Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for September 18th

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Carl Stavens sent me the sad news below of Iris Stagner’s death while riding. I am including all of the information from Carl.

I have not seen anything posted yet so I pass this on with regret and sadness. Personally, I think that a lot of thought should be given before declaring something as “nothing more than an accident”? For instance, the truck driver’s cell phone records need to be checked for recent texting or calls. Sunset is at 7:18 P.M. and the angle should not have been such as to blind a driver at 5:30 P.M. Iris was a very experienced cyclist and I am sure was aware of her surroundings.

According to the Mineral Wells Index:

From The Fort Worth Star Telegram

PALO PINTO COUNTY – Iris Stagner, an avid cyclist and administrative assistant to Palo Pinto County Commissioners, was struck and killed while riding her bicycle Monday afternoon. The incident occurred about 5:30 p.m. on the westbound side and west end of the Brazos River bridge on U.S. Highway 180. Sheriff Ira Mercer said the driver of a white pickup involved stopped. Mercer said indications were the incident was nothing more than an accident and that the setting sun likely played a factor. Official information about the fatality collision was not available from investigating Department of Public Safety troopers Monday evening. Stagner, of Mineral Wells, was reportedly riding with at least one other cyclist.

Her husband, Butch Stagner, arrived at the scene and asked a deputy if it was his wife. Stagner said he had tried to call his wife’s cell phone, but said it would not be unusual for her not to answer or hear the phone while riding. A few minutes later, Mercer drove across the bridge to personally deliver the somber news to Stagner. Both men embraced tightly as Mercer tried to console not only Stagner, but seemingly himself in having lost a friend and county co-worker. Stagner is known locally as a cyclist and staunch advocate for cyclists rights on the roadway. Each year she organized the local “Ride for Silence” event that pays tribute to cyclists hit and killed on the roadways to draw raise awareness for cycling safety and pay tribute to those killed.

She is also known for organizing efforts to initiate campaigns to make county employees healthier by staging lunchtime walks around the courthouse. Stagner was reportedly set to retire in December and was in training after recently receiving notice she was accepted to compete in the Boston Marathon.

Day 9: Eden to Mason – 62 Miles – Rolling Hills, Rain and A Roadblock
by Jim Fox                Cycling Across Texas
I started out in Eden this morning with hopes of waking up early and getting on the road quickly. However, one look out the hotel window at 730 am was all I needed to change those plans. The rain that fell all throughout the night had lingered into morning. Whenever there are low clouds, fog or rain, its been my policy during this trip to not get out on the road until 9:30 or 10 am just to ensure that it’s as bright as possible when I’m on the road. The soupy skies at 8am might make it a bit difficult for cars to see bikes. A two hour delay won’t prevent me from getting 60 miles in.

The first stop of the day was at Brady, 32 miles almost directly east. My panniers have done a very good job of keeping my equipment dry throughout this trip, but I’m always sure to pack certain items in ziplock bags when its raining. No exception today. The 2 hour ride to Brady was in light rain for the entire trip. The first several miles to Brady were flat, but the gentle rolling hills were coming. I rode through McColloch County. This county is located on the Edwards Plateau. It’s rather strange to transition from the rugged hills of west Texas to about 30 miles of flat plains (plateau) and then into the Texas Hill Country all within just a few hours of riding.

It never rained hard during the ride, but I was definitely wet when I pulled in to lunch at a Subway in Brady. Constant light rain for 2 hours will do that! Some locals said that it was raining even harder further down the road in Mason. Should I abandon and just get a hotel here in town? I looked at the radar on the iPad and decided that I’d just go ahead and ride through the rain to Mason, another 28 miles to the south. Fortunately, the heavy rain that I heard about…

Day 10: Austin to Smithville – 35 Miles – Mellow Johnnys, Nice Weather and Lost Pines
by Jim Fox                Cycling Across Texas
The day started out with a trip to Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop in downtown Austin. I wanted to go there for a couple of reasons. Most importantly, to buy a new spare tire to replace the spare I used a few days ago. Secondly, Mellow Johnnys has built somewhat of a cult following in the Austin area and throughout Texas because this shop is owned by Lance Armstrong. It’s actually more than ‘just a bike shop’. It’s more like a bike transportation center or hub. Of course, there are plenty of bikes, parts, tools, clothing and equipment to buy. But it’s also a coffee shop with snacks and pastries. There are some antique and collectible bikes on display and its somewhat of a Hall Of Fame for Lance Armstrong’s career. Austin is a very bike-friendly city, so you can also rent bikes at Mellow Johnnys. Bike commuters can even stop in there for a quick shower and change clothes. A cool place to stop in and see.

