Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for March 5th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Double Lake Pre-BRC Workparty
GHORBA
Sunday, March 10, 2013 – 9:00am
Double Lake Pre-Race Workday, Sunday 3/10, 9am – noon, meeting up 3mi south of the DL entrance at FM2025 and FR220 across the road from the house with the white fence. Then we’ll caravan in and thru the locked gate to trim some back reaches of the new(er) trails on the race course. Bring loppers and clippers. Ride afterwards.

Pro XCT: McConnell and Henderson jump to early leads
www.usacycling.org

(March 5, 2013) — The USA Cycling Pro Mountain Bike Cross Country Tour (Pro XCT) kicked off the mountain bike cross-country season on March 2 with the 2013 Subaru of Georgetown Mellow Johnny’s Classic in Dripping Springs, Texas. Australians Daniel McConnell (Trek Factory Racing) and Rebecca Henderson (Trek Factory Racing) earned wins to take narrow leads following the first of the nine-race series.

Men
Daniel McConnell (AUS/Trek Factory Racing) won the men’s race in Dripping Springs to take the early lead in the Pro XCT men’s standings. McConnell collected 250 points and…

All Level Ride @ Walnut Creek Spring/Summer hours
The Austin Mountain Bikers Meetup Group
Sunday, March 31, 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 on a different day.

You do NOT have to be a ARR member to attend most club riders. You will need to sign a waiver and wear a helmets when riding.

This is for all levels of riders, which will break into groups according to ability. Beginners are welcome, and there will be no drops. Meet in the…

Carrollton Cycling Club Rides
Ride Schedule
Monday and Wednesday, 6:00pm Effective March 11, 2013
“No-Drop” ride, Irving Bible Church, Irving. About 23 miles at an average
13 MPH No-Drop pace.
Contact: Don /Jean Blackard: djblackard @ verizon.net

Monday and Wednesday, 6:00pm Effective March 11, 2013
“Intermediate” ride, Irving Bible Church, Irving. About 27 miles at an average 16 MPH+
Moderate to Intermediate pace.

Healthy Lubbock Calendar
www.westtexasturtles.com
April 6, 11AM to 5PM
Lubbock’s first Ciclovia. Activities will include open, car free streets for the public to bring and ride their bikes and walk on, bike safety instruction, dance and aerobics demonstrations, jumpers, hula hooping, chalk writing, jump roping, yoga, group stretching, and more fun activities to come. Healthy Lubbock, a program of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Garrison Institute on Aging, seeks to make Lubbock and its surrounding communities a healthier place by supporting and motivating people to become active through physical activity and improved nutrition.

Grab a bike at the Tern SXSW bike share in Austin
People for Bikes Blog
Heading to Austin for the famous South By Southwest (SXSW) festival this March? You can beat the traffic by signing up for SXcycles, the official SXSW bike share program. Our friends at Tern bicycles will be supporting the second annual SXcycles, presented by NBC’s Revolution. At SXcycles, Tern folding bikes are available to conference attendees to help them navigate the city with ease and efficiency. If you’re riding downtown, chances are you’ll land on one of Austin’s growing number of protected green lanes. (Austin is one of six Green Lane Project focus cities.) …

Progress on Houston’s Bayou Trails Network
biketexas.org        By Charley Olena

Houston is about to be a nation-wide leader in off-street, safe, shared-use paths. That’s right, Houston—the town usually known for its freeways and traffic—has approved a major bond initiative aimed at completing a 100-year-old idea to unite its bayous with parks and trails.

This is the biggest parks project in the state, and one of the largest in the nation. Currently, Houston has 75 miles of trails along the major bayous throughout the city, but will expand the trails to 150 miles in the city, connecting 77 parks with linear greenways along the…

Cycling Advocates Injured in Hit & Run while Cycling in Dallas
by Jenny Rilling        BikeDFW
Many of you have heard about the incident that occurred on March 3rd when two cycling advocates were hit by the driver of a pickup truck who ran a red light near Baylor Medical Center in Dallas:

http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2013/03/cycling-advocates-out-for-a-ride-are-victims-of-hit-and-run-near-deep-ellum-after-truck-runs-red-light.html/

BikeDFW has drafted a letter that you can use to contact the City of Dallas Mayor, City Council, and Police Department. (Thanks also to Eliot Landrum & Zachary Wainwright Ford for their contributions)…

Atkinson nabs first road win for Centenary
by Centenary College Athletics
College Station, Texas – Taylor Atkinson made it a great weekend in the Lone Star State when he grabbed his first career victory and first ever collegiate bicycle road race win for Centenary College at the Texas A&M “Tunis-Roubaix” Road Races.

