Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for March 17th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Trail Rules and Guidelines Proposed
by dickdavid        Bike Friendly Richardson
From the City of Richardson’s weekly newsletter:

The City Council is considering rules and guidelines that would improve safety on Richardson’s growing network of trails.

The proposed rules are similar to those in effect for City parks. They include prohibiting motorized vehicles on trails, requiring pets to be on a short leash, requiring users to travel at a safe speed and requiring bicyclists to yield to pedestrians.

Suggested guidelines for trail courtesy and safety include passing slower users on the left, keeping to the right side of the trail, listening for other trail users who may be approaching, yielding…

USA Cycling announces launch of National Track Calendar
by Bike World News
The calendar begins May 12-13 with the Matrix Track Cup presented by Richardson Bike Mart at The Superdrome in Frisco, Texas. The second event is the Fixed Gear Classic at the NSC Velodrome in Blaine, Minn., from June 7-9. …

Briscoe completes bike ride for a cause
Former Ashland High tennis player concludes cross-country journey
By Joe Zavala            www.mailtribune.com
…Briscoe rates Texas as the most bike-friendly state. Drivers there would steer clear to give him plenty of room. But that wasn’t always the case. Some of his daily treks were downright harrowing.

“On a highway, you hugged that line like you’re married to it,” he said. “You’re always on that white line. One time a semi-truck did not get over, and it was probably about a foot away from me going about 60 miles an hour. That freaks you out. Especially with a head wind, because you can’t hear them.”

Briscoe said the cold mornings — “bone-chilling” — were the worst part of the trip. The friendships made it worth it, however. One, in particular, made Briscoe’s journey seem almost like a vacation. He met two more bicyclists he had…

USA Ccyling & J&R Bicycles partner to support junior development efforts
by Bike World News
USA Cycling would like to congratulate Sean Gaian (Santee, Calif.) and Shaelen Reno (Carollton, Texas) for winning the last JDP qualifying series from Sept. 30, 2011-Feb. 12, 2012. These two riders will sport the new jerseys during the camp from April …

Memory Ride and Candlelight Vigil target child abuse
By Adam D. Young        AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
Hundreds of Lubbock bikers and drivers will take to the streets and light candles March 25 to raise awareness about child abuse and remember the 231 Texas children who died from abuse or neglect in 2011.

The Family Guidance & Outreach Center of Lubbock, a nonprofit agency dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and neglect, will host its…

The SCCCC via Twitter
Texas State’s Michael Shehan has a 20 second lead on GC going into Sunday’s crit in Men A, can MSU pull him back?

Watching These Guys Race 298K – March 17th Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

This morning when I rolled out of bed my body let me know that sore muscles stayed from yesterday. I thought this would keep from me from biking today but after doing my usual morning exercises the muscles started to loosen up. Today’s bike ride would start around noon because I wanted to watch the Milan-San Remo race with the online TV scheduled to start at 8:30 AM CDT. When I joined the race they just passed the 98 kilometer to go point. I listened in English on EuroSport. Watching these guys race 298 kilometers encouraged me to get out and ride.

I wanted to vary the route again today so I reversed a route I use from time to time. Again seeing things in reverse order requires some extra thought so that I make the right turns. The route favored the wind on the way out and I keep a high speed but when I turned back towards home the wind came full force, much stronger than I expected. As I head to the turn around point I saw two other bikers going the opposite direction and moving rather slow. Once I turned around I knew why. My speed slowed down and those sore muscles started complaining again. I took a break at the 20.2 mile point at a Valero station to allow the muscles to calm down. After I finished the 32oz Diet Pepsi I got back to biking and finished after 30.69 miles.

Today’s weather made biking a dream as far the temperature (79 at the start, 84 at the end) and cloud cover (partly cloudy). The wind from the south at 14 mph with 22 mph gusts presented the problem but it did keep me feeling comfortable heat wise.

Some of today’s ride statistics:

  • 14.7 mph average speed
  • 2:05:13 riding time
  • 23.8 mph max speed
  • 77.5 RPM average cadence
  • 167.2 miles this week
  • 314.89 miles in March
  • 950.98 miles YTD
  • Garmin Connect data link

[iframe http://ridewithgps.com/trips/547582 97% 600]

3-17-2012 Home Weather Station End

3-17-2012 Home Weather Station End

Texas Bicycling Daily News Roundup – March 16th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Dallas Ciclovia
9AM – 3PM
Saturday, Apil 14, 2012
Houston Street Bridge, Dallas

The Dallas Ciclovia, organized by  Bike Friendly Oak Cliff, will close down the Houston Street viaduct in Dallas and turn it into a bicycle and pedestrian ONLY street market and fair. BikeDFW will be there with our bicycle-powered smoothie maker along with an urban market, food trucks, live music and more.

