Texas Bicycling News and Blog Digest June 16th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Spring in East Texas: First Overnight Trip to Bonham State Park

by Mark Brown        bikeovernights.org


The purpose of this trip, besides having fun, was to prove out my method, packing, and fitness for longer trips later this summer.
We decided to drive and park at a friend’s house so we could keep the distance down to about 50 miles for this first trip. I was up at 5 a.m. getting breakfast and coffee and then heading out to get Jeff, a friend I met while doing a cycling tour of some breweries in downtown Dallas a few months ago. He’s a regular commuter and has done a few short tours in the past.
We then swung by to get another friend of mine, David, who I’ve worked with for the past…

Memorial Park all-riders ride.

Sunday, Jun 22, 2014, 7:00 AM

Memorial Park
3290 Federal El Paso, TX

8 Cyclists Went

Sunday, June 22: Memorial Park all-riders ride. Joint ride with EP Cylists, who will help co-lead the rides. Meet at Memorial Park in Central El Paso. 7 a.m. groups will go over Scenic Drive and ride to Upper Valley, NM 28, then return via Anthony Gap and NE El Paso (60 miles). 18-20 mph group led by Blanca Harp,[masked]; 20+ mph group led by Xavi…

Check out this Meetup →

Trans Am Bike Race cyclists stretched across the West

by Gene Bisbee            www.bikingbis.com


The Trans Am Bike Race is 9 days sold and the remaining 38 cyclists in the unsupported bike race are spread across 1,975 miles of the western United States.
Michael Hall, 33, of Harrogate, UK, is leading the race as he approaches Larned, Kansas, with 2,456 miles behind him. He’s followed by Jason Lane, 32, of Ontario, who just passed through Scott City around noon Monday and has covered 2,361 miles.
Together with Ed Pickup, 23, of Salisbury, UK, they’re the only ones who are out of the mountains. From the trackleaders map, it looks like a couple of other will be hitting the plains soon.
Among those is Italy’s Juliana Buhring, 32, who leads the women and appears to…

All Level Ride @ Walnut Creek Spring/Summer hours

Sunday, Jun 22, 2014, 9:30 AM

Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park
12138 North Lamar Boulevard Austin, TX

11 Mountain Bikers Went

New Spring/Summer hours to help when the weather gets warmer.  Starting 3/9 we go to 9:30 am.We know that this time change doesn’t work for everyone so we hope you considering hosting a ride for yourself and those who might want to ride at a different time or on a different day.You do NOT have to be a ARR member to attend most club riders. You wi…

Check out this Meetup →

DATES Round and Round the Lake Ride

Dallas Area Tandem Enthusiasts

When: Jun 18, 2014 06:15 PM
Where: The Bath House at White Rock Lake in Dallas – Dallas
Category: DATES ride
Description
DATES Round the Lake Ride
Hosted by Keri Bloomer and Stuart Rogers
Wednesday, June 18th
Ride start:  Bath House at White Rock Lake
Meeting time: 6:00 pm, Ride time: 6:15 pm
Distance: two laps around the lake, pace determined by the group
Dinner after at…

White River Road Rally 2014

West Texas Recumbent

Unfortunately our small community had to great rides on the same day! My choice was White River Road Rally which I did last year and Tour de Muleshoe a ride I have also done a couple of times. The first time I did the Muleshoe ride was on my  trike and I came in last 🙁
So the community was split on the rides and my club was also split seems half went to White River and the other rode the Muleshoe.
White River Road Rally was just as tough if not more this year due to…

Saturday June 21st [Triple Bs] and Sunday June 22nd [Steiner Steakhouse] Rides!

