Texas Bicycling News Digest August 18th

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Hundreds of East Texas cyclists ride with special messages to drivers (Video)

By Summer Dashe        www.kltv.com

TYLER, TX (KLTV) –
More than 150 bicyclists from across East Texas met in Tyler Sunday for a vigilance ride honoring a local bicyclist who was hit by a car last week. Janice Terry was riding her bike with a friend south of Tyler last weekend when a car hit her. She underwent several surgeries and has a broken back, but Sunday friends said she was doing much better.
All of the people who showed up for the vigilance ride are cyclists from across…

New artwork along Trinity Trail blends artist’s love of cycling, sculpting

By Sarah Bahari        www.star-telegram.com


FORT WORTH — Three times a week, Jim Beckman would ride his bicycle along the winding Trinity River, relishing the exercise and scenic views.
About two years ago, the retired engineer-turned-artist was struck with an idea for a sculpture.
On Saturday morning, scores of fellow cycling enthusiasts gathered along the Trinity for a first glimpse of that artwork, the Peloton, a 30-foot-long stainless-steel sculpture constructed of ovals.
“I have been known to wake up at 3 in the morning with an idea and not be able to sleep for hours,” the artist said. “This was one of those times.”
Beckman called the sculpture a sort of ode to cycling. Peloton is a French term for a…

Bicyclists ride to raise awareness (Video)

by Brittni Thomason        www.ketknbc.com

Tyler, TX (KETK) — Cyclists from all over the state gathered in Tyler to raise awareness about bicycle accidents. Sunday afternoon was the Vigilance Ride in Tyler. Cyclists came together to remember riders who have been injured on local roadways this summer. Cori Moore organized the event.
“I think that drivers are distracted, honestly. I don’t think that anyone is out to hurt us. I think they just aren’t paying attention, whether it’s texting or messing with…

http://www.meetup.com/Beginners-Road-Cycling-For-BPMS150/events/201711622/?a=ea1_grp&rv=ea1&_af_eid=201711622&_af=event

Sunday Casual Ride George Bush Cinco Ranch Route

Sunday, Sep 14, 2014, 7:30 AM

Barker Clodine Entrance to George Bush Park
1081 Barker-Clodine Road Houston, TX

1 Cyclists Went

Free ride. Casual, fun ride in George Bush Park and beyond to Cinco Ranch. Approximately 30 to 40 miles total. Can be more if the group wants.  Will stop at coffee in between.  See map at http://www.mapmyride.com/us/houston-tx/beginners-road-cycling-to-train-for-ms15-group-129191

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Magical Museum Mystery Tour

Sunday, Sep 21, 2014, 7:00 AM

Leonard C Merrell Center
6301 S Stadium Ln Katy, TX

5 Cyclists Went

Cost is $40. This is a fully supported ride. Featuring rides lengths of 19, 41 and 64 miles with multiple rest stops, food detours, and displays from the Houston Bicycle Museum and others, it’s guaranteed to be more than just your basic T-shirt ride!! HBM Magical Museum Mystery Tour Registration The ride helps to fund a permanent location for the H…

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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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Saturday Ride Brays Bayou

Saturday, Sep 27, 2014, 8:30 AM

Bayou Parkland Parking Lot
6520 Almeda Road Houston, TX

1 Cyclists Went

See parking lot map at: http://www.meetup.com/Beginners-Road-Cycling-For-BPMS150/photos/20541122/Group will do either a 20 or 30 mile ride. Will stop at coffee shop at 15 miles. There is a drop off point at 20 miles for those who decide they don’t want to finish the 30 miles. This is a trail ride so we don’t have to deal with Friday traffic very m…

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Next Event: Randonneuring

Lone Star Randonneurs

August 30  0700
200, 362, 600k RUSA Brevets
Mineral Wells
Randonneuring:  long-distance, unsupported endurance cycling. This style of riding is non-competitive in nature, and self-sufficiency is paramount.

