Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for October 23rd

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GHORBA Beginners Only Skills Clinic!
by soccerdude                forums.mtbr.com
You asked for it so you got it! Come join us at the Cypresswood trail located in Collins Park on Saturday November 10th at 10:00am for our GHORBA Beginners Skills Clinic sponsored by Bike Barn –Champions!! We’ve been hard at work creating our new skills clinics and we figured the best place to start was…well, at the beginning! If you’ve just bought your first mountain bike or have been riding for less than a year then these classes are perfect for you. Let us help you get started or give you the extra skills you need to move up to the next level. Our instructors have been teaching people how to mountain bike a long, long time and now it’s your turn to learn from these professionals! Don’t miss out!

Our sponsor, Bike Barn – Champions will have mechanics on duty to check out your bike before we start the clinic and will do so free of charge! Make sure you arrive early to take advantage of this excellent service. Please make sure you take the time to thank the employees of Bike Barn for volunteering their time and…

Girl Scout Ranch, Amarillo mtn biking?
by m_dub007                forums.mtbr.com
I travel out to Amarillo fairly often from albuquerque for work and am contemplating bringing my mountain bike this next trip. It looks like there are some trails on a girl scout ranch in Amarillo… was wondering if these trails are worth lugging my bike out to check out? …

2012 Tour de Fat Photo Gallery
Austin Ridge Riders

Afternoon Ride in Honor of the Dead
Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club
Roosevelt Park Trailhead
642 Lone Star Blvd, San Antonio, TX
Sunday, November 4th:  On November 2nd, there is a tradition of honoring the dead by decorating gravesites.  On this ride we will respectfully cycle through San Jose Cemetery and see these decorations on our way from Roosevelt Park to Mission Espada.  This will be an afternoon ride for 18 miles along the Mission Reach trail and then along  quiet city streets.  Ride starts at 2:00 p.m. at the Roosevelt Park trailhead.  For more information, contact ride leader Ann Caldwell…

Can You See Me Now Ride
San Antonio Wheelmen
Date:     10/28/2012
Time:     08:00 AM
Location:     Alzafar Shriner Center
901 North Loop 1604 West
San Antonio, TX
Details:
Many have asked….Who is Monica and what is this all about?
Thank you for your interest. Monica is a local triathlete that was involved in a horrible accident on Wednesday while on a training ride for an upcoming Ironman triathlon. She was hit from behind by an elderly woman driving an full size pickup truck on the I-10 frontage road. She suffered a severe spinal injury and has already undergone extensive surgery to stablize her vertebrae. Her life was changed in an instant and she has many many months of recovery ahead. Cyclists as a community are coming together in support of Monica and to raise awareness in an effort to make riding on the roadways safer. …

The Tyler Bicycle Club Rides
Cranksgiving—Saturday, Nov 17, 4 pm from Elite Bicycles
The TBC in conjunction with Tim McCellon will be bringing can/dry good donations to PATH.  We will be traveling by bicycle to PATH to make our food donation.  Bring what you can carry.  Everyone is welcome and this is a family-friendly ride, so bring your kids!

Santa Sleigh Ride—Saturday, Dec. 15, 4 pm from Elite Bicycles
The TBC in conjunction with Tim McCellon will be bringing toy donations to the Tyler FD downtown.  We will be traveling by bicycle to bring the toys to the TFD.  Bring what you can carry.  Everyone is welcome and this is a family- …

Pics From The BikeDFW Fall Meetup
by dickdavid        Bike Friendly Richardson

Last night BFR attended the BikeDFW Fall Meetup at REI in Dallas. It was a room full of bike fans and advocates, who came to listen to some great presentations from Dave Carter, from the City of Richardson and Julia McCleeary from the City of Fort Worth. Both cities are leading the DFW Metroplex with strong bike plans that are actually underway.

