Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup December 3rd

Texbiker.net Posted on by

APD tracks down bike thief with GPS
by KVUE News

AUSTIN — A sting on the University of Texas campus has landed a man in the Travis County Jail.

As we told you in a KVUE Defenders investigation last May, UT police use bait bikes to catch bicycle thieves. They are equipped with a GPS tracking device that lets officers locate the bikes when…

Wednesday Urban Ride – January 1, 2014 06:30 PM
The UBG Cycling Club
Jan 07, 14:48
[0]
The regular Wednesday evening ride is an Urban Road Ride that leaves from Urban Bicycle Gallery at 6:30pm. The route is downtown and is around 20-23miles with the average of 18mph. Please have a light on the front and back of your bike. Helmet required. Rides will be cancelled if the weather conditions are rainy, or icy (when in doubt call the store).
When: January 1, 2014 06:30 PM
Where: 4814 Nett St. Houston, TX 77007

HBC Ride Schedule
Houston Bicycle Club

Ride Date Ride Name Start Starter Email Address Home Phone Volunteer
Saturday 12/07/13 Zube Park 9:00am NEEDED
Sunday 12/08/13 Your Ride 9:00am NEEDED
Saturday 12/14/13 Zube Park 9:00am Ronald & Lilette Britsch r.britsch@icloud.com 832-288-2637
Sunday 12/15/13 Urban Challenge Ride 9:00 a.m. Daniel J. Lyons danjoe@aol.com
Sunday 12/15/13 Your Ride 9:00am NEEDED
Saturday 12/21/13 Hempstead Melon Trail 9:00am Ronald & Lilette Britsch r.britsch@icloud.com 832-288-2637
Sunday 12/22/13 Your Ride 9:00am NEEDED
Saturday 12/28/13 Chappell Hill North 9:00am Ronald & Lilette Britsch r.britsch@icloud.com 832-288-2637
Sunday 12/29/13 Your Ride 9:00am NEEDED
Saturday 01/04/14 Montgomery 9:00am Ronald & Lilette Britsch r.britsch@icloud.com 832-288-2637
Sunday 01/05/14 Your Ride 9:00am NEEDED

Georgetown Cyclopaths Ride Schedule

RIDE SCHEDULE – December 2013 Short Rides Long Rides
Day Date Time Meet at Miles Map Miles Map
Saturday 12/7/2013 9:00 AM Dale’s Essenhaus Restaurant in Walburg 28 miles WA5 41 miles WA9
Sunday 12/8/2013 1:30 PM Berry Springs Park 34 miles B47
Saturday 12/14/2013 9:00 AM Catholic Church in Andice 35 miles A3 48 miles A4
Sunday 12/15/2013 1:30 PM Berry Springs Park 35 miles B23
Saturday 12/21/2013 9:00 AM Liberty Hill Elementary School 33 miles L12 45 miles L1
Sunday 12/22/2013 1:30 PM Berry Springs Park 35 miles B24
Saturday 12/28/2013 9:00 AM Berry Springs Park 31 miles B9 40 miles B6
Sunday 12/29/2013 1:30 PM Berry Springs Park 36 miles B56

Dallas Area Tandem Enthusiasts
The December edition of the DATES-Line Newsletter is published and available for download from the newsletters page. This month’s edition includes the following:
The Hilly Chili Ride
League of American Bicyclists Classes
Product Review Topeak iGlow
Halloween Ride
DATES Annual Meeting
DATES Membership Renewal

San Angelo Bicycling Association
Christmas Parade Ride, December 7th, 6:00 to 8:00 pm Meet at Shannon Hospital parking lot and be sure to decorate your bike.

Ride Through The Lights, December 8th, 5:15 to 6:15 pm. Meet at Central High School’s gymnasium parking lot. We will need to be off the course by 6:15 pm. Hot chocolate available after the ride.

Club Christmas Party, December 14th, 7:00pm at Harris Avenue Baptist Church Hospitality House, 1026 East Harris Ave. Bring…

America’s 10 best protected bike lanes of 2013
Michael Andersen, Green Lane Project staff writer
www.peopleforbikes.org
…3) Guadalupe Street, Austin

The half-mile spine of Austin’s university district is now one of the country’s best examples of a complete street, with pedestrian-friendly shops, bus stops and a first-rate bike facility that connects to other lanes in an…

Workshop Moves Seguin Ahead with Central Trail and Bike/Ped Network
BikeTexas.org

The City of Seguin hosted the Walnut Springs Trail Blazing Workshop November 22-23 at the Teatro De Artes De Juan Seguin Cultural Center near the Walnut Creek Trail and Greenbelt trailhead. The city is ready to move ahead with plans for Phase II of the trail after landing a Transportation Enhancement Grant for $1.8 million from TxDOT. The total trail will start from the northwest corner of town on SH 78, pass along Texas Lutheran University and an under-development and yet-to-be-named flagship park on 48 acres just acquired by the City.

