Tomorrow I plan on riding a longer ride than usual (around 47 miles) so I decided today I would ride around 30 miles to not over do it. Before I retired I usually biked 22 to 25 miles in the evening after work during daylight savings time. Now that I am retired my typical ride is 25 to 30 miles which allows me to also ride in the mornings. The ride on Saturday is with several people from the Houston Cycling Club Meetup Group. We will ride north and then circle back to Porter and then to Kingwood.
To ride the distance today I went south through Atascocita, Walden at Lake Houston and then over to the east side of Lake Houston to Huffman. Friday must free up some people since I saw about 8 or 10 other bicyclists out. Most were riding north on W. Lake Houston as I exited Kingwood Greens to head south. Maybe the slight cool front that moved through Houston last night lowered the temperature enough to bring out some bikers. When I left home at 10:28 it was 78, almost 10 degrees lower than yesterday. At the finish time of 12:56 it only went up to 85, still 10 degrees less than yesterday. I selected a long sleeve jersey for sun screen but as I rode I think it was a good choice for the cool in the 10 mph north breeze. The weather man says next week will heat up with some 100 degree days possible. Early biking may be in order.
Today I rode 30.69 miles (in line with my goal) at a 15.4 mph average speed. The wind seemed to come from several directions but I had the least resistance riding west on FM1960. This section enabled me to improve the average speed and then hold it until I got home. Out of the 7 intervals 4 were at 15 mph or more and 3 were below 15 mph. You can the details in the slide below.
After May’s low mileage I am making progress to my 524 mile June goal with 206.04 miles so far for June. Year to date shows 2646 miles.
Pondering the life of a bike racer
By Kathleen      bicyclesoutbackracing.net
Why do you ride? At the beginning of this season our teammate Kim created a video that introduced each member of the team. In the video she asks each person why they ride. My answer was philosophical, I said something along the lines, “I ride because my body is the motor; because the bike is the perfect example of self sufficiency and because it’s all I know.â€Â Upon further reflection I’m not sure my answer was entirely true. I think my answer made it sound like I commute by bike everywhere, to work, to the grocery store, to friend’s houses, to dinner, etc. However, in truth, I think racing is why I ride. Like most other kids, I rode around my…
New agreement expands bike routes in national parks
by BRAIN Staff
WASHINGTON, D.C. (BRAIN) — The National Park Service and the Adventure Cycling Association recently signed a five-year agreement in which both groups will work collaboratively to build a nationwide bike route through national parks.
As part of the deal, Adventure Cycling will work with superintendents of individual parks to share information relevant to route designation. The agreement will promote user etiquette and safety, while providing…
Erwin Park Summer Series June 13th Race
www.texasmountainbiketrails.com
To register for the June 13th Erwin Park Summer Series race, follow the link below.
Pre-registration closes at 1pm on race day (June 13th).
On-site registration begins at 5:30pm on race day.
The 6pm race will do 2 laps of course 2, the 7pm race will be doing 3 laps. Bring plenty of water, it is going to be warm!
TxDOT meets to consider banning bicycles on state roads
By ADAM RUSSELLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TylerPaper.com
Bicycle groups are on edge after state officials considered banning bicycles on all Texas Department of Transportation-controlled toll roads during a recent meeting.
The Texas Transportation Commission, made up of five, governor-appointed members who oversee TxDOT, considered prohibiting bicycles based on safety concerns but took no action.
Commissioners likely will consider the item again, but bicyclists hope any decision is based on proven safety problems, rather than concerns.
Cycling advocates said prohibiting bikes would set a…
Texas 4000 ride brings cancer awareness to Runnels County
by Ruben Cantu-Rodriguez      www.brownwoodtx.com
WINTERS– Pedaling their way from Cedar Park, Texas to Alaska, one of the world’s toughest bicycle rides stopped this week in Winters, to raise awareness among local residents about cancer, and enjoy the hospitality of town.
The Texas 4000, one of the toughest bicycle rides in America, is traveling 4,600 miles from Cedar Park, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska. Last Monday, June 3, one of the ride’s three teams spent the…
Another successful Mesquite Rotary Bike Ride held on June 1
By James Griffin      www.scntx.com
Rotary Club members and volunteers hosted another successful Mesquite Rotary Bike Ride, presented by Agape Home Healthcare, at Rodeo Center on Saturday, June 1.
