Texas Bicycling News Digest June 20th

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Duncanville’s only bike store has a hometown feel

By NANETTE LIGHT, Neighborsgo        www.dallasnews.com


When Tim Harper was 13, all he wanted was a set of wheels — specifically, a shiny 1980 Redline Pro Line bike.
To pay for his bike, he snagged a job scooping ice cream that summer at an old Polar Bear ice cream shop on Main Street in Duncanville.
By summer’s end, he had saved enough — $130 at that time — to buy the two-wheel racer.
Now the bike — not quite as shiny anymore — hangs on a rack of bicycles in the A-frame building that once housed the…

Former moto world champ Ben Spies channels his passion for cycling with Elbowz Racing

By Addie Levinsky        velonews.competitor.com


Former Superbike world champion Ben Spies has such a firm grip on the ins and outs of bike racing, one could not be faulted for thinking he was a seasoned professional.
The 29-year-old Texas native is still fairly new in the world of cycling, yet he is a Cat. 1 racer, and most notably, he started the successful Elbowz Racing team, which, in its rookie season in 2011, won more than 70 races.
Spies’ name will ring a bell to those familiar with motorcycle racing. He had every intention of setting a record or two in America, but his career as a motorcycle road racer went further than he could have ever imagined. Spies won the AMA Superbike national championship for in 2006, and successfully defended his title in 2007, and again in 2008. He then went on to win the world Superbike championship in…

Your 2014-2015 Texas Cyclocross Schedule (to date)

by joeyTWOwheels        texascx.com

Everyone keeps talking about it. ‘graming it.
You can feel the excitement building as racers acquire new frames and gear and review all the latest road and mountain bike results to see where their archenemy is placing.
Cross is heating up in Texas, y’all. You best be busy.
Here’s your schedule to date. Some things might change (as you can see by the TBDs), but at least you know where you’ll be spending 14 (potential) weekends this fall and winter. …

Middle Concho MTB

San Angelo Bicycle Association

Date(s) – 06/25/2014
6:30 pm – 7:45 pm
Location: Middle Concho Park
Categories
MTB Ride
No Drop Ride
Be ready to roll at 6:30PM. This is a no-drop social mountain bike ride at Middle Concho. Routes vary and groups are formed if needed based on skill level. All riders welcome.

Ride Interview – Spokes of Freedom – Farmersville, TX

www.wheelbrothers.com

Another great holiday ride is coming up! We snagged an interview with Suzee Bolton, to find out more about this inaugural event on July 4th, 2014. If you were looking for a great family friendly, 4th of July event, look no further! Actually, do look further down the page for the complete interview! Read on!
Why join your ride?
Spokes of Freedom is on the longest trail in North East Texas, North East Texas Trail; which is an old Railroad bed which is being converted into a biking, hiking and equestrian trail where much of it is already passable. The ride is FREE and after the ride everyone is invited to come to SouthLakePark just south of town for a free fireworks show hosted by the Farmersville Volunteer Fire Department.
How long has your ride been around?
This is the inaugural event of Spokes of Freedom.
What was the motivation behind starting the ride and who benefits from it?
Cadence Cyclery is a strong supporter of the local communities and wanted to couple a great ride on…

Rolling My Wheels To Survey Tree Damage In Fort Worth’s Mallard Cove Park

Durango Texas


On Sunday during the course of my 1st Annual Mallard Cove Park Father’s Day bike ride I stopped and took a picture of a tree which I used for illustrative purposes on my 1st Annual Mallard Cove Park Father’s Day bike ride.
Today I returned to Mallard Cove Park to roll my bike’s wheels and found…

Current and upcoming in July 2014

Schlumberger Cycling Club

Fulshear Summer Ride
Starts:     12-Jul-2014 7:30     Ends:     12-Jul-2014 12:00
Our July ride will be at the Fulshear Park & Ride. Arrive early (7:00am) to to insure enough time to get your gear ready and to hear the safety and ride announcements. Please car pool as parking is tight at the Park & Ride lot. We will roll out at 7:30am. This ride offers 34, 42, and 53 mile routes.
Veterans RockN\’ Ride Concert
Starts:     18-Jul-2014 19:00     Ends:     18-Jul-2014 21:00
The SCC is helping the Independence Fund host the RockNRide Concert this summer on July 18th. Event will be held at Sugar Land Town Square 7pm – 9pm. Admission is free and event features two bands: ESH and Amy Lee & The 2nd Line. We need over 50 volunteers to make this event a success and you will receive volunteer points. Please email Joanna Covington at gumchain@gmail.com with your name, email address, cell phone, and if you have a preferred volunteer position to sign up. See linked pdf for a list of volunteer positions. http://www.slbcycling.com/downloads/Volunteer%20Information/RockNRide%20Volunteer%20Availability.pdf