BikeTexas staff was invited to present and participate on the resource team to support the workshop. Along with issues of making biking and…

Hamby Trail Work Day
Longview Bicycle Club
Hamby Trail Work Day on Saturday, December 7th, 2013 at 1:30 PM. Free drinks and prizes!

El Paso Bicycle Club Rides

    Saturday, December 7
    Sunday, December 8
    Saturday, December 14
    Sunday, December 15
    Saturday, December 21
    Sunday, December 22
    Saturday, December 28
    Sunday, December 29

 New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

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https://twitter.com/IamWillPowers/status/408002602094579713

Greensheet Busted Me

Texbiker.net Posted on by

The ride today went south and east on what I label the “Stroker Road – Huffman” route. The goal was 37 + miles and I ended up with 39.03 miles at a 15.4 mph average speed. This route runs on FM2100 so I wasn’t sure what road surface I would find. It turned out much better than I expected. FM2100 south of Old Atascocita road sports a new smooth shoulder except for two places where they installed turn lanes several months ago. Since I turned east at Stroker Road I did not see if this went all the way to Crosby. Stroker Road,  Ramsey Road and Old Atascocita Road are not affected by the resurfacing. These roads took me back to FM2100 for the ride north to FM1960. The northbound lane and shoulder have the first layer of new asphalt while the southbound lane and shoulder have the finish layer. No chewed up shoulder like Sunday’s ride.

When I rode on Ramsey Road I exchanged hello with another bicyclist riding south. He was going into the stiff headwind I endured on FM2100 and I enjoyed the tailwind. He was an older person, rather tall in a nice kit with matching shorts and jersey.

My legs complained a lot whenever I rode into the SW 9 mph wind and 20 mph gusts so I was glad when I finally made it to the Huffman Chevron for a break. That is where the Greensheet delivery lady busted me for taking a Greensheet paper to sit on. She was delivering new editions and was going to give me one to read until she saw me position the paper to sit on. We joked about how she caught me. She stopped before taking the new papers into the store to tell me about a 4 state bike ride she did back in the 1980’s and we talked about equipment changes since then. She asked if my bike had Campy components and said no, Shimano. I was surprised she knew about Campy. She wished me a good ride when she left. I thought now she will tell the circulation manager that all of those Greensheet papers he thought were being read instead went for seating. (Ha Ha) Greensheet papers are at almost every place I stop for breaks and they are free so I always take one to sit on rather than the concrete.

After I left the Huffman Chevron riding west on FM1960 I was passed by another bicyclist at E. Lake Houston Parkway. I stopped for the red traffic light and he rode through it. He wore an orange and blue kit with the letters “HTFU” on the back. Not sure what that means.

December mileage is off to a good start totaling 111.09. Year to date now totals 6097 miles. Tomorrow may be the last good weather day for biking for awhile. Thursday a cold front comes in and another could roll in on next Tuesday. Today it was 79 when I got back home but I did see 80 degrees on my phone. We probably won’t hit 80 again this year.

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Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup December 2nd

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Austin Calendar
Wednesday, December 4
7:00am  SwAus- Wednesday Gruppo VOP Ride (Road)
7:00am  Gruppo VOP (Adv)
7:30am  CenAus- Wednesday Morning Blazing Saddle Ride
9:00am  Georgetown- Sun City Cyclists Wednesday Ride (Road)
11:45am  CenAus- Hump Day Nooner Ride
5:00pm  CenAus- Gears for Beers Happy Hour Pricing at Club De Ville
6:00pm  Florence- Heart of Texas BMX Weekly Practice Time
6:00pm  CenAus- Weekly Bike Maintenance and Flat Repair Classes hosted by Mellow Johnny’s
6:00pm  SAus- Free Women’s Only Maintenance Classes
6:00pm  NwAus- Wednesday Night Brick Workout hosted by Bicycle Sport Shop
6:30pm  NAus- Austin Cycling Team Wednesday Night at the Nut Ride (MTB)
6:30pm  NwAus- Austin Cycling Team Beginner Ride (Road)
7:00pm  EAus- Bikes Across Borders Community Bike Shop Hours
7:00pm  NAus- Nelo’s Cycles Shop Weekday Ride (Road)
7:00pm  SAus- Social Cycling Austin’s The Heavy Breather Ride
8:00pm  EAus- Fast Folks Ladies Ride…
many more biking events