You can read more about the event on the Bike Friendly Garland Blog. …

Deer Park Rotary to host 4th Annual Texas Independence Bike Tour
www.yourhoustonnews.com
The Deer Park Rotary Club will host hundreds of Houston-area bicycle riders for the Fourth Annual Texas Independence Bike Tour Jan. 27, 2013.

The event will take place atClyde Abshier Stadium, 710 W. San Augustine in Deer Park.

The bike tour has quickly become one of the Houston-area’s most popular rides and is a BP MS150 official recommended practice ride. The tour takes its participants on their choice of a 30-, 45- or 62-mile journey…

Foundation to give bicycles to needy, abused children
By Heather M. Goodwin,     starlocalnews.com
If the proverb is true and it does take a village to raise a child, then Southlake and Keller are doing their part to give needy North Texas children a leg-up.

The Spokes4Hope Foundation, a nonprofit organization, will host the annual Keller and Southlake Police Motorcycle Rodeo benefiting children of North Texas who are in need or have suffered abuse. The event will be held from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 10 at Cabelas, 12901 Cabela Drive in Fort Worth. The rodeo begins with a motorcycle practice run from 7 to 9:30 a.m. The event opens to the public at 10 a.m. followed by…

Wounded veterans take part in coastal Ride 2 Recovery bike ride
More than 200 bicycle to Carmel on way to Santa Monica
By KEVIN HOWE, Herald Staff Writer

Juan Carlos Hernandez of San Antonio, Texas, has been cycling for the cause of rehabilitating his fellow wounded veterans for the past three years.

Hernandez, 25, is one of more than 200 veterans, many of them bearing wound scars, some of them missing limbs, who are taking part in Ride 2 Recovery’s seven-day, 450-mile Golden State Challenge bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

The riders left San Francisco on Sunday, stopped overnight in Santa Cruz, and rolled into the Carmel Mission Inn on Monday evening. They will launch the third leg of their journey Tuesday morning, heading for…

2012 Bike MS: Alamo Ride to the River
by Justin            Bike Geek

Let me quickly think of five words to describe my Bike MS experience:
Amazing – because there is an undeniable sense of accomplishment – pushing your body past its limits, going well beyond your comfort zone, pedaling past mileages that make you grin even when you’re exhausted….60 miles…70…80 miles…90.

Grueling – because there was discomfort, soreness and outright pain in some cases.  The hills we encountered on River Road after 70 miles of riding proved to be formidable adversaries to already tired and psychologically challenged riders.

Long – at the end of day one we’d ridden 101 miles and had spent 7.5 hours in the saddle.  Then we hopped (ok, we didn’t hop…we were incapable of hopping…

The Crash
by Roy and Christine        Pedal Pushers

“People who think laughter is the best medicine apparently have never had morphine.” So says a get well card from my in-laws. My laughter did indeed rapidly stop as Velma and Rick Ogan lifted me up, and I tried to put weight on my left leg. …

One Day: Two Different Races. Waco’s Cameron Park & Garland’s RCP
by League Director in News            Texas High School Cycling League
This next weekend our Scholastic North Series will count results from two different races happening on the same day. Series points will be awarded at both the DORBA race at RCP in Garland AND atthe TMBRA race at Cameron Park in Waco. Both races were originally on our series schedule and due to a rain make-up and some permitting issues they are now both happening on the same day so we’ll go ahead and award…

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Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for October 22nd

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Rough Bike Ride Reveals the Heart of American Commerce
celsiusbrightconnections.com

The headwinds were gusting at 30 to 35 miles per hour today. I bet the wind farms were getting a workout. Our bike ride was certainly one long constant push! We would ride until the winds were blowing us over, then pull over, swap our biking cleats for gym shoes, trudge on for a couple miles till the wind would die down a little and then hop back on the bikes again. I even shot a video of a windstorm. I will post it to our YouTube Channel as soon as I can find a decent connection. (They seem as far and few…

