Nothing fancy about today’s route. I rode north along US59 to Splendora and then back south to Kingwood Drive. The last time I rode this route was April 27th, 2013. I figured it was time to ride a route I used to ride all of the time. The distance today was 38.3 miles at a 15.6 mph average speed. In 2013 it was 38.1 miles which is probably due to my using a Garmin Edge 500 then or making a couple of turns shorter than today.
I stopped a few times to take some pictures to show the area. (Click on the image to enlarge it)
Eagle Drive at US59 looking south to the Grand Parkway
Railroad Ave north of Roman Forest Blvd
Downtown Splendora looking west
Downtown Splednora looking SW
Approaching Splendora on Railroad Ave
US59 south from Patton Village
Grand Parkway at Community Drive
Grand Parkway at Community Drive
Looking west at Community Drive
The weather got a head start on me today. I left home at 10:35 (I just can’t seem to get out the door before 10:00) with it already 91 degrees (65% humidity) under scattered clouds. Surprisingly as long as I was riding it didn’t seem too hot. When I stopped to take these pictures though the sweat started flowing. The temperature increase to 94 by the time I got back home at 1:53 and the humidity let a little to 60%. The breeze was from the south at 6 mph.
Riding the long stretch from Splendora to Kingwood Drive was into the light breeze and I slowed down some because of it. I was glad for the rest stop in Porter at the Star Stop Exxon at FM1314. No Stripes today. Sitting out by the pumps in the shade the breeze was cooling and I dried off pretty quick. I enjoyed the time eating a couple of snacks and drinking cold Powerade.
Leaving Star Stop I was back in the sun and heading down the service road. Traffic wasn’t too heavy. Earlier when I was on the south service approaching the Grand Parkway construction site a Montgomery Precinct 4 Constable zipped past me a little closer than I care. Later I saw he had a car pulled over with his lights flashing.
I took a few streets today I don’t normally ride on to add some variety.
Tomorrow’s weather looks like a repeat of today.
Mileage marks:
118.2 miles for the week
219.2 miles for August (leaves 626 miles to reach August’s goal)
Michael Hall’s Ridley Noah
This is my race rig. Bought in March of 2013 this, along with an Excalibur Flandrien and a Dean TT bike, is one of my three Ridley’s. I’ve been on Ridley’s now for five years after switching out my LOOK 595 for a 2009 Noah and have been a Ridley devotee ever since. Aside from geometry that fits me to a T, the handling is superb and confidence inspiring. I love all my Ridley’s, but if you put a gun to my head and said choose only one it would be my Noah. This is the best bike I’ve ever ridden and I’ve owned a ton of…
2014 Tour De Tolerance – El Paso ,Juarez & New Mexico Please support 2014 Tour de Tolerance a great ride for a strong cause.. The Ninth Annual Tour de Tolerance, presented this year by Southwest Retina Consultants, takes place on Sunday, August 24th at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino. Same fantastic ride through scenic New Mexico – Tour de Tolerance offer several events for…
31 (or so) Rules to Live By
I was searching for an e-mail the other day and I stumbled across one that I wrote about 10 years ago. In a nutshell I had gently poked fun at a friend for going to see the Pixies at the Plaza of Nations, rather than coming along with us to see the Unicorns at the Cultch.
(It’s kind of funny that I even bother mentioning actual band names in this article, but it feels important to me. Deep down I’m hoping the readers will understand how insane that decision was, rather than thinking “what the hell is grandpa talking about?â€)
Within two e-mails the conversation had devolved into a passionate and nasty eruption of crazy. It was just totally insane. And as I read…
In the wake of the grand opening earlier this month of the bike-friendly Lady Bird Lake Boardwalk, the Public Works Department has still more cycling paths in the pipeline for 2014. Furthering the 2009 Bicycle Master Plan, six projects are planned that would lay out more than six miles of bike lanes by the end of the year.
Projects currently in progress include:
¾ mile of bike lanes along Oltorf St. from I-35 to Willow Creek Dr.
1.8 miles along St. Johns Ave. from Lamar to Cameron Rd.
1.4 miles along Manor from 51st St. to Springdale
one mile along Braker Ln. from Jollyville Rd. to Mopac
¾ mile along Wood Hollow from Far West Blvd. to Spicewood Springs
roughly ¾ mile along Pleasant Valley from Lakeshore Blvd. to Riverside Dr.
Most of these projects will…
CLUB MEETING: The next meeting is Thursday, August 7th at Acadiana Cafe.
Dinner at 6:30; Meeting at 7:00pm.
Membership Annual Picnic: 9/27/2014.  A ride from the RV park to Gruene along River Road will be held Saturday morning, followed by a picnic at
the resort pavilion in the afternoon. A kayaking trip is planned for Sunday. If you plan to stay at the resort (RV or cabin) make sure you tell them
you are with the HCBTC to get a discount.
