Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for February 13th

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Weekly Road Bike Ride-Medium/Fast Paced
Houston Cycling Club
Monday, February 18, 2013        6:30 PM
Terry Hershey Park
15200 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX (map)
Look for silver Nissan Titan . Robert Hopper [masked]

This is a weekly road bike ride.  The total distance will be between 20-23 miles.  The ride is a straight shot to Katy’s Fry Rd on a well paved path.  No need to worry about red lights or traffic because there aren’t any.  The pace will be 18 + mph.
Don’t like pulling?  No problem, just draft and enjoy the ride!
C’mon out and join us ! …

Tuesday: Intermediate/Advanced Mountain Bike Ride at the Ant Hills
Houston Cycling Club
Tuesday, February 19, 2013        6:15 PM
15200 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX (map)
Look for group and ask if it’s us! call me, Jeff @ [masked] if you have any questions or are going to be late.

This will be a medium to fast pace ride through the Ant Hills of Hershey Park! Bring WATER, spare tube/tire, snacks, etc…Helmets required. Call if you are going to be late so we can wait for you. Wheels rolling by 6:30! See you there…

Mount Lakeway Workday – 2-17-13
by Mr Bacon Jr         AustinBike.com
Mount Lakeway workday! This Sunday, February 17th, from 1-5PM. Meet on Trophy Drive at the trailhead if you want motorized transport out. Or ride your bike to the top and meet us there. Bring gloves, water, and post work refreshments.

We think we will be all the way down the backside of Mount Lakeway with a good turnout, so come out and help build one of the best trails in Austin!

New Austin Bike Skills Park
by John            AustinBike.com
No, not mine, the city of Austin’s park.

Interested?  Then get involved.  There are a lot of people working to help make this dream a reality, so if you’d like to see this happen, click here to learn more: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?filter=lf#!/AustinBikePark

How much protection from liability do they need?
by Charles Kuffner            Off the Kuff
The electricity industry is among the biggest of the big spenders on lobbying the Texas legislature. So when bills are introduced giving the industry extraordinary protection from law suits, you can bet somebody’s going to cry foul.

“It’s a very unusual bill,” says Andrew Wheat at Texans for Public Justice, a corporate watchdog group in Austin.

Wheat’s talking about HB 404, introduced by a Republican representative from Houston, Sarah Davis. The bill is almost identical to HB 258 introduced by fellow Republican from Houston, Jim Murphy.

Both lawmakers say their bills are to allow the construction of hike and bike trails in Harris County on utility-owned rights-of-way, those big ribbons of green that cut across cities. Though primarily for the tall transmission line towers, the rights-of-way would make perfect places to build trails. (Houston voters recently approved…

Bike shops ride westside cycling trend
By Lindsey Peyton            www.chron.com

More west Houston residents are opting to leave the car in the garage and reach for a bike, and that makes an opportunity for several local shops dedicated to meeting the needs of local cyclists.

The store owners, often bicycle enthusiasts as well as entrepreneurs, closely follow trends in a business they find both tough and rewarding. They know that success depends on a passion for cycling – and that a few years’ experience in the business does…

Schlumberger Cycling Club 2013 Sealy Training Ride by et al

Walnut Creek Workday Sat, March 2nd 9:00AM to 2:00PM
Austin Ridge Riders
Saturday, March 2, 2013 – 09:00 – 14:00
What: Walnut Creek Workday
Where: Meet at 9:00AM at western edge of the parking lot. There will be waivers there, and at the worksite.
What to bring: Gloves, shovels, and water
What we will be doing: If you miss us at the parking lot, we will be at the ROOT DROP to fix the erosion and return this back to its original form, as well as shore up the banks to minimize future erosion. We will also be working on the opposite side to fix the erosion…

Fort Worth Mountain Bikers’ Association
Fat Tire Festival

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A Weather Change – February 13th Bike Ride

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When I checked my weather station a little after 7 AM I saw 47.6 degrees so I thought with the high forecast at 60 degrees it looked like no biking today. As I sat down to eat lunch around 12:40 PM I again looked at the weather station to see 59 degrees. As I ate the temperature gradually moved to 60 then 61 and then 62. The clear blue sky and light NW 9 mph breeze said biking was possible. So after I finished lunch I got dressed and headed out on my Motobecane 700HT MTB.

I knew I needed to dress warm so I donned leg warmers, shorts, a short sleeve and long sleeve jersey, full finger gloves and my bright yellow rain jacket/windbreaker. I chose the yellow jacket because it keeps the cool breeze out better. My selection proofed to be a good choice. I enjoyed the ride and was not chilled. When I got home my jerseys and bandana were damp but not soaked. Before I retired in August 2011 I would have to ride after work in the dark and the temperature would be much cooler so I would not ride on a day like today. So this is one benefit of retirement.

