Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for August 29th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

MPD officer applies love of cycling to crime prevention efforts
By Tyler White        www.mywesttexas.com

John Kerrigan goes to his happy place when he straps on a helmet, hops on a bicycle and sets out on the open road.
“I become one with the world,” Kerrigan said with a laugh, remembering how it feels to pedal down a long stretch of asphalt.
As an officer in the Midland Police Department’s Crime Prevention unit, Kerrigan’s bicycle is a police tool. He and other officers patrol the roads on…

Man on bicycle killed by Amtrak train in Stafford
by KHOU.com staff

STAFFORD, Texas — A man riding a bicycle was killed by an Amtrak train on Wednesday evening, according to police.
According to the Stafford Police Department, the incident happened on Murphy Road at Highway 90 around 7:30 p.m.
Officers said the man, who was in his 40s or 50s, apparently tried to…

Hotter ‘n Hell Hundred
By Kathleen        bicyclesoutbackracing.net
My weekend started at 4:00pm on Friday.  Although I wouldn’t be able to make it up to Wichita Falls in time for the Women’s Open crit that night, my teammates were there to represent.  And represent they did!  Kim attacked off the front of the peloton early on in the race and stayed away for the win!  What a great start to the weekend!  With the win in the crit, Kim also held the leader’s jersey for the omnium.  Matt & I and my sister finally arrived in Wichita Falls just before 9pm.  My sister took part in the 100K ride.  We picked up our numbers at the MPEC center and then headed to the grocery store to pick up breakfast and snacks for the weekend.  Prior to us getting to the hotel, Michelle checked us in at the front desk.  I guess there was a line of people waiting for their rooms so she wanted to get us checked in before we got there so we weren’t too far down on the list for getting our room…

Infographic: Bike sharing sweeps the U.S.
www.peopleforbikes.org
The rise of bike sharing is a development we’re jazzed about here at PeopleForBikes. Back in 2008, our organization helping bring 1,000 short-term rental bikes to the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, planting the seeds for Denver B-cycle, the first bike sharing program in a major U.S. city.

This summer, we rode the new systems in New York and Chicago and watched how bike sharing—particularly when paired with a safe, low-stress bike network—can transform a city’s bicycling experience and culture. Today, San Francisco is opening its bike sharing system, with 700 bikes and 70 stations around the Bay Area…

STCC Labor Day Ride 2013
Shawnee Trail Cycling Club

Come join us Monday September 2, 2013 for our annual STCC Labor Day Ride. As always, routes and pace groups will depend on who and how many participate, but we are planning for at least 3 routes (60,40,30 miles). Follow our post on the Forum over the next few days closely for details and announcements. This and Facebook are the place to post any questions you might have.

There will be some snacks and drinks available after the ride. Our west starting point is one of our most popular. The drive to the other side of…

Harden Dental Team Ride
Corinth Cycling
When: Sat Sep 7, 2013 7am to 10am  CDT
Where: Ronny Crownover Middle School
Event Status: confirmed
Event Description: This is the weekly training ride for the Corinth Cycling/Harden Dental race team. This is a 62 mile loop on an established route. Expect a fast pace and be prepared to fix your own mechanicals. There are no stops on this ride.

RLAG BCGB – Zilker Access
Austin Ridge Riders
Monday, September 9, 2013 – 18:00
Where: Barton Creek Greenbelt – Zilker Access
Monday evening rides start at 6:00 pm.

Saturday rides are with the Austin Ridge Riders.

Pre-Ride participants break into groups based on skill level. Post-ride we share ride stories and have a raffle made possible by the generosity of the program sponsors.

Ride Like A Girl rides are designed for ALL levels of rider. If you’ve never ventured off pavement…we suggest the Novice Group to start. If you’d like a little instruction, demonstration and maybe a few drills, try one of the Beginner Groups. More experienced riders will fit right in with…

Trail Clean-up Weekend
www.bikewtca.org
Date: August 30, 2013 – August 31, 2013
Location: Lubbock, TX
Contact: Mike Ivins
Details: WTCA and Sun Adventure Sports are hosting a trail clean-up weekend at the Mae Simmons trails. Meet Friday, August 30th at 5pm at the parking lot. We’ll work for a couple of hours. We will also meet Saturday, August 31st at 8am in the same parking lot and decide from there where to go. The trails need a lot of TLC and the more people the better. We hope to see you there!

Tweets

What Plan? – August 29th Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

The best laid plans sometime do not come together. My plan for today was to go biking after the Vuelta a Espana stage 6 finished. Well the remodeling project took care of that. First the plumber came to finish the toilet installation that failed yesterday when we opened the box and found a badly damaged toilet. Off to Lowes for the replacement. After the plumbers left then the shower installers came but an hour later than scheduled. In addition my wife and I began cleaning the kitchen and breakfast area from all of the dust and other debris. All of this came to end so I rolled out the driveway at 2:11 headed to Huffman. I thought with the late start 30 miles was about the right distance and I ended up riding 30.59 miles at a 15.7 mph average speed. August miles increased to 784.16 and year to date I have biked 5035 miles.

