Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup January 31st

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Biking event a massive hassle for Houston motorists
thedailycougar.com
I was making my way outside of Rockefeller Hall when I noticed a couple of beautifully decorated bicycles making their way down Washington Avenue. They were neon colors, all lit up with Christmas lights.
I stared at them as they zoomed past, and quickly tapped my friend’s shoulder, telling him “Look! Aren’t those bicycles so cool?”
A police officer standing a few feet away from me audibly sighed. I looked over at him, and he rolled…

RIDE SCHEDULE – Georgetown Cyclopaths

February 2014 Short Rides Long Rides
Day Date Time Meet at Miles Map Miles Map
Saturday 2/1/2014 9:00 AM Catholic Church in Andice 36 miles A2 49 miles A21
Sunday 2/2/2014 1:30 PM Berry Springs Park 34 miles B55
Saturday 2/8/2014 9:00 AM Dale’s Essenhaus Restaurant in Walburg 32 miles WA11 46 miles WA12
Sunday 2/9/2014 1:30 PM Berry Springs Park 34 miles B63
Saturday 2/15/2014 9:00 AM Union State Bank in Florence 29 miles F5 40 miles F6
Sunday 2/16/2014 1:30 PM Berry Springs Park 35 miles B23
Saturday 2/22/2014 9:00 AM Liberty Hill Elementary School 33 miles L2 45 miles L9
Sunday 2/23/2014 1:30 PM Berry Springs Park 34 miles B48

A Single Speed Perspective of Rudolph’s Revenge
www.texasmountainbiketrails.com

by: Jesse Bernal
After a gloomy start to this year’s endurance season I was eager to get the first race under my belt. In the week before the original date of Rudolph’s Revenge, the Dallas/Ft. Worth area had received a sudden freak ice/snow storm that put a damper on a couple of the scheduled endurance races, including this one. Then, just a few weeks later, another unprecedented event forced the DORBA endurance race at Northshore to end early. The cause, a grassfire started by a campfire that wasn’t extinguished properly.
Needless to say, the DFW endurance racers were ready for a race. Fast-forward to January 26th, the rescheduled date for Rudolph’s Revenge, and we would finally get the…

It’s Time to Ride…with the Bicycle Sport Shop Cycling Club!
bicyclesportshop.wordpress.com
Ever thought about joining a cycling club or team?  Wonder why folks do or what’s expected?  While it varies from club to club, the general premises of each of them is the same—to have a group of folks to ride with and have fun!
For the second year Bicycle Sport Shop wrapped up January with a launch party for its Cycling Club. Last night over half of the nearly 200 club members stopped by the Lamar store to…

Gearing up for Chihuahuan Desert Bike Fest
By Pam LeBlanc        www.austin360.com

My wounds are nearly healed from last month’s mountain bike crash and I’m getting ready to head west again for the Chihuahuan Desert Bike Fest.
If you’ve never ridden a bike through the cactus and tarantula populated terrain of the Big Bend area, you should check it out.
Mountain bikers of all skill levels are invited to the festival, highlighted by three…

Fresno-Sauceda Loop
www.imba.com

A huge day in the saddle and super challenging,” says IMBA board member and Mountain Bike Hall of fame inductee Hill Abell. “Even the most accomplished 4-wheeler would have second thoughts about traversing the rugged double track segments, and you’ll witness incredible geography throughout the ride.”

This burly loop offers a blend of singletrack, creek beds and 4×4 roads, with frequent, often steep, climbs and descents. The riverbed sections vary from hard-packed to sandy and soft, with highly technical sections. There are significant archeological and historical sites along the route, including…

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A Nice Ending

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My last ride was on Sunday January 26th. I waited to the last day to get some miles to put me over my 309 mile goal for January. This wasn’t my choice with some cold weather moving in on Monday. Since I could ride Monday I installed new Ultegra BR-6700 brakes on the road bike. I received some Aztec cables in advance of the brakes but when I opened the package they turned out to derailleur cables. Off to the LBS for a brake cable. This cable will work until the new ones arrive. I like the Aztec cables because they are Teflon coated (generic brand though) which holds rust at bay for a long time.

What a difference the new brakes make. Actually the brake pads make the difference. Before I had to exert a lot of squeeze for the rear brake to grab the rim but now a light touch is all that is needed. Same with the front brake. I will have to get use to this new stopping power.

The route for today’s ride took me north to New Caney and back south through Valley Ranch and into Kingwood. I biked 28.93 miles for this trip at 15.6 mph average speed putting me at 329.05 miles for January. I surpassed my goal!!! All of this biking was under a cloudy sky, 68 degrees and a 16 mph SSE wind (21 mph gusts). I was hoping the forecasted 72 degrees would show up but it didn’t make during my ride. My wardrobe choice went well with the cool factor: long sleeve jersey, leg warmers (added at the last minute), shorts, windbreaker jacket. I was comfortable during the ride once I warmed up.