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Union Pacific Train Crew Food Run

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I took yesterday off but I am back on the bike today. The plan was to ride 35+ miles going to Huffman. To get a longer distance I rode what I label the “Stroker Road – Huffman” route. Today I modified the Stroker Road portion some by not turning onto Peters Road like I usually do but stayed on Stoker Road to Ramsey Road and then turning left. I have never went this way. It brings me to the same intersection that Peters Road does going north to Old Atascocita Road and on to FM2100. There are some large homes on the Stroker Road portion I had not been on before. The ride distance totaled 40.52 miles so I met my goal and then some. Average speed was 15.5 mph. Tomorrow I plan on riding 40+ miles. This could be the first time this year I do 40+ miles two days in a row.

The ride started at 9:10. The weather had not heated up too much by then: 80 degrees, 71% humidity, partly cloudy sky, light breeze. I decided to leave earlier today and watch the Tour de Suisse ITT stage when I get back thanks to the DVR. By the time I finished at 12:44 it was 89 degrees, 40% humidity, partly cloudy sky and a 7 mph ESE breeze. I wore a new jersey today and it got a perspiration workout. A few times when I stopped I could feel the jersey dripping moisture and when I stopped at the Huffman Chevron for a snack and drink the breeze blowing felt cool going across the moisture in the jersey. It didn’t take too long for the jersey to dry, wicking moisture away from my skin like it should do.

While I was stopped at the Chevron station a Union Pacific freight train slowly came to a stop before the FM2100 crossing. The front of the engine opened up and a man emerged. He walked across the space from the tracks to FM1960, across FM1960 and to the Chevron station. After a few minutes he came out of the Chevron station and headed back to the train engine. Opening the door on the front of the engine he disappeared and not too many minutes the engines started to move gathering speed slowly. I’ve seen this before. Huffman must be a rest stop for some trains. As I left the station there was a Kansas City Southern train stopped on the tracks a little further away than the Union Pacific one. I don’t know if the crew visited the Chevron store. I wonder if the engines have a restroom.

Not long after I started riding the chain began making a noise. I think it is time to oil it. I have 2033 miles on my Stradalli RP-14 and have not oiled it yet. The recent spats of riding in the rain probably did not help. When I got home I oiled the chain with No.5 Chain-L, a thick oil I read about a couple of years ago online. I applied this to each pin a drop at a time. Then turning the chain it works into the plates and pins. I have an Ultegra chain without a master link so taking it off is not an option because it takes a special pin and tool. I have a KMC chain waiting to replace this one when it is time. The KMC uses a master link and then I can lubricate it with paraffin, my preferred lube.

No dog sprints today. The roads are in good condition except for Old Atascocita Road between Ramsey Rd. and FM2100. This section has some dips and cracked asphalt so I have move around in the west bound lane to avoid these. Traffic is light so this is not a problem.

Tomorrow’s weather forecast: 92 degrees, partly cloudy with a chance of rain in the afternoon. I should be home before then.

Mileage statistics:

  • 141.4 miles this week
  • 638.06 miles for June (247 miles to go to reach the 885 mile goal)
  • 3042 miles year to date
  • Links to Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS

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Texas Bicycling News Digest June 19th

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Houston to Galveston and Back #9 June 21st

by David Sanchez

ROLL OUT 6:30AM SHARP
This is a bike ride from downtown Houston to Galveston and back. Market Square to “The Spot” on Galveston Island. We will be doing lunch at “The Spot” on Seawall.
Please be sure your equipment can make this ride and that you are in shape to make this ride.
Some will ride back, some will camp, others will have someone meet them in Galveston to car back…your choice. Some people start on NASA 1 and do a half loop returning to their cars on NASA 1.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE RIDE: …
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/5058651

