Texas Bicycling News Digest October 1st

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Texas Cup Action — State Road Race Championships

txbra.org


Jenny Park, River City Market Racing, takes the contested sprint in the Masters Women race at the State Road Race Championships at Fort Hood.
Photo courtesy of Shawn Jantzen. …

Galatzan Recreation Center

elpasotexas.gov

“Ride into Fall Bicycle Run”
Who: City of El Paso Parks & Recreation Department
What: “Ride into Fall Bicycle Run”
When: Saturday, October 11, 2014 (10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)
Where: Galatzan Recreation Center, 650 Wallenberg Dr.
Cost: Free to the Public (Participants must bring own bicycle and helmet)
Vendors are $45 per space
El Paso, Texas – The City of El Paso Parks and Recreation Department will host an outdoor fitness event titled “Ride into Fall Bicycle Run” featuring the use of bicycles as a form of…

Most bike collisions go unreported on campus

By Natalie Sullivan        www.dailytexanonline.com


Two hundred ninety-eight bicycle collisions happened in Austin last year, according to statistics from the Austin Police Department, but UTPD crime prevention officer William Pieper said most bicycle accidents go unreported on campus.
Pieper said people involved in bike collisions on campus usually do not report them to UTPD.
“It has been my experience that people tend to only report a bicycle accident to the police when there is an injury or major damage,” Pieper said. “Most bicycle accidents go unreported by…

How should Travis County spend $3.3 million for bike projects?

Texas News

Travis County will soon renew discussions about how to spend the $3.3 million for bicycle projects included in a bond proposition voters approved in 2011.
Though the county recently started adding features such as bike lanes or paths when building new roads, this would mark its most comprehensive look at where cyclists would most benefit from such improvements.

Bicycle riders invade Fort Worth

Author Ryan Grounds        therambler.org


On a cool September night a group of 50 bicyclists journeyed from The Chat Room on Magnolia Avenue to The Gingman on Camp Bowie Blvd.
Most refreshed themselves with cold beer, and then the group rode to Zio’s Bar back on Magnolia. The riders went from bicycles to bar stools again finishing the ride.
This is the typical Sunday for the Fort Worth group known as the Night Riders, who like to mix bicycling with beer. The group typically hits two bars on Sundays and rides further on Wednesdays.
“We like to go to bars that are welcoming and encourage us to show up or offer us specials or tolerate a bunch of awesome dirty…

Mountain Biking Comes to Texas High Schools

By Keri Heath        www.austinfitmagazine.com


In recent years, mountain biking has become increasingly popular sport for active adults, and this interest has trickled down to high school kids. Last year, more than 160 student-athletes raced in the Texas High School Mountain Biking League, and even more are expected in the upcoming spring season.
The Texas League opened its first season in the state four years ago. Four races and a championship are hosted each year at locations such as Reveille Peak and Rocky Hill Ranch. While 40 percent of the league comes from teams in Central Texas (includingWestlake, Austin High, and St. Stephens), there are currently 19 teams statewide. Each year has seen a growth rate of about 55 percent.
“I was looking for a fast-paced sport that would challenge my body as well as my mind,” said Wes Figg, a…

Sunday Streets Return to Houston; BikeValet Volunteers Needed

BikeHouston


This fall, the City of Houston will continue with the Sunday Streets after three very successful spring events. The next Sunday Streets will be held on 19th street in the Heights on October 12th. It is not the first Sunday of the month so make sure you mark your calendar correctly. The city will close off the section of 19th  street between Heights Boulevard and Shepherd Drive to all motorized vehicles. It is walk-, pedal-, dance-, (etc.) only day from noon till 4pm.
BikeHouston will provide a bike valet for visitors who would like to leave their bikes behind and experience the Sunday Streets on foot. BikeHouston’s BikeValet needs volunteers. No experience is necessary and there is no running involved. You only…

BikeHouston Presents Spoke&Word #7

BikeHouston

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

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The Legs Responded Great

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The last time I biked was September 12th. We traveled to Ohio, Manhattan, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket during that time. We drove over 4,000 miles and I didn’t really exercise that much if I don’t count walking around Manhattan with my son-in-law. I wondered if my legs would be up to a semi-strenuous ride today. I was pleasantly surprised that I could get on my bike, stay upright and clip into the pedals without falling over and ride 34.5 miles averaging 15.1 mph.