The Whole Darn Loop Mountain Bike Series – Race 2
www.bikewtca.org
Date: March 18, 2012
Location: Lubbock, TX
Contact: Chase Wesley
Details: The Whole Damn Loop mountain bike series begins at 3 pm at the MLK parking lot. Everybody rides the same course. Enough challenges to keep the skillful people honest and the beginners attention. Lap is approx 12ish miles.

Volunteers Needed for Spring Events
by marc            BikeDFW
We need a few volunteers for two big events coming up in March and April: a Katy Trail safety and membership event on March 24th and the first Dallas Ciclovia on April 14th.

Steaming wheels ready for Abilene race/tour
By Bill Cullins            San Angelo Standard-Times
SAN ANGELO, Texas — It’s time for a cycling road trip! In this case, the trip will be a short drive north to Abilene.

The 2012 Steam ‘N’ Wheels cycling race/tour, one of the best bicycling events in West Texas, will take place on March 24 in Abilene.

Activities will include a 48-mile competitive race, a 32-mile tour and a 12-mile tour, with all rides starting…

New road markings to encourage bike awareness
By Conner Hammett            Allen Americant

The city of Allen is issuing some friendly reminders to motorists and cyclists along the city’s previously unmarked bike routes.

Share the lane markings, or “sharrows,” are being 10 miles of roadway, including Malone Road, Rivercrest Boulevard, Twin Creeks Drive, Suncreek Drive and part of Comanche Drive, and there are more to come over the next two years.

The markings are not dedicated bike lanes but markers of the city’s bike route, a series of roadways recommended to cyclists for their traffic and road conditions and connectivity to parks, trails and schools. In the state…

USA Pro Cycling Challenge partner with Gran Fondo: Texas TMCO
By BikeRadar US

The USA Pro Cycling Challenge, one of the largest professional cycling races in the US, have teamed up with the second-annual Gran Fondo: Texas TMCO to create the KOM (King of the Mountain) Challenge.

Held on April 1, in Houston, TX, the Gran Fondo: Texas TMCO is both a race, and a recreational ride for people of all ages. The event features a USA Cycling-sanctioned “Gran Fondo” style ride that consists of a 97-mile route, including a King/Queen of the Mountain competition. Additionally, the recreational ride options have routes of…

Livestrong Texas 4000 Bicycle Group In Seguin Today
kgnb.am        March 15, 2012
The longest annual charity bicycle ride in the world, the Livestrong Texas 4000, will be rolling through Seguin tonight as part of the training leg for their ride that departs from Austin and ends in Anchorage, Alaska. Beginning June 1st, riders will pedal more than 45-hundred miles while raising funds for cancer research. Along the way they’ll visit with cancer survivors, patients, and family members to educate people about cancer prevention and early detection. Since its inception, the Texas 4000 has contributed more than 3-million dollars to the fight against cancer and over 350 riders have ridden their…

Another Gorgeous Day in Southeast Texas – March 16th Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Another gorgeous day for biking rolled in. Mostly cloudy sky but not enough to block out the sun. The temperature stayed in a tight range with 79 to 81 during my ride. After yesterday’s ride my wife and I worked in the backyard moving some rose bushes around and another plant I can’t remember. The reason I mention this relates to today’s 15 mph southeast wind. I did not notice that I used any different muscles working in the yard but today when I headed into the wind the leg muscles could not deliver the power I usually can call upon. To vary the ride I decided to bike in reverse on the route I use most often. It almost seemed like a new route when seen from the opposite direction.

Biking in reverse presented some interesting traffic changes since one of the reasons I ride the direction I do minimizes crossing over roads without traffic lights or make right hand turns instead of left ones. This required some extra thought as I approached the intersections. The cars and trucks did not present an issue. I will need to repeat this route direction again in the near future. The old route is pretty automatic so going in reverse I needed to plan the turns and streets. I don’t think I left anything out except for a 2/10 portion in the last 2 miles.

At around the 13 mile point I stopped to refill my water bottle at the Chevron station in Huffman. A Harris County deputy sheriff was removing all of the contents in the trunk of his car so that he could change the right rear tire. I did not realize all of the stuff they have back there. There were two big pieces of 3/4″ plywood and numerous other equipment. He read the instructions and proceeded to jack up the cruiser. He said the county maintenance service kept “banker’s hours” and had already closed so he needed to do this so he could return to patrol. A nail caused the tire puncture, he said. Without a good spare he said the next flat would put out of business.

Some of today’s ride numbers:

  • 30.40 miles
  • 14.8 mph average speed
  • 2:00:03 biking time
  • 21.7 mph max speed
  • 77.5 RPM average cadence (reflects my tired legs?)
  • 136.51 miles this week
  • 284.2 miles in March
  • 920.29 miles YTD
  • Garmin Connect data link

The map below is interactive. You can select metrics and other tabs as well as play the route.

[iframe http://ridewithgps.com/trips/546574 95% 600]

3-16-2012 Home Weather Station End

3-16-2012 Home Weather Station End