Tomorrow’s weather looks favorable: 73 degrees, 40% chance of rain. A good start for February.

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Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup January 30th

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Pay It Forward: Officer replaces 10-year-old’s stolen bike
by Drew Karedes / KHOU 11 News

LIBERTY, Texas — It’s a story that starts with a 10-year-old’s bike being stolen, and ends with “pay it forward” gestures all over town. Logan Carter received a new bike this past Christmas.
He rode it every day for a month until someone stole it from his family’s front yard.
Logan’s mother searched the entire…

Join the conversation on biking deaths, downtown tunnels, and a highway plan
Compiled by Leila Merrill        www.houstonchronicle.com

Here are some of the top comments in recent days from HoustonChronicle.com readers. Tell us and fellow readers what you think about local cyclists’ deaths and the issue of road safety, the upcoming downtown tunnel closure, and the proposal to have a highway go through Katy Prairie. …

Bike ride, run raises funds for special athletes
By Amy Pearson        www.news-journal.com

An arctic front might have moved through East Texas earlier in the week, but participants in Saturday’s Freeze Your Fanny bike ride and run shouldn’t have to worry too much about an icy posterior.
Weather is supposed to be temperate for the annual event, which is the only fundraiser for the East Texas Lightnin’, the East Texas delegation of athletes who participate in Special Olympics events. In addition to…

Bike journey turns harrowing in West Texas
LINDSAY WEAVER, Odessa American
ODESSA, Texas (AP) — In their younger years, Cindy and Stephen Weber of Mount Vernon, Wash., loved to take long biking trips together.
They always wanted to go cross-country by pedal, but as life happens — with the demands of jobs and raising four children — they finally got their opportunity to set out after 34 years of marriage.
They sold their home in Washington, quit their jobs and hit the road for Key West, Fla.
Never could they have foreseen what happened on Jan. 17 in West Texas about 1,300 miles into their cycling journey that began in San Diego.
While riding in a remote area about 12 miles east of Marathon, Cindy was hit by a…

Lrd Sportswire
CYCLING IN LAREDO is taking form as athletes take to using the rides for conditioning.

Volunteer to support bike sharing in Austin
www.peopleforbikes.org

It’s been a little more than a month since Austin B-Cycle launched (you know, those cute little red bikes cruising all over town), and it’s about to get better.
Over the next two months, Austin B-Cycle will be adding 29 more stations with 290 more bikes throughout downtown, which means more bikes for more people! Awesome, right?
The only catch is that in order to get 290 bikes on the ground in time for SXSW, they need help building all of those bikes. And, speaking of SXSW, with all of the new people in town looking for a ride…

West Marine recalls some folding bikes
by BRAIN Staff        www.bicycleretailer.com

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (BRAIN) — Boating retailer West Marine is recalling about 4,600 folding bikes sold in its stores and on it’s website. The bike frames can break during use, the retailer said.
The recall involves two models — the Jetty Express 2 and the Port Runner 2. The Jetty Express 2 has a blue and white frame and folds at a hinge in the middle. Jetty Express 2 is printed on the bike’s frame. The Port Runner 2 has a red frame and folds at a hinge in the middle. Port Runner 2 is printed on the bike’s frame. The bikes were…

USA Cycling unveils its 2014 National Track Calendar
www.usacycling.org
Colorado Springs, Colo. (January 30, 2014) — USA Cycling on Thursday announced its 2014 USA Cycling National Track Calendar (NTC). The event spans five events at velodromes nationwide beginning on May 17 with the Matrix Track Cup p/b Richardson Bike Mart at the Superdrome in Frisco, Texas, before culminating with the Los Angeles Grand Prix at the VELO Sports Center in Carson, Calif.

The calendar’s second event is the Midwest Challenge which will be held June 13-14 at the Major Taylor Velodrome in Indianapolis. The country’s best track sprinters will contest the U.S. Grand Prix of Sprinting in July at the Velodrome at Memorial Park in Colorado Springs, Colo. On July 25-26, the riders will head to the Pacific Northwest to compete in the Marymoor Grand Prix at the Marymoor Velodrome in Redmond, Wash. The calendar’s final event will be at the VELO Sports Center in Carson, Calif., where…

Rocky Hill Ranch Trail Review
www.texasmountainbiketrails.com

Hill Country Riding at Rocky Hill Ranch
Rocky Hill Ranch is located in Smithville, TX about 2 hours from Houston but is worth the drive for getting some real hill work in on nice trails. They host many races for mountain bikers, endurance runners and even mud runners throughout the year so it’s a good idea to check their website at rockyhillranch.com, before you hit the road and head that direction. This weekend they were prepping for not only the TMBRA race but also an upcoming mud run so you had to pay attention to the signs, which were fairly well marked.
The storm this past week took down some trees on the Cat1/2 loop but I saw some trail work going on and they were prepping to have them ready in time. The place holds true to…