I got ready to leave and as I was walking to the back door I noticed the driveway was getting wet from rain. To confirm this I went to the back door and could hear the rain hitting the fabric on our patio cover. Checking the weather radar there was a tiny cloud just above our house. The rain didn’t last too long and with the 84 degree temperature I figured the streets would dry off quickly.

Rolling out the driveway at 11:01 I headed to Elm Grove Village in Kingwood. The trails were damp in places and when I reached the streets they were wet but no standing water. By the time I rode through Sherwood Trails Village and back to Hunters Ridge Village the water was drying off the streets. It looked like a 1 mile radius from my house was where the rain fell.

Heading to Huffman I decided to lengthen the route some by going south on Kings Park Way to Atascocita Road and then into several subdivisions before riding to Walden. I didn’t know there was an early release from the elementary schools with cars lined up around the two schools I rode by. The kids were not out yet so everyone stayed in place and I rode around them.

It was good to get to the Huffman Chevron at the 22.4 mile mark to rest, cool off, eat a trail mix bar and sit in the shade. My legs were ready. After about 35 minutes I was back on the bike to ride back home. I got home at 2:02 with the sky partly cloudy and no sign of the earlier showers. In Huffman far to the east the clouds looked like they held some rain though. The temperature was 84 when I got home. It was nice to get to the warm weather. During our trip the temperature usually was in the 70’s or below.

We stopped at two places on the return back home: Gettysburg and Rock City in Lookout Mountain, GA (Chattanooga area). Gettysburg was a historical immersion in the Civil War at the Gettysburg National Military Park. We spent the afternoon at the museum. I highly recommend this. The stop at Rock City was a revisit from 2011 when we went before in heavy rain. This time we wanted to see it dry. We were successful except as we were leaving it started to rain. While we were in Chattanooga we saw many bikes. An Ironman was there for the weekend and Sunday was the wrap up. When we tried to take some streets back to our hotel we were blocked by the police watching the course. As we waited to turn around a number of competitors passed. Driving south on I-81 from Pennsylvania we saw many cars and SUV’s carrying mountain bikes. On Nantucket the Steamship Authority ferry taking us back to Hyannis a van with many bikes on top and a trailer also with many bikes on top from Back Roads Bike Tours was waiting to board. Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket had several bike shops renting bikes of all kinds. Bike trails on the islands were evident.

Saturday I am planning on riding the Pineywoods Purgatory in Lufkin (see the Texbiker.net event calendar). I like this ride for the change in terrain. The hills are challenging on the 65 mile route. Friday I will ride some more to judge my fitness after the time off. I hope they respond like today. I probably will not get to ride tomorrow though. This could be a good thing to allow a little recovery from today’s ride.

The Ride Collection Tree Map chart below depicts the routes I ride and the number for the year. The larger the area the more times I ride this route.

Ride Metrics
Ride Collection Tree Map
Ride Comparison for this Route
Year to Date
Home Weather Ride Finish
Huffman Weather

Links to Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS.

Texas Bicycle News Digest September 30th

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GHORBA STS Cypresswood results

GHORBA.org

Article category: General
Below are the results of our STS at Cypresswood: …

City Park Slow Pace Intermediate-Level Ride

Sunday, Oct 5, 2014, 1:45 PM

City Park – Emma Long Motorcycle Trails
7548 Oak Shores Dr Austin, TX

3 Mountain Bikers Went

Scheduling one of these on a weekend for a change, as an alternative for those who would prefer a more technical ride or would prefer to ride in the afternoon.For those who haven’t ridden City Park, it is definitely not a beginner-friendly trail.  It was originally designed for off-road motorcycles, so it basically goes straight up the bluff, the…

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State committee working to identify East Texas’ most bikeable roads

by ADAM RUSSELL        www.tylerpaper.com

The state’s Bicycle Advisory Committee is working to identify 100 of the “most bikeable roads” in East Texas as part of a pilot program to increase access and awareness for alternative transportation, said Texas Transportation Commissioner Jeff Austin III.
Austin said the committee would likely consider existing roadways with “big, wide shoulders,” such as the 20-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 69 between Tyler and Jacksonville and U.S. 69 between Lindale and Mineola. The designation would include bike lanes, signage to raise awareness and education outreach to inform motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and other travelers about the rules of…

