Texas Bicycling News – April 5, 2023

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Kingsville Noon Lions Club wants you to take ‘A Ride on the Wild Side’ at King Ranch

Author: Iris Gonzalez | www.kiiitv.com

"A Ride on the Wild Side" isn’t your average bike tour – it’s a rare chance for cyclists to take in the sights of the famous King Ranch.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Care to take "A Ride on the Wild Side?"

Kingsville Director of Tourism Janine Reyes and the Kingsville Noon Lions Club joined us live to call for local cyclists to join their annual charity bike tour on the scenic King Ranch – yes, that King Ranch.

"The landscape is beautiful," said Lions Club President RJ Loera, "it’s just a fantastic way for a family to get together and enjoy a nice morning on the ranch."

"You get to see sights you otherwise wouldn’t be able to see," Reyes also said.

The "A Ride on the Wild Side" bike tour contains multiple routes and begins at 8 a.m. on April 22 at King Ranch. Interested cyclists are …

Cycling Preseason Speedwork April 1, 2023

Veloharmony | www.youtube.com

Prologue: 00:00 Route Map: 00:49 Leaving the Alden Village Center: 02:07 FM 1488 Westbound – The open Road: 02:49 Leaving Dacus on Johnson Road: 22:09 FM 1097 North into the Sam Houston National Forest: 31:32 HWY 149 South to Hidden Forest Road: 49:59 Hidden Forest to MT. Pleasant Road: 1:05:00 Old Plantersville Road to Springbranch Road: 1:22:03 Keenan Cutoff to Grand Lake Estates: 1:42:30

Bicycle stolen from 80-year-old man in Abilene

by Sarah Burns | ktxs.com

ABILENE, Texas — A bicycle was stolen from an elderly man last night.

According to an incident report, an 80-year-old reported that his bike was stolen sometime in the night in the 2800 block of Sayles Boulevard.

No suspects have been arrested. According the report the bike is a Giant brand Sedona model and worth $600.

Cyclist killed in March 24 crash identified

by: Daniel Gravois | www.kxan.com

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin Police on Tuesday identified the bicyclist who died after a crash on March 24 on South 1st Street.

According to APD, officers responded around 11:45 p.m. to a crash between the bicycle and a sedan on South 1st between Orland Boulevard and Emerald Wood Drive in the Williamson Creek area.

APD said the cyclist, John Phillip Judah, 76, was taken to St. David’s South Austin Hospital where he later died.

The driver was not hurt and stayed at the crash site and cooperated with the investigation, according to APD.

Police say this is Austin’s 25th fatal crash of 2023, resulting in 25 fatalities for the year.

City of WF announces closure of bike trail section

By Spencer R. Smith | www.newschannel6now.com

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) – The City of Wichita Falls announced that a small portion of the Hike & Bike Trail in Wichita Falls will be closed from Monday, April 3, 2023, to Wednesday, April 5, 2023.

The track maintenance and temporary closure will be on the BNSF Railroad bridge, across the Wichita River near Ohio Ave and Front Street.

The trail will be shut down at the bridge from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

The part of the trail is being closed due to concern that falling debris could injure those using the trail.

LETTERS: Look closer at timing of zoo issues; bike riders should pay for roads, too

wacotrib.com

… Bicycle fees

Since we now seem to be in constant bike lane building mode, how about cyclists pay their fair share and obey all the laws?

Cars have to pay a vehicle registration fee annually. So should bikes that use the roads. They need to obey all laws, like stopping at all red lights. I have seen some blow through red lights — no traffic coming, but still dangerous.

This should also extend to all scooters, electric bikes, etc. It is just a matter of time before we see many of them on our streets like in other cities. Our fair city loves imposing new fees on its citizens, so I am sure they will jump on this.

Karl Lauritzen Jr., Waco …

The most and least deadly big US cities for bicyclists

Eliza Relman and Madison Hoff | www.businessinsider.com

American roads have become increasingly dangerous for bicyclists and others using pedal-powered transport.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the US, many turned to bicycles for safer transportation and recreation, powering a bike boom in the US. In the spring of 2020, bike shops across the country faced surging demand and the country contended with a national bicycle shortage.

