Texas Bicycling News Digest October 5th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Somerset/Lytle Loop

Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club

Sunday October 26th, 2014
Will start at 8:30 am at the City Park next to the  Economic Development Center at Somerset, Texas. Ride over back country roads and farm to market roads with wide shoulders. Some rolling hills. Will travel 22.4 miles at a medium pace.  Ride suitable for beginners.    Ride leaders:  Richard and Debbie Hayes contact information…

Have you checked out our “Routes” page?

Brazos Valley Cyclists

We’ve been working on building up a collection of different bike routes for transportation and recreation, which you can view here. Have you used any of these routes, or do you have suggestions for other routes to add to the collection? Let us know!
Recent additions include the 2014 Rotary Ride route, and…

Go for an easy beginner ride

Saturday, Oct 11, 2014, 9:00 AM

Performance Bicycle
7549 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX

5 Cycling Enthusiasts Went

You’re invited to join our Saturday morning, beginners group ride starting from and ending at our W. Houston, Performance Bicycle store. The ride is for beginners and those getting back on the saddle. The average pace will be between 10 and 14 miles per hour and the ride will last approximately one hour. We’ll explore some of the local bike paths a…

Check out this Meetup →

Saturday Beginner Ride

Saturday, Oct 11, 2014, 9:00 AM

Performance Bicycle
4750 Fm 1960 Rd W Houston, TX

1 Bicycle Enthusiasts Went

Leaves from the store to Cypresswood, Cypress wood to TC Jester going north an then back.Please bring a helmet, spare tube, waterbottle, positive attitude 🙂

Check out this Meetup →

Trans Gap

Saturday, Oct 11, 2014, 8:00 AM

The Bagel Shop
985 N Resler El Paso, TX

4 Cyclists Went

Meet at the Bagel Shop at 8 a.m.. Ride over Transmountain then up and over Anthony Gap. 50 miles, 18-20 mph. Lisa Studdard,[masked]

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Fort Worth Trinity River Ride and Lunch at Chuy’s

Dallas Cycling Trail Riders and Weekend Pub Crawlers

Monday, October 13, 2014    10:00 AM
Montgomery Plaza FW – Starbucks
7th & Carroll Streets (2600 Carroll Street),
Fort Worth, TX
Let’s do a Fort Worth Ride on the Trinity River and a late lunch at Chuy’s. This is a drop ride, distance 35-48 miles, pace about…

A Different Kind of Clipless Fall

Bike Noob

Had a great Sunday ride in fall temperatures. I enjoy riding in arm warmers, and the cooler weather might have been a factor in my improved performance on hills. I had a PR on one hill that has bedeviled me for years.
I approached the house after a little more than two hours on the bike, thinking about all the work I had to do for the rest of the day. I turned into the driveway, applied the brakes, unclipped my right foot, put it down, and turned the handlebars slightly to the right.
A picture perfect finish to the ride. But then I slightly raised my right…

How big of a concern in bike theft in the DFW-area?

DFWBike        www.reddit.com

Hello, fellow Dallasites. I’ve been asking around about safety measures, etc., and have been getting some pretty extreme feedback, which I think is coming from people who live in cities with a more bike oriented culture (and hence higher theft rates), which we don’t really have in metroplex. I just can’t image bike theft being as a big issue in the Dallas area, but I still want to be safe.
Anyway, I live in North Carrollton and am planning to move to West Plano next year. I plan on using an ABUS u-lock any time I take the bike in public. Currently, I am storing our bikes on my…

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets

https://twitter.com/txbikeracing/status/518928107525648384

https://twitter.com/revgenerod/status/518586024524783616

https://twitter.com/FtWMntBikers/status/518863492388900864

https://twitter.com/FtWMntBikers/status/518863133675241473

https://twitter.com/BSS_Road_Club/status/518765085863731200

Event Reminders

Texas Bicycling News Digest October 4th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Stroke survivor finds strength in cycling

