Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for April 27th

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El Paso Bicycle Club Rides
B/IG Ride – Road Hazards
Description:     Meet at Rio Plaza, Upper Valley Rd at Artcraft. Arrive 15 minutes early. Information: Margaret O’Kelley, 588-3825, or Bob Lynn, 915-443-4226. Training topic: Road Hazards. Visit the B/IG webpage for more information about the B/IG program.
Training Material – Road Hazards for Cyclists

Fort Worth Mountain Bikers’ Association
MAY FWMBA CLUB MEETING
The May club meeting of the Fort Worth Mountain Bikers’ Association will be held upstairs at Backwoods (2727 W. 7th Street, Fort Worth, TX 76107, (817) 332-2423) at 7:00pm on Tuesday night, May 3, 2011. Topics of discussion will be . . .
– May meeting with Parks and Community Services ay MSP
– Tuesday Night Time Trial briefing
– MSP parking lot progress report
– Club plans for the summer
– Movie benefit ideas
– Club Financials
– Club Membership Numbers

National Bike Month
As you know, May is National Bike Month.  San Antonio Bexar County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has a calendar of events and rides that is getting filled with lots of fun stuff for cyclists in the region and can be found at www.walkandrollsa.com.  More events are being added almost daily. …

Ex-Prez Bush Rips It Up with Veterans
By Jamie Bate from singletrack.competitor.com
…The former president, who turns 65 in July, is riding a Trek (Fisher Collection) Superfly 100, a full-suspension 29er, through the desert of West Texas. Bush took up mountain biking in 2003 when a knee injury put an end to his running. From all accounts of people who have gone riding with Bush, the former president rides fast and has gained more technical skills over the years. …

Richardson Urban Bicycle Club – Idle Ride – Tomorrow Night
by dickdavid

Our friends over at the Richardson Urban Bicycle Club are hosting another fun event called the Idle Ride tomorrow night. As with most of their rides, this one is slow paced and geared for adults. …

Bush, Armstrong join wounded vets for TX bike ride
By JUAN CARLOS LLORCA – Wed Apr 27, 5:37 pm ET
TERLINGUA, Texas – Kenneth Butler touched the metal end of his prosthetic arm instinctively as he recalled the horrors he witnessed in Iraq.

Four years after losing his limb when his vehicle was hit by a bomb in Baghdad, the retired army staff sergeant got his first chance this week to meet…

UT not on list of most bike-friendly universities
from www.readthehorn.com
The University of Texas was awarded an honorable mention, but the League of American Bicyclists says it needs to implement more policies and programs in order to become a bicycle friendly university. …

Bicycle Riding – Velo San Antonio
from www.meetup.com
Our group is dedicated to promoting fun, safe bicycling – both on the road and on the trails – for all women and men at all levels in beautiful San Antonio.

We ride year round at various organized and non-organized rides through out the San Antonio area. Check out our calendar & blog to find some great rides near you.

We teach & promote cycling, safety & skill-building on super-beginner, beginner, intermediate & advanced levels of recreational riding! …

Recreational Sports Calendar & Sign-up Sheet – April 27, 2011
San Antonio Express-News
Bicycling: Today, 9 a.m., Wheelers Senior Ride, 30 miles, Floore’s Country Store, Helotes. 210-643-0314.
Bicycling: Saturday, 8 a.m., Comal Elementary Ride, 28, 48, 55 and 72 miles, parking lot across from Comal Elementary School.
Bicycling: Sunday, 8 a.m., Castroville Ride, 11, 25 and 40 miles, park-and-ride off highway 90 by Sammy’s Restaurant in Castroville. 830-931-9744. …

US Pro XCT racers prepare to battle Texas heat at Mellow Johnny’s Classic
Round four racing at Lance Armstrong’s ranch
By: Dave McElwaine from www.cyclingnews.com
Round four of USA Cycling’s US Pro XCT series will happen at Lance Armstrong’s ranch in Dripping Springs, Texas, this coming weekend, April 30. Many of the top pros in the country will be attending, including those who have just flown in from the opening World Cup race in South Africa. …

Mountain Bike Camping in an Urban Wilderness, Conroe, Texas
KennethKramm fro youtube.com

I went mountain bike camping for Earth Day, 2011. The location I selected was several miles from my home in Conroe, Texas. After asking the land owner for permission to camp on the property for 24 hours, he said, “No problem, enjoy being close to…