FHWA Celebrates Groundbreaking for Houston Bike/Pedestrian Trails
Federal Highway Administration
HOUSTON – The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez today participated in the groundbreaking for the Houston Regional Bike/Pedestrian Connections to Transit project. The $29 million project, which includes funding from a $15 million TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) IV grant and $800,000 in other federal funds, will improve mobility and provide visitors to the downtown area with safer shared-use paths, sidewalks and walkways. Administrator Mendez was joined by Congressman Gene Green, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Houston Mayor Annise Parker and other state and local officials at the event.
“The Obama Administration is committed to projects like Connections to Transit that create opportunity by connecting people to school, jobs and their homes,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “This investment will mean improved transportation choices and…

Texas Hell Week XXIII
8 – 15 March 2014
www.hellweek.com
Texas Hell Week is as common to Spring as are daffodils and wildflowers. Nicknamed “The Rides of March,” HWTX features 8 days of incredible riding and stunning scenery in Texas Hill Country. For 2014 we’re returning some old favorites and adding many new variations. You can register online, by phone, or by mail. Entry fees and online registration are available now. Early registrants can get on board for as low as $89 with our a la carte registration program.

Returning at Texas Hell Week in 2014 are our brevets, including a 200K on Monday, a 200K and 300K on Wednesday, and 200K/300K on Friday. Please visit the HW Brevets and HW Brevet Routes pages for more information.

Texas Hell Week routinely brings in hundreds of cyclists from all over the US, Canada and beyond. We haven’t done very much to market Texas Hell Week. It grows because of our…

Bike Tour Finder
While exploring Texas Hill Country, a cycling friend found out about Texas Hell Week in Fredericksburg (near Austin) from 3/8 – 3/15. This is an 8 day riding event. You can pick your distances each day and can even come for a few days. The site provides hotel and food options and the one part of this event the organizer stresses is that it is meant to be fun and the the group of riders are very close with many long lasting…

2013 Race Season Recap
www.turnincranks.com
This year was my first year to seriously pursue competitive mountain bike racing. At the start of the year, I had put a goal of finishing in the top 3 in the state series. That turned out to be a bit of a stretch given the level of competition, but it was still a great year.

In my efforts to be competitive, I bought a road bike and started riding it regularly for training purposes. The road bike made huge improvements in my fitness levels and facilitated my placings in the races this year. I’ve put over 1100 miles on the road bike this year, and while that’s not a lot by a lot of standards, that’s a fair bit for me. I’ve put in over 223 hours and 2500 total miles so far this year.

Early on I had a bit of a scare at Rocky Hill. Something off with the ticker, or so it seemed. Looks like it was just unfamiliarity with the level of intensity that I was training and…

Race Preview – Bikesport Cyclocross Challenge – Dec. 7, 2013
by joeyTWOwheels        texascx.com
Eight races left, bitties.

You know when the Bikesport Cyclocross Challenge and Terra X come about that the season in near complete. In fact, for many Texans this weekend marks just 30 days before the ultimate race – States.

CrossFlyer2013ccDon Paullo, the wizard behind the curtain, gives us some insight into the legendary track in SE Houston.

11 years! Wow, this is one long-standing event.

Yes we have been promoting cyclocross in Houson since 2003!  Hard to believe, we…

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A Few Extra Zigs and Zags

Texbiker.net Posted on by

After riding to Huffman yesterday today I elected to ride north on the route I call “New Caney – Gene Campbell Road”. The idea was to get a longer ride in and adding a few extra zigs and zags produced a 39.27 mile route. The December weather can be pretty fickle but today was great with a nice blue sky, 77 degrees with a 12 mph SW breeze. The wind can probably claim the reward for this warm weather.

Riding to the north did not require too much effort but whenever I turned into the wind my late fall legs struggled to keep my speed above 15 mph. I ended up with a 15.4 mph average speed thanks to the stretches with a tailwind.

When I stopped at the Stripes station FM1314 for a rest break (a little over 27 miles) I sat in the sun. The warmth was great compared to what we experienced a week ago. I did not hurry to get back on the bike because I enjoyed watching the traffic on FM1314 and the people coming into Stripes. Back when I was a youngster I liked to sit on my Grandmother’s front porch that looked out over US40. I looked for unusual vehicles and wondered where everyone was going. That was what I did today. One Toyota FJ Cruiser at Stripes had a bike on a rear rack. I said hi to the driver who was wearing a Bike Barn jersey but he didn’t say much in reply.

Just before I got ready to leave Stripes as I got up from my seat I happened to look at my rear tire. There was this black thing sticking off the side of the tread. I thought it might be a bit of asphalt but it turned out to be a chunk of rubber with some small wires sticking out of it. The wires held it on my tire but they were not long enough to cause a flat.

The weather should be excellent the next two days before reverting to nasty on Thursday so I need to take advantage and get some riding in.

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