Steiner Ranch Cycling


Saturday was the Avery Ranch Loop and there was about 16 riders and it was a fast ride.  The group split when there was a flat tire and about 4 riders stayed back.  The second group picked up a couple more riders on the way and we all came back together.  Bob Brown was riding with the faster group and when he got to a stop light he started feeling dizzy and his heart rate monitor was showing some really high numbers.  Thomas drove back and picked up Bob and took him to urgent care.  He then went to the hospital where he has been for the past couple days.  I think they determined that he was having atrial fibrillation.  His heart is strong but it is beating abnormally so they are working to get it back to where it should be.
Sunday a few of the guys did a father’s day bike ride and went out for some coffee.  It was…

Saturday July 19th Ingram Park Ride

Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club

Wheels Down at 7:30 a.m.  Join us for 24 miles of highly shaded paved trails.  Come and and enjoy the company and the wild life.  For Information contact Heidi Lynn at 842-2383 (cell) To get to Ingram Park and Ride from northwest; take 410 west exit Ingram Rd make a right on Ingram make an immediate left at the first red light. Park and Ride is on the right hand side across from Joe’s Volcano.  Coming from the Southwest take 410 east exit at Ingram Rd make a left on Ingram second red light opposite Ingram Mall make a left. Park and Ride is…

Art in public places: almost-useless bike racks @ new West Austin pool

bicycleaustin.info

The new “portal” to the West Austin (Enfield and MoPac) pools is really cool looking–except the bike racks are not functional.  I have a normal bike and it didn’t fit properly into the front-wheel slot, and it was impossible to lock my bike to the rack with a U-lock.  You would need a cable to lock, and a very long one to grab your back wheel too.  The supposed bike parking is not “functional” like the dedication plaque inset into the ground says.
According to the City’s Art in Public Places web site (policies page) http://www.austintexas.gov/department/aipp-policies, “For each AIPP project, a Selection Panel of visual art professionals is established for the…

It pays – in peaches – to ride a bike

By Pam LeBlanc        www.austin360.com

Add this one to the “things you’d never notice from your car” file.
The other day, while pedaling west from the Austin American-Statesman along the Lance Armstrong Bikeway, I rode past a row of peach trees laden with fruit. Unlike the peach tree in my backyard, which is covered with flowers early in the spring but turns into a buffet for the neighborhood squirrels in the ensuing weeks (literally, out of 200 or so baby peaches, I ate exactly zero, and yes I have a few choice words for the dastardly rodents), these trees are covered in peaches. They are firm and…

Bicyclist to travel from Wisconsin to Texas

By Cala Smoldt/Staff Reporter        www.aledotimesrecord.com


The Aledo Times Record welcomed an unusual visitor through its doors Monday, June 16. A man seeking to fill his empty water bottles had no idea he was walking into the office of a newspaper when he said he was on his way from Wisconsin to Texas…. on bicycle.
Daniel Ring, 25, from Bristol, Wis., is on the trip of a lifetime as he bicycled his way through Aledo on day 6 of his trip to Granbury, Texas. Daniel said he has traveled about 216 miles so far, and he’s back on track after losing his way on a road incorrectly mapped and is subsequently 3 days behind…

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets

https://twitter.com/BBQ44/status/478524102068535296

Event Reminders

Wet Roads and I Get Muddy

Texbiker.net Posted on by

I suspected Montgomery County Precinct 4 had not laid any asphalt on Adams Street. Because of this I exited Kingwood via Kings Manor to ride north on my New Caney – Gene Campbell Rd. route. Exiting Kings Manor I rode north on Loop 494 to verify my suspicions. I found that the asphalt is not down and it looks like they are adding a street or two to the project. I expect it will be another week before any change in the roads.

After checking on the resurfacing I rode on E. Knox to the US59 north bound service road and onto Porter. The closer I got to Porter I started to see the concrete wet near the curb. When I turned onto F1314 to go east to Loop 494 the road was wet but no rain was falling. I estimate the rain was 15 minutes in front of me. Once I was on Loop 494 the road was wet all the way to Eagle Drive by New Caney High School. I took Eagle Drive back to the US59 service road and as I approached the service road it started to rain big drops but not too many of them. I got on the service road and headed to New Caney thinking if the rain increased there were a couple of places I could stop. The rain didn’t increase until I passed those places and stayed with me until I was about 1/2 a mile from FM1485 and some places to get out of the rain. One spot on the service road was really muddy from the Grand Parkway construction. As I went by I could see many concrete trucks and a concrete batch plant. Of course it stopped when I was near those places. I took the u-turn under US59 at FM1485 to get to the Chevron station. The rain started back again and I waited there about 10 or 15 minutes. When it stopped I went out to FM1485 and rode to Gene Campbell Road. FM1485 was wet and so was Gene Campbell Road for the first mile or so. Then it dried out and the rain left all the way home. Not too long after I turned onto Gene Campbell Road a black pickup/SUV came toward me going the opposite direction. A bozo in the passenger seat put his arm out of the truck and flung something my direction but his timing and aim were not so good missing me.