Despite the threat of storms with an incoming cold front, more than 1,300 riders came out and enjoyed the event. It featured their choice of 33K, 66K, or 100K controlled courses, an unprecedented array of choices from…
The LIVESTRONG Texas 4000 team will pedal more than 4,500 miles from Austin to Anchorage, Alaska, on their 70-day journey. The students departed from Austin on June 1 and…
From sea to shining sea
A&M Dean to race across America
By Sean Lester      www.thebatt.com
Summer at Texas A&M can be a time for some of the 50,000 students and 2,800 faculty to relax for several months after the school year.
For Jose Bermudez the summer season is entirely the opposite.
Bermudez is the dean of the College of Liberal Arts at A&M and considers his hobby of cycling a job in itself.
Bermudez isn’t your afternoon rider around the neighborhood. On Tuesday he will compete in the 3,000-mile Race Across America that includes more 170,000 feet of climbing from…
7:00am – Cup o Joe
Corinth Cycling Club
Sat, June 15, 7:00am – 8:30am
Weekly on Saturday
Where   Ronny Crownover Middle School
Description
The Cup o’ Joe is a beginner level ride of around 15 miles. The ride heads south to Hickory Creek and stops for drinks at Starbucks on the way home. The ride leader for this ride is Bob Troyer. …
Summer Time Trial Series
Corpus Christi Cycling Club
Dates: Tuesday, June 11th & 18th
Place: London School
Time: 4pm check-in registration. Scheduled Time Trials will begin at 6pm sharp.
Course: 8.8 mile point to point course on standard TT bike.Eddy Merckx Style riding with your road bike is also accepted if you do not have a time trial bike.
Cost: CC Club members pay $5.00 per race or $10.00 total for the series. You may register at every event. Non-members may participate, and register on race day.  You may register as a non-member on race day, but will not be covered on our club insurance until the following week’s event if you decide to register as a member of our club.
Time Trials will begin at 6pm sharp. Registered riders will have a TT start time announced at registration check-in.
INFORMATION: Come and see how fast you can blaze the course! This is a great opportunity to see how well you can time trial, prepare for an upcoming time trial such as the Texas State Time Trial or just have fun. Prizes will be awarded to…
Beginner ride
Woodlands Cycling Club
by Renee O’Neal
We had a great turn out for the beginner ride on June 5th. Thanks for joining us Helena, Gordan, Mauricio, Candice, Ozzy, Kelly, and Lee. We hope to see more individuals come out. The ride starts at 6:00PM at the Ashlane YMCA. It is a great group and we do about 20 miles. You are…
Tweets
Day 1 – Atlas – Distance(s): 25, 50, or 70 miles Weather: HOT Average speed: too fast for our own good Our… http://t.co/DaknXdHddo
The weatherman said there was a chance of thunderstorms this afternoon so I wanted to ride before they reached here. I left home at 10:18 and got back at 12:23. White fluffy clouds were to the north and west but to the south the sky was mostly blue. The temperature started out at 85 and was 91 at the end of the ride. The little wind came from the WSW at 7 mph.
Not wanting to go too far north I rode north on the US59 service road to Community Drive and then turned back south riding through Valley Ranch and other residential areas to the south. To add a few miles to this route I took Sorters Road south past Lonestar College before going to the US59 south service road to take me into Forest Cove. The ride was warm and today I wore a short sleeve jersey. I wonder if a long sleeve one might have been cooler since the sun would not hit my skin directly. As I rode through Forest Cove I noticed another bicyclist ahead of me. I caught up with him at the turn into Trailwood Village in Kingwood. We chatted for short distance about the heat and starting earlier. He truned right and I turned left to go toward home.
Today’s route totaled 30.23 miles and I averaged 15.2 mph. Up to the 5 mile point I was wondering if I would get my average speed above 14 mph. I was 3 minutes behind and I did not seem to make any progress but once I was on the north bound service road I picked up my speed and starting making up the lost time. June miles are approaching 200 at 175.35. I now show 2615 miles year to date.
Friday should be a good riding day with the temperature in the 80’s, not the 90’s like today.