Red River Riot Report P/B The Pub McKinney
by MC
Brandish’s Red River Riot report brought to you by the Pub Mckinney
Red River Riot II (2011)
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I had done this event last year so I knew how hard it was going to be. Only difference is, last year I was actually doing long solo gravel rides leading up to it so I was sure I could do it. This year I haven’t done any rides over 4 hours on the road or gravel. So I have to admit to being a big nervous about how things would shake out for me. It was good to know that we had a short afternoon option if we needed to use it. …

Maybe this would be the evening to stretch the distance – April 27th Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Today at lunch I went outside for a walk. The weather was beautiful and it got me thinking about this evening’s ride. Maybe this would be the evening to stretch the distance out to 27 or 28 miles. With the clear skies and a prompt start by 6:15 I thought I could cover this distance and get home before the daylight disappeared. The drive home from work did not go as smooth as it has the last several times so I was afraid I would not get started soon enough to go for the longer route but I was able to make some of the lost time and I was only 4 minutes late on my start time. The humidity was super low at 19% when I started the ride. This is not the usual Houston level. The wind was still brisk at 17 mph and gusting to 25 mph. The temperature was a pleasant 86 degrees going to 79 by the time I finished at 8:12.

I was able to average 15.2 mph with a maximum speed 25.9 mph. Average cadence was 80 rpm with a maximum of 112 rpm. The day off yesterday helped my recovery. Tomorrow I plan on riding and if the weather conditions are similar I will try to ride the same route.

April mileage update:

  • April miles 584.42
  • YTD miles 1411.09

4-27-2011 Bike Ride Data

4-27-2011 Home Weather Start

4-27-2011 Home Weather Finish

[iframe http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/82029583 465 548]

Additional charts and weather. Click on the graphic to see a larger view.

[nggallery id=212]

Daily News Roundup April 26th – Texas Bicycling

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Team Hot Tubes:
From the Director:
The team began in 1992 with two riders including American cyclocross legend, Jonathan Page.

In the nineteen years since we have existed, the team has earned ninety one national championships, two world championships and two times have won the Junior World Cup.

A system of sponsorship between a large group of financial suporters titled OFBITS and long term industry sponsors including Verge, Cervelo, SpeedPlay, Mavic and SRAM have allowed us to maintain a consistent program including our yearly European and national schedules. …

Bike The Bricks Update for the ladies
by MC
We’ve looked under car seats and pulled up the couch cushions and found some extra money for you. Women’s 1/2/3 now racing for $1,000, plus BtB II is the 1st of 4 legs in a Memorial Day race weekend omnium just for you. The ominuim pays an additional $625 to the five 1/2/3 women who earn the most points at BtB II, the Gary…

Invitation to Bike to the Ballpark this Sunday, May 1
May is Bike Month and in honor of the occasion, the Houston Astros will sponsor Bike to the Ballpark this  Sunday, May 1! The ballclub aims to raise awareness of green initiatives and reduce commuter emissions to Minute Maid Park. Our friends at the Citizens’ Transportation Coalition and Bike Houston are nonprofit sponsors of this first-ever event! …

GRAND OPENING – Switching Gears Cyclery – Saturday, May 14, 2011
by dickdavid

Our friends over at Switching Gears Cyclery (in Dallas – Fair Park) will be celebrating their grand opening in a few weeks. Be sure to mark your calendars to attend a great event. …

Cyclist struck by SUV
by San Angelo Standard Times
Cyclist Charles Johnson, 54, was in front of Golden Chick and was crossing the street, heading north, when a 2003 Honda Element, which was heading north, hit the bicycle, said San Angelo police spokeswoman Officer Tracy Gonzalez. …

Fort Davis expecting more donations for fire aid
by Odessa American
The Fort Davis Ministerial Alliance also has raised $40000 and the Texas Bicycle Racing Association has raised almost $20000 after a bicycle race was canceled in the town because of the fire. The Rock House Fire, which has burned in Marfa and Fort …

Waycross cyclist ahead of schedule on Wounded Warrior ride
by Florida Times-Union (blog)
Not that he has anything against, Texas, mind you, but Jason Rogers couldn’t wait to get into Louisiana Monday night. So much so that the Waycross triathlete pedaled 140 miles, the longest leg so far on his cross country bicycle ride to raise money for …

Young driver crashes into teen bicyclist, skateboarder
from www.kfdm.com
GROVES – A young driver from Port Arthur is facing charges of Intoxication Manslaughter and Intoxication Assault after investigators say he crashed into a teenager on a bicycle and another teen who was skateboarding in Groves. One teen died and the other is in critical condition. …

KGS Bikes Delivers First Batch of Custom Passoni Bicycles
KGS Bikes, a custom bicycle design studio in San Antonio, Texas, recently completed a set of four custom KGS / Passoni bicycles. The company imports Passoni custom bicycle frames as the exclusive US dealer, and this set represents the first completed orders. The bicycles were designed in-house based on KGS proprietary…