DATES Pilot Point Ride
Dallas Area Tandem Enthusiasts
When:     Nov 18, 2012 08:15 AM
Where:    Pilot Point Downtown Square – Pilot Point
Category:     DATES ride
Pilot Point Ride, Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012
Meet at 8:15, ride at 8:30.
Leaders:  Chuck & Kris Carlson
Start point: Town Square (gazebo) in charming Pilot Point located on US 377 eleven miles north of US 380.
Distance options:
Short is 20 mostly flat miles through horse farm country. Regular is 38 rolling miles through horse farm country and over the Lake Ray Roberts Dam. Optional shortcut:  Taking a route beneath the dam cuts 3 mi. but requires lifting bikes over low gates at two points – a fun adventure. Long can be up to 54 miles by adding a 9-mile eastern loop, a 5-mile western loop or both.
To get to Pilot Point’s town square from US 377, turn left on Business 377 (aka S. Washington) as you near Pilot Pt.  The square is at S. Washington & W. Liberty.  For…

Fredericksburg Fall Foliage Frolic in Fredericksburg, TX
by WB admin            The Wheel Brothers – Cycling in Texas
The 13th Fredericksburg Fall Foliage Frolic invites you to join their ride on November 3, 2012 starting at 432 Lady Bird Dr, Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
We were lucky enough to be granted an interview with Nolan Kuehn, Member of Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club to ask some questions about their upcoming ride.

Why join this year’s Fredericksburg Fall Foliage Frolic?
The 13th Annual edition of this classic fall cycling event has some new routes that are absolutely spectacular!

How long has the event been around?
2000 was the year of the initial Frolic, so this is the…

Abilene Results & North Series Standings
by League Director            Texas High School Cycling League
We had a great turnout at this weekend’s Bent Wheel Bash in Abilene with 17 racers from 10 schools contesting the first race in our Scholastic Mountain Bike North Series.  In the end  two-person team from Lopez Middle School edged out the four racers from Sachse HS to take a 2 point lead in the series overall standings.  They were able to overcome the superior numbers by having a balanced attack and entering a student-racer in both the male and female divisions.

Clearly, it pays off to recruit, encourage, and support girls to come out and race for and with your school.  Check out the full results available via…

ACTION ALERT! ThinkBike Austin Workshops this Week!
by djcurtin                It’s Time To Ride!
We got this email, below, from our friends atCity Hall and want to be sure everyone knows about it.
ThinkBike Austin Workshop 2012
The Dutch partner with Americans to develop and implement best-practices in environmentally friendly-transportation networks. As we transition from an economy dependent on oil and gas to one driven by renewable energy sources, Dutch and American innovators are leading the way toward the future for sustainable transportation.

The Netherlands’ US Embassy works with cities throughout the US through the ThinkBike initiative, bringing Dutch bicycling experts together with local planners, engineers, transportation experts, and advocates together to…

CU Haunted Tour of Edinburg on Bike
by Ray Garza            Ciclistas Urbanos
This years Haunted Tour on Bike (Spooks and Spokes 2012) took place last Saturday evening. It was a smaller group but that only made it more intimate for everyone. We donned our costumes and gathered in front of the Pena’s home for the start of the haunted tour of Edinburg on bike.

Some of us had some interesting costumes while others simply went as is. The first stop is the Hillcrest Memorial Park. Why it is a park I don’t know but it is a cemetery. Make no mistake about that! By the time we arrived it was already dark and the little blood suckers were out scouring for a meal. After hearing some stories…

Support for Proposition B
by rafdog            GHORBA
Dear GHORBA members and friends,
As many of you know, our organization has endorsed and supports the Bayou Greenway Initiative. That Initiative means many things, but at its core, it reflects a value judgment made by most Houstonians that our bayous – the natural waterways flowing throughout this great city – should be protected and enhanced and serve as a respite for birds, wildlife, kids and the community. This week, early voting begins throughout the city and it is important to remember that Proposition B — the Parks Bond — is incredibly important to seeing the Bayou Greenway Initiative completed over the next decade. Prop B is a $166 M Parks Bond with approximately $66 M going directly into existing parks and $100 M towards the completion of the Bayou Greenway Initiative–an…

Cycling ordinance debated at Dallas City Hall
by MARCUS MOORE                www.wfaa.com

DALLAS – The city’s Public Safety and Quality of Life committees discussed a variety of issues Monday morning regarding an ordinance to protect ‘vulnerable road users’, including whether to set a minimum distance drivers must possess to safely –– and legally –– pass a cyclist.