Starting late put me in the heat of the day which was 95 when I left and 94 when I finished at 4:47. Wind was not a factor today and the mostly cloudy sky meant the sun was in and out. Friday will be hot as well with 99 degrees and partly cloudy sky. I will try to leave earlier than today.

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Texas Bicycling Daily News Roundup for August 28th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Elite Bicycles group find new route for weekly ride
by Marlena Hamilton Reporter        www.ketknbc.com

Tyler Tx, (KETK) — Elite Bicycles in Tyler host a 30 mile bike ride every Tuesday.
And since bicyclists have been banned from riding on Loop 49, the group has found a couple new routes.
“This particular ride we are actually going to go out of town so we’re going to go ride on some back county roads and just enjoy the scenery,” said Elite Bicycles store manager Joe Self.
Self says they had to switch up a few of their routes due to…

10 Things I Think About While Biking (BIKING?!)
By Patti Tucker         blog.mysanantonio.com
Yes, this is still a running blog.  No, I’m not running.
I won’t bore you with the details of my continuing injury that is preventing me from running.  My training is taking a big hit and there are only 10 weeks left in the schedule.  Last week I banked a 4-miler and a 5-miler, with no long run attempted.  I’m beginning to wonder if I’m going to be able to pull off a half-marathon this year.  Lawsy.
The good news is I can bike with…

Denton Bicycle Safety Course
corinthcycling.wordpress.com

The Denton Police Department is offering a free “Smart Cycling: Traffic Skills 101″ all-day training course on Saturday, September 7th from 8:00am to 5:00pm at the Denton Police Department. The course is open to those ages 15 and older and includes both classroom and on-bike activity.
Course participants are required to bring their own bikes, helmets and…

Houston receives $6.6 million grant to improve hike and bike trails (Video)
Marc Pembroke    Houston Public Policy         www.examiner.com
…The four projects will increase connectivity across the Houston area. They include.
1.The Mason Park Pedestrian Bike Bridge (TE Funding $3,544, 579). The bridge over Brays Bayou with 200 feet of new trail on each bank will link existing paths with neighborhoods, community service institutions, and business districts.
2.University Connection (TE Funding: $1, 844,655. ) The project will provide a safe pedestrian and bicycle crossing for Brays Bayou near two new light rail transit centers, two universities, and many neighborhoods in the MacGregor Park area.
3.Hunting Bayou Gaps (TE Funding $607, 440). The project will connect…

CPHS alumna returns from 4,000-mile cycling tour
Engler raised $6,497 for cancer research
By Cristina Peña        Austin Community Newspapers Staff
The old adage “mind over matter” is what pushed Rachel Engler through the Texas deserts and California mountains on her journey from Austin to Anchorage, Alaska.

Engler, a Cedar Park High School alumna, participated in teh Texas 4000 this summer and toured the western United States by bicycle with her team of 22 riders. The organization raises money to directly benefit cancer research through…

Tuesday Ride at BCGB – Intermediate skill ride level
The Austin Mountain Bikers Meetup Group
Tuesday, September 3, 2013        5:30 PM
Barton Creek Greenbelt – 360 Access (beside brick office building)
3755-B Capital of Texas Hwy., Austin, TX (map)

Back to normal summer hours.
Please be there and be ready to roll by 5:30 pm. We will meet in the parking lot of the office building
Any question please call/text  me at…

Tweets

https://twitter.com/BrianPorter03/status/372802510714851328

https://twitter.com/TourdeGruene/status/372849054327111680

https://twitter.com/COABikeProgram/status/372733001035046914

Goal Reached – August 28th Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

The house remodeling is winding down so I got started riding today at 11:28. I rode to the north going up US59 to New Caney before turning south to return home. While the northbound US59 service road has construction barriers up the southbound lanes remain unchanged so far. This route is 32.61 miles long which put the August mileage over my 721 mile goal. August mileage now totals 753.58 miles. With 3 potential biking days left in August I could get to 800+ miles. Year to date miles also passed a milestone reaching 5005 miles. I did average 15.7 mph over the ride.

Roads and streets on this route are good to great quality without any chip seal pavement. Now that summer is winding down the road damage from heat should go down.

With the end of summer approaching the temperature ranges during my rides has moved down. Today the range was 87 to 92. I can feel the temperature decline in the air. As I ride my sweat production is going down as the few degree decrease allows my body to not get quite so hot. The bandana is not soaked with perspiration to the level it was a couple of weeks ago. Supposedly the temperature will be in the upper 90’s later this week. Humidity hovered around 40% which is pleasant for southeast Texas.

I should start riding before noon tomorrow and hopefully avoid the 99 degree forecast. Watching the Vuelta a Espana is the reason for not starting earlier.

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