Tweets

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Mid-Morning Ride in the Heat

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The August heat is taking its toll on the vegetation around here. It wants to get me as well. I did get an earlier start today leaving home at 9:51. I rode what I call the “New Caney – Roman Forest – Splendora” route. This takes me north along US59 and then through Roman Forest where I take Tram Road north to FM2090.there is some shade along the route thank goodness. Once I am on FM2090 I ride west to US59. A quick stop at the Chevron station to refill my water bottle and I am on my way south on the US59 service road. The ride south was into the light wind which slowed me down. Fortunately I had built up some extra time so I was able to maintain my average speed above 15 mph ending up at 15.6 mph.

Here is the view from the Splendora Chevron looking west and northwest towards US59.

8-18-2014 Splendora and US59 north

Looking to the northwest

8-18-2014 Splendora and US59

Looking to the west. Notice the Crepe Myrtle blooms and blue sky

When I got to Porter I took a break at the Star Stop Exxon. This was at the 31.5 mile point. It felt good sitting in the shade under the pump canopy. It took about 15 minutes to dry up most of the perspiration. There was about 10 miles left to reach home. After about 25 minutes I got back on the bike and took the service road south to Kingwood Drive.

Riding in the heat should get me ready for the Hotter’N Hell Hundred ride this Saturday. The weather forecast calls for 102 degrees and clear.

I have biked two times wearing a new brand of bike shorts I haven’t used before. They are Aero Tech Designs shorts. The first ride wasn’t as comfortable as the Voler shorts I usually ride in but today’s ride was better. The inseam is about 1/2″ shorter than the Voler shorts so the white skin above my tan line got exposed some. I ordered two pair but based on the first ride I returned one pair. I will keep this pair in my shorts rotation.

August miles are getting closer to my 845 mile goal; today’s ride put me at 621.67 miles leaving 223 miles to go. I could ride over 200 miles this week with 2 days off so I should be real close to the goal by next Monday. I biked 40.65 miles today. I am up to 4834 miles for the year.

Links to Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS.

Click on the images below to enlarge them.

Ride Route
Today’s Ride Metrics
Ride Metrics Charts
August to Date
Year to Date
Home Weather ride start
Porter Weather
Home Weather ride end

Texas Bicycling News and Blog Digest August 17th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Deer Flies and Fire Ants

Bike Noob


If you ride for any length of time, you’re bound to have an encounter with bees. But sometimes, inhabitants of the insect world can be other types — and cause even more discomfort than a bee sting.
While pedaling beside a stormwater runoff basin during the week, I felt a sharp stinging sensation in my right arm — as though a red-hot needle had just pricked the surface of my skin. I couldn’t react right away, because the path took a turn into some woods and I needed to concentrate on my line. But shortly after, I looked down at my arm and saw a deer fly just sitting there. It hadn’t moved, but also didn’t seem to have done any more damage than the initial prick. Good thing about…

Driveway Crit Series | Austin, Texas | August 14, 2014

texasbikeracing.com

A gallery of pics from last Thursday’s Driveway Crit in Austin.
Photos © Dick Van Hooser

Ride in Galveston.

Saturday, Aug 23, 2014, 8:00 AM

Galveston-Port Bolivar Ferry
1000 Ferry Rd Galveston, TX

5 Katy bicyclist fun riders Went

A fun getaway to Galveston!  Take the ferry over to Bolivar Peninsula, ride the island. Come back and ride the seawall in Galveston. Finish up with lunch and margaritas!If you can drive and carry extra bikes, please let me know.My cell # is[masked]1. Head east on Interstate 10 Frontage Rd E toward Mustang Ln0.3 mi2. Sharp left onto Interst…

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Go for an easy beginner ride

Saturday, Aug 23, 2014, 9:00 AM

Performance Bicycle
7549 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX

1 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…

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Skills Clinic #101: Climbing

Saturday, Aug 23, 2014, 9:00 AM

Big Cedar Wilderness Trail
7532 Saddleridge Dallas, TX

43 Participants Went

YOU MUST BE A PAID DORBA.org MEMBER TO ATTEND. NOT a DORBA meet up member, not someone with a Dorba.org forum handle, you must be a paid member of either DORBA.org, or FWMBA.org. It is not to late to join either club.What: Sharon and Jerry McNutt will lead a climbing clinic at Big Cedar Wilderness Trails. Jerry and Sharon are two of the most exper…

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Trc Dj Productions

Friday, Aug 29, 2014, 7:00 PM

No location yet.

