Texas Bicycling News April 9th 2022

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Coast to Coast via the Southern Tier – Spring 2022

By Fletch Dobbs | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 30 – Del Rio to Camp Wood/Big Oak: Green! …Shade! …Trees! It must be a different planet!

Friday April 8, 2022, 75 miles (121 km) – Total so far: 1,329 miles (2,139 km) Well, it’s not a different planet but it could be. Today we began the transition from the West Texas desert to the central Texas Hill Country. What a change. We’re seeing trees with green leaves and surface water in several places. We’re camped at the Wes Cooksey county park along side Lake Neuces. The lake is formed behind a small dam on a river of the same name. A delightful campground with a lawn tent area and shade trees. The first we’ve seen in a long time.

Our next several days will be shorter mileage but that may be deceiving. Remember we’ll be rolling through the hill country. So the short mileage might still be full of climbing. Oh boy!

Texas Hill Country Loop 2022

By Tom Camp | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Joe’s Wrap Up: What a Great Ride!

Thursday April 7, 2022 Now that I’m back home for a day, I can better reflect on the ride. Overall and in every detail, it was a great trip. Tom is a never-ending source of fun and conversation, A great riding companion. The hills were small enough that he didn’t have to wait for me at the top. I was able to keep up this time.

The scenery was super. It changed all along the route; from more arid true west Texas with scrub trees and cactus to heavily wooded areas, to downtown Austin, and even some flat places thrown in for even more variety. For my taste, the best riding was around Fredericksburg: little hills, very low traffic back roads. I expect that I’ll be returning to those roads again.

We discovered, again, that people are friendly and good-hearted. You know, if we could take the political rancor out of any conversation, we would probably like 99% of the people we meet. All you have to do is be on your bike and strike up a conversation, and you find out about how good …

Woman Tours Southern Tier

By Shelly Nevard | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 30: Rest day in Fredericksburg

Friday April 8, 2022 Today was a rest day. I had breakfast in the hotel and took a walk on Main Street but nothing was open yet. I walked to the Hill Country bicycle works. A lot of the group planned to take bikes there for various adjustments. I was looking for gloves to replace the ones I lost. Marge and I went to the Pioneer Museum and got lunch to go at the …

Blessing of the bikes

Rich Nicholson Alpha Omega Academy | strava.com

Just in time for nap time

Corey Ray Team Audi McKinney-Encore Wire | strava.com

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New Event Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Atascocita – Huffman – Walden Bike Ride. 21 mph Wind Gusts, Of Course

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Great day for a bike ride. I rolled out at 10:14 AM hoping to see a few other cyclists along the “Atascocita – Huffman – Walden” route. I did see two other cyclists on W. Lake Houston Parkway as I rode south they went to the north. I rode my Cervelo Caledonia bike 32.36 miles pushing the week’s total to 204.96 miles. When I started the ride today I needed 28 miles to hit 200+ miles for the week. This is the fourth week in a row at 200+ miles. For the month I am at 317.78 miles, 49% of my 650 mile goal.

This was the third ride on this route in 2022. Today was about a mile shorter than the other two because I only rode through a part of Walden. Average speed was the same as the last ride and better than the first. All three rides have been on the same bike, my Cervelo Caledonia.

4-9-2022 YTD Bike Rides Atascocita-Huffman-Walden Route
4-9-2022 YTD Bike Rides Atascocita-Huffman-Walden Route

When the alarm went off at 6:30 this morning the temperature was 42 degrees and I wondered how long it would take to get to the 60’s. I ate breakfast while watching the final stage of the Itzulia Basque Country periodically looking at my home weather station for the temperature. When it reached 68 I paused the race and started getting ready to leave. I would finish watching after I finished the ride at 12:44 PM.

I thought the wind would be calmer today and it was at the start but as I rode the wind increased but from the south today instead of the north like yesterday. I dressed warm enough with shorts, a long sleeve jersey, and a Texbiker.net short sleeve jersey over that. The expected high today is 86 but was cooler than that when I finished. The weather conditions for today’s bike ride: start 71 (humidity 37%, dew point 43), fair, wind S 5 mph; finish 79 (humidity 39%, dew point 52), fair, wind S 14 mph gusts 21 mph. With the wind coming from the south the humidity and dew point increased thanks to moisture from the gulf. It is still better than July and August.

