No Loop Back – July 2nd Bike Ride

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Day 2 of July and the weather lightened up some more from what we experienced on Saturday. The humidity rested at 37% as I rode out of the driveway at 11:05 and 28% when I pulled in at 1:52. During the ride my perspiration evaporated nicely keeping me cool. When the sun ducked behind the clouds I felt a coolness from the moisture leaving my jersey.

To not loop back over any of my route I went north to New Caney via the “back way” out of Kingwood. At New Caney I turned to the northwest on FM1485 going to Gene Campbell Road. Up to this point the 10.4 mph breeze offered no resistance as it came from the north. I enjoyed the cooling effect as I made the left turn onto Gene Campbell and pedaled toward FM1314. All this time I expected to be greeted by the usual headwind once I started on FM1314 but not the case. Not to complain spinning along FM1314 was a breeze until I stopped at the Stripes store for a break to drink a Diet Pepsi, eat some crackers and Kashi cookies.

Normally when I take one of these breaks the sweat drips from my body for awhile until I cool down but today was different and I barely dampened the paper towels I sat on. The temperature range while I was biking: 85 to 92 which is not too bad for July.

After finishing the rest I moved to the traffic light to cross FM1314 to Old Sorters Road. Unfortunately the sensor does not recognize a bicyclist so I stood there for several minutes until several cars pulled up behind to activate the light change. Finally getting through the light I continued to Briar Tree subdivision and back streets to land at the southbound US59 service road. Traffic was light on the service road and I stayed at a steady pace to Kingwood Drive. My speed was no where near the TDF team time trail though. They averaged over 40 mph while I was at 18 to 20 mph. Over the 34.16 mile route I averaged 16.0 mph which is not too shabby for me. July mileage increased to 70.32 and 3396 year to date.

Links to the interactive maps and metrics at Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS.com.

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Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for July 1st

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The Racing Post – July 2013 Edition

All Level Ride @ Walnut Creek Spring/Summer hours
The Austin Mountain Bikers Meetup Group
Sunday, July 7, 2013        9:30 AM
Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park
12138 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, TX (map)

We set up under the trees in the parking lot near the swimming pool. Look for the ARR Banner.

New Spring/Summer hours to help when the weather gets hotter.  Starting 3/31 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…

Brazosport Bicycle Club Upcoming Rides
7/4/2013     7:30 AM     4th of July Ride     Start at LJ Recreation Center.
7/5/2013     7:30 AM     Friday Morning Ride     Start at Abner Jackson Park and Ride on 2004 near Lake Road.
7/6/2013     7:30 AM     Saturday Morning Ride     Meet at Lake Jackson Recreation Center
7/7/2013     7:30 AM     Sunday Morning Ride     Meet at 288 and 35 Park and Ride in Angleton
7/9/2013     7:30 AM     Tuesday Morning Ride     Start at Abner Jackson Park and Ride on FM 2004 near Lake Road.
7/12/2013     7:30 AM     Friday Morning Ride     Start at Abner Jackson Park and Ride on 2004 near Lake Road.
7/13/2013     7:30 AM     Saturday Morning Ride     Meet at Lake Jackson Recreation Center
7/14/2013     7:30 AM     Sunday Morning Ride     Meet at 288 and 35 Park and Ride in Angleton…

Georgetown Cyclopaths July Rides

Day Date Time Meet at Miles Map Miles Map
Saturday 7/6/2013 8:00 AM Dale’s Essenhaus Restaurant in Walburg 32 miles WA11 46 miles WA12
Sunday 7/7/2013 9:00 AM Berry Springs Park 32 miles B25 43 miles B50
Saturday 7/13/2013 8:00 AM Catholic Church in Andice 33 miles A7 44 miles A8
Sunday 7/14/2013 9:00 AM Berry Springs Park 33 miles B27 46 miles B16
Saturday 7/20/2013 8:00 AM Gravel Parking Lot in Weir 27 miles WE2 51 miles WE8
Sunday 7/21/2013 9:00 AM Berry Springs Park 32 miles B39 42 miles B8
Saturday 7/27/2013 8:00 AM Union State Bank in Florence 34 miles F2 43 miles F3
Sunday 7/28/2013 9:00 AM Berry Springs Park 32 miles B60 38 miles B67

LMRA Bicycle Club July Calendar
LMRA July 2013 Calendar

Houston biking group eyes future amid growth, complaints
By Craig Hlavaty, Houston Chronicle

On the last Friday of every month, Houston bicyclists meet at Market Square park to take part in Critical Mass, an informal bike ride that happens among different groups all over the world.

The size of the last ride was the talk of the town on Friday night, good and bad.

Abrahan Garza has been riding with CM since May 2009. He remembers there only being around 300 riders on his first ride. Friday night, he says he was one of nearly 1,500. Some estimated there to be close to…

Texas bikers roll across Montana for a special cause
by Keele Smith – MTN News

A group of college students are biking for a special cause – and today they cruised into Bozeman.

“We don’t really have the money to fund some significant cancer research,” said Sarah Kettles, ride director. “So we use our youth and our bodies to try and make a difference and inspire others by raising money and spreading hope and knowledge about cancer prevention.”

A group of 69 University of Texas students are part of the…

Niner Jet9 Review
by TC            www.turnincranks.com
Well, as I referenced in my last post, my chain stay had gotten bashed and I was looking for a replacement.

I dropped the bike at the shop last Monday before we headed out of town for a trip to Corpus Christi with the expectation that I’d be out about $300 to have it fixed.