Your wristband works 4 you!
www.desertsportstx.com

Terlingua and Study Butte will soon be overrun with Dirt Festers and many of our local, terrific sponsors have chipped in with special deals for folks wearing their wristbands around town. So check out the deals, patronize the local establishments and flash your wristband about town for more deals that we’ve even listed here. …

2014 Tour de Houston – Registration Now Open
www.bikehouston.org

Ride Benefiting City’s Reforestation Program Scheduled For Sunday, March 16
Mayor Annise Parker and Senator Rodney Ellis will ride along with participants in the 2014 Tour de Houston Presented by Apache Corporation. Cyclists will line up at City Hall on Sunday, March 16, as the bike ride kicks off to benefit the Re-Plant Houston Program managed by the Houston Parks and Recreation Department. The ride begins at City Hall at 7:00 a.m. and all riders will finish at City Hall by 1:30 p.m.
“This annual bike ride has become a Houston tradition in our city, thanks to our public and private partnership with Apache Corporation,” said Mayor Annise Parker. “Semi-professional…

Flexibility
An Old Guy On Two Wheels
Did another volunteer session at BCycle this afternoon. Assembled 3 more bikes. Got to work with a young woman who is a regular visitor at Yellow Bike. Fun 3 hours.
For yesterday’s session I parked close to their office. That was a challenge. Not only are parking spots scarce in that part of town, they’re usually full. That and the meters max out at 3 hours.
So today I took advantage of the flexibility that public bike share provides. I found a parking lot with a reasonable all day fee. It is conveniently located across the street…

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Texas Bicycling Daily News Roundup January 29th

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Cyclist Recovering After Being Hit By Truck During Cycling Trip
www.permianbasin360.com
Odessa, TX (Big 2 News) – “Well, it was just a very sudden crash,” said Steve Weber, who has been cycling with his wife, Cindy for years.
Steve and Cindy have been cycling for years.
Both avid bikers, they planned a cross country bike trip from San Diego, California to Key West Florida but, it was cut short in the Big Bend region.
“We planned it for so long and we were just absolutely having a great time,” said Cindy Weber.
“Cindy was just a little bit to my left, kind of drafting off of me so to speak. And all the sudden, just heard a woosh and this truck with a big horse trailer went by and Cindy was in front of me, on the ground,” Steve said.
Cindy says she was hit on Highway-90, east of Marathon. …

DORBA DIRT SKIRTS – Women’s Group Ride
Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association
Sunday, February 16, 2014    1:00 PM
River Legacy Park
703 N.W. Green Oaks Blvd, Arlington, TX (map)
Women of All levels are welcome, divide up and ride in small groups according to level.

Midwestern State University Cycling Team
The team went for a great ride this past weekend. Huge thanks to our sponsor, The Bike Stop, for having such a great place to launch from. See you all again this upcoming Saturday at 10am.

Beginners Road Cycling to train for BPMS150
Beginners Cycling group for MS150 is a cycling group for those that want to ride on Sundays to train for the MS150 in April. It is meant for those who feel comfortable in the 12 to 16 mph range of cycling. We will be following many of the recommended routes for the MS150 on Sundays and participating in some of the recommended Sunday events.

Other rides may be added by members at anytime.  The point is to get ride time in before the event.

South Walnut Creek Trail
violetcrown.org/

From the desk of Doug Ballew, Violet Crown’s new Bike Advocacy Director:
Greetings! I have volunteered to be the Advocacy Director for the Club and will provide updates to the Club on the goings on of the state of Bicycling in our fair city.
It’s a great time to be a cyclist in Austin! If you have ridden with me, then I’m sure you’ve heard me speak of the South Walnut Creek Trail (SWCT). The trail runs mostly parallel to Hwy. 183 on the east side of town. The 10’ wide, paved trail is scheduled for completion later this year, but currently…

New Pics Of The Central Trail Construction – Buckingham To Spring Valley
Bike Friendly Richardson

The Central Trail, southern extension – from Buckingham to Arapaho – is coming along nicely. The Central Trail goes north and south along the DART rail line which runs through Richardson. It will eventually connect Richardson, Plano and other suburban communities to the various parts of Dallas.
We’ve already posted pics of the ‘northern’ end of this extension that runs from Arapaho to Belt Line. Now, we’re seeing some great progress on the southern end, between Buckingham and Spring Valley. The trail isn’t officially open, so don’t head that way yet.
We’re not there yet. Even when complete, there is still a…

Some assembly required
An Old Guy On Two Wheels

Saw another appeal on Facebook for assistance from Austin B-Cycle.  The next round of station installations is taking place and they’re assembling bikes to fill them.  So I signed up (it’s really easy to do) and headed down to lend a hand.
IMG_1304Unpacked three bicycles and finished assembly on two of them.  The third I got mostly done but had to head out to prevent a parking ticket.
The bikes are almost complete out…

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