My biking for the day started on the east side of Austin, in the Southeast Metro Park. This park is located right at the beginning of the section of highway 71 that has a nice, wide shoulder. Due to the relatively late start on the bike, there wasn’t enough time for a full day of riding, so Smithville, Texas was the goal…35 miles east of Austin. There was a bit of traffic as you’d expect on the outskirts of a major city, but with wide shoulders and some not-so-busy streets running…

Apply to Host an Advocacy Advance Navigating MAP-21 Workshop
Alliance for Biking & Walking: People Powered Blog
Applications are now available to host an Advocacy Advance workshop in your community.

Advocacy Advance – the partnership between the Alliance and the League of American Bicyclists – has facilitated Action 2020 Workshops (now called “Navigating MAP-21 Workshops”) to over 500 participants around the country since 2011. These workshops are designed to provide the knowledge, skills and resources to access untapped or under-utilized federal funding sources at the state, regional and local level to build bicycling and walking infrastructure and programs.

“This workshop provided excellent resources, and most importantly, empowered the attendees to take action to improve the funding picture.”  – Sandy Fry, Capital Region Council of Governments (Hartford, CT), Principal Transportation Planner…

Report: Bike shop sales up 6 percent in August
by Steve Frothingham                www.bicycleretailer.com
Record setting year likely according to BPSA/Leisure Trends data
BOULDER, CO (BRAIN) — August sales in independent bicycle dealers were up 6 percent over the same month last year, making the biggest August in at least four years, according to preliminary data from the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association Topline RetailTRAK from Leisure Trends Group.

LTG is forecasting a 7 to 8 percent increase in annual sales over last year, which would create a record year overall.

The group estimates August sales through IBDs totaled $356 million. All major categories shared in the dollar gains, and unit sales were up 4 percent. …

Georgetown – Rockdale 208K RUSA Brevet
Hill Country Randonneurs
Date: October 20, 2012
Start Time: 7:30 am
Starting location: Berry Creek Food Mart (Shell) 301 SH 195 , Georgetown, TX
This is a loop that starts in Georgetown, TX. It goes along some remote country roas and at times there are 32 miles between services.

The course is mostly flat, with rolling hills on either side of I-35. It goes out to Rockdale and then swings back to Andice. Check-in will be from 7:15-7:30 am. If you want more information send…

Texas Cup Action — Chappell Hill Road Race
www.txbra.org

Check out this shot captured during the Masters 35+ Cat 4/5 race.
Photo courtesy of Randolph Cummings.

Bicycle Traffic Skills Course Coming To Richardson – September 30
by dickdavid        Bike Friendly Richardson
Great news, Richardson cyclists! The League of American Bicyclists and Bike DFW will be hosting a Traffic Skills 101 course right here in Richardson on September 30, 2012. For those of you not familiar with the course, it gives cyclists the confidence they need to ride safely and legally in traffic or on the trail. Through TS101, students learn how to conduct bicycle safety checks, fix a flat, on-bike skills and crash avoidance techniques. We recommended this class for adults and children above age fourteen. …

Bicycle helmet giveaway set for Oct. 13 at Dickinson High School
by Journatic News Service
A bicycle helmet giveaway, hosted by Texas Medical Association and Dickinson Police Department, will take place from 9 a.m.-midnight Saturday, Oct. 13 at Dickinson High School.