Shop calls on Friday with some bad news. Apparently my seat stays are also bent, as well as needing some new bushings. This is going to push the price upwards towards $500.

Now we’re starting to get into the neighborhood of concern on pricing. I’ve already had to replace the chain stay once last fall due to the derailleur hanger not breaking off and shearing off the end of the stay. That cost me about $300 then. Now I’m looking at…

Fraternity men cycle coast to coast to benefit people with disabilities
by Reagan Roy        www.ketknbc.com

Longview, Texas (KETK) — A team of cyclists participating in Journey of Hope, presented by KRG Capital, will arrive in Longview as a stop on their 4,000-mile cycling event across the country to raise funds and awareness for people with disabilities Tuesday, July 16th.

The team will be having dinner and an advocacy presentation with AMBUCS TOO at 5pm.

Journey of Hope is a program of Push America, the national philanthropy of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, which raises funds and awareness for people with disabilities. The Journey of Hope team consists of men from Pi Kappa Phi chapters across the…

Critical Swerve – a film by Joseph Rangel
www.bikingindallas.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ8Wslefe8Q&feature=player_embedded

The Pedaler Newsletter – July 2013
San Antonio Wheelmen
Earlier today, I watched a recording of the first day of the 100th edition of the Tour de France.  One of the team buses got stuck under the banner of the “finishing line”.  It forced the TdF officials to declare that the race would now end at the 3 KM-to-go mark, where they also had photo-finish equipment.  After that was relayed to the cyclists, the team bus was dislodged from the banner and a big crash occurred about 3 KM from the 3 KM-to-go mark!  The TdF officials decided that the original “finishing line” would now be the end of the race and that that the riders who crashed earlier would get the same time as the winner.  The race is off to an interesting start…

We held our annual summer picnic on June 15th.  You can view several photos taken during the picnic on…

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New Route – July 1st Bike Ride

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My the temperature did an abrupt change. When I got up this morning my weather station showed 69 degrees (6:30 AM). I thought biking now would require a long sleeve jersey for warmth rather than sun protection; not necessary for a couple of months. Due to volunteering at HAAM I was not going to be able to bike until the afternoon. I wondered if the heat would return by then but it was only 88.9 when I left on the ride at 1:53. Not too hot so I wore a long sleeve jersey for sun protection. The humidity was super low too at 31% falling to 27% at the conclusion with 91.6 degrees.

While I waited to leave for my volunteering I watched the Tour de France. Exciting racing over some gorgeous terrain. I did not get to watch the end until I got back from HAAM. Doing this I always have to be careful to avoid spoilers but I get to skip the commercials.

The route today is one I never tried before. I biked most of the roads and streets but not in this combination. I started off on the back streets to exit Kingwood to the southwest to get to the US59 south service road and into Humble. I was not certain of the distance for this route so as I approached FM1960 on the west side of Lake Houston I was 3 or 4 miles short of my goal so I rode east over Lake Houston to just beyond East Lake Houston Parkway where I stopped at 24 miles to drink and eat before turning back over Lake Houston and heading home. I ended up riding 36.16 miles; a good start for July. The wind was 10.4 mph with 16 mph gusts. this slowed me down riding to the NNE but not so much to impact my overall average speed of 15.6 mph. This ride moved year to date up to 3361 miles.

Now that I have this route under my tires when I repeat this direction I will have a better idea of the mileage.

Tomorrow the weather should repeat today. I can ride earlier if I don’t watch too much of the TDF.

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Texas Bicycling Daily News Roundup June 30th

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Corinth Cycling

Cooley taking the last turn to head west for the last 10k of the time trial out in Lytle Texas yesterday. Results are not yet posted or official after timing inaccuracies by race officials unfortunately. Full out effort and the…

The bike boom
Americans are using bikes for transportation and recreation in record numbers as the fitness and green movements, as well as high energy costs, spur a two-wheel revolution.
By Ron Scherer, Staff writer        www.csmonitor.com

Wearing a black Jil Sander skirt matched with an elegant Velvet T-shirt, Lucy Wallace Eustice is pedaling her bike to work on a day as clear as Baccarat crystal. Her four-mile journey takes her along a bicycle path, one of the nation’s busiest, that parallels the Hudson River on one side and the Manhattan skyline on the other side.

To get to her SoHo office in the middle of the city, she weaves through side streets, dodging UPS trucks, squawking taxis, and workmen perforating roadways with jackhammers. Ms. Eustice could easily take other…

PBA July Safety Clinics
Plano Bicycle Association
July is PBA Safety Month.  As part of our effort to increase safety awarness and improve the safety of our rides, two of our local bike shops will be conducting ride saftey clinics in July.  Plano Cycling and Fitness will conduct their clinic on July 15 and Richardson Bike Mart will conduct their clinic on July 20. Different safety topics are covered in the two clinics, so attend both to…

Seen at the Smurf Boy
by Eliot Landrum            www.bikingindallas.com

For many cyclists in the DFW area, mountain biking is the ticket to bike joy. This might come as a surprising fact to folks who are new to the area…. the terrain around here isn’t exactly what you’d expect to be ideal for off-road cycling. However, thanks to amazing local organizations like DORBA and North Texas Mountain Bike Patrol (NTMBP), Dallas boasts many fantastic trails to get your bike dirty.

This weekend kicked off the first of the Smurf Boy Endurance Series mountain bike races organized by the NTMBP. Mountain bikers from all over the area set up at Rowlett Creek Preserve for the…

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