While I’m not generally big on writing race reports, I thought I’d write this one to introduce VC riders to Ultra Marathon Cycling. After a total knee replacement several years ago, I decided it was time to give up my not-so-promising Cat 4 racing career. Then last year, a friend asked me to register for a 200 mile ultra marathon race with him- the No Country For Old Men 200 mile solo. He bailed, I rode and was hooked.
Ultra marathion cycling races come in many formats- generally 200 mile and 400 mile routes or 12hr or 24hr timed events. 500 mile and above rides are also becoming more popular with the Race Across America (RAAM) being the best known. Each race is based on elapsed time- ride as far and…
he most amazing and miserable weekend of my entire life all at the same time. And I would do it again in a heartbeat. I started this recap of the 24 Hours in the Canyon race back on June 5th and it’s been delayed finishing after the birth of our daughter. But, this race was so great you need to hear all about it. Here’s my thoughts on my first ever 24 hour race, a story about great friends and fast riding plus a few tips we learned along the way AND the most crucial thing you need to know about 24 hour racing.
Back in February 2014 at the DORBA 6 hour endurance race at Isle Du Bois my friend Gary, also known as G$ here in DFW, told me he was wanting to do the 24 hours in the canyon team relay this year. It was a race I had always thought sounded fun and…
Decatur, Texas
August 2, 2014
Eighter? Because it is in August–the 8th month? Because there are eight routes? I couldn’t figure out this strange name for a ride. That is because I am not a gambler. “Eighter from Decatur, county seat of Wise†is the slang of craps shooters who want to roll an eight. Note the die with the 4 showing. And Decatur is in Wise County. Duh. I should have known all of that.
I only discovered the Decatur ride as a result of the Hobbs, New Mexico ride cancellation, so I searched for an alternative. Did I ever find a good one. It was an exact opposite of Hobbs. Hobbs is flat and in the desert. Decatur is a roller coaster ride with trees, green pastures, and…
Ladies, who’s got mad cycling skills?
Athleta Esprit de She, Austin’s only all-women cycling tour, is returning on Sept. 13, and I’ve got a free entry to give away. (Read on!)
Cyclists can choose from three different distances – 30 miles, 18 miles or 14 miles – or even participate by pedaling a stationary bike next to the pool. The event, part of a…
Join the Ghisallo Foundation in partnership with Cycle Academy, Youth Bike, East Side Pedal Pushers and Mueller Farmers’ Market for Austin’s participation in the National Youth Bike Ride Week. The ride will run along the Mueller Hike and Bike Trail and feature shorter and longer routes for varying age levels; instructors and volunteers will assist along the ride. Parents and adults are more than welcome, and are encouraged, to ride along with the group.
We will be performing bike safety checks and basic maintenance to insure kids’ bikes are safe and ready to roll.
There will be a cooler of water available for…
New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar
New Bike Event: Bike-Friendly Friday Breakfast – College Station, TX: When: Fri Aug 8, 2014 7am to 9am CDTWho… http://t.co/4YaX2tbAtE
The last time I biked the “Eagle Springs – Walden – Huffman” route was June 5th, 2014. I didn’t plan returning two months later. Today’s route was a couple of miles longer because I added some streets through Elm Grove and Sherwood Trails. I rode 36.9 miles today versus 34.85 back then. Today’s average speed was 15.6 mph. The first 5 mile lap I was 2 minutes and 15 seconds behind averaging 15 mph. It wasn’t until the ride home from Huffman that I was able to make enough time to get the average up. In the second slide below the 5 mile lap times and averages were above 15 mph except for lap 1 and lap 8. Those are through residential streets with many stops. This route has a number of long stretches without traffic interruptions which helps keep my speed up.
This route is the one I had my T-bone car collision last year. Going past the spot brings back memories of the car pulling in front of me. Riding the route helps to get past those thoughts. Tomorrow will mark the 9th anniversary of another vehicle encounter. I was riding south on the US59 service road north of Porter when a SUV sideswiped me. Several memories that I need to be careful and watch out.
Today I was riding west on FM1960 after exiting the causeway over Lake Houston. The first street is Atascocita Shores Drive. I checked my rear view mirror for cars turning right since I was going straight. I saw three cars with their turn signals on. The first two had enough room to turn before me but the third one didn’t. That did not stop the driver from turning right though. He was so far past the second lane of Atascocita Shores that he had to drive into their left turn lane to get around me. I shook my head as I slowed down to let him turn.
Other than that the ride was uneventful. I took my usual break at the Huffman Chevron. Sitting under the gas pump canopy was pleasant as the breeze blew away the heat and sweat.
Weather conditions were quite favorable: 87 degrees, 78% humidity and a 6 mph breeze at 10:38 when I left home. By the time I returned at 1:40 it was 91 degrees, 68% humidity and the wind was from the ESE at 7 mph. Mostly cloudy skies held the sun back some. I wore wrist bands to help absorb the sweat on my arms. They were soaked and my gloves were not so wet. Tomorrow’s forecast: 92 degrees and clear. Biking looks favorable then.
