Chilly Wind Cuts the Effort – October 30th Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

A chilly wind sure feels different from the same wind at a warmer temperature. I think this is obvious but it is reaffirmed each time I ride. Today it was 65 degrees at the start and I was dressed out with a long sleeve jersey, leg warmers, wind breaker jacket and half finger gloves. This was plenty warm enough and when I got home my jersey was soaked. Along the ride I saw this man out washing his SUV in shorts, no shirt and no shoes in the shade. I could feel the chill whenever I rode through some shade so I am wondering if I am a wimp. It did warm up to 71 degrees by the end of the ride though. With the cooler weather the sky is a cool clear blue and the breeze was 6 mph from the east.

Today was the only day this week that I did not ride 29 miles or more. The route was 25.43 miles. Average speed was 14.8 mph with a max speed of 21.7 mph. Average cadence was 80.1 RPM. October miles are 712.36, the weekly total 175.65 miles and year to date 4953.70 miles. Next week I should pass over the 5,000 mile mark.

10-30-2011 Bike Ride Data and Route Map

[iframe http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/125335205 470 570]

Link to the route map and ride data at RidewithGPS.com

10-30-2011 Home Weather End

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Texas Bicycling Daily News Roundup October 29th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Sunday Riders
Lone Star Cyclists
Pace: Touring
Date: Sunday, October 30, 2011 – 9:00am
Location: Lynn Creek Marina, 5700 Lake Ridge Parkway, Grand Prairie, Texas
If anyone can’t make this Saturday’s ride or wants to ride both days, come on out and join us for a 37 mile outing from Joe Pool Lake. We’ll head south to Midlothian and enjoy beautiful views, scenic pastures, and mild temperatures. This will be a fun, no-drop ride…

Seen At The Spooky Cyclocross
by Christopher Curnutt        Biking in Dallas

The Spooky Cyclocross turned out to be a fun way to spend a Saturday morning.  Here’s a few shots I took.

Hill Country Bicycling Touring Club
November 12, 2011 9:00 am
Goliad Ride
Goliad State Park, Park Road 6, Goliad

November 13, 2011 9:00 am
Ride on Country Roads Around Goliad

November 19, 2011 9:00 am
Bullis County Park Ride
Bullis County Park, San Antonio

November 20, 2011 9:00 am
Leon Creek Greenway
Ingram Park n Ride, Ingram Road, San Antonio

November 26, 2011 9:00 am
Christmas in Comfort Ride
Comfort City Park, Comfort

Rockin’
forums.mtbr.com

I’m new to Texas so forgive me for asking; are all the trails around here like this or are all the rocks in the state on this particular trail?

No fancy route today – October 29th Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

No fancy route today. It was a little chilly but fortunately the wind was light (variable at 4 mph) and the sky was a clear blue. At first I was going to ride about 40 miles but I changed my mind and did a simple out and back route. Early this morning when I got up it was 45 degrees so I had to wait awhile. The temperature was 65 degrees at the start which is why I waited until 12:23 to ride and 71 degrees at the end of the ride. I don’t know if my late start or the chilly weather had anything to do with it but I did not see any other bikers (I did see a group of Harley-Davidson bikers though but they don’t count).

At the turn around point when I got to SR242 I stopped at the Flying J Truck Stop to wipe my nose but the towel dispenser wouldn’t work. There was a man in a white Dodge Charger filling up and he gave me some paper towels. My nose and I thanked him. Later on at FM1314 when I stopped at the Exxon Station for my Diet Pepsi another man and I talked about his youth and parents living in Forest Cove near where I live.

With today’s 32.44 mile ride October miles are up to 686.93, the week’s miles are 150.22 and the year to date miles are 4928.27. My average speed was 15.4 mph, max speed was 21.6 mph and average cadence was 79.5 RPM.

10-29-2011 Bike Ride Data and Route Map

[iframe http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/125071027 470 560]

Link to the route map and ride data at RidewithGPS.com

10-29-2011 Home Weather End

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Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for October 28th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

No bike ride report today. The temperature got to 60 degrees around 3:30PM but the wind was 24 mph from the north. This would make the wind chill fall below my whimp cut off so I stayed home. Saturday the sky is supposed to clear, the wind drop off and the temperature reach the low 70’s. I plan on being back on the road.

Why are bikes being targeted by Congress?
People for Bikes
How in the the world can biking and walking be controversial?

They’re good exercise, fun to do and—as an alternative to driving everywhere—help us save money and the environment. Both biking and walking are increasingly popular for transportation and recreation today, thanks in large part to a recent flowering of federally-funded trails, bikeways and pathways that make getting around on two wheels and two feet safer and more convenient.