Looking at the AXS.SRAM.com activity report from the ride I saw 35 RD changes. I rode the longest time (1:03:41) in the 35×15 gears and next (58:20) in the 35×13. Switching to distance the gear combinations reverse, 15.1 miles in 35×13 and 13.1 miles in the 35×15. The 35×13 can move me along over the same distance in a shorter amount of time. My legs felt good. The new saddle surfaces feel a little different but I am adapting.

The GoPro mount I ordered from AliExpress arrived yesterday. It uses a Garmin quarter turn with a GoPro mount on the other side. I’m planning on using this and a Garmin mount to hold the GoPro for a quick release in place of my rear jersey pocket. Now I need to order a Garmin mount; I only use Wahoo computers.

The last couple of rides on FM 1960 I saw a sign alerting to an upcoming street closure. From 4/18 to 4/27 Atascocita Shores Drive will be closed for construction. I need to figure out how this will impact riding east over Lake Houston.

4-9-2022 Strava Atascocita-Huffman-Walden Data Summary
4-9-2022 Strava Atascocita-Huffman-Walden Data Summary

Texas Bicycling News April 8th 2022

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Spurs legend Manu Ginóbili enjoys ‘beautiful ride’ on San Antonio Mission trail

Priscilla Aguirre | www.mysanantonio.com

Spurs’ favorite Manu Ginóbili continues to enjoy the trails in San Antonio. The retired NBA legend and soon-to-be Hall of Famer recently posted about his ride on the Mission trail on social media.

"Hitting the SA Mission Trail with @obricio7. 34-mile beautiful ride as always," Ginóbili wrote in his Instagram caption on Thursday, April 7.

The Mission Trails hike-and-bike system, originally conceived in 1993, provides pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular routes that link San Antonio’s …

Video: ‘It’s going to be tough’; Pedaling through the Hill Country, Tour de France style | Texas Outdoors

Author: Barry Davis | www.kens5.com

Riding in the Tour de France is just a dream for many cyclists. But, you can ride in a part of it and never leave Texas!

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — I don’t know what it is when I’m watching TV and come across the Tour de France; I just have to watch for a while. Maybe it’s the hills, endurance and the speed, but I’ve always wanted to do that.

We all know that’s not going to happen.

But, now, people can ride in a small part of it. L’ETAPE is now part of "Fiesta Fitfest," an official Fiesta event.

"It’s going to be tough," said Mike Brown, the Executive Director for L’ETAPE. "We have a 100 …

Coast to Coast via the Southern Tier – Spring 2022

By Fletch Dobbs | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 29 – Seminole Canyon State Park to Del Rio

Thursday April 7, 2022, 45 miles (72 km) – Total so far: 1,254 miles (2,018 km) Today was an unremarkable 45 mile ride from a really nice state park, past the Amistad National Recreation Area and reservoir, into the town of Del Rio and the Del Rio Elks Lodge. We’ve set up camp in their back yard. Tomorrow’s ride will be much more challenging and longer at 73+ miles.

Another day in the books, one more step toward St. Augustine.

Texas Hill Country Loop 2022

By Tom Camp | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 10: Inks Lake State Park to Llano: Not the way we wanted the ride to end…

Wednesday April 6, 2022, 6 miles (10 km) – Total so far: 328 miles (528 km) I’ve heard my whole life that if you don’t like the weather in Texas that you should just wait a while and it will change to something you might like a bit better. Yesterday, it was 97 degrees with a hot wind howling out of the south. This morning it was 57 degrees with a cool 20 mph wind blowing from the north. A major improvement. We were optimistic as we loaded all of our stuff onto the bikes for a short 34 mile ride back to where we started: Llano, TX.

Early April in the hill country is usually crazy beautiful with bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush flowers along the highways. This year, the flowers are a bit behind schedule due to drought conditions. They’re still there but just not close to the normal quantity. We included one bluebonnet picture below but just did not get one of the Indian paintbrush. Next time.