Mileage standings:
79.90 miles this week
180.9 miles for August (663 miles left to reach my August goal)
They’re pretty far behind other Texas cities in infrastructure and general bike-ability.
City leaders, including Mayor Mike Rawlings, are eager to boost Big D’s cycling options — and soon. They’re looking at everything from more bike lanes to off-street trails, from bike-sharing programs to raising awareness about how bikes and cars should share the road.
What caused a 36-year-old engineer who’s lived in the bike-loving cities of Austin, Portland, Ore., and Tucson, Ariz. — but who’s also tackled major highway projects for the Texas Department of Transportation — to become the…
Triple Threat
Sunday, Aug 10, 2014, 7:00 AM
Kohl’s 5680 N Desert Blvd El Paso, TX
9 Cyclists Went
7-8 a.m. Sunday Aug. 10: All groups meet in the Kohls parking lot near I-10 and Redd. Group 1 leaves at 7 a.m. for 46-mile, 18-20 mph ride to Anthony Gap, War Road and back on Hwy 28; Chris Hoffman,[masked]. Group 2 leaves at 7:30 for 32-mile ride to top of Anthony Gap and back; Leonard Gutierrez,[masked]. Group 3 leaves at 8 a.m. for 22-mile…
This was part of a 27 mile bike training session, first on the beach, then crossing the dunes to the end of Hwy 100 and heading south back into town via the pavement.
by Diane LÂ Â Â Â Â Â The Outspoken Cyclist Podcast
Dennis lives in The Woodlands, TX
… Lastly, we’ll speak with Dennis Johnson. Dennis is a stay-at-home Dad for his young adopted daughter. Dennis is also is a long-distance, endurance cyclist. At RAAM 2014, riding a recumbent bike, Dennis placed 7th overall out of 48 soloists, the largest starting field ever. It was the first time a 60+ rider has ever finished in the top ten. Also, it was the first time a 60+ rider was the first American to finish. But, wait, there’s more… Dennis set other records too.
by Zoe Kircos, Grants Manager      www.peopleforbikes.org
After countless hours reviewing proposals, drinking coffee, discussing merits, asking questions, drinking more coffee, and talking again, we are happy to announce our latest round of our Community Grants Program winners. …
…7)Â Â City of Brownsville (Brownsville, TX): $2,500 to make bicycling a better transportation option by adding bike racks across the city …
The heat’s a lot more bearable when you embrace it. And what better way to do that then hop on your bike for the Hottest Day of the Year Ride on Aug. 9?
The good folks at Bike Austin believe that being outside in the heat is no big deal, and they want to show the world that anyone can ride a bike on…
This post is part of a series featuring stories and research that will be presented at the Pro-Walk/Pro-Bike/Pro-Place conference September 8-11 in Pittsburgh.
Brownsville, a Texas border town, is frequently cited one of the poorest cities in the country. It also has one of the highest obesity rates.
But local officials have taken on some of the city’s health problems. And one of the key tools they’re using is cycling.
Planning Director Ramiro Gonzalez says it’s been about two years since the city of 180,000 — 93 percent of them Latino — began its cycling push. City Commissioner Rose Gowen, a doctor, made health-based initiatives a key part of her agenda.
“It really started at the level of getting people active to…
It’s hard to believe it’s been almost three weeks since we arrived home. That “normal” life that I was missing on the bike ride…..well, it’s back in full swing. Work, yard, garden, house, projects, etc. It’s all good.
Tonight, I want to tie up some loose ends about the trip and then share some “learnings” God showed us.
Let’s start with some miscellaneous tidbits:
The amount raised to date from gifts and pledges for the RAAM scholarship endowment fund: $7,114.38
Times we were forced off the road by a vehicle:
3 (near Cushing, OK; near Arkansas City, KS; near Cooperstown, ND)
Memorable people we met:
-Day 5, Jackie in Marshall, TX who shared with…
When:Â Â Â Â Aug 06, 2014 06:30 PM
Where:Â Â Â Verona’s Italian Restaurant – Dallas
Category:Â Â Â Â DATES ride
Description
When:Â Wednesday, August 6th
Ride start:Â Verona’s Italian Restaurant (see below)
Meeting time: 6:15 pm, Ride time: 6:30 pm
Distance: two laps around the lake, pace determined by the group
Ride Leaders:Â Keri Bloomer and Stuart Rogers
Dinner after at Verona’s Italian Restaurant – BYOB
9039 Garland Rd
Dallas, TXÂ 75218
New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar
New Bike Event: Texas Gatorfest Bike Tour – Anahuac, TX: When: Sat Sep 6, 2014 7am to 11:30am CDTWhere: Fort … http://t.co/isbbH2Ibr5