24 Hours In The Canyon Race Report
by djcurtin         Bicycle Sport Shop’s Official Cycling Blog
If you’ve taken your bike in for service at Lamar, you’ve probably seen Andrew Andress behind the service counter. Andrew’s always smiling and always has a great ride story to share. He recently did the 24 hour race 24 Hours in the Canyon in Palo Duro Canyon and true to form, here’s his race report!
24 Hours In The Canyon Race Report
The weather was better than expected for June in Palo Duro Canyon as a cool front blew in the morning of the race keep the temps below 90, and it actually got close to 50 in the wee hours of Sunday morning. The Canyon is so beautiful, and a memory I will never forget is being on my bike to see the sun set on the…
This is not Texas bicycling but it is hometown related! I biked in this area many years ago (1980’s I think)
Local biker, kayaker retracing Putnam’s path
Local biker, kayaker follows the path of a pioneer with local ties
by Holly Richards      www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com
DUNCAN FALLS — Roger Murphy has several years of biking and kayaking under his belt, but he never thought he would be retracing the path of pioneers. The Duncan Falls man has been following in the footsteps of Gen. Rufus Putnam — the namesake of Zanesville’s former Rufus Putnam Elementary School and historic Putnam Avenue area — who set out to explore and help settle the Northwest Territory in the late 1700s.
Putnam and the Ohio Company traversed land and rivers during the winter months of 1787 to 1788 and founded…
Texas Cup Action — Bike the Bricks
txbra.org
Heath Blackgrove, Elbowz, and Juan Pablo Magallanes maintained a 10 – 15 second gap lap after lap to eventually go 1 and 2 in the Pro/1/2 crit.
Photo courtesy of Ryan Lange.
Kingwood/Humble Group Road Bike Ride
Houston Cycling Club
Saturday, June 8, 2013Â Â Â Â Â Â 8:15 AM
Northpark Plaza Shopping Center Gazebo
US59 I69 Northbound between Kingwood Drive and Northpark, Kingwood, TX (map)
We will meet at the glass gazebo in front of Sears Hardware
This is a ride for Houston Cycling Club northeast members. The ride will be about 36 miles going north. The route is at this link
The ride will leave at 8:15 AM. My average speed on rides is usually 15 to 16 mph with higher speeds when the wind permits. The route is…
Advanced Mountain Bike Ride
Texas Parks and Wildlife
When    Jun 09, 2013   from 08:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Where    Franklin Mountains State Park
Contact Name    Adrianna Weickhardt
Contact Email    adrianna.weickhardt@tpwd.state.tx.us
Contact Phone    (915) 566-6441
Sunday, June 9- ($5.00 entrance fee)
Must have reservation to participate. Please Call: (915) 566-6441
Mtn. Bike Ride – Advanced: Old Tin Mine/Pole Cat/Blue Moon/Mad & Lazy Cow
Start: 8:00 a.m.
Length:Â 10 + miles/ 3-4 hours
*Difficulty level:Â Advanced. Meet at Chuck Heinrich Park. Trail starts with a hike-a-bike up the dam, then a continuous gradual climb for about 2 miles; turn off onto Pole Cat Alley for some fun single track, climbing and introductory technical riding; link up to Blue Moon, Mad Cow and Lazy Cow trails for some good down hill sections, a couple of…
Bike to School Day in Sugar Land
BikeTexas.org
Students prepare to ride to school in Sugar LandMother, Safe Routes to School advocate, physical therapist assistant, and BikeTexas SafeCyclist-certified Sugar Land resident Nicole Volek started “Shape Up Sugar Land” to get her community active and moving. When Bike to School Day rolled around on May 17, she was ready.
Nicole worked with local police to organize safe routes for Fort Settlement Middle School students to get to school and arranged for a police escort on May 17. The students gathered at 7:30 AM at Memorial Park in Sugar Land to ride to school together in a…
Cyclists ride through Lubbock to raise funds for cancer
www.myfoxlubbock.com
About 69 undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Texas are cycling with the LIVESTRONG Texas 4000 team. The group started in Austin and is riding to Anchorage, Alaska. They stopped in Lubbock on Wednesday.
The group is raising funds for cancer research. This is the 10th year of the ride, which covers…
