Freeform Ride For Something Different. No Mindless Biking Today

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When I was thinking about where to ride today I wanted to do something different. That can hard to do considering I’ve been biking for over 30 years from the same starting point. Add in that some places I ride to only have one way to get there and coming up with different routes can be challenging. What if I do a “freeform” bike ride based on a route used many times? That’s today’s bike ride. The base route is Atascocita – Walden – Huffman and the freeform part comes from making street choices in many places. The choices might be streets and greenbelt trails from other routes but not used in the base route. Some of these choices I made in advance and some as I turned a corner or rode on a street with optional turns that would go in the general direction. I had no idea what distance this would end with but hopefully equaled or exceeded the average for Atascocita – Walden – Huffman. It turned out to be a longer than average ride at 35.6 miles (the average is 34.3 miles). And I left out one greenbelt section back in Kingwood that probably would’ve added a mile or so. No mindless bike ride today.

This week now totals 140.94 miles making a 200+ mile look possible. June biking is up to 930.16 miles, the most in a month since October 2022 with 957.98 and I could surpass that on tomorrow’s ride.

Starting at 8:45 AM on my Cervelo Caledonia bike it wasn’t too far into the ride that I made the first choice and more followed not long afterwards. Another freeform decision was to not wear arm sleeves which I wear on each ride. I will return to wearing them because of they keep sweat from running down my arms but it was comforting to have the wind blowing on my arms. When I finished at 11:44 AM my arms were dripping. I almost wore wrist bands knowing the sweat could be a problem.

Weather: Start 85 degrees, 77% humidity, dew point 76.9, a few clouds, wind SW 8 mph; Finish 92 degrees, 58% humidity, dew point 75.4, mostly clear, wind S 7 mph.

6-29-2023 Strava Ride Summary Freeform Atascocita-Walden-Huffman
6-29-2023 Strava Ride Summary Freeform Atascocita-Walden-Huffman
6-29-2023 SportTracks Ride Summary Freeform Atascocita-Walden-Huffman
6-29-2023 SportTracks Ride Summary Freeform Atascocita-Walden-Huffman

Texas Bicycling News And Events – June 28, 2023

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Wheels of Fire bike ride

Photos by Mike Sackett | www.waxahachiesun.com

The annual Wheels of Fire bike ride to benefit Campfire Creek Therapeutic Riding and the Jon Wilson Scholarship Fund was held Saturday, June 24. The annual event offers rides of 21 miles, 50 miles and 100K. It starts and ends at Railport Brewery, 405 W. Madison St., Waxahachie. (21-miles, 50-miles and 100K) start and end at 405 W. Madison St., Waxahachie. For more information about the ride, email wheelsoffireride@gmail.com.

Bicyclists on cross-country cancer fundraising ride hit by SUV in North Dakota

BISMARCK TRIBUNE STAFF | bismarcktribune.com

Two bicyclists from Texas on a cross-country cancer fundraising and awareness ride were injured when they were struck by an SUV in southeastern North Dakota’s Barnes County.

Felicity Hung, 22, of Frisco, Texas, and Neeraj Akula, 20, of Cibolo, Texas, were hit from behind while riding with 13 other bicyclists on a rural road 2 miles west of Valley City around 2 p.m. Tuesday, the Highway Patrol reported. The bicyclists were single-file in three groups of five riders, and the SUV that was traveling in the same direction had cleared the rear and middle groups before hitting two of the riders in the front group, authorities said.

Hung and Akula were treated on scene by ambulance personnel and then taken to a Valley City hospital with injuries that the Patrol said were not life-threatening.

The SUV left the scene. The driver was later arrested on a misdemeanor charge of leaving the scene of an injury crash. Formal charges were pending. The Patrol identified the driver as Peter Schuck, 88, of Sanborn. It wasn’t immediately clear if he had an attorney.

88-year-old driver arrested for leaving scene of crash that injured two bikers

By Nachai Taylor | www.valleynewslive.com

The bicyclists are part of the Texas 4000, a non-profit group raising awareness for cancer.

VALLEY CITY, N.D. (Valley News Live) – Two bicyclists traveling from Texas to Alaska are recovering from injuries after they were hit by an SUV near Valley City. The crash happened just after 2 p.m. Tuesday.

The bicyclists are part of the Texas 4000, a non-profit group where bicyclists participate in cross country treks to raise awareness for cancer.

The North Dakota Highway Patrol says 15 bicyclists of the Texas 4000 were crossing a railroad overpass bridge on 33rd Street SE near County Road 22. According to the report, the bikers were riding in single file in groups of five.

An SUV, driven by 88-year-old Peter Schuck, was …

Houston’s cycling deaths still on the rise

Jay R. Jordan | www.axios.com

Houston is investing millions in bike lanes, but almost more cyclists have died on its streets this year than in all of 2022.

Why it matters: This year, Houston remains on pace to be more lethal to cyclists than 2022, when 11 were killed in crashes with motor vehicles.