Stradalli Donates Bicycles to Young Adults Living in Lower Income Areas

This is not Texas specific but I ride a Stradalli RP-14 Carbon bike

www.free-press-release-center.info

Stradalli Cycle has partnered with MMD Realty Properties to give ten high performance carbon fiber bicycles to a group of young adults who couldn’t otherwise afford to buy one.
June 19, 2014 (FPRC) — Miami, Florida – Stradalli Cycle, the high performance carbon bicycle manufacturer, is pleased to announce it has pledged ten carbon bicycles to a group of young adults in lower-income government aided communities. These ten individuals would normally not be able to afford a performance bike, but with the help of Stradalli they can now use their new bikes to help them get around, as well as for fun and exercise.
It all started when the owners of a beachfront property put their house on the market with MMD Realty. During the negotiations Michelle Ross, a senior partner at MMD Realty, noticed a Stradalli full carbon bicycle that stood almost unused in the property’s garage. Since the house was being sold as fully furnished then the bike was also part of the sale, however it was also a point of contention between the sellers and buyers.
Michelle was struck by the irony that the two parties were haggling over an unused bike while there…

Hotel not ready for Hotter’N Hell

By John Ingle        www.timesrecordnews.com

New Grand took prepaid bookings, closed
Guests at The New Grand Hotel at last year’s Hotter’N Hell booked pre-paid reservations for this year’s event, but the hotel doesn’t have a permit to operator.

A couple of laps around White Rock to work up a thirst

Saturday, Jul 12, 2014, 9:00 AM

Location details are available to members only.

43 Members Went

Hi all;[NOTE; 9am start time for the July and August rides]This ride will be a moderate pace (13 to 15 mph). More of a get to know you ride. Goal would be 2 laps depending on the group and then breakfast/lunch at the NEW Lake House Bar and Grill. We will break into 2 pace groups with an average pace of 15mph “Cardio” and 12mph “Social” groupWe…

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TxDOT and NCTCOG to Host Public Hearing for Bicycle Projects in North Texas

www.txdot.gov

MESQUITE – The Dallas and Fort Worth districts of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) are partnering with North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) to conduct a public hearing on transportation projects and programs that might affect bicycle use. The public hearing will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 25 at Irving City Hall, 825 W. Irving Blvd.
The public hearing will consist of a presentation from TxDOT and NCTCOG at 6 p.m. with an open house format before and after the presentation. Maps and drawings will be on display to show the existing bike facilities and upcoming transportation projects on the…

2014 Collin Classic Photo Gallery

By Collin Classic Bike Rally

2014 Hotter’N Hell Hundred

To All of Our Riders – We do our best to make sure that the HH100 is a great weekend, enjoyed by everyone, and we couldn’t do that without the help of our local community.
With that in mind, it has come to our attention that there may be a problem for people who have pre-payed for reservations at “The New Grand Hotel.” We want to reach out to anyone who might be effected and bring them up-to-date on the status of the hotel.
It has been confirmed that the hotel does not currently have a lodging permit, and a permit…

24 Hour National ChampionshipSS – Once in a Lifetime Experience

by dirtybear        www.bigpigracing.org

Earlier in the year, Rich made a comment about this 24 Hour Nationals being the last of its kind. At this point in time I was already looking for endurance races to throw my hat in, and this one seemed like a good idea. I’ve participated in two 24 hour races by then, but on 2 person and 4 person co-ed teams. It was time to cut the umbilical cord and see what I was made of. It was about this time when Matt Malone put a training schedule together for me in order to prepare myself for this years Trans North Georgia, and 24 Hour Nationals fit perfectly into the schedule. Commence training… And putting a ding in my social life during stretches…
Fast forward to more recent times, and my training was finally about to pay off. Or so I thought. Matt convinced me to give Syllamos Revenge a try. Aaand that’s about all that needs to be said about that race.
A couple weeks after that, it was time to get down to bidness (or business if you prefer). 24 Hours in the Canyon. According to Rich, with this race being two weeks before Nationals it should be taken easy and for only 12 hours. Done. But I just had to have some fun the night before the…

David Chaney’s Ride for the Survivors

www.bikehouston.org


Cycling in Houston can be quite challenging, but sometimes it is good to look abroad and maybe put your own problems in perspective. Follow BikeHouston member David Chaney on his Ride for the Survivors across Rwanda.
A 200 miles tour to raise awareness about the genocide that took place 20 years ago. In three months time one million people lost their lives. The 300.000 survivors, mostly women and orphaned children never got any support or help. They are coping with trauma’s and…

Wednesday Night Ride

Wednesday, Jun 25, 2014, 5:45 PM

River Run Plaza OR Rio Plaza
1071 Country Club (River Run) or 6205 Upper Valley (Rio Plaza) El Paso, TX

7 Cyclists Went

These are leaderless rides of 17-25 miles leaving from River Run Plaza 1071 Country Club Road or Rio Plaza, 6205 Upper Valley Rd (at Artcraft).Ride options vary — most involve going up Upper Valley to Borderland to Strahan to Bosque Rd to Vinton Road. Various options include taking N. Vinton to Westside Dr. to Washington to Gadsden High, then re…

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Grainger Company Donation

CC Cycle Club News


We are happy to announce the receipt of a very generous donation from the Grainger Company toward CYCLE Kids. The company has expressed interest in having a long term relationship with our club and will be volunteering with our events and numerous events throughout the area. Grainger is very community oriented and we are honored to be associated with their efforts. We want to especially thank Stacey Rivere and Jonathon Smith, Grainger employees, for their assistance in achieving this recognition and funding. Both Stacey and…

Ride to Alice/Tony Balboa Event *This is an addition to the Tony Balboa Ride for EXTRA MILES.