Saturday’s 31-mile Men’s Cat. D race, in the countryside north of College Station and part of the SCCCC conference race schedule, included a total of five miles of dirt roads for the racers to maneuver in. Several attacks were easily reeled back in by the 50-rider pack and it seemed that the group was content to stay…

Mountain Bike Training with Garmin Connect
by Shawn McAfee            Texas Mountain Bike Trails
Ok, so admittedly this is going to display just a bit of my nerdy side. This is a little look at how you can use the free software available at connect.garmin.com to plan, track and analyze your riding.

I’m a total geek when it comes to stats and junk. Every ride pretty much has to be in Strava and also posted up in Garmin Connect. I can’t play Madden Football without pouring over the stats for each player at the very end to see how I performed, regardless of win or lose.

It’s a compulsion.

But when riding, being aware of the stats from your ride can be a good thing. I’m not recommending you get carried away with it, but it will provide some very helpful information. Check out this ride from a few days…

Michelle Hayner sprints it out at New Braunfels
Velossimo Racing Cycling Team

Tweets

More Headwind – March 5th Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

I knew the ride today would be a tough one as soon as I looked at the weather website and saw a 21 mph N wind with 32 mph gusts. Fortunately the temperature warmed up to 70 but the wind chill would override the warmth. My route started out into the wind heading north to Community Drive straight into the wind most of the time. thankfully I went up over US59 and turned to the south with the wind. I could tell the difference and increased my speed from the 13 or mph to 18 to 20 mph. There were a few zigzags into the wind but mostly I rode the tailwind on home. No other bicyclists were out in the wind that I saw. March weather is kicking it up a notch with all of this wind. The did die down some by the time I finished at 3;41 to 21 mph from the NNW with 29 mph gusts.

The route was a little shorter than yesterday coming in at 27.79 miles but I don’t think my legs could have went too much further into the wind. March mileage has increased to 127.49 which is not bad for 4 days riding. Year to date I have reached 809.07 miles. Links to Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS.com data.

Tomorrow’s weather will be a little cooler and hopefully less windy.

[wppa type=”slideonlyf” album=”102″ size=”auto”][/wppa]

Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for March 4th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

SCCCC: Texas A&M Tunis Roubaix – by Caden Burross
www.usacycling.org

This past weekend was the second of nine for the South Central Collegiate Cycling Conference. Known affectionately as the Tunis-Roubaix, the Texas A&M Road Race is anything but kind or forgiving. This year’s 7.8 mile loop featured a 1.2 mile section of soft packed dirt and gravel, fittingly raced the same day as the infamous Strade Bianche. The first wave of races began early, and it was a cold…

Bike Bridges To Help Link Southwest Austin To Downtown
By AusTexMurf        www.bikeforums.net
This isn’t hot off the press news, but it is a very big deal to commuter cyclists and rec/weekend riders as well.
I do feel like SpareWheel from PDX. Cyclists do have some rights in Austin. Texas Depart of Transportation will be taking on the project for cyclists, creating bicycle bridges and an 8 foot wide cycle path to get into…

Flat Rock Ranch
by guggas            forums.mtbr.com/texas
Went out to flatrock ranch for the first time yesterday. The place is amazing. Loads of beautiful, well thought out trails. I will be going back soon. Did not take many pics, i was having way too much fun on my bike too get off.

El Paso Bicycle Club Rides & Events
Ride With the Wind
Saturday, March 30        8:00AM
Description:     This is the one ride you’ll be praying for wind. Meet at 8 a.m. at River Run Plaza to caravan by car to Columbus, N.M. Then bike back the 65 miles, hopefully with a typical westerly spring wind. Bike Club will provide a bike trailer for up to 12 bikes and rest stops on the way back. Riders will need to arrange their own transportation to Columbus (with either a non-rider driving the vehicle back or splitting the driving/riding back with a friend). This is a ride-as-fast-you-can ride — in past years, riders have averaged 20-27 mph, thanks to the wind. Randy Limbird, 915-328-xxxx.