We had gone about 6 miles and were crossing the Colorado River on Hwy 29 and stopped to take a picture of Lake Buchanan. Right after the bridge, we were going to head north off the highway and get back to the country roads. So far, so good; we’ve got this.

Wrong. We had just started pedaling after taking the picture when my back tire rapidly lost all air from a spot on the side of the tire close to the rim. Just like that, things changed. We assessed the damage, being fairly confident that my tubeless tires with sealant would …

Woman Tours Southern Tier

By Shelly Nevard | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 29: Vanderpool,TX to Fredericksburg, TX

Thursday April 7, 2022 Todays ride was a mixed bag of things. We started with breakfast in the Main House of eggs, grits, sweet potato home fries and leftover potatoes from last nights dinner. At mile one we started a climb that went up steeply for a couple of miles. After that there were some big rollers until the SAG stop at 20 miles. Doris was the SAG driver today. We crossed the Guadalupe river for the first time and then many times I lost count. Sometimes we just followed the river. The water was clear and very green in color. We passed some impressive homes and ther3 was more traffic. We went through the town of Hunt and crossed the Guadalupe a few more times. The second SAG stop was at the Stonehenge II park and went through the town of Ingram. At 47.5 a flag was placed to mark the …

Downtown Spring Bike Tours 2022

www.ktoy1047.com

The City of Texarkana, TX in partnership with the Texarkana Museum System will return with Downtown Bicycle Tours this Spring.

This season’s theme is titled “A Cycle Through Public Art.” Bicycle tours will be held each Friday at 5:30 pm from April 29th to May 20th. “The fall 2021 bicycle tours focused on historic buildings in downtown Texarkana, which was a lot of fun for participants of all ages,” shared Administrative Programs Manager, Keith Beason, “This season we have decided to focus on several of the murals and other public art exhibits in downtown Texarkana.” These tours are free to the public but are …

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New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Wind Punished My Legs Biking to Roman Forest Blvd

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I worked in the front flower bed after watching stage 5 of the Itzulia Basque Country while waiting for the temperature to go up a few more degrees. No need to wait for the wind to increase, it was already plenty strong from the north to northwest. Apparently I got too close to the Texas Laurel bush I was trying to stand up and it nicked my arm sending blood down my hand. A trip inside and to put a bandage on it. Completing the work I got ready for today’s bike ride. Rolling away at 11:49 AM on the Cervelo Caledonia. (Check the video to see a new item on the bike). I wanted to make the route a little different biking north. I chose my “New Caney – Roman Forest Blvd – Valley Ranch” route modifying a few streets at the start and later on at Porter. The streets are familiar ones but not in this combination. Since 2012 I biked this route just 4 times.

4-8-2022 All Bike Rides on Today's Route
4-8-2022 All Bike Rides on Today’s Route

Since the distance varies each ride the route map must’ve been different from today’s trip. The 2012 ride was on my Motobecane – 2011 Le Champion CF Ltd bike. The other three are on current bikes I ride.

The wind does not want to let up. It is strong enough to cause the NWS to issue a fire alert with very low humidity and dew point. My legs got punished on the ride to Roman Forest Blvd. I thought when I made the turn back to Kingwood the wind would be friendly but I still had to fight it when I was out in the open. The wind is hanging around since the front passed through on Wednesday. I like the low humidity and dew point but the wind is brutal. Weather conditions for the ride: start 70 (humidity 23%, dew point 30), fair, wind N 17 mph gusts 24 mph; finish 73 (humidity 21%, dew point 31), fair, wind NW 16 mph gusts 29 mph. The humidity is not normal for the Texas gulf coast.

My kit reflected the new combination of shorts, long sleeve jersey, and a short sleeve jersey. The wind had some chill to it but the LS jersey was enough to feel comfortable with the sunshine once I warmed up.

Highlights from the AXS.SRAM.com activity report: 27 RD shifts, 1:36:48 riding time in the 35×15 gears, total biking time 2:23:59. Finished the ride at 2:18 PM.

4-8-2022 Strava New Caney Roman Forest Blvd Valley Ranch Data Summary
4-8-2022 Strava New Caney Roman Forest Blvd Valley Ranch Data Summary