10 cyclists have been killed in 2023, by the Houston Police Department's count.
By this time last year, there were seven deaths, per Texas Department of Transportation data.

What they’re saying: …

Ride from Houston to Galveston
by u/Displaced_Member in bikehouston

snow cone spin with sam! Austin, Texas

Monica Merced | strava.com

Criterium Skills Clinic Houston, Texas

Michelle Casper | strava.com

Afternoon Ride Houston, Texas

Chase Ferrell | strava.com

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On The Fly Route Changes, Others Planned Riding To Caney Creek

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Some bike rides I follow a route using the same streets but today on the way north to Caney Creek I used some different street combinations. A few were made on the fly, others pre-planned. No new streets but some I haven’t been on for awhile. It was my Lynskey Helix bike’s turn to ride. The route name is the same but the streets not so, Kingwood – FM1485 – Kingwood. Start time was a few minutes earlier than yesterday at 8:45 AM and I finished at 11:30 AM to avoid the hottest part of the day. Today I rode 32.5 miles, the average distance for the route in 2023, even with the different streets. Out of the nine rides in 2023 seven have been on my Lynskey Helix bike.

6-28-2023 SportTracks 2023 Ride Summary Kingwood-FM1485-Kingwood
6-28-2023 SportTracks 2023 Ride Summary Kingwood-FM1485-Kingwood

I used the 35×13 gears the most during the ride: 1:34:21 (22.6 miles), 35×15 gears 41:49 (6 miles), 33 rear derailleur shifts. From the AXS.SRAM.com ride report.

Weather: Start 85 degrees, 77% humidity, dew point 76.7, partly cloudy, wind S 10, ; Finish 90 degrees, 63% humidity, dew point 75.4, partly cloudy, wind SW 10 mph.

6-28-2023 SportTracks Ride Summary Kingwood-FM1485-Kingwood
6-28-2023 SportTracks Ride Summary Kingwood-FM1485-Kingwood

Texas Bicycling News – June 27, 2023

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Cyclists traveling from Texas to Alaska for cancer research, stop in Fargo-Moorhead

By Kevin Wallevand | www.inforum.com

23 Students from the University of Texas are riding more than 5,000 miles

Talk about spending your summer vacation, "on the road."

23-students from the University of Texas are in Fargo-Moorhead tonight as their journey to Alaska continues.

They are on bikes, riding more than 5-thousand miles raising money for cancer. …

Denton’s pedestrian and cyclist safety survey allows residents to influence city planning

By John Anderson | www.keranews.org

Denton residents have a chance to influence the future of the city’s pedestrian and cycling network.

As part of a Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety Audit, the city is conducting a survey to get public input on the safety and accessibility of Denton’s sidewalks and bike lanes.

Roughly 470 people have already shared their experiences, concerns and suggestions, which city auditor Madison Rorschach says is a huge response.

“We’re hoping that this can help build some momentum so that we can get council thinking about it in the future and kind of get a long-term plan to try to improve some of the issues that the community is experiencing,” they said.

The survey takes about 3 or 4 minutes and asks respondents how easily they can …

22 road cyclists set to represent US at 2023 Para-Cycling World Championships

United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, Press Release | highlandcountypress.com

Following the U.S. Paralympics Cycling Rock Prairie Time Trial race, 22 athletes have been named to the roster that will compete for Team USA at the 2023 UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships later this summer in Glasgow, Scotland.

The roster includes 11 athletes who have raced at a Paralympic Games, combining for 40 Paralympic medals. It also features eight former world champions, while six athletes are making their world championships debut.

For the first time ever, Para-cycling worlds will be contested in conjunction with able-bodied world championships. Set to be held Aug. 3-13, the competition will feature all disciplines for both able-bodied and Para. The U.S. Paralympics Cycling worlds team for track cycling will be announced in July. …

… Rounding out the roster are four men’s bicyclists, led by Paralympic silver medalist Aaron Keith (Woodinville, Wash.). A 10-time world championships medalist, Keith makes his 13th worlds roster across road and track cycling. He is joined by MC4 athletes John Terrell (Converse, Texas) and C.J. Howard (Sacramento, Calif.) as well as MC3 racer Noah Middlestaedt (Saint Cloud, Minn.). …

Two women bicycling from Texas to Alaska hit by car near Valley City

By Steve Urness | www.valleynewslive.com

BEREA, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Two bicyclists suffered non-life threatening injuries after they were struck by a car on a railroad overpass bridge near Berea, North Dakota on Tuesday, June 27th shortly after 2pm.

The North Dakota Highway Patrol said during their preliminary investigation, it was determined that a group of bicyclists traveling from Texas to Alaska were crossing over the bridge. The patrol said a vehicle driven by a man struck the bicyclists, two females were transported to Mercy Hospital in Valley City and treated for non-life threatening injuries.

This incident remains under investigation with the North Dakota Highway Patrol. The patrol was assisted by the Barnes County Sheriff’s Department, Barnes County Ambulance and Valley City Rural Fire and Rescue.

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