Switched From Wandering Flats to Castle to Castle

Texbiker.net Posted on by

At first I was going to ride a meetup that I created in Zwift using the Makuri Islands Wandering Flats course but when I opened Zwift I remembered the Tour of Makuri Islands was still on. I canceled my meetup and chose the Castle to Castle stage. The only other time I rode this route was February 1st this year. So I wasn’t familiar with it. Usually I look up the route on ZwiftInsider.com before I sign up for an event but because this was a stage in the tour I didn’t do that. All I knew was the 13.9 mile distance. Also I didn’t think about changing my bike. I think I was still riding the Zwift gravel bike and this route was almost all road surface. Today’s average speed was much slower than the February 1st ride.

ZwiftInsider.com describes the route: We begin in Neokyo, just before the Clifftop Shrine circle. Passing the shrine we go through the tunnel to Yumezi, blinking as we enter the daylight! A flat run in through the rice paddies brings us to the route’s big climb, up to the castle area then through the market before descending the Castle KOM segment. Take a breather – the climbing is finished. Now it’s just a flat country road back to the tunnel into Neokyo, where we’ll hit the Alley Sprint Reverse, Castle Sprint Reverse, and Tower Sprint before heading back to the virtual start/finish banner where we began. Route basics: Length: 22.4 km (13.9 miles), Elevation: 139 m (456‘), Lead-In: 0.8 km (0.5 miles)

As I rolled away on my Blue Norcross AL bike mounted on the Wahoo Kickr Core smart trainer the resistance already seemed high and I was in the second largest rear cog and small front chainring. I didn’t change gears once during the ride. Maybe I need to do a spin down to refresh the settings in Zwift.

The reason I rode Zwift today instead of outside was the weather. Saturday a cold front arrived and this morning when I got up it was 34 degrees out side and when I got home from church at 12:30 it was 57. My threshold for riding outside is 60 so Zwift was the only option.

There are only 3 Strava segments on the Castle to Castle course. I got a silver medal on this one: 2nd fastest time on Castle to Castle (53:18).

11-13-2022 Strava Ride Summary Zwift Makuri Islands Castle to Castle
11-13-2022 Strava Ride Summary Zwift Makuri Islands Castle to Castle

Texas Bicycling News November 12th, 2022

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Texas man places in cycling competition after heart transplant, forms relationship with donor’s mother

by: Sam Stark | www.kxan.com

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Matt Hudson said he has always lived a fairly active lifestyle. He takes care of his family ranch in San Angelo, Texas, and in his spare time, enjoys camping, hiking, running and biking, he said.

But in 2015, he gradually became lethargic and lost motivation for activities he loved. At first, Hudson thought it might be a natural loss of interest due to aging, but then one week his fatigue became so severe that he began intuiting something may be wrong with his health.

“[I was] getting ready for a run…and I just didn’t have the energy to do that,” he said. “I picked up my blood pressure cuff, and that’s when I noticed it.”

His heart rate was around 40 beats per minute. The average resting heartbeat for an adult should …

Fort Worth Parade of Lights 2022

www.fwbaclub.org

Prizes for the Best decorated bike and rider at the Fort Worth parade of lights 2022

$100 1st place

$50 2nd place

$25 3rd place

Must be a FWBA member and present at the parade of lights, and the FWBA Christmas party for the prizes. The FWBA board members will vote for the winners, and they will not be eligible for the prizes

Lets have a holly jolly time, make some new friends, catch up with old friends.

The FWBA participates in this event annually and we are going to do it again this year. We need at least 30 FWBA members in their red or green club jersey to join in the parade.

No Santa Suits per parade rules.

Please decorate your bike with lights!!! Battery operated led lights can be found at Wal Mart, Big Lots, & Target have the best supply, but they go fast. Shop online as well. It is always fun to see such different ideas of creativity. Lets sparkle and shine.

This is open to all the other cycling clubs as well. We welcome all.

Walking Units & Bicycles – require minimum 50 lights per individual.

Speed is a rolling coast. A mountain bike, or cruiser works very well for those who do not like to put anything on …

Southern Tier West to East 2022

By Jim Elicker ? Day 41: Sheperd to Kountze: The Big Thicket Saturday November 12, 2022, 50 miles (80 km) – Total so far: 2,065 miles (3,323 km) It was a nice day, but started out cold! Apparently a cold wind from the north is blowing down into these southern climes. After about 15 miles of cold fingers I bought some cheap work gloves at a convenience store to add to my cycling gloves. Much better! It was a fast 50 miles today, aided a bit by tailwinds and a lot by the flat terrain. We rode through a region called the Big Thicket. Lots of very tall long leaf pines, and many other types of trees and animals. And for the first time, bayous! We got to the motel in Kountze early and had an early dinner down the street at Mama Jack’s buffet. Very filling, the price was right, even if the decor was a bit unsettling. Tomorrow, Louisiana!

11/11/2022: 4,000 Miles + Longest Ride of the Year = Tired, But Still Pedaling

A Dude Abikes | adudeabikes.com

As silly season, aka the US election drama (or trauma, depending on your point of view) continues, I vote for something all Americans can get behind: a nap. That’s because I’m bushed from bicycling a lot. (Insert a joke about everyone in the US being tired after George Sr. was elected and then his son the Shrub also became president, tired, aka bushed.) Read on, it gets better.