Monday’s meeting was scheduled after the Dallas City Council couldn’t reach agreement about the specifics of Mayor Mike Rawlings’ bike ordinance earlier this month. Newly drawn shared bike lanes are now painted on about four miles of downtown…

Bicycle Ride Ends Near Broken Bow for California Man
sandhillsexpress.com
Calvin B. Roper, Jr. 63, of Minlow Park, California started a bike trip on October 2nd, with the intention of riding the route of the Keystone Pipeline from Calgary, Alberta, Canada to Houston, Texas.  Unfortunately Roper’s ride ended just east of Broken Bow on Highway 2 Saturday.   Broken Bow Fire and Rescue were called to his aid after Roper and his bike went down for unknown reasons.  Roper was transported to Melham Medical Center and then later transferred to Kearney with non-life threatening injuries.  According to Roper’s Facebook page, his injuries will prevent him from continuing his trip.  You will find additional information on Roper and his quest at keepyoureyeonthebike.com.

Bike Masters and Audi San Juan to Sponsor South Texas Outdoor Life Festival in Mission
www.yourvalleyvoice.com
BY Yolanda R. Guzman Director of Tourism & Community Development
Bike Masters and Audi San Juan are the Title Sponsors for the upcoming South Texas Outdoor Life Festival being hosted by the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce (GMCC) on Saturday, October 27.   The festival is from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park/World Birding Center located on 2800 S. Bentsen Palm Drive in Mission. This new all-day event will offer our community and visitors the opportunity to participate in a variety of outdoor activities from a 5K Run, 1K Family Fun Run, 35 Mile Bike Race, Kayak Race, Community Bike Ride, and Mountain Bike Race, all in one day.  Each race is individual and…

Thousands start Ride for the Roses through Austin, raising $1.7 million for cancer research
By Farzad Mashhood            American-Statesman Staff

Dawn rose over Austin on Sunday to the light metal clanking of hundreds of bicyclists pedaling away from the north side of Palmer Events Center.

Waves of about 4,300 cyclists were taking trips of up to 100 miles long in the Livestrong Foundation’s 15th annual Ride for the Roses. The $1.7 million raised will go to the foundation, which supports cancer research as…

Foreign help for Austin cycling woes
City looking to increase biking
by Omar Lewis            www.kxan.com

AUSTIN (KXAN) – It was a busy weekend in Austin for cyclists. Hundreds of riders took to the roads for the Livestrong Challenge and the University of Texas hosted a cycling convention.

But now city leaders are focusing on how to get even more people out of their cars and onto bikes.

On Thursday and Friday cycling experts from The Netherlands will be in Austin to take a look at ways to…

Mountain Biking Through The Dark Gateway Park Jungle With Indian Soul Food
durangotexas.blogspot.com
In the picture you are looking over my handlebars deep in the dark jungle of Gateway Park on the Fort Worth Mountain Bike Association (FWMBA) mountain bike trail.

It has been awhile since I’ve bi-pedaled on a mountain bike trail. I think it is well over a month since I got a flat front tire on the…

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Asphalt Slip Now Covered – October 22nd Bike Ride

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When I looked at wunderground.com this morning before leaving on the ride I knew the wind waited to buffet me as I rode. The wind showed 15 mph from the SSE with 21 mph gusts. This meant the open exposed areas could be challenging to say the least. My route selection took me south to FM1960 before heading east over Lake Houston and almost to the Liberty county line. From there I rode back to Huffman and then on home. As expected the wind slowed me down until I reached FM1960 from Huffman-Eastgate. From that point the remaining 14+ miles was with the wind.