When I rode through Town Center in Kingwood there was a Sysco truck parked and the driver was outside wiping the truck door and mirror. I have seen this truck from time to time so I decided to stop and say hello to the driver because I retired from Sysco. I thanked the driver for delivering groceries and doing a good job. Sysco pays my pension.

The goal for today’s ride was 15 miles but I actually rode 17.74 miles. This is the first ride since last Friday (2/8/13) and I am falling behind my goal of 369 miles for February. So far I stand at 164.3 miles for February meaning there are 200+ miles to go. The weather shows I might get to ride a couple of days this week. The slides below show where I stand for the month and year.

Links to Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS.com.

[wppa type=”slideonlyf” album=”90″ size=”auto”][/wppa]

Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for February 12th

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Beginner’s Bike Ride & Basic Repair Workshop
www.tpwd.state.tx.us
When     Feb 24, 2013
from 09:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Where     Franklin Mountains State Park
Contact Name     Adrianna Weickhardt
Contact Email     adrianna.weickhardt@txxxx
Contact Phone     (915) 566-6441
In honor of Texas Parks & Wildlife designating February as Bike Month, we are kicking off our beginner’s bike rides and workshops Sunday, February 24, 2013 – Join us for a fun morning designed to introduce a novice rider to the world of mountain bike riding in our beautiful Chihuahuan Desert and Franklin Mountains State Park!  We’ll be joined by Kevin Pearson, President of the NE El Paso YMCA and El Paso’s new Bike Co-op, Dave Wilson, President of the Borderland Mountain Bike Association, and others yet to be announced including local bike shop mechanics, fellow bike enthusiasts, and our volunteer trail builder “extraordinaire”.

It is a reservation only workshop limited to 20 participants (Need reservation by Friday before program day), so please call the park headquarters between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at (915) 566-6441 to make your reservation.  A regular $5.00 entrance fee and a $3.00 activity fee apply = total of $8.00; however, Texas State Parks Pass holders only pay $3.00 since all TSPP holders receive free entrance in to all Texas State Parks. …

Upcoming Webinar for Rural Officials: How Does MAP-21 Affect Rural Communities?
Alliance for Biking & Walking: People Powered Blog
If you advocate in a rural area, it’s likely that your public officials will need to learn new rules for how rural communities can access federal transportation funds for biking and walking projects.

Please consider inviting elected officials and municipal staff in your community to an upcoming webinar on how the new federal transportation law, MAP-21, will affect rural governments. On the webinar, local public officials will learn how rural communities can access federal bicycle and pedestrian funding from their state department of transportation, and what these funds may be…

Gravel Time!
by Bryan

Another great SPINISTRY event! This time it was loads of gravel and a wicked fun time on wade road with epic chucks of gravel flying over my head with Chris Carlson putting the hurt on everyone! Thanks to Kevin and Volunteers for the hard work and continuing to give use great routes! Late in the race my teammate on Giant Factory South Adam Koble took advantage of Carlson stretching out the field as I hit it hard for…

Thousands of Kids Learn Helmet Safety at Annual Texas A&M Event
www.kbtx.com

Texas ENT & Allergy, Aggie Athletes Involved (AAI) and Texas A&M Athletics, along with supporting sponsors want to encourage child safety by giving away free bicycle helmets on Tuesday, February 12. The program will be held on the Texas A&M campus at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium and will begin at approximately 9 a.m.

For the fifth year in a row, approximately 2,800 bike helmets (provided through Academy Sports + Outdoors) will be presented to surrounding area second graders. This year’s event will include…

Bikes prohibited along parts of the river
By Noi Mahoney            www.mysanantonio.com

The city of San Antonio recently added signage to remind bike riders that riding is prohibited from Guenther to Alamo streets, near the Blue Star Arts Complex, along the San Antonio River.

Other areas where bicycles are prohibited include the horseshoe and east channel of the River Walk, Commerce to Lexington avenues and from Villita to Nueva streets.

In San Antonio, any violation of bike ordinances or…

New Bikes for the MTB Crowd!
by djcurtin            It’s Time To Ride!
We’ve always loved mountain bikes.

It’s not my thing personally, but being a part of Bicycle Sport Shop means, at a certain level, an appreciation for fat tires and trails. I’ve tried and tried to be a mountain biker and it hasn’t worked out too well. So I compromised by becoming a cyclocross racer. Still, a part of me always thinks, “I need a mountain bike.” And that part isn’t all that small.

For the vast majority of our folks, it’s all about mountain bikes. Heck, it’s the reason we exist to a large extent—Hill’s passion for trail riding led him to lead us for the past thirty years, not to mention to Laura, as mentioned here. For the shop’s fat-tire die-hards the thought process is, “I might like to try a road bike. Maybe.” But they’re always up-to-date on the latest and…

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Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for February 11th

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City Park Ride Pics – 2-10-13
AustinBike.com

After two City Park laps on Saturday, what could be better?  How about two on Sunday?  After the rain we had last night, this was the best place to ride and we also wanted to check the progress on the trail work.