On October 30, I biked 57 miles for my belated birthday ride. On November 1, I passed 4,000 miles in 10 months and a day. So, my point is, if you bike every day for three years and decide that stopping would be stupid, all that riding does add up. It takes a toll. Kinda like roads that used to be free but now collect. Which is also is certainly a topic that is a trigger for taking a siesta. Sleep is important for recovery yet the …

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Texas Bicycling News November 11th, 2022

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A Video and More Details About the Forthcoming 50-Acre Trail in East Dallas

By Matt Goodman | www.dmagazine.com

Creekside Park will be a soft-surface mountain biking trail and skills park a mile from White Rock Lake that will only be accessible by foot or on two wheels.

Four miles from downtown Dallas, just below the Tenison Glen Golf Course, is a 50-acre spread of elm, hackberry, and ash trees that’s basically inaccessible to the public. By the end of 2023, this will be Dallas’ newest soft-surface natural cycling trail, an offshoot of the 50-mile loop that will link together the city’s existing trails and create new pedestrian and cycling access through the Trinity Forest.

Creekside Park, which Tim broke the news about earlier this week, will only be accessible by way of the concrete Trinity Spine Trail that runs adjacent to it. Inside those 50 acres will be five miles of trail and a separate skills park, all of which will be designed for low- and moderately-skilled riders.

“The LOOP is really bringing new …

Neches FCU’s 7th Annual Veteran’s Day 5K raises more than $4,000 for Southeast Texas Veterans Service Group

www.panews.com

Neches Federal Credit Union announced Friday that local officials raised more than $4,000 that will go to support the Southeast Texas Veterans Service Group.

The funds were raised by way of a 5K, seven-mile bike ride and one-mile walk/run that the credit union hosted Friday.

The 5K was promoted and hosted internally by Neches FCU, and employees were encouraged to ride their bike, walk or run. …

Southern Tier West to East 2022

By Jim Elicker | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 39: Navasota to Cagle Recreation Area: Cruising through the Sam Houston National Firest

Thursday November 10, 2022, 37 miles (60 km) – Total so far: 1,971 miles (3,172 km) We had decided the night before to make it a shorter day. Aiming for a campground about 35 miles out. Slow start from Navasota, with stops at the supermarket and a convenience store. Very nice day, scattered clouds and cool enough to be comfortable riding. The terrain is gradually flattening out. Still hills, but more spread out and not as steep. The first part of this ride was through rolling pasture land. Very green. Then into the …

Day 40: Cagle Rec Area Campground to Sheperd: Coastal Plain

Friday November 11, 2022, 44 miles (71 km) – Total so far: 2,015 miles (3,243 km) It really felt like we entered the coastal plain today. The terrain is getting flatter, and I swear I could feel myself being pulled down to the Gulf of Mexico. Still moving through pine and oak/sweet gum forests. We enjoyed another short miles day. Easy riding with many gradual downhills and favorable breezes. Cloudy, but the rain held off until well after we’d arrived in Sheperd. Stopped at the general store in Punkin, but it was shuttered. We got to the Executive Inn and Suites in Sheperd at about 1:30. East Indian decor and only $67 per night! Great hot shower and comfortable bed. Tomorrow we will hit the 2000 mile mark, and Sunday we will cross into Louisiana (finally!)

Humid nights on the Pop A (music) – 10/11/2022

Honest Tree | www.youtube.com

I have to say, my gopro session 5 is on its last legs. All these many videos on the channel, and the non-replaceable battery has almost had it. Perhaps last warm night for a while.

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Belgium Had Mud And Sand, None On My Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

I managed to start today’s bike ride at 9:51 AM after watching a couple of cyclocross races from Belgium. The course had some mud and a big stretch of sand which my ride had neither of. Up until a few minutes before leaving I was undecided on which route to ride. I thought about riding to Jesse Jones Park but that would’ve been shorter than I wanted so I settled on my New Caney – Roman Forest Blvd – Valley Ranch route heading north and returning to Kingwood. The last time I rode this route was September 21st and today was the 7th time on the route this year. Today I rode 33.31 miles, about average for the route.

After making my way to the US59 northbound frontage road I started watching the clouds to the north. They seemed to be getting thicker but when I made the u-turn at Roman Forest Blvd. they were not quite as threatening. But I kept my speed up not wanting to take a chance of getting wet. The tailwind that assisted me to Roman forest Blvd. concerned me for the return but it wasn’t as strong as I feared. I built up my overall average speed to 14.1 mph biking south thanks to my legs feeling good.

On E. Knox Street I spotted 2 or 3 peacocks at the feed store and turned back to get a closer look. They are in the video but I probably should’ve got closer.

After getting back home at 12:25 PM I checked the radar and saw a big line of rain to the northwest around Huntsville so I’m glad I started early and got home when I did. Weather conditions for my bike ride: start 77 (humidity 80%, dew point 70), partly cloudy, wind S 6 mph; finish 78 (humidity 75%, dew point 69), mostly cloudy, wind S 7 mph.

11-11-2022 AXS SRAM Ride Report
11-11-2022 AXS SRAM Ride Report
11-11-2022 AXS SRAM Component Summary Gear Usage - Time
11-11-2022 AXS SRAM Component Summary Gear Usage – Time
11-11-2022 AXS SRAM Component Summary Gear Usage - Distance
11-11-2022 AXS SRAM Component Summary Gear Usage – Distance

11-11-2022 Strava Ride Summary New Caney-Roman Forest Blvd-Valley Ranch
11-11-2022 Strava Ride Summary New Caney-Roman Forest Blvd-Valley Ranch
11-11-2022 Strava Ride Map New Caney-Roman Forest Blvd-Valley Ranch
11-11-2022 Strava Ride Map New Caney-Roman Forest Blvd-Valley Ranch