BY JANICE GIBBS | TELEGRAM STAFF        www.tdtnews.com


David Villarreal, 53, is a four-time stoke survivor.
“If I survive one more I get a free set of dishes,” Villarreal joked.
Villarreal was recently at the Fit4Life challenge at the Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Medical Center.
He had the first stroke at age 50 and it was the big one. He wasn’t expected to live through the night.
“If I did, the doctors said I would never move again,” he…

Pedernales Falls State Park Trail Building Day

Friday, Oct 10, 2014, 8:00 AM

Pedernales Falls State Park
2585 Park Road 6026 Johnson City, TX

2 Mountain Bikers Went

Pedernales Falls State Park TRAIL BUILDING DayHELP GET THE TRAIL READY FOR THE OCTOBER CLUB RIDE AND CRANKSGIVING!  Flat Creek Crossing & Pedernales Falls State Park trails will both be part of the 2014 Cranksgiving!Austin Ridge Riders trail building project to bring new trail at the park.NO TRAIL BUILDING EXPERIENCE NEEDED! Austin Ridge Riders …

Check out this Meetup →

RIDE SCHEDULE – October 2014

Georgetown Cyclopaths

Sunday     10/5/2014     1:30 PM     Berry Springs Park     32 miles     B65     43 miles     B50
Saturday     10/11/2014     9:00 AM     Union State Bank in Florence     34 miles     F2     43 miles     F3
Sunday     10/12/2014     1:30 PM     Berry Springs Park     31 miles     B44     40 miles     B19
Saturday     10/18/2014     9:00 AM     Dale’s Essenhaus Restaurant in Walburg     32 miles     WA11     46 miles     WA12
Sunday     10/19/2014     1:30 PM     Berry Springs Park     31 miles     B18     38 miles     B69
Saturday     10/25/2014     9:00 AM     Catholic Church in Andice     34 miles     A11     47 miles     A22
64 miles     A-B
Sunday     10/26/2014     1:30 PM     Berry Springs Park     33 miles     B27     40 miles     B3

It’s Time Again for the BikeHouston Moonlight Bicycle Ramble

BikeHouston


When summer is still reigning Houston’s weather, a dedicated group of BikeHouston members start thinking ahead about the Ramble and Kathryn is at the center of all preparations. “Every year, Chris Lockwood designs new T-shirts for the riders and volunteers, David Dick is in charge of making the routes for both the 8- and 20-mile rides, Doug House assembles an experienced group of corner marshals, and it is my job to connect all the dots.”
Costume and lights contests
“The BikeHouston Moonlight Bicycle Ramble is designed to be a great fun ride. We want to…

Bike Friendly Housing Developments

by Michael Freiberger        www.bikedfw.org

So it seems like some developers are taking advantage of interested but concerned cyclists and developing housing that has a strong focus on being bike friendly. While I like that some folks with a lot of money are getting behind cycling, and that you can be sure these developers are pushing city/county/state governments to improve cycling infrastructure around their high dollar investments, I wonder what the impact on those folks without $2-3 million dollars to spend on a house or $1500 to $2500 a month on rent will be? It will be interesting to see if this trend results in alternative transportation dollars being allocated in…

Tweets

https://twitter.com/revgenerod/status/518586024524783616

https://twitter.com/BikePaulie/status/518544372988514304

https://twitter.com/txbikeracing/status/518534516483575808

Pineywoods Purgatory – Lufkin, TX

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Overnight the temperature went down into the 50’s. I got up at 4:35 to get ready to drive to Lufkin. The ride starts at 8:00 and it is 104 miles from my house. Last night when I was loading into the Jeep Wrangler I noticed the gas was at 3/8 of a tank which meant a stop on the way. I ate and was out the door at 5:30. My plan was to stop in Cleveland for gas. As I was driving through New Caney I saw the Brookshire Brothers station had an unbelievable low price: $2.829. But I was past the exit and did not have time to go back. In Cleveland I bought enough gas to get to Lufkin and back to New Caney.

