Last evening some thunderstorms and a small amount of rain passed through some parts of southeast Texas including Kingwood. According to my rain gauge we got .08″ of rain which seems to be the only amount we can get when it does sprinkle. Along with this activity the temperature dropped into the high 60’s overnight so this morning it was 70 degrees at my home weather station when I left on my ride. When I finished it had climbed to 79 degrees. For a long time the numbers have been on the 79 degree temperature. I actually wore a long sleeve jersey although I could used a short sleeve one. The wind was a mild 7 mph from the WNW which is supposed to increase to 25 mph by this afternoon raising the threat of fires spreading rapidly. The clear skies were beautiful.
The route was 24.65 miles long, a modified version of the one from Wednesday. The Garmin Edge 500 showed an average speed of 15.0 mph but SportTracks calculated a 14.9 mph average speed. My max speed was 24.7 mph aided by the nice WNW breeze. My earlier projection of hitting 180 miles for the month was good with September totaling 184.53 and the year to date is now 4241.34 miles. The average cadence was 80.6 RPM. There were times when I was riding into the wind that the legs just would not spin any faster. Out of 30 days I rode 6 days due to my vacation. October will be more riding days.
Urban Farm Bicycle Tour
Austin, TX
Discover some of Austin’s best food-producing treasures on the Bicycle Sport Shop Urban Farm Bicycle Tour Saturday, December 3. This fourth-annual family friendly bicycle tour includes optional stops at more than 20 urban farms, and school and community gardens.
Multiple starting points ( Austin Farmers Market at The Triangle at 9 am; Bicycle Sport Shop on South Lamar at 9:30 am; and Austin Farmers Market at Republic Square at 10 am).
Self-guided, so ride at your own pace and spend as much time as you want at each stop.
Chef-prepared local food samplings at every farm.
Bicycle Sport Shop mechanic support along the route.
Chances to win fabulous prizes, including a Trek bike and Bicycle Sport Shop gift cards, at every farm and garden.
Register here ($30 per adult, children 16 and under free).
The Bicycle Sport Shop Urban Farm Bicycle Tour kicks off Edible Austin Eat Drink Local Week, which celebrates local, fresh food in Central Texas December 3 through 10.
Following the tour, continue the Eat Drink Local Week celebration from 4 to 7 pm with a community picnic of roasted pork and fresh harvested sides, live music, a tour of the farm and an opportunity to meet our beneficiaries from Sustainable Food Center and Urban Roots. Pig roast is is $30 per person. Buy your tickets now!
Shimano Ultegra Di2 Takes Interbike By Storm
Jim Langley         www.roadbikerider.com
To me, the most exciting thing at Interbike was Shimano’s Ultegra 6770 Di2 electric components group (Di2 stands for Digital Integrated Intelligence). I got to test ride it, talk to Shimano about it, attend a technical seminar about Di2 and discuss it with other industry pundits.
Even though Shimano’s first electric group, Dura-Ace Di2, debuted about 4 years ago, I think that the significantly lower price of the new Ultegra Di2 and its sleeker design mean that it’s going to be in high demand. And if you’re in the market for a new bike, you should act fast to get on the list for Di2. Especially since the buzz at the show was…
Chris Tucker sent me this story about a grueling bike ride/race in Asia. This would never take place in Texas because we lack the 10,000 mountain passes but I have seen similar conditions in some of the European pro races. Note the road conditions in the opening frame of the video.
The Craziest Bike Race On Earth
Written by: T. Sean Herbert         www.thepostgame.com
It’s raining in Bhutan. That’s not a reason to postpone a bike race, but it’s not helping Bill Lahey feel more comfortable. Nor is the time of the start of the race — two o’clock in the morning. Nor, for that matter, is the race course: through 10,000-foot mountain passes in the Himalayas, around hairpin turns on roads with no guardrails, down inclines so steep Lahey will have no choice but to steer at 40 mph or more.
Nor are the obstacles sure to get in his way: large trucks and farm animals, neither of which will be steered away…
Cyclist to ride in second Livestrong Challenge
By Andrew Bottrell      www.nptelegraph.com
A local man has taken his passions for cycling and giving back, and joined the Livestrong movement.
In October, Doug Wenz, a North Platte resident, will take part in his second Livestrong Challenge, a two-day event that helps raise funds for cancer survivors and cancer research. After traveling to Seattle to take part in his first Livestrong Challenge two years ago, Wenz…
The Rise of Urban Biking
Ben Adler         www.thenation.com
Residents of American cities and college towns may have noticed a growing urban species whizzing down their streets. One strand of the highly adaptive Homo pedalis can be identified by telltale markings: a single leg of skinny jeans rolled up, a plaid shirt unbuttoned to alleviate perspiration and a clumsy retro helmet. As many young professionals choose cities over suburbs, the rising cost of living has pushed newcomers to the fringes of the urban core. Mass transit is not always available or convenient. Driving is costly and time-consuming. So young…
Ft Hood State Championships Weekend 2011
by Ken Day        Texas Racing Life
Let me hit you with some truth right quick: cycling can be the most difficult and disappointing sport ever. It can also be so rewarding. Saturday’s 99 mile Skill-based Championship race was a perfect example of the former, and Sunday’s Age-Based Championships was the latter.
Actually, I felt amazing in both races. On Saturday, I was hitting the climbs hard, trying to make selections in the group. Each hill, Michael Pincus, myself, along with a few others, would get to the front and attack each other. I was enjoying the pain and suffering this was bringing me! I couldn’t believe how good my form was. Coming through mile 64, I knew I would easily make it until…
I was able to start my ride earlier today to avoid the heat but it still was 92 degrees when I finished at 12:21 PM (83 degrees at the start). There were some darker clouds in the distance when I started but nothing came of them. The wind was not much help keeping me cool since it was only 6 mph from the south southwest. There is supposed to be a small chance of rain after 1:00 but I am not holding out much hope. If rain doesn’t arrive at least the temperature is supposed to max out in the mid-80’s for the next few days. I am looking forward to that. The humidity has increased from yesterday so this could be pointing to some moisture (56% at the finish).
I was able to keep my average speed above 15.0 mph again today at 15.1 mph although I was thinking it would be higher. My first five miles usually take 21 to 22 minutes but today it was 19:59 which was a pleasant surprise because this section has a lot of starts and stops. With 6 section 5 mile “laps” 4 of them were 15 mph and above and 2 were below 15 mph. The route was longer than yesterday at 28.33 miles (+ 2.30 miles) and my max speed was 20.7 mph. Average cadence was 79.2 RPM. I am not sure why I cannot get this up to 84 or 85 RPM. September miles are now 159.89 and year to date 4216.69 miles.
