Texas Biking News August 10th 2021

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Bikerumor Pic Of The Day: Dripping Springs, Texas

By Kristi Benedict | bikerumor.com

Photo submitted by John Krause, “This picture was taken Sunday morning, Aug 1st, at Reime’s Ranch, northwest of Austin TX…about 3-miles in on the Black Diamond trail.”

Tour de Bike Barn (July 11, 2021)

bikebarnhtx.myportfolio.com

Bike-building event in Plano benefits elementary school students in need

By Teri Webster | www.dallasnews.com

The event was organized by a Frisco-based division of Golden State Foods

A bike-building event provided life lessons and a cool new ride for elementary school students in Plano.

Golden State Foods Foundation held the event last Friday to benefit 50 students from Mendenhall Elementary School in Plano, the foundation stated in an email.

Students built their own bike with guidance from a volunteer mentor with the foundation. They also received helmets and bike locks.

The event was …

East Texas man dies when he’s hit by a pickup while cycling on state highway near Carthage

By Curtis Heyen | www.ksla.com

PANOLA COUNTY, Texas (KSLA) — An East Texas man died when his fitness bicycle was struck by a pickup.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said he is 66-year-old Carthage resident Robert Owens.

The accident happened at 5:45 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9 on Texas Highway 149 about two miles northwest of Carthage.

Preliminary investigation shows that Owens was riding a Mongoose Hotshot bicycle northwest on Texas 149 when he was hit by a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado traveling the same direction, Texas DPS Sgt. Jean M. Dark said.

The bicycle had no lights and no reflectors, she added.

Owens was pronounced at the scene. His body was taken to Jimerson-Lipsey Funeral Home in Carthage.

A Texas DPS news release gave no indication whether the truck’s driver or his passenger was injured.

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Somewhat Avoided The Heat Biking to Ramsey Road and Back

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I managed to start earlier today with wheels rolling at 9:46 AM. I rode my Canyon Endurace bike. The route of choice was “Kingwood to Ramsey Road – Huffman”. I finished the bike ride at 12:58 PM after biking 38.92 miles. This was the 6th time biking this route in 2021. The distance was consistent with the other times.

8-10-2021 YTD Bike Rides Summary Today's Route
8-10-2021 YTD Bike Rides Summary Today’s Route

Starting earlier didn’t beat the heat. Fortunately the wind wasn’t gusting like yesterday. After taking a short break at Ramsey Road the bike ride back through Huffman, across Lake Houston and northwest to Kingwood mostly with a tailwind. Weather conditions for the bike ride: start 88 (72% humidity, 78.1 dew point), partly cloudy, wind S 7 mph; finish 94 (53% humidity, 73.8 dew point), partly cloudy, wind variable 6 mph. This type of weather is good training for the Hotter’n Hell 100 later this month.

When I reached FM 2100 another biker came across the intersection riding to the west. I didn’t expect to see another biker. I caught him in the video.

The Tickr Fit worked the whole ride. I found a possible reason for the problem, one of the pins on the charging pad broke off. I contacted Wahoo Fitness and they said this was a known problem. They are sending me another charging pad. My new Tickr Fit arrived today.

8-10-2021 Strava Bike Ride Summary
8-10-2021 Strava Bike Ride Summary

Texas Biking News August 9th 2021

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Houston mass bike rides boom around the city in the age of COVID

Camilo Hannibal Smith | preview.houstonchronicle.com

We ride along with Clutch City Cruisers, one of several bike-riding groups that have exploded in popularity since the pandemic. You socialize outside and maybe even meet Slim Thug.

It used to be that if you lived in the Houston area and you loved riding your bike in a huge group you would only get one chance a month to do so. Those popular Critical Mass rides which started back up a couple of months ago after a COVID-19 hiatus are still going strong on the last Friday of the month. But in these pandemic times, the Bayou City has ramped up its choices and you can go on a group ride pretty much any day of the week.

Take for example the Thursday night Clutch City Cruisers ride. The group is made up of some 30 …

‘A death happens and that’s where it hits you,’ cycling supporters push for more safety education in Texas

by: Kaylee Olivas | www.valleycentral.com

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — ProBroscycling hosted a bicycle ride-along on Aug. 8, further sparking the push for more education on bicycle safety.