Come ride the trails of Cypresswood

www.bayoucityoutdoors.com

Meet at 8:30
Ride at 9:00
Come ride the trails of Cypresswood with us!  This is one of Houston’s best loved and most well-maintained trail systems.
We will meet at Donald R. Collins Park. www.ghorba.org/trail-info/cypresswood
You should have at least some experience riding trails and a mountain bike is required.  There are a few technical challenges, but there are bypasses in many cases or you can just walk those areas if you don’t feel confident.
Helmet absolutely required
A mountain bike is required. A hybrid will not work well over the roots and sand
Bike must be in good working order
An extra tube or patch kit is helpful – Long walk back!
Bring plenty of cold water and a snack
After we’ve worked up an appetite, we”ll grab a bite a local restaurant. …

2012 Specialized Sirrus: A Commuter Bike

Ray Garza        RGV Cycling


It’s been a while since I’ve ridden my Sirrus. Not because I don’t like it but because I now have the Roubaix as my primary ride. For a long time, the Sirrus sat in the shop with the wheels removed waiting for new rubber to be put on them. Pretty much just collecting dust. What a shame. I’ve always wanted to convert it to a commuter bike so I could ride to work on casual Fridays, but I always put it off. Well not anymore! This month I got the ball rolling on making the Sirrus a good commuter bike and this is what I came up with.
First of all it needed new tires so off to my LBS and picked up some Continental 4000S II. I love these tires. They have a good balance between low rolling and puncture resistance plus long life to…

Today I Avoided Being Mugged By Visiting The Indian Ghosts With No Running Water In Arlington’s Village Creek Natural Historical Area

Durango Texas


Shortly after 11 this morning I exited my abode to drive to Mallard Cove Park to visit the ducks and roll my bike wheels at high speed for enough miles to get myself a good dose of aerobic stimulation and the resulting endorphins.
On my way to the ducks, heading east on Randol Mill Road, a couple Fort Worth cops passed me at high speed, without their sirens blaring. I’ve watched enough cop shows to know this…

TNGA Part 1 – A Difficult 8 Months, and We’re Just Getting Started…

Big Pig Racing

Well… As knowledge gets passed along pretty fast, I assume most reading this already know that no one from DFW was able to finish this year’s version of the Trans North Georgia Adventure (TNGA). I use the term ‘version’ very purposefully, and you will come to know why by the end of this story.
To start this endeavor, we shall look no further than my return trip home from Jamaica this past Christmas. For the past month or so, I had something constant in the back of my mind. One of my best friends and mentors, Ray Porter, was fighting liver cancer. I did not take the initial news well, and I took what I was about to receive even worse. The news was that Ray had passed while surrounded by his close friends and family. The Dallas mountain biking community and other regions were devastated by this news, a legend had passed away. Needless to say, the flight back home wasn’t an easy one.
I spent the next few weeks in a daze, as I’m sure many others fell victim to. Ray’s wife Gina and I connected the following week and ultimately concluded that if I was comfortable, it would mean a lot if I was able to say a few words at his memorial. I accepted wholeheartedly and started thinking about what I could possibly say about…

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Texas Bicycling News Digest September 29th

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2015 Bike Ride Volunteer in Austin

austin.eventful.com

Sponsored by: Autism Society of Greater Austin Minimum age: 18 We are gearing up for our 7th Annual Central Texas Bike Ride on Sunday, April 12, 2015! In 2013, we were able to raise $30,000 that stayed local to help our autism families. We are raising the bar and planning for bigger and better things come 2015 and we need your help! We have several…

FreeKride Fest 2014 – 10/25/2014 outside Austin, TX

www.freeride512.com


Is There a Charge to Attend?
Tickets are $10.  Also, make sure you submit your Release of Liability via email.  Please see the rest of the FAQs.
What do I Need to do to Ride?
Everyone entering the park MUST sign our Release of Liability.  Please access the  Fr512 Release of Liability 2014.pdf, complete and sign it, and email back to FREERIDE512@mail.com by 5PM April 4th, 2014.  Copies of the Release of Liability will be available at the event, but there will be a $5 processing fee for forms not received via email by the 5PM timeline.
What Equipment Should I Bring? …

Anthills Trail Trimming

GHORBA.org

Event category: General
Trail: The Anthills (Terry Hershey Park)
Saturday, October 4, 2014 – 8:30am
Wow! That last week with 8” of rain really made everything grow! We will meet up at 8:30 am at the Dairy Ashford parking lot (SE corner of Dairy Ashford and Buffalo Bayou) to get the trimming groups organized. The weather is beginning to cool off so it should be nice walking in the woods. Please…