We did two laps, one with lots of pictures and the other just to ride.  The trial was in much better shape today than it was yesterday, mainly because it wasn’t raining.

Gearing up for Spring
Bike Friendly Arlington
With the cold finally behind us, Bike Friendly Arlington has got some social rides and outreach events coming up. That’s right, it’s bicycle season! Check the calendar for all of our events.

Two weekly rides:
Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. we will leave from the patio of the Twisted Root Burger, Hooligan’s Pub and Freebird’s World Burrito. 310 E Abram St, Arlington, TX 76010. Facebook event
Sunday at 2:30 p.m. we will be leaving from the Levitt Pavilion. 100 West Abram Street
Arlington, TX 76010 Facebook event

The pace and distance often varies. We ride on the road and on bike paths. Ride leaders will set a pace appropriate for the group and the route is usually set ahead of time. We follow all…

Southwood Neighborhood Bike Ride in Austin, Tx 02-09-13
by AusTexMurf            www.bikeforums.net
A family friendly collaboration with neighbors, City of Austin Planning and Public Works employees, Austin Cycling Association (Commuter Cycling Class), and Brad Wimberley, local bike shop owner of BIKEALOT Austin. Quite a few nice bikes here as well.
Some photos here:

2013 Chapparal Racing Time Trials
West Texas Cycling Association
Chapparal Cycling Club, as a part of the West Texas Cycling Association, is hosting the 2013 Third Thursday Time Trial series. The first race is scheduled for March 21, 2013. Membership is required. These are scheduled training rides on an open course that is just a little bit shy of 8 miles. Meet at the Chisum Travel Center, 2611 East Slaton Rd , at 6:00pm. TT will start at the intersection of HWY 84 & FM 1585. A couple volunteers are needed. Contact Mike Ivins to help out. These events cannot happen without you! See ya there.

Toll 49:  An Issue for Cyclists
www.tylerbicycleclub.com
If you ride Toll 49, then please read this announcement and act now! The cyclists of East Texas need your help. In less than sixty days, the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority, or NETRMA, will be voting to ban cyclists from Toll 49. The NETRMA needs to hear from you! Below are a sample letter and letter writing suggestions for your use (in both Word and PDF format). Also included are the mailing addresses for those who…

National Bike Summit – Texan Round-Up!
BikeTexas.org
Join the Texas Delegation of cyclists at the National Bike Summit, March 4-6 in Washington D.C.

The National Bike Summit is the premiere advocacy event of the year. More than 800 advocates, government staff, and cycling enthusiasts of all types come together to tell Congress about the benefits of bicycling.

Meet with advocates, share ideas and be a…

Race Across America to stage shorter cycling race in Marble Falls
By Pam LeBlanc            Fit City

You might have heard about the Race Across America, or RAAM.

In what some consider to be the world’s toughest endurance race, solo bicyclists (or teams, if you prefer) race from the west coast to the east coast, pedaling over mountain ranges, through deserts and in and out of cities. They chug through wind, rain, heat, cold and whatever else Mother Nature flings at them. And because that’s not hard enough, there are no built-in breaks for sleep. Athletes wind up ragged out and…

Rudy’s Ride
Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club
Saturday, March 30th:  Rides begins at 8:00 a.m.  We will meet at Rudy’s parking lot on hwy. 151 and Westover Hills blvd.  This scenic and somewhat hilly 22 mile ride is a good way to get a good workout in a short period of time..  Come and check out this new route that avoids the traffic on Talley Road and some of the hills of the previous ride.  For Information contact Heidi Lynn at…

STCC Babysitter Referral Directory
by sooner1            Shawnee Trail Cycling Club
There are many things in our day to day lives that prevent us from participating in rides and club events.  As our club, it’s rides and events have grown, we are more often encountering couples that want to participate, but because they have young families, it is difficult if not impossible for both partners to get out of the house at the same time.  We also have discovered those in our membership that are of age to offer babysitting services.

We’ve decided to provide a forum to bring these two groups together – so that everyone can get out and ride and be assured their children are watched over and cared for while they’re gone and at the same…

Cycling Polarity
by Ken                Texas Racing Life
I have been riding the WestOaks Ride routinely every Saturday since I started training again in November. It starts at 7am, which is incredibly early for a Saturday. I somehow drag myself out of bed for the 5.5 hour ride. Last Saturday I just couldn’t make it. I had loaded myself up with a mountain of training earlier in the week, and the bed just felt so inviting. I slept in for a solo ride in the afternoon. I rode out to open roads through neighborhoods in East Houston. East Houston is pretty rough. Not the roughest, but not a good neighborhood.

After 4 hours of hard pedaling, I start home, only to be stopped at a train. Already waiting for the train to pass is Wayne, a 56 year old guy on a beach cruiser. We smile and I say hey, because we are instantly…

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