But in these antagonistic political times, bikers and walkers are now targets of controversy for some members of Congress. In September, Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn proposed stripping all designated federal funding for bike and pedestrian projects from the pending Transportation Bill. After an outpouring of opposition from citizens…

A potential source of riding events and groups can be found at www.meetup.com

Upcoming Meetups (Meetup.com)
Oct 28 6:00 PM
Weekly Road Bike Ride and Run (Brick)
Terry Hershey Park 15200 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77079
This is a weekly brick. We will ride between 20-23 miles, and run afterward. The run will be 3/5/12 miles (it’s up to the individual). The ride is a straight shot to Katy’s Fry Rd. on the paved path. There will not be any traffic or red lights to…… MORE

Oct 29 10:00 AM
Weekly Mountain Bike Ride For Beginners@ Memorial Park
Memorial Park N Picnic Ln, Houston, TX 77007
This is for beginners. We will do slow to medium pace through the trails. WHAT TO BRING: Snacks Spare tire or patch kit Pump (not mandatory) Helmet (required) TIME: Please be on time, call me @ 832-665-5960 if you’re going to be late so we can wa…… MORE

Tour Das Hugel … A voyage of transformation, and pain (Part II)
by robdamico        Austin on Two Wheels

This is the second part of Rob D’Amico’s series looking at Tour Das Hugel and his attempt to do the 2011 ride. See here for Part I.  He also is hosting a fundraiser that lets you donate a set amount for each mile he completes, with all proceeds going to local bike nonprofits.

About Me: Part II
I mentioned before that I really wanted to lose a bunch of weight, maybe 15 pounds in two months, to make the hills a bit easier. I kept picturing a backpack with a 15 pound iron weight in it, hoping it would spur the discipline to eat (and…

Energy Corridor Shared-Use Pathways Project
by Aaron Chang            BikeHouston

On Monday, October 31 the Energy Corridor District will be submitting a federal grant application (TIGER III) for their Shared-Use Pathways Project. The Energy Corridor District is contributing local matching funds and will be responsible for future maintenance of the project. BikeHouston and numerous local organizations have written letters of support in favor of this important project.

About the Project
The Energy Corridor Shared-Use Pathways Project encompasses four transportation corridors along SH 6 and Eldridge Parkway. The shared-use pathway is a 13-mile path designated specifically for pedestrians and cyclists. It will connect residential…

Cycling – 101.5 miles! … No! … 101.5 Hilly Miles!
Don Bynum’s Blog

Last Saturday (22 Oct, 2011) Gil Jones and I cycled from my home on the west shore of Lake Buchanan, TX to Junction, TX.  Gil and I cycle to many nice little towns in central Texas.  Junction just happens to also be 101.5 miles away, if one takes the scenic route.  I may mention that 101.5 thing again somewhere. …

Open Mountain Bike Trails in DFW and Weekend Weather.
by Shawn             Texas Mountain Bike Trails
Texas got dumped on last night. I’m not talking about the Rangers game either. (#collapse) Well, maybe I am just a little bit. The Dallas area got hit with their first winter shower of the year last night putting up to a half inch of rain on our trails. The rain is much needed and…

Enchilada Buffet Mountain Bike Trail -Austin Texas
www.singletracks.com
Description: The History of the EB
The idea for the annual Enchilada Buffet Ride started with a simple blog post in 2008 by one Austin Mountain Biker with the extreme urge to ride all the Parks in Austin in one day. The entire post from the Bike Mojo Forum site is below:

It’s been on the backburner for almost 2 years now. Last year we went as far as planning it and it fizzled out. This year I’m setting a day and am going to show up. If I am by myself then so be it. I’ve wanted to attempt this ride for a long time. …

Premier multisport event a victim of poor economy
By Bill Cullins         San Angelo Standard-Times
Striders Duathlon, the oldest run-bike-run event in Texas, has been canceled for 2012 after being a San Angelo classic for 18 years.

The event promotion company, Ironhead Race Productions, cited “a down turned economy and the vast and continuing proliferation of multisport events without regard to impact” as being the reason that continuation of the event was no longer fiscally possible. …

Austin’s Cultural Campus Bike Tour
utvac.org
Sign Up Now For Austin’s Cultural Campus Bike Tour, Co-Hosted by Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop Saturday, November 12, Starts @ 9 am

Explore art, history, the humanities, and science while enjoying a casual bike ride! Co-hosted by Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop and the Austin Cycling Association. This no-drop, co-ed group ride is perfect for cyclists of all levels and riding abilities. Total distance is about 6 miles. On this route, riders will visit museums that are…