Sunday Fulshear Ride

Sunday, Oct 5, 2014, 7:30 AM

Essence House Cafe
8506 FM 359 Rd S Fulshear, TX

9 Cyclists Went

Meet at 7 am behind the Essence Cafe in the parking lot. See this map for exact location.  http://www.meetup.com/Beginners-Road-Cycling-For-BPMS150/photos/22198842/This is a figure 8 type of loop allowing for those who only want to do a 20 mile ride to leave half way through. The total is approximately 43 miles. There is an option to eat breakfast…

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Terry Hershey to George Bush Park

Sunday, Oct 5, 2014, 7:30 AM

Terry Hershey Beltway 8 Feeder St., Under Bridge Parking Lot
Beltway 8 and Faust Lane Houston, TX

5 SH!FT starters Went

We will roll out at 7:30 sharp so do your own takeoff to decide when you need to arrive in. We will start at Terry Hershey park in the Beltway 8 parking lot. This route will do all of THP and all the way to the end of GBP at South Fry Rd and Walgreens. We will take 1 or 2 breaks depending on how the group is feeling. We are going to shoot for an av…

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GO for a Mountain Bike Ride

Sunday, Oct 5, 2014, 8:00 AM

Meyer Park
Cypresswood Dr. Spring, TX

2 Bicycle Enthusiasts Went

Join us every Sunday at Meyer Park for a 1hour and a half (approx) ride for beginners and intermediate riders.Ride is 10 milesWe will be on the Cypresswood TrailAny questions please call us at the store:[masked]Bring a helmet, water bottle, spare tube and a positive attitude

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Boneshaker Breakaway Group Rides

www.boneshaker.org


To kickoff the Boneshaker Breakaway campaign, which asks cyclists to pledge to ride and raise funds in support of our Youth Bike Programs, we’re hosting 4 Group Rides!  Get socially engaged and log pledged miles in a fun way! Led by pro cyclist Logan Hutchings of BoneshakerD1 Racing, group rides are open to anyone (no-drop) and will make stops that spotlight Boneshaker Project’s work and…

Hale on Wheels, Plainview, Texas 2014 100k

by hubzone37        westtexasrecumbent.com

This was my fourth time doing this tour and here in west Texas we have had several inches of rain so Saturday morning it was lightly sprinkling out so I decided I would drive to Plainview anyway… maybe it wasn’t raining 45 miles away. I arrived at the packet pick up it was a misty drizzle but no too bad.  About 8:30 it had stopped drizzling and about 100 people lined up and we…

Race Preview – Six Shooter – 10.04-05.14

by joeyTWOwheels        texascx.com

If you were to give Six Shooter an age, you might say this bad boy is still in elementary school. Smoking in the john. Learning curse words. It’s not the oldest race on the calendar, but it’s not one to miss, either.
Enter, Voytilla: …
We’ve had some fun on this season-opener track, and you should start your exploration by looking over the preview from 2012 and the writeup from 2013. Plenty of videos and images to wet your whistle in the race previews tab.
We asked Capital City Racing, the promoters of this event, to give us some words of inspiration.
How will the course compare to year’s past? …

Boardwalking In Fort Worth’s Gateway Park Hunting For Endorphins & Copperheads

Durango Texas


Yes, you guessed right, my bike is back in Gateway Park.
If you guessed that my bike is at the boarded up Boardwalk one finds on the east side of the park you would also be right about that.
I was in need of an overdose of endorphins to…

September Critical Mass

Cycling Space City

So after last weeks fully charged cell phone battery dying five miles into the Conquer The Coast ride I knew I needed a new solution for taking videos and photos of my rides.  So I brought my trusty digital camera to Critical Mass.  I took a few videos of the walking start from Market Square and then bam!  The memory card was full.  Damn.  More proof life controls me and…

Síclovía rolls through the East Side

By Jessica Belasco        www.mysanantonio.com


For the first time, the biannual fitness event, Síclovía , which turns city streets into a playground, included an East Side extension.
Organizers estimated that about 68,000 people filled the streets during the event, which is organized by the YMCA of Greater San Antonio. The day began with a…

Bicyclist struck and killed in north Houston hit-and-run

By Craig Hlavaty        www.chron.com


A bicyclist was struck and killed late Saturday night in a hit-and-run collision in north Houston.
Authorities on Monday identified the bicyclist as 63-year-old Jose Mendez-Manzano.
A pickup truck struck him about 11 p.m. Saturday in the 700 block of Link Road, west of Interstate 45.
The pickup driver did not stop and left the scene after striking him, driving westbound, officials said.
The Houston Ghost Bike forum on…

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