1 cyclists Went

You didn’t get enough Mountain Bike training with Tommy? He rides and teaches outside of Houston Cycling Club.What does the class cover?Fundamental RidingGear Change / PositionBreakingHill ClimbObstaclesWeight DistributionSafetyClothingGearEmail @ [masked] your cell number to get on his Texted Mountain Bike Rides.This…

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Critical Mass Houston

Friday, Sep 26, 2014, 7:00 PM

Market Square Park
301 Milam Street Houston, TX

18 cyclists Went

Houston CriticalMass @HoustonCMThe Houston Critical Mass is a bicycling event held on the last Friday of every month. We meet up at Market Square Park in downtown Houston around 7pm.criticalmasshouston.comalso:Critical Mass Houston is a casual bike ride starting from downtown Houston and going wherever. Cars rule the road every day, but one day…

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Being a Responsible Road User

by djcurtin


As cyclists, we tend to look at drivers as “them” just as much as drivers look at us the same way. And that’s even if we cyclists are ourselves drivers. It’s an attitude that leads to more roadway tension for sure. And, like folks that just drive, when we’re on our bikes we too can get distracted, make poor choices, and generally make the same errors drivers that don’t ride make, and for which we tend to be hypercritical when in cyclist mode.
I made such a mistake Saturday. On my bike.
Heading home from Bastrop I was making what I thought was a protected left with the turn arrow in my favor. I was moving at a good clip, and as I crossed the apex of the turn I was fairly close to the car waiting to make its way down the road perpendicular to the one I was turning off of. As I did, I noticed the car waiting at the light was a sheriff patrol car. I didn’t think too much of it. But aparently the deputy…

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets

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Event Reminder

Mountain Biking Amongst the Trees

Texbiker.net Posted on by

The last time I rode my Motobecane 700HT mountain bike was February 9th of this year. Riding it today the trails look a lot different than February. As summer winds down the trails are green, thanks to rain this year. Several places on the trails have been worked on along Woodland Hills Drive south of Cotswold Drive and just north of it where the brush had almost taken over the trail. One spot that needs work is along Northpark Drive west of Hidden Pines Drive. Dirt has been washed over the concrete trail and the overhanging trees hang low enough that I had to move off the trail to get past.

Biking in the shade helped to reduce the heat but there were places where the trail was out in the open like the dirt along the drainage ditch from Northpark to Kingwood Drive and Appalachian Trail. Yesterday when I was getting my MTB ready I aired up the tires to 60 psi. On the concrete and asphalt trails this was okay but on the rough hard dirt trails I bounced around a lot. Knobby tires are ideal for concrete and I think I have some that around quite so knobby. Might be time to change them out.

I passed many people on the 19.57 mile long ride. Some walkers, joggers and bikers. Almost all of the bikers were on mountain or hybrid bikes without helmets. A couple of times I came around a bend and met oncoming bikers moving at a good clip. No collisions thankfully.

Riding my MTB was a good change of scenery and pace. I may try this on another Sunday soon. Riding a MTB uses my muscles slightly different and the hand positions are not as varied either. My body is more attuned to road biking now.

The clipless pedals on the MTB have a different feel from my Ultegra road bike pedals. The right pedal has one side that is very hard to unclip from. I try to rotate that to the bottom but it seems to sneak back on top. I tired to have a spill before I got out the driveway when I clipped my left foot in and then unclip it right away while the bike moved. I forgot to close the garage door. Apparently I need some practice on the MTB. I waltzed around the driveway getting unclipped and went to close the door.

Look at the weather slides below to see how hot it was.

Wrapping up the week I rode 255.9 miles, move August up to 581 miles and the year to 4793 miles. This is the highest weekly mileage this year by 13 miles. I need 264 miles to reach my August goal of 845 miles.

Links to Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS.

Click to enlarge the image below.

Today’s Route
Ride metrics
Home Weather at the start
Home Weather at the end
Week to date
August to date
Year to date