I arrived at the Henderson Expo Center on the north side of Lufkin about 7:20. I registered and waked around some taking pictures and handing our Texbiker.net business cards. About 7:50 I got the bike out and put everything together. I made a comfort decision to not wear leg warmers. The sun was out and by the end of the ride it should be in the 70’s. It was 53 at the start. As everyone was getting ready to start the starter said there was an unusual prize that they have given away before. He called out the winner, a lady, and the prize was a diamond. It turned out a man was proposing to his girl friend. She said yes. Not long after the shotgun was raised and shot. The ride started 8:03. About 500 bikers began leaving the expo center parking lot.

At first I was second guessing my leg warmer decision but no turning back now. We were in the sun most of the time until we turned off of SH 103 into the woods. As usual there were plenty of mountains, hills for other bikers. I used many gears going up the hills. I did find that the new chain did not want to shift onto the third smallest gear on the rear cassette. It skipped and I could not apply any power. Not a big problem since the riding was mostly up it seemed. (Check the elevation profile at the RideWithGPS link to see sawtooths.

This is the first ride in a long time where I stopped at each rest stop on the “72” mile route. My logic was based on not riding most of September and only two rides before today since we got back. I don’t know if this helped but I made it up every hill and averaged 15.1 mph over the 68.68 mile route. Each rest stop had its own flavor. At the first one Consolidated Communications had a flat screen TV playing ESPN. This was out in the middle of nowhere so I don’t know how they were getting the signal. Rest stop 2 was manned by Shriners and their wives. I asked one man if they came all the way from Tyler to do this because that is what their jackets said. It turned out they have their meetings in Tyler but live in Lufkin. The 4th one was staffed by one man. It was a good one though with big Red Delicious apples. I ate one before resuming. All of these stops had plenty of hills between them. Number 5 was past the hills around Lake Nacogdoches. A woman and a man staffed it. During our conversation I was talking about the ride and the man asked if I was 38 and I replied was that how many miles were left (I’m 67). The next stop was on US69 but to get there we ride on SH 7. This is the worst road on the ride. There is a wide shoulder until a mile south of the river when it disappears and the hills try to defeat us. Traffic usually gives us room but one big RV towing a car did not move over much even though the other lane was open. The other bikers about 1/2 a mile in front of me also did not get much room. When I caught up with them we talked about the closeness.

Thankfully US 69 was not too much farther after the RV encounter. The rest stop there was at the bottom of a hill where it used to be at the top. The people here were friendly and I ate some crackers to fuel me up the hills. The last rest stop was filled with desserts. Rest stop 5 told us about them but I wasn’t sure if I should believe them. They were good. I ate pecan pie and apple strudel. The sugar helped me climb the mountains from there to the finish.

At the finish we rode through the west parking lot and down a steep short hill turning left into the expo center. The dirt floor was covered and I rode to the tables, leaning my bike against an empty Whataburger booth. People cheered whenever someone crossed the finish line.

I have rode the Pineywoods Purgatory many times but lately for some reason only in even numbered years: 2010, 2012 and now. At the finish in the past the food was fajitas. I was looking forward to them today but the menu was hamburgers. I don’t eat red meat so I made a salad and ate Frito’s.

Pictures I took during the ride.

 

Links to Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS.

Texas Bicycling News Digest October 3rd

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Women’s Ride Day RSVP

bicyclesportshop.com

Join Bicycle Sport Shop at our Parmer store for Women’s Ride Day. Bring your road bike, helmet and a smile. This is a great opportunity to ride in an easy-paced and friendly atmosphere followed by refreshments and a chance to socialize.
Our mechanic will set up the stand for pre-ride checks and minor adjustments before the ride. However, if it’s been a while since your last ride or if you have any questions about the state of your bike, we strongly suggest that you bring your bike to any one of our service counters for a free safety check prior to the day of the ride.
When
Saturday, October 11
Please arrive by 7:30 AM
Pre-Ride Meeting 7:45 AM
Wheels Down at 8:00 AM
Where…

The Woodlands Township Recreation Center offers bicycle classes

By The Woodlands Township


THE WOODLANDS, Texas – The Woodlands Township Recreation Center is offering a series of bicycle classes. Attendees will take away the skills and confidence to ride safely and legally on the pathways in The Woodlands. Traffic Skills 101 includes training in bicycle safety checks, fixing flats and crash avoidance techniques. The fee is $45 per person. Bicycling Skills 123 Youth is composed of 13 on-bike stations that teach children better bike handling skills, and the fee is $15 per youth. Bicycling Skills 123 is designed for adults to…