New helmets for children will be given away at the event. The event will also teach parents how to make sure a bicycle helmet fits their child properly. …

Fort Davis Ride
by Roy and Christine        Pedal Pushers

We woke up to a pouring rain. No way were we going to the Prude Ranch start line. At least three of the people we know did indeed start–Rick Ogan, Dorothy and Stephen Langdon. Their reports after their rides were not upbeat. Rick did the scenic loop but said it was freezing. Dorothy did not have rain-proof gear and by rest stop 2 was too chilled to continue. Stephen didn’t finish either but for a very good reason. At a rest stop, a pick up truck ran over his back wheel. Luckily, Stephen wasn’t on the bike at the time. The other San Angelo riders that we were aware of–Marlon Miller, Joy Smith, Brian Backlund, Bill and Debbie Yohman, and Karen Frembgen–all stayed indoors warm and dry. …

Flats By Wire Before Riding – September 18th Bicycle Ride

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Over the last three days I removed three different pieces of wire from my rear tire. Two of them made it into the tube and the third one almost did. The one that did not puncture the tube was the hardest to remove from the tire casing. I ended up using a knife to force it out much like a splinter. The last piece of wire almost escaped my inspection because I paid too much attention to the almost puncture one. So the tube that only had one patch now has three. Fortunately they are spread out over the tube so it did not require a replacement. Today’s ride confirmed my patching success since the rear tire held air for the whole ride.

After two days off I got back on the road today going to Eagle Springs then Walden at Lake Houston and then Huffman before turning back towards home. When I started at 10:17 AM the temperature was 77 degrees and when I finished at 12:59 PM it was 84 degrees. This is much lower than last week when it was in the 90’s. A cool front arrived over the weekend and another one is moving through while I was out riding. When I was at the Huffman Chevron station I checked the weather on my cell phone and the wind was 12 mph out of the north. I wondered if this might present a problem riding over Lake Houston going west on FM1960 but it turned out to not be an issue. Now when I turned north off of FM1960 to head towards Kingwood the wind did present some resistance but with all of the trees and houses I had some protection.

I was pleasantly surprised to see another bicyclist on Old Atascocita Road west of FM2100. He was going west while I headed east. We exchanged greetings as we passed. I changed the name of the route to Eagle Springs – Walden – Huffman from I used in the past to be more accurate of the areas I road through. With going a little further west I went around Atascocita rather than through it thus the name change. The route totaled 34.69 miles with a 15.7 mph average speed and a 23.2 mph max speed. Average cadence came in at 79.8 RPM. Before I returned to Kingwood my average speed reached 16+ mph but the stops and starts slowed me down.

As I left Huffman on the way back home I checked the sky to the north and some dark clouds looked threatening but they either did not have any rain or skirted around them enough to avoid it. The weather forecast did not mention any rain with the front arrival. I did speed up some when I saw the dark clouds. The table shows my average speed for each 5 mile section. All but two are 16 mph or more. The cooler weather helped my riding speed and I only wrung out the wrist bands once when I stopped in Huffman.

Riding time totaled 2:12:45 plus 29:48 time stopped, mostly in Huffman at the Chevron station. September miles now total 341.58 and YTD shows 5058.84 miles. Links to Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS.com metrics and maps.

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Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for September 17th

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New Advocacy Advance Report: The Economic Benefits of Bicycling Infrastructure
By Brighid O’Keane                     www.peoplepoweredmovement.org

From revitalizing a disinvested avenue in Memphis to pumping money into the economies of small towns along the Great Allegheny Passage, bicycling is breathing economic life into America’s communities. From quantifiable health benefits in Iowa to health insurance cost savings for Bicycle Friendly Business Quality Bicycle Products in Wisconsin, bicycling is boosting America’s economic health. From Portland, where the city built its entire bicycling network for the cost of one mile of urban freeway, to Baltimore, where bicycling projects create twice as many construction jobs per dollar as road projects, cities are discovering…

Cyclesomatic 2012: Fall Into Fitness Family Bike Ride, October 6th
Bike Friendly Oak Cliff

This event is a new one for Cyclesomatic and we think it’s worth getting the kids out and participating.  Family fitness is an important issue, and what better way to get fit than on your bicycle!  Project Still I Rise, Empowered Pedals, and the Bath House Cultural Center are happy to host the Empowered Pedals Fall Into Fitness Family Bike Ride! …