Corpus Christi Cycle Club

What: Ride to Alice and join the 10 mile route of the Tony Balboa Memorial Ride and return. Round trip- 84 miles.
When: June 21st at 07:00am
Where: Departing from Walmart at 5pts.
Cost: 20$- This is the cost of the Tony Balboa ride, payable when you arrive in Alice (if you haven’t preregistered). There will be no charge for SAGs in support for the ride.
SAG Support: There will be two vehicles (one with a very large trailer). While the vehicles will have some supplies, pack for a long…

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Texas Bicycling News Digest June 18th

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More than three decades for police bicycle charity relay event

By Ruben Dominguez, Feature Reporter        www.myfoxhouston.com


HOUSTON (FOX 26) – And they’re off! The Houston Police Department bicycle relay team have begun their journey to Tacoma, Washington. This is the 33rd annual ride that the team has launched to raise awareness for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Over a distance of almost 3,000 miles, approximately forty officers will ride to the finish line with dog tags that are engraved with the names of the honored patients battling leukemia and casualties of the disease. Some of the officers are traveling with their sons. Many of the participating members have been riding their…

2014 FWMBA Fat Tire Festival

Fort Worth Mountain Bikers’ Association


The 2014 4th Annual Fort Worth Fat Tire Festival at Gateway Park Benefiting the Fort Worth Mountain Bikers’ Association (FWMBA) is slated to take place on Sunday, July 13, 2014 from 9:00am till 3:00pm Gateway Park!
What happens at the Fort Worth Fat Tire Festival?
The Festival (a fund raiser for FWMBA) will celebrate all things mountain bike including music, food trucks, beverages, special mountain bike events, industry insider vendors, opportunities to join FWMBA, FWMBA t-shirts, the always popular Fat Boy Crit and the chance to ride all the…

USA National Triathlon Team Member Grayson Keppler To Attend Corinth Cycling Group Ride

Corinth Cycling


Prior to the Corinth Cycling group rides on Saturday, June 21st, join us for a short discussion at 6:45am with Grayson Keppler. Grayson has been coaching several of the Harden Racing team members since December 2013 and continues to be instrumental in the team’s success this year. Grayson was recently selected for the USA Triathlon team to race in Germany at the Cross (Off-Road) Triathlon World Championships. He is a…

B/IG Yoga for Cyclists

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2014, 5:45 PM

Rio Plaza, 6205 Upper Valley Road
at Artcraft (parking lot next to Little Caesars_ El Paso, TX

6 Cyclists Went

Beginner/Intermediate Group (B/IG ) presentation and ride. Meet at Rio Plaza, 6205 Upper Valley Rd (at Arcraft). Lesson is Yoga for Cyclists. Certified yoga instructor Jennifer Nielsen-Casas joins us to teach some basic stretches to help you unkink and unwind from your latest cycling adventure. Each Tuesday’s program starts at 5:45 p.m. and the rid…

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Pics and Recap of the Trinity River Revel – Dallas, Texas

Posted by Richard Wezensky        www.bikedfw.org


Four great Dallas amenities opened this past weekend during an event called the Trinity River Revel, and it was celebrated with a Rolling Ribbon Cutting. A large group of a few hundred cyclist – which included a few of Dallas’ elected officials, representatives from local and state bicycling groups (including BikeDFW, Bike Friendly Oak Cliff and BikeTexas) as well as surprise visitor Gary Fisher, all set out on a slow paced rally around the…

A Cloudy Mountain Bike Ride In Wind Damaged Gateway Park Before Taking To Town Talk

Durango Texas


As you can see, via my favorite Gateway Park mountain bike trail photo opportunity location, today I was rolling my wheels under a brooding gray sky.
I did not get the afternoon rain potential memo til this morning. I was still going by the earlier memo which had no rain chance in the current 7 day forecast.
And now the middle of the afternoon has arrived, with the appearance of…

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