Tour de Cypresswood Bike Path

Thursday, Oct 9, 2014, 6:00 PM

Cypresswood Bike Path
1/2 Block East of Cypress Wood Crossing Blvd. Cypress, TX

5 cyclists Went

Tour de Cypresswood Bike PathIf you’re wondering what to do about that mountain bike hanging up in the garage, Come out and enjoy the trails of Cypresswood with us.People ask me sometime, “Tommy, It’s so hard to get out and ride my mountain bike”. As an Expert Rider, I tell them, ” First of all, do not hang your bike up on hooks. This will make i…

Check out this Meetup →

Thursday Night Ninja Ride

Thursday, Oct 9, 2014, 5:30 PM

Kohl’s
5680 North Desert Boulevard El Paso, TX

5 Cyclists Went

This is a fast, leaderless ride beginning at the parking lot between Kohls and Starbucks/Crazy Cat, I-10 at Redd. Meet at 5:30 p.m., ride rollers to O’Hara Road and back. 22 miles. 18-22 mph average.

Check out this Meetup →

2014 Hill Country Bicycle Works Marathon Mountain Bike

tmbra.org

State Championship Series

Big Cedar Marathon
November 1st 2014
Mountain Creek Community Church
Dallas, TX
Online Registration
<http://www.bikereg.com/bcm>

Palo Duro Marathon
November 15th 2014
PaloDuro Canyon SP
Canyon, TX

Holidaze Marathon
December 6th 2014
Camp Eagle
Rocksprings, TX

Fat Chucks Revenge
December 20th 2014
Rocky Hill Ranch
Smithville, TX

Excruciation Exam
January 3rd 2015
Bluff Creek – Rocky Hill Ranch
Warda & Smithville, TX

Bigger Ring Challenge
January 17th, 2015
Double Lake Recreation Area
Coldspring, TX

SERIES FINALE
Miles of Dis-Comfort
January 31st, 2015
Flat Rock Ranch
Comfort, TX

Best way to get to ACL? By bicycle, of course!

By Pam LeBlanc        fitness.blog.austin360.com


Two giant, lighted areas have been set aside for bike parking – one on the southeast side of the festival, off of Barton Springs Road, and the other on the northwest side of the park, near Stratford Drive. Bring your own lock and remember that bikes will be removed the Monday after the festival each weekend.
Folks from Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop folks will be on hand offering advice and selling…

From the Back of the Pace Line – Tour de Pink

By Amanda Schul        www.wheelbrothers.com

Some people make fun of the “t-shirt” rides.  I quite enjoy them. Usually a good mix of people, nice rest areas, good food, fun, and most importantly, the post ride beer!  During the busy season there are usually several great rides every weekend, so then you have to narrow them down to which one can you participate in.  My usual deciding factor is what charity or cause it supports.  After finishing a ride and basking in the adrenaline high, you feel 1000 times better know you helped out a great cause.
Unfortunately I cannot convince my co-workers, friends, and family members to get second jobs to support my cycling habit, so I’ve had to make some choices as to which rides to do.  For September I chose the Tour de Pink ride, which benefits Breast Cancer.  More specifically, it helps provide mammograms to women who wouldn’t…
http://www.wheelbrothers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/photo-2.jpg

BikeHouston Needs You for the BikeHouston Moonlight Bicycle Ramble

BikeHouston


BikeHouston exists due to its members and volunteers. We really need you this month to help BikeHouston unite all the cyclists in the Greater Houston area. Coming up next is BikeHouston’s biggest event and sole fundraising ride: the famous BikeHouston Moonlight Bicycle Ramble. The ride draws a crowd of 1,800 cyclists each year on the weekend closest to Halloween.
We need corner marshals during this ride which starts at midnight. There is an eight-mile loop as…

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets

https://twitter.com/txbikeracing/status/518139031360897025

Event Reminders