But while motor-vehicle traffic plummeted in 2020 as the pandemic froze much travel, road deaths of all kinds from crashes increased by 6.8% from 2019 to 2020, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

In 2020, 938 people riding bicycles and other two-wheeled nonmotorized vehicles powered by pedals or riding tricycles and …

… The safest big cities for bikers and other kinds of cyclists were Nashville, Tennessee; Atlanta, Georgia; El Paso, Texas; and Denver, Colorado, where no cyclists were killed in motor-vehicle crashes in 2020. …

66th annual Beer Bike rolls through campus

Andrew Bell | news.rice.edu

Beer Bike, one of Rice University’s most beloved traditions, was held for the 66th time April 1.

The event was slightly different from past years, as residential college bike teams competed in two heats instead of one race in an effort to enhance safety. No matter the format, students cheered as raucously as ever as the bikers pedaled expeditiously in hopes of victory.

As always, pre-race water balloon fights, water chugging, vehicle decorating, face painting and many more fun activities were featured. …

Southern Tier 2023

By Sharon Greenwood | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 32: Johnson City to Austin, TX: Suburbia

Wednesday April 5, 2023, 49 miles (79 km) – Total so far: 1,645 miles (2,647 km) The forecast was rain overnight between 4 and 6am. Up at 5:30 to pack up my dry tent. Poured a cup of coffee and made my PB&J lunch sandwich and the rain finally came. We scrambled to get the dry breakfast and lunch. foods out of the rain. Then I sat in the van and ate my breakfast. During a break we packed up the trailer then waited out the thunder and lightning in the van. Finally at 8:45 with the sky clearing and feeling chilled I set out on route. Great smooth backroad through Pedernales Falls State Park and then a pretty good climb to higher grounds, some undulating hills, then busy suburbia. The traffic …

Texas Biking from Twitter

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Happy Butt, Happy Ride Even In The Rain

Texbiker.net Posted on by

My two ride experiment of narrowing the width of the BiSaddle on my Cervelo Caledonia and Lynskey Helix bikes came to an end this morning before eating breakfast. As I watched the women’s Scheldeprijs race from Belgium replay I worked on restoring the saddle width to almost as wide as before the experiment to around 152mm. My sit bones told me to do this after 76 miles of testing. Yesterday afternoon I ordered a Velo Senso TT+ saddle to see how it feels on a 40+ mile ride. The BiSaddle is good for long rides but maybe the Velo is even better. I’m starting up a new Holy Grail Saddle search again for the first time since I started using the BiSaddle. I’ll see how long this lasts. I was much more comfortable on today’s ride on the restored width BiSaddle.

Then I watched the Itzulia Basque Country stage 3 race from Spain while eating breakfast. I wanted to get started on today’s bike ride before 11 AM which I did rolling out at 10:51 AM but I should’ve paused the race and left sooner. A front with rain was approaching from the northwest and I didn’t want to get caught in the rain.

I chose the shorter Kingwood – Community Drive – Valley Ranch route hoping to not get wet. In the past this route is usually 26 to 28 miles depending on the streets I include or exclude. Today I didn’t add any extra ones to try and beat the rain. I was okay weather wise as I rode north to Community Drive only feeling a couple of rain drops and seeing a couple on the Bolt’s screen. As I made the turn back to the south at Community Drive the clouds ahead of me looked like they held rain. I kept riding to the south thinking I could back home and stay dry. That was okay until around the 18 mile point in Oakhurst light rain started. I paused for a couple minutes under some trees on Mills Branch Drive to give the rain time to stop. It slowed to but didn’t stop. From there to the finish at 12:54 PM back home I rode in light rain. You can see the streets in the video. The March 3rd ride was shortened by the 2″ deck screw in the rear tire.

4-5-2023 SportTracks Recent Ride History Kingwood-Community Dr-Valley Ranch
4-5-2023 SportTracks Recent Ride History Kingwood-Community Dr-Valley Ranch

Back home as I washed the Cervelo the rain increased and the temperature dropped a few degrees and I was glad I finished before it got harder. Towards the end of the ride I heard thunder several times. My home weather station showed .09″ of rain when I finished but as I write this it is up to 1.59″.