New Riders Ride
Description:     This first B/IG ride of the rear for beginner level- start at 4 p.m. at Rio Plaza (Artcraft and Upper Valley Road). 12 miles at 12-14 mph. Will review basics on group riding, road skills, and the ABC Quick Check. Riders can also learn about the B/IG program that starts in April. Margaret O’Kelley, 915-588-xxxx

Corpus Christi Cycle Club
Cycle Club Meeting March 18th at 7pm at Kikos Mexican Restaurant – 5514Everhart Rd.
Dr. Ball will be speaking on heart rate training zones.

Corpus Christi Ride of Silence is scheduled for Wednesday, May 15th, 2013 at 7pm. Starting at Cole Park Amphitheater.

HBC Fulshear Trash Ride Ride
Houston Bicycle Club
15(A), 23(A) miles            Saturday 03/16/13    9:00AM
HBC’s Adopt-A-Highway program – join us to up trash along a 2-mile section of FM 723 north of FM 359. At the end of the trash pick-up, cookies, fruit, and (in warmer months) watermelon will be served to the volunteers. Meet after the ride for lunch provided by HBC to the volunteers.
Meet: 34 mi W. FM-1093 (Westheimer) W to Fulshear, S at the light in Fulshear to the Fulshear City Hall (old bank). Or west on I-10 to 359. Then south 7 miles to Fulshear. Park in Park and Ride lot next to City Hall.

Chat with the Chief 2013
Austin Cycling Association
March 21st 6:00pm
Bicycle Sport Shop (So Lamar Blvd & Barton Springs Rd)
Austin Cycling Association and Please Be Kind to Cyclists are pleased to invite you to our 5th annual Chat with the Chief. As a community, cyclists are concerned about the increased number of traffic fatalities, and recent, high-profile cases raise questions about how the legal process functions.

Therefore, we are assembling a panel of experts who can speak to issues related to traffic violations. The goal is to develop an understanding of the process and to define methods to improve the process, for everyone from the officer…

Houston cyclists needed for Texas’ Bike Lobby Day!
by Chris Lockwood        BikeHouston
BikeTexas is urging us to help represent Houston at the Cyclists in Suits event in Austin on March 25th! Interested cyclists should register at the link below and indicate their interest in riding a bus to Austin. …

Education Events in Mesquite and Waco
by Susan Wilcox            BikeTexas

Mesquite Teacher Training 2013 BikeTexas trained more SafeCyclist teachers and put on a KidsKup event in one whirlwind weekend.

The first stop was Mesquite ISD, where 45 physical education teachers and assistants came together to learn the SafeCyclist curriculum to…

News Round up – Hit and run in Dallas
by BFA admin Bike Friendly Arlington
Sunday night two cyclists were struck in a hit and run when a driver ran a red light, while the two were on their way home. According to the Dallas Morning News Blog the couple did not receive medical attention at the scene, but later Sean Clancy, who works at the International Bowling Congress in Arlington, was admitted to the emergency room for symptoms of a concussion. Clancy’s fiance Malanie Jarrett told the Morning News that they are both lucky to be alive and probably will want to take action.

According to Dallas Police Spokeswoman Sherri Jeffrey said an arrest has not been made yet, even though police have the license plate number. She added that these things take time and an out of date registration could…

Food Drive (but with bikes) Recap
by BFA admin Bike Friendly Arlington

Bike Friendly Arlington’s second yearly food drive went off with out a hitch last week (except that flat in the first five minutes, thanks for the tube Jeremy). Five dedicated riders took off early in search of the nonperishable foods, to the hundreds of houses where we’d passed out flyers. We averaged about one pick up per-neighbor…

 

Easter Egg Ride
by bmba Borderland Mountain Bike Association

The club will be holding its second (or maybe third) Easter weekend ride. This year is “Chase the Bunny”. Check out the flyer below for more info.

 

2013 Chihuahuan Desert Bike Festival – short summary
by tonkster Brazos Valley Mountain Bike Association
The 3rd annaul Chihuahuan Desert Bike Festival has come and gone and did we have have a GREAT time this year.

A total of 13 BVMBA’ers made the long journey to the Maverick RV Park in Lajitas, Tx. to set camp for the next 4 days of biking and fellowship.

