance. Just about every suburb had their own sportive event that were fun and challenging. As my circumstances changed, I moved back to the Valley and found little to none in the way of those same events. Maybe I wasn’t aware of them or the word didn’t spread as they do now with high-speed Internet. Never-the-less, I didn’t participate in any nor was I aware of any. That was then, this is now. Now days, there is an over abundance sportive events to choose from. Not just cycling, but …

Bayou City Outdoors Holiday Farmers Market Tour by Bike

Vanderbuilt Court Apartments

We have several Farmer Markets right here in the middle of the city, which bring in local organic produce every Saturday. Bring your backpack to carry what you purchase, and let’s shop the markets on our bikes! Now we’re riding it Holiday Style! Wear Christmas colors, put your jingle bells on, or even decorate your helmet! Santa hats are great as long as they fit over your helmet.
Come out and stretch your legs biking to the Farmer’s Markets of Houston to shop for local organic produce! Hop on your bike and let’s take a ride through the side streets, trails, and residential areas in the heart of Houston. This is a very social ride and all levels of riders are welcome. We will start the morning off with coffee at Onion Creek and then cruise through the market to shop for …

PeopleForBikes has hit its million-person milestone

Michael Andersen, Green Lane Project staff writer        www.peopleforbikes.org


The Green Lane Project focuses on a simple but unusually narrow task: we find U.S. cities that want to build protected bike lanes, and we help them do so.
But (as you may have noticed) this work is part of a larger movement: the movement of Americans to embrace bicycles.
It’s a statistical fact that people in the United States — led, contrary to some stereotypes, by the eldest among us — are biking more. They’re doing it for transportation, recreation and sometimes even travel.
Some of that trend is being driven by the country’s little ecosystem of bicycle advocacy organizations. Our parent organization, PeopleForBikes, has a unique role in this environment: More than any other group, our job is to speak not for the bike users who already exist but for the …

Hamby MTB Trail Work and Ride Day

Longview Bicycle Club

12/07/2014 at 1:00PM
Sunday afternoon will be an official Work and Ride Day at Hamby Trail, specifically for clearing leaves and trimming, come when you can and stay as long as you like

Windy riding conditions a part of life in West Texas

by Bill Cullins        www.gosanangelo.com

Over the past several weeks, I’ve listened to cycling friends curse the ‘joy’ of battling 30 mile per hour or higher winds during their bike workouts.
I’ve also been doing my share of whining about the wind.
Like it or not, the wind does blow a lot here in West Texas so if you enjoy cycling (especially on the road) you have to deal with the wind, use it to your advantage where possible and look forward to those great days when the wind is light.
According to weatherspark.com, our highest average …

Yule Tide Ride

West Texas Cycling Association

Date: December 8, 2014
Location: Lubbock, TX
Contact: 806-535-0451
Details: Marta Rosas has invited the bicycle club to her home on Monday evening to enjoy the lights and decorations in her neighborhood and the
surrounding area. Please feel free to decorate your bicycle as brightly as possible and come out for a brisk evening ride. The pace will be leisurely so everyone can enjoy the view. Where: Marta’s home …

December Newsletter Published

Dallas Area Tandem Enthusiasts

The December- 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 Annual Christmas Lights Ride
DATES 25th Anniversary Ride
Ride Reports
Gunter Fall Ramble
DATES Annual Meeting
Taste of White Rock
DATES Rides & Activities

Holiday Cruise

El Paso Bicycle Club

December 20th        8:00AM
Meet at River Run Plaza, 1071 Country Club Rd, at 8 a.m. Ride to McNutt, up Airport and down Artcraft, then Alvarez to La Union and on Hwy 28. 22 miles. Beginner/Intermediate Group pace (14-16 mph) plus faster group (16-18 mph). …

Read the December edition of The Pedaler

San Antonio wheelmen

What cycling goodies are you hoping to receive from Santa later this month? I suspect some of you will be on a new bike for the January 1st ride. Others will be showing off a new cycling computer or even a bike-mounted camera. This year, I have no interest in any cycling gadgets! I need something very basic: a new pair of cycling shoes.
I switched to Specialized’s road shoe about 2 years ago. I’ve made all kinds of …

Ride of the Barrio – Fun social bicycle ride (southwest houston)

houston.craigslist.org


We are a ride at your own pace, fun social bicycle ride. We are just of people riding for fun.
Meet Times: 2nd Friday, and the 4th Thursday of each month.
At 6607 Braeswood Houston Texas 77096
Start time is around 7:30 pm
The ride is 15 to 20 miles with a stop along the way.
We ride Rain or Shine, Hot or Cold.
Helmets, Lights, Clothes, Ext. are all up to you! Just ride responsible and have fun.

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets

https://twitter.com/m_vince/status/541004309304213504

Event Reminders