Weather at the start and finish: start 79 degrees, 83% humidity, dew point 73, overcast, wind S 17 mph gusts 22 mph; finish 74 degrees, 92% humidity, dew point 72, light rain, wind variable 5 mph. I was comfortable wearing shorts, arm sleeves, and a short sleeve jersey until the rain caught me.

I reclaimed the Strava Local Legend on Kris Spraggins Memorial Route on today’s bike ride.

4-5-2023 Strava Ride Overview Kingwood-Community Drive-Valley Ranch
4-5-2023 Strava Ride Overview Kingwood-Community Drive-Valley Ranch
4-5-2023 SportTracks Ride Overview Kingwood-Community Drive-Valley Ranch
4-5-2023 SportTracks Ride Overview Kingwood-Community Drive-Valley Ranch

What’s Happening In Texas Bicycling – April 4, 2023

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Elderly bicyclist dies after collision with vehicle on South 1st Street, APD says

by CBS Austin | cbsaustin.com

A 76-year-old bicyclist died after colliding with a vehicle last month in South Austin, according to police.

It happened in the in the 5100 block of South 1st Street, just north of the intersection with West Stassney Lane.

The Austin Police Department says officers responded to the crash at around 11:43 p.m.

John Phillip Judah was transported to St. David’s South Austin Medical Center for emergency care — but he later succumbed to his injuries.

The driver of the sedan was unharmed and remained at the scene to cooperate with the investigation. This incident is Austin’s 25th fatal crash of 2023, APD says.

Del Rio Texas cycling
by u/4bravo0X1 in cycling

Packed, Prayed and Ready to Go

texasadventist.org

On Thursday, March 30, 2023, Determined Cycling official tour cyclists and support staff met at the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Alvarado, Texas, for lunch with the conference office staff and a season of prayer as they began the third annual Texas Conference Determined Cycling tour.

Cyclists, both local and out-of-state, gather each year to ride 50-80 miles a day over six days (the first year, it was 12 days) to promote health and raise funds for educational scholarships.

“Hearing how cycling has improved their health journeys is incredible,” Texas Conference President Elton DeMoraes shared. “We applaud their efforts to promote health for old and young alike while …

ACTION REQUIRED – FWBA Board Members Needed

Fort Worth Bicycling Association | www.fwbaclub.org

Want to be Involved with the FWBA Board?

Well, what does the board do? The board helps set the course for the club, pays the bills, and helps with all the events you enjoy with the club. There wouldn’t be a club in its present form without a board. The club has had a board since inception.

We didn’t have elections for 2023. Many things contributed to this mis-step, but we’re going to remedy the situation quickly. Generally, a nominating committee would take several months to ask who may be interested, make a bunch of phone calls, and make recommendations to the board. Given its already March, we’re going to accelerate the process a bit. We have an interim board in place consisting of 2022 members. 2023 elections will be held on March 25.

If you are interested in serving on the FWBA board, now is your time to raise your hand. The board has a wide range of roles and responsibilities to suit any interest. The time involved is minimal. …

Bike-a-palooza

By Tiffany Marascio | hellowoodlands.com

[May 20 2023] Kickstands up, helmet on, get your bike ride on at Bike-a-palooza! Precinct 3 invites you to the second-annual Bike-a-palooza at Burroughs Park. Celebrate May Bike Month by bringing your family to join in a wide variety of events, including a youth bike rodeo, guided bike rides along paved and natural surface trails, a mountain bike skills course, safety talks, mechanics demos, outreach booths, and more!

Bring your bike, helmet, refillable water bottle, and close-toed shoes to join in the fun. Ages 3+ welcome. Demos are approximately 45 minutes in duration and will start each hour at the top of the hour. Registration is required on site for all attendees. Meet at the pavilion near the restrooms in the park. The event is from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Learn More: Bike-a-palooza …

Video: International cyclist stops in Sherman on epic journey

By Brynne Herzfeld | www.kten.com

SHERMAN, Texas (KTEN) — A Nepalese cyclist on a 5,000-mile journey is stopping in Sherman, Texas.