Day 1 of the festival was the famous Ore Road ride out to the Hot springs on East side of the Chisos Mt. We split in to two group (32 milers and 18 milers). It didn’t matter which group you were in because the outcome…

 

Before you leave your bike helmet at home, read this
By DAPHNE HOWLAND www.dallasnews.com

They muss your hair, they’re clumsy to carry around and nobody wears them in Amsterdam. So why should you wear a bike helmet?
The answer might seem obvious to anyone worried about brain injury, but a steady group of resisters still fights the idea of wearing a helmet.
Studies show that even as cycling has increased in recent decades, helmet use has remained constant. Many dismiss the need for helmets in urban cycling (as opposed to races). Others would rather make the streets safer for bikes, as they are in countries like the Netherlands, where helmets are rarely worn and…

 

 

Walburg / Pace Bend 2013
by Michael Ereli GCCA

First race of the 2013 season for 50+ riders, Michael and Hill.?

The first race of the season is always a bit of an unknown. Last weekend, me, Hill Swift, Dan Lundeen, Greg McCrea and Aaron Sinclair all took the trip towards Austin to see how effective our off-season training had been. Saturday, was Walburg, a 48 mile road race for the 50+ and Sunday was Pace Bend, a 7-lap, 44-mile, crit-like road race around Pace Bend Park in Spicewood, TX.

My last road race was in October of 2012, so it had been 5 months, and I was a little unsure if my winter/spring training was going to deliver me in form. For me, a podium finish was just as probable as being pack fodder. Our race started at 11:30 am, so I was able to drive up to Walburg that morning, get a good rest and warm-up…

 

2013 Scholastic Road Series: The 7th Annual

Texas High School Cycling League
Featuring: Girl’s Division A, Boy’s Division A, B, and C race categories. (Boys A = USAC Category 1-3, Boys B = 4, Boys C = 5)

The leader of the Boy’s and Girls’ A division overall standings at the end of each race weekend will get a brand new series Leader’s Jersey which is sure to become a hotly contested item.

 

Smokin Spokes Bike Ride in Salado, TX
by WB admin The Wheel Brothers – Cycling in Texas

The Smokin’ Spokes Bike Ride invites you to join their ride on March 30, 2013 starting at Downtown Salado -Pace Park Road off Main Street Salado, TX
We were lucky enough to be granted an interview with Jenna Berrier of Smokin Spokes Bike Ride to ask some questions about their upcoming ride.

Why join the Smokin Spokes Bike Ride?
You will be supporting a Volunteer Fire Department that offers there time and services free of charge to Salado and surrounding areas. Our ride is also known as a conditioning ride as well as it is a very scenic ride. Our ride is very family oriented and we love that! We as a department enjoy time with our families and friends and this is…

Tweets

40 Degrees Difference and Windy – March 4th Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Saturday I battled 40 degrees and 20 mph winds. Fast forward to today and I enjoyed 82 degrees but suffered 17 mph wind (31 mph gusts) as I rolled out on my ride at 2:07 PM. Partly cloudy skies with the SSW wind meant I could dress a lot lighter than Saturday but I was cautious wearing a short sleeve and long sleeve jersey just in case the wind coming off of Lake Houston was chilly; it was and I am glad I compensated.

Riding to the south and east put me in position to ride into the wind at the start of the ride complying with my ride guidelines. This meant the first 10 miles was into the wind but after I turned to the east heading toward Lake Houston the wind became my friend. Riding on the east side of Lake Houston generally was not affected by the wind but when I left the Huffman Chevron station I rode straight into the wind. Going over Lake Houston I could feel the chill in the wind from the cooler water temperature. The wind slowed me down to 10.2 mph at one when I glanced at my Garmin Edge. On the west side of the lake I made a right and again the wind became my friend as I rode to home. By the time I got home at 4:45 the wind slowed down to 16 mph, 26 mph gusts and 78 degrees. Today’s ride went 33.70 miles. I almost made it to 100 miles for March at 99.7 miles. Year to date stands at 781.28 miles. Links to Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS.com data.

Tomorrow it is supposed to get up to 70 under partly cloudy skies.

[wppa type=”slideonlyf” album=”101″ size=”auto”][/wppa]