Okerblom completes cross-country bike trek
by Santa Maria Times


On Day 31 of his cross-country bike trek, Santa Maria’s Bob Okerblom saw a “ghost bike” memorializing a fallen cyclist in Austin, Texas. The memorial was one of many he passed as he pedaled east through deserts, swamps and mountains between Feb. …

Pres. George W. Bush Rides in W100
ALEXANDER SUPGUL – Web Producer
http://media2.myfoxhouston.com//photo/2011/04/26/W100K_04-25-2011_Photo_Credit_Paul_Morse_3_20110426092423_640_480.JPG
BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, Texas – Three days, 100 kilometers, and 14 military service members wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Warrior 100 is a unique mountain bike event in west Texas made possible by the George W. Bush Presidential Center …

Texas Police Games – Mountain Bike Race
Event Date & Time: Sat, 06/18/2011 – 9:00am – 12:00pm
This year, the DeSoto Police Department is hosting the Texas Police Athletic Federation’s annual Texas Police Games here in North Texas, which consist of many athletic events over the course of a long weekend from June 15th-19th. …

Safe Passing and the Vulnerable Road User
by sooner1
Even though efforts to enact legislation to protect the vulnerable road user have stalled at the state level, many communities in the state of Texas have made the decision to move forward with laws of their own.  These communities see the value in protection of their citizens through the promotion and enforcement of safe practices…

Texas bike rides for the month of May 2011
from www.wheelbrothers.com

In less then 90 seconds you will receive a quick overview of all bicycle rides in the state of Texas.

Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for April 25th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Back in 1987-1988 I subscribed to a newsletter title “Bike Tech” from Bicycling magazine. This newsletter covered the tech side of bicycling. It was only published for 2 or 3 years before it died from lack of subscribers. One of the things I remember was the discussion of CAD and how it would affect the manufacturing of bicycles. The software was 10’s of thousands of dollars back then. Along came AutoDesk and the price dropped quite a bit. Now this could go even lower.

BikeCAD
via Make: Online by Adam Flaherty
Make subscriber Scott House wrote in to let us know about BikeCAD and associated cycle design software from BikeForrest. BikeCAD is a parametric CAD tool used to design hardtail mountain bike and road bike frames. Other variants of the…

HBC Houston Sans Car Ride
This is an informal, leader led ride, at a leisurely pace ( Ride speed:  11 to 14 mph )  for those who want to know Houston  and many of its special places, by bike.  Learn basic bicycle commuting safety with a friendly group.  Rest stop will include one of the city’s independent coffee houses.  This ride is normally…

West Texas Cycling Association

Chapparal Cycling Club, as a part of the West Texas Cycling Association, will be hosting monthly Time Trials throughout the summer. They will be incorporated into the Thursday ride that leaves out from Chisum Travel Center at 6:00pm. Warm up will be the ride from the Chisum Travel Center to the staging area at the intersection of Slaton Hwy & FM1585. TT will start no later than 6:45pm. Riders will race the course and then continue on the usual Thursday ride course. Due to our…

Central Texas Digest: Austin bicyclist dies of injuries from Saturday wreck
COMPILED FROM STAFF REPORTS
Bicyclist dies after hit-and-run

A man injured in a hit-and-run crash about 11:44 p.m. Saturday on South Lamar Boulevard later died, Austin police officials said.

The man, whom police did not name Monday, was riding south in the…

Mellow Johnny’s Spring Classic this weekend
by Austin 360 (blog)


A kickoff party benefitting the Texas High School Mountain Bike League, which will host its inaugural season in 2012, is scheduled for 7 pm Friday at Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, 400 Nueces St. The league is part of the National Interscholastic Cycling …

The San Antonio Wheelmen will sponsor a memorial ride for Don Schwartz on Friday, May 27th, of Memorial Day weekend. Don was a retired Army veteran who commanded the Ft Sam Dental Clinic at one time and provided dental services to President Johnson and his family. Don was a founding member of the Wheelmen and developed most of the club routes and ride maps currently used by the club. He had a deep interest in veterans’ affairs and wanted to do an…

The Warrior 100k – bike ride in the Big Bend, Texas area

On April 25-27, 2011, fourteen servicemen and women wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan will join President George W. Bush for a 100 kilometer mountain bike ride in the Big Bend. As part of the George W. Bush Presidential Center’s Social Enterprise Initiative, the W100 will highlight the bravery and physical strength of the warriors…