The El Paso Bicycle Club is a group of recreational road cyclists with a focus on excercise and fun. The club sponsers rides just about every Saturday and Sunday throughout the year and an evening ride on Wednesdays from mid-March through October. If you seeking a group that shares your interest in cycling you will find friends in the El Paso Bicycle Club. Our rides are free and open the the public. Feel free to join us on one of our weekend adventures. …

Comal Ride – Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club
October 21, 2012 8:00 am
Venue:     Pope John Paul II High School, 6720 FM 482, Schertz, TX
Come and join us on this 30 mile ride on terrain that is mostly flat with some rolling hills over generally quiet paved country roads with a couple of rest stops on the way.  Directions to the start location:  Go north on IH 35 towards New Braunfels.  Go 5.5 miles past 16o4 on 35 north and take exit 177, which is FM 2252/482.  Turn left and go over the freeway for about a half mile on FM2252/482.  Take a right on FM 482 towards the town of Comal and continue for about 2.5 miles until you pass the railroad tracks and come to Pope John Paul II Catholic High School.  Please park in the parking lot on the right across from the school.  For more information contact ride leader Phyllis Terry at…

Mansfield Miles – Lone Star Cyclists
Pace: Touring
Date: Saturday, September 22, 2012 – 8:00am
Location: Katherine Rose Memorial Park, Mansfield (Walnut Creek Dr, north of E Broad St)
Distances: 39 and 58 Miles
Ride Leaders: Rock, Paper, Scissors
Lunch after the ride at Napoli’s Pizza and Fresh Pasta, 2771 E Broad Street (located across from Methodist Mansfield Medical Center). 817-453-3333. http://napolimansfield.com/

Bicycle Accident in Medina, Texas Kills Avid Cyclist
By The Carlson Law Firm            www.carlsonattorneys.com
A Medina, Texas bicycle accident claimed the life of an avid cyclist on Tuesday, when he was struck by a vehicle while riding near his home in Bandera, officials reported.

Police identified the cyclist, who was killed on State Highway 16, as Randy Solis, 59. Solis was pronounced dead at the scene of…

Fort Davis State Park
by Roy and Christine        Pedal Pushers

… Even if it gets me into trouble, the reason we arrived late was that Christine had made an appointment for a pedicure before the bike ride!!?? You need pretty toe nails to go into a cycling shoe??? I guess you have to be a woman to understand the process. (Editor’s note: there are some appointments one does NOT break.) …

Is this thing sexist? Introducing the “Bike Test”
by Elly                Taking the Lane
This post is drawn from a presentation I developed for the first-ever National Women’s Bicycling Summit in September, 2012.

As the influence of women grows across all types of bicycling, there has been quite a bit of debate about the representation of gender in everything from ads to advocacy campaigns, race tracks to board meetings. Is that photo of a sexy woman on a bike sexist, or is it empowering? Objectifying, or compelling? Tokenizing, or inclusive? Is it different if the photo was taken by a woman? What if the woman depicted is an avowed feminist? Does this mean we are never allowed to depict women wearing skirts and heels? These discussions tend to get…

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Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for September 16th

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Be careful cycling out there!!!
by WB admin            The Wheel Brothers – Cycling in Texas
These guys in Colorado went out for a routine Sunday morning ride this morning and came across a guy that obviously has a problem with cyclists!

Notice, they ride on the far right shoulder and give plenty of space to pass.

Good for them to keep their cool and not further aggravating the situation.  Yes, you might be right at that point but the guy still outweighs you by 4,000lbs+ at that point. …

HBC New Ulm Ride
Saturday 09/29/12
Nice, hilly ride west of Sealy. All routes go through Fayetteville. Be sure to stop and enjoy the town square. After that there are no stores until Frelsburg.

70 mi. from SW Houston. Go west on I-10 to Sealy (53 miles), north a couple miles to FM 1094 then northwest on FM 1094 for about 22 miles to New Ulm.

Tour de Tolerance
Sunday, October 28        7:30AM
Annual event raising money for the El Paso Holocaust Museum. Ride will start at Ardovino’s Desert Crossing, 100K and 50K bike rides, and 5K walk/run. Follow the details on facebook. You can register at www.tourdetolerance.com Or call 915-331-0048 ext 24 for more information

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