Reaching the Stripes station on FM1314 I took a break to dry out some, eat some and drink. Also I was remembering the last time I rode through Briar Tree I had a dog sprint. I wondered if the dog would be out today. Finishing the break I wiped down my bike some and got on Old Sorters Road to see if the dog would be in place. Entering Briar Tree I turn to the left. The first mobile home on the left is the usual place I see the dog but he is not there today. This spot is difficult because I come around the corner sometimes after stopping for traffic and the distance is not long enough to get up to speed. The second place is further along the road where I can go faster but today I saw no dog. There was a large truck and a car passing so this might had played a part.

Weather was all over the place. Mostly cloudy at home when I started at 11:10, 87 degrees, 54% humidity and gusty wind. Raining in New Caney. Returning home at 2:34 the sky was still mostly cloud, 92 degrees  and 41% humidity. The wind picked up: SSE 17 mph gusts to 25 mph.

The Stradalli got the first brush wash to remove all of the grit and grime. It is now shinny again. My shoes were coated, my jersey has mud up the back and my socks were brown around the top.

Tomorrow the weather is forecast to be partly cloudy and 92. A good day to bike. I am watching live Tour de Suisse on BeInSport on Dish at 8:300 AM.

Mileage standings:

  • 38.3 miles this week
  • 534.96 miles for June (350 miles left to reach the June goal)
  • 2939 miles year to date
  • Links to Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS

[wppa type=”slide” album=”345″ size=”auto”][/wppa]

Texas Bicycling News Digest June 15th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Upcoming Rides and Events

San Antonio Wheelmen

Saturday, 6/21:           Toutant Beauregard Ride
Sunday, 6/22:             Latte Ride
Friday, 7/4:                 Independence Day Ride

Saturday July 12th Rudy’s Ride

Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club

Saturday July 12th: Ride begins at 7:30 a.m.  We will meet at Rudy’s parking lot on hwy. 151 and West Over Hills Blvd.  This scenic and somewhat hilly 28 mile ride is a good way to get a good workout in a short period of time..  Come and check out this new route that avoids the traffic on Talley Road and some of the hills of the previous ride.  For Information contact…

B/IG Distance Ride “Will Train for Coffee”

Saturday, Jun 21, 2014, 7:30 AM

Starbucks
7049 S Desert (Outlet Mall) Canutillo, TX

4 Cyclists Went

This is the 52-mile Beginning/Intermediate Group ride. Start at Starbuck’s at the Outlet Mall in Cantillo.  (Don’t park in spots right next to store). Ride will include the rollers along I-10 to Berino, then return via Valley back roads.  15-17 mph. Margaret O’Kelley,[masked], [masked].

Check out this Meetup →

The First Annual Fort Worth Father’s Day Mallard Cove Park Bike Ride Confusing My Brother

Durango Texas


Today was the day of my First Annual Father’s Day bike ride on the paved trails of Mallard Cove Park, located on the wild and rugged east side of the Texas town of Fort Worth.
In the picture you are looking at one of many big trees which rise from the open prairie of…

The Austin Mountain Bikers Meetup Group

Austin, TX
3,937 Mountain Bikers

Meet other local mountain bikers to organize rides, review trails, gear and trade tips. All skill-levels welcome. We’ll try to organize rides that fit all experience levels. M…

Check out this Meetup Group →

HBC Ride Schedule

Houston Bicycle Club

Sat 06/21/14     Columbus – Weimar Loops     8:00am     Ronald & Lilette Britsch
Sat 06/28/14     Pattison – Hempstead     8:00am     Ronald & Lilette Britsch
Sat 07/05/14     Chappell Hill West     8:00am     Ronald & Lilette Britsch