"I healed myself with the bike," said Ajit Baral, who picked up cycling in 2015 after struggling with poor mental health for two years following a serious leg injury and breaking his spine in a crash.

"Now I can run, I can go anywhere," he said. "I’ve been to 6,000-meter height; I have done paragliding with bicycle, zipline with bicycle. Wherever I go, I go with the bicycle, because that bike changed my life."

Baral’s journey began in Key West, Florida. He was on the road for two weeks before reaching North Texas.

While cross-country biking is …

Southern Tier 2023

By Sharon Greenwood | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 31: Kerrville to Johnson City, TX: Ireland?

Tuesday April 4, 2023, 74 miles (119 km) – Total so far: 1,596 miles (2,569 km) I didn’t think yesterday’s ride could be beat, but today’s ride topped the cake. After a killer climb at 4 miles out, the road rises to meet another world. The top is incredible. The road is like a race track curving in S turns and winding up and down. There are no cars in either direction. There are gnarly, leafless trees that look like they’ve been struck by lightning. The grass is filled with rocks. There are loose cows and goats roaming without fences. I feel like I’m riding with Andi on Ireland’s Aran Islands with the cows and goats replacing the sheep. I ride fast feeling like I’m on a race track. I speed over cattle grates too fast for my own good. Adrenaline flowing- a natural high! This lasts for …

@mycurlyadventures Head to my ig for over 130 things to do in #sanantoniotx #sanantoniotexas #sanantoniotiktok #sanantoniocheck #sanantonioadventures ? This Will Be – Camellia Todorova & Camy Todorow & ??????? ????????

Tuesday night The Woodlands, Texas

Patrick Wilson | strava.com

Weslayan Gray Matter Ride – Not my strongest ride, but it appears I’m back in the mix…

Alex Maldonado | strava.com

I don’t think calling the entire front group a bunch of “fucking idiots” for what amounts to poor communication on a TRAINING ride does any good for the ride, much less telling people what to do after berating them… But I’m not educated enough to weigh in on the matter, so I’ll just shut up. Roadrage is still #roadrage, even on a bike… 6.36 new miles

Cycling Addicks Tuesdays Houston, Texas

Eddie Hernandez (Pactimo Ambassador Club) | strava.com

Tuesday San Antonio, Texas

Eduardo Salas (Cyclones) | strava.com

Texas Biking from Twitter

New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Early Weekday Start, April Wind Gusts Workover My Legs

Texbiker.net Posted on by

I was motivated to start today’s bike ride early for a weekday with Sturdy Doors arriving at 12:30 to refinish my front door. No time for a flat tire. I rolled out at 8:56 AM on my Cervelo Caledonia bike. I chose my Atascocita – Walden – Huffman route but left off the extra side streets I added lately on the route to reduce the ride time. It would strange to get back home before I start some bike rides during the week. I finished the ride at 11:28 AM in plenty of time for the door appointment.

4-4-2023 SportTracks Ride Overview Atascocita-Walden-Huffman
4-4-2023 SportTracks Ride Overview Atascocita-Walden-Huffman

Last evening I adjusted the BiSaddle on my Cervelo bike to match the width on my Lynskey Helix bike I rode yesterday. No problems during the ride today. At the start of the ride I could the difference but after a few miles I didn’t notice it any longer. Maybe I’ve been riding saddles wider than I need.

Weather conditions: start 75 degrees, 85% humidity, dew point 71, mostly cloudy, wind S 13 mph; finish 80 degrees, 75% humidity, dew point 72, overcast, wind SE 17 mph gusts 28 mph. Rain may arrive tomorrow.

It was hard pedaling to the turn around point at FM 2100 and Old Atascocita road into the wind. Riding east over Lake Houston with nothing to break the wind the gusts pushed the Cervelo to the left at times. I thought the wind increased from the start and gripped the bars when a gust blew into me. Going back over Lake Houston on the way back to Kingwood the wasn’t quite as pushy but the gusts were noticeable.

The Strava segments did not show up on the Bolt computer today. Maybe I hit something on yesterday’s ride to trigger them?