We are experiencing about 10 degree warmer than normal weather with the low around 70 and the high about 90. Today when I left at 10:13 it was 78 degrees with 79% humidity thanks to the strong wind coming off the Gulf of Mexico. Sometimes the wind decreases after I begin riding but not today. When I got home at 12:47 the wind did go down to 13 mph but the gusts increased to 22 mph still from the SSE. Of course with the mid-morning start the temperature went up while I rode settling at 87 degrees by the time I finished. The humidity went the other direction dropping to 53% so I did not perspire too much during the ride. My Wrist bands and gloves stayed relatively dry. This warm weather should be around until the end of the week.

The route I biked today went on familiar streets but some were in the opposite direction. For example I usually ride west on Huffman-Eastgate but today I went east. The same goes with FM1960 from the Liberty county line to Huffman. I tweaked the first two miles of the ride to get 2 miles before I reached Bear Branch Elementary school in Kingwood. This gets me to certain milestones along my route that helps me judge how long the ride will go. There were several sections that exposed me to the wind so my overall average dropped slightly below the typical level to 15.3 mph and my top speed was 20.7 mph according to SportTracks. For a change Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS.com closely agreed. The route distance totaled 34.63 miles which also corresponded to Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS.com numbers. October mileage is now 557.54 and 5854.38 YTD miles. I pedaled at a 78.5 RPM average cadence.

One thing I noticed while riding was the new surface on Huffman-Eastgate Road. For some reason this road suffers from “asphalt slip” where the asphalt slides to the shoulder during the summer or other hot times. This causes large cracks in the road and uneven places that just want to swallow a bike tire. This road gets a lot of traffic since Hargrave High School is on this road which doesn’t help the asphalt slip. During my ride the road’s traffic consisted of 3 or 4 cars plus two Harris County Precinct 4 tractors mowing the weeds on the roadside. When school lets out the flood of school buses can be overwhelming. Some of the other routes suffer from asphalt slip so much that I ride in the opposite lane.

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Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for October 21st

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DATES McKinney to Blue Ridge Ride
Dallas Area Tandem Enthusiasts
When:  Nov 10, 2012 08:30 AM
Where: Intersection of Tennessee and Davis Street – McKinney
Category:  DATES ride
Description
DATES Ride Nov. 10, 2012 – McKinney and Blue Ridge
This ride starts in McKinney and passes through the rolling countryside northeast of McKinney. The long route will go through the town of Blue Ridge. Distance options will be 38 and 53 miles. Maps and cue sheets will be provided. We’ll plan on having lunch on the square in McKinney afterward.
Time: Arrive at 8:30, rolling at 9:00
Location: Park in the city lot at the southeast corner of Davis and S. Tennessee streets in McKinney (203 East Davis St.).
Distances: 38 and 53 miles
Leaders: Marc and Susie Mumby

Halloween Skeleton Ride
Greater Dallas Bicyclists
It’s time for the annual GDB Halloween Skeleton Ride. The ride will take place on October 30th at 7pm at Cafe Express, 5600 W. Lovers Lane.

Our Ride Leader (Ken) will lead the group at a social pace through the Park Cities area to take in the local decorations.

Please Note: This ride will take the place of the Tuesday Evening Lake Ride from Forest and Central Expressway.

It’s called the Skeleton Ride for a reason: you will see several GDB riders in skeleton costumes and make-up. You don’t need a skeleton costume to participate in the…

Livestrong riders divided over Armstrong legacy
www.france24.com
AFP – Riders in Sunday’s Livestrong Challenge charity benefit bicycle race have mixed opinions on the Lance Armstrong doping scandal and the legacy of a disgraced cyclist who is also a hometown hero.

Armstrong greeted a record 4,300 riders before the start of the 15th annual event and spoke for about 90 seconds, barely touching upon the doping revelations that shattered his iconic status as he praised the…

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