Bike Ride and Beatles Tribute concert at the Arboretum

Thursday, Jun 19, 2014, 6:30 PM

Winfrey Point
951 Winfrey Point Way Dallas, TX

16 Members Went

Let’s do a ride at White Rock Lake then listen to the “Hard Day’s Night” concert at the Arboretum.We’ll do a lap around the lake, swing by our cars to pick up anything we need, then do a short ride back to the “outside the fence” concert area. Bring something to sit on/snacks, etc. and we’ll park our bikes just off the trail to listen to the conce…

Check out this Meetup →

A Fine Day For Opening Dallas’ Continental Bridge & Park To Pedestrians, Cyclists

By Bill Zeeble        keranews.org


A brand new, $12 million Dallas park officially opened Sunday on an old converted bridge spanning the Trinity River. Visitors shared their impressions of the Continental Bridge Park for pedestrian and cyclists.
Under some cloud cover and a cooling, breeze, Sunday was, by most accounts, a beautiful time for hiking or, said Reshad Graves, biking the renovated pedestrian bridge and…

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Tweets

https://twitter.com/JerryDusterhoff/status/478105920900444160

Event Reminder

Texas Bicycling News Digest June 14th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Confessions of a Mediocre Masters Racer at Tulsa Tough

by Robert Wray        texasbikeracing.com


Five days later, my legs and kidneys have recovered, and I’ve had a chance to reflect on my weekend at Tulsa Tough. Not only was it my first time at Tulsa Tough, it was my first time stepping foot into Oklahoma.
Like Cat 6 rookies, an Austinbikes Bombers teammate and I rolled out of town at 3 PM on Friday afternoon, only to get stuck in horrendous traffic and construction between Austin and Dallas. Nine hours later, we rolled into Tulsa – just after midnight. We missed the Friday night “Blue Dome” crit. Stories were already circulating around the hotel bar about a…

The Short Track Series (STS) is Back!

GHORBA.org

GHORBA STS #1 – Cypresswood
GHORBA STS #2 – Riverbend, Sugar Land
GHORBA STS #3 – Jack Brooks
The STS race series allows for riders of all abilities to race against riders with similar skills. Solo qualification runs on the relatively short courses are done to seed riders based upon speed. Riders then go out in heats…

Tour De Burma Photos

San Angelo Bicycle Association

Photo gallery on Flickr.com of today’s ride.

TMC Team Time Trial Results 2014

Team McAllen Cycling

Thanks to all the teams that participated and volunteered in today’s fun team time trial. This year’s Jarachina Rd route was challenging where anything could happen. This year it included flats and a little dog chase. Hope to see you all next year after our Individual Team Time Trial Series. Congratulations to all the winners and participants! The results are below. …

BREVET SCHEDULE

LONE STAR Randonneurs

Italy June 21st 7:00 AM
Ride Start: Parking lot west of Exxon Tiger Mart
NW Corner of SR-34 & I-35E
Lodging
Italy Inn
101 L R Campbell Rd, Italy, TX

Police seek tips in hit-and-run that killed cyclist

By Alia Malik, San Antonio Express-News

SAN ANTONIO — Police are asking for the public’s help to find the driver who fatally hit a bicyclist last month.
Jose Carlos Macy, 20, had been riding in the designated bike lane May 3 just after 12:30 a.m., westbound in the 2900 block of West Commerce Street, according to police. Macy’s bicycle had a safety light, police said.
An unidentified vehicle hit Macy from behind and…

Collin Classic PBA Rest Stop – 2014

Plano Bicycle Association


The crew at the PBA rest stop readies for their first customer – of course it is Curtis! Thanks to all and especially to Rest Stop Captain Tim Eliott for the great support.

Upcoming Events

Brazos Valley Cyclists

Monday Night Social Ride
June 16 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Every Monday
Research Park
Karbach College Station Brews Cruise 2
June 16 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Harvey Washbangers
Mountain Biking Kids’ Rides
June 16 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Every week on Monday and Friday until July 4, 2014
Hensel Park
Take no Prisoners
June 17 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Every Tuesday
Springers Shell Station (“Shellron”)

Tweets

https://twitter.com/MinaFarzad/status/477864551762132992

https://twitter.com/IamWillPowers/status/477905849894318080

https://twitter.com/thejurgy/status/477879504111943680

https://twitter.com/thejurgy/status/477879463955685376