According to Texas A&M Transportation Institute Researcher, Neal Johnson, there were 79 cyclist fatalities on Texas roadways in 2020.

“You have motorists that are careless, on their phones, and then a death happens and that’s where it …

El Paso ranked 2nd safest city for cyclists

by: Erin Coulehan | www.ktsm.com

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Cycling became one of the most popular activities in the Borderland and across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports it has also become more dangerous.

A data analysis from CLIQ says that cycling traffic fatalities increased by 35 percent from 2009 to 2019 but ranks El Paso as the second safest city for cyclists in the U.S.

In El Paso, two cyclists …

Round Rock Area Events: See What’s Coming Up This Week

patch.com

… "Night Rider" Family Bike Ride 2021 – Round Rock Library

When: Saturday, August 14th at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Round Rock Library
What:Event listing from Round Rock Library: Saturday, August 14 from 8:30 PM to 11:00 PMThe Round Rock Parks and Recreation Department will host the 8th Annual Night Rider Family Bike Ride on Saturday, Aug. 14 starting at dark at the Rabb House adjacent to the Play for All Park. Ni... [Learn More](https://patch.com/texas/round-rock/calendar/event/20210814/1139729/night-rider-family-bike-ride-2021-round-rock-library)

What I Learned Racing My First National Crit

By Jessica Alexander | www.bicycling.com

There was just no time to react without causing a cascade reaction of chaos behind me. I gripped my handlebar hoods even tighter and exhaled sharply as I applied the slightest pressure to my carbon rim brakes. I could hear a similar squealing of brakes behind me—a group of another 10 women were thinking the exact same thing as me: Whatever happens, don’t crash.

This was only the second turn of a 30-minute criterium race called Tulsa Tough. And I had no idea what to expect for the remainder of the race.

I have been a long-time attendee and occasional participant at my Austin, Texas-based weekly crit series, called The Driveway, on and off since 2009. Also, I’ve participated in a few crits in San Antonio, Texas, and as part of a stage …

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Hot With A Gusty Headwind, TickrFit Gives Up, Out & Back to Splendora

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I decided to watch the Tour de Poland after today’s bike ride after checking to see how far the race had progressed. There was 114 km left at 9 AM and I didn’t want to start my bike ride too late. I chose my “Kingwood – Splendora – Kingwood” route to start this week’s biking. Rolling my Canyon Endurace bike out of the driveway at 10:20 AM the ride began. A nice tailwind from the south accompanied me to Splendora but the headwind back to Kingwood added some 18 mph gusts just to make it harder. I finished at 2:18 PM in the heat with almost all of my CamelBak water used up.

The ride went 42.31 miles, about average for the 4 times I rode the route in 2021. That’s a good start for the week. 2021 YTD jumped ahead of 2020 YTD by 27 miles at 6,085.

8-9-2021 YTD Bike Rides Summary Today's Route
8-9-2021 YTD Bike Rides Summary Today’s Route

My Wahoo TickrFit heart rate monitor stopped reporting BPM at 21.86 miles, resumed for a couple of miles and then froze at 151 for the rest of the ride. I tried changing its position on my arm but that didn’t work. Good thing the new one will arrive this week.

On the way back to Kingwood the heat and headwind got the better of me. I stopped under TX99 Grand Parkway on Valley Ranch Parkway 25 minutes to recover. The south wind felt cooling in the shade while I ate a granola bar and a cereal bar. The water in my CamelBak was still cold as I sipped between bites. Later I debated about stopping at the 7 Eleven at FM 1314 for more ice and water. I didn’t stop but probably should have. The headwind gusts took a toll on my legs.

In the video I took a side road on the way back south that went by the Grand Texas park. No one was there but after the ride I checked their website and they are only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday now. Schools open this week.

August weather in SE Texas is hot. Today was no exception. Today’s bike ride weather: start 88 (70% humidity, 76.6 dew point), partly cloudy, wind S 9 mph; finish 94 (50% humidity, 72.8 dew point), partly cloudy, wind SW 9 mph gusts 18 mph. Those gusts were a leg killer on the way back to Kingwood. The frontage road goes to the SW, right into the wind. Tomorrow I think I will try to start an hour earlier.

Strava agreed with my calling this a hard bike ride.

8-9-2021 Strava Bike Ride Summary
8-9-2021 Strava Bike Ride Summary