Texas Biking News June 24th 2021

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New path segments increase strolling and biking choices in Dallas – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Price

dailydallasjournalnews.com

Hiking and biking trails are very popular in Dallas and the city council approved several new segments on Wednesday.

The busy Katy Trail ends near the American Airlines Center on a cul-de-sac where there are no dedicated lanes for runners or cyclists heading south or west from there.

Garrett Rodriguez is a bicycle commuter. He uses the Katy Trail to get to work. It’s exactly the kind of thing that the Dallas leaders want to promote. …

Putting the cart before the horse

ROY FLORES | theeagle.com

The city of Bryan is at it again, putting the cart before the horse. It seems the Bryan Planning and Zoning Commission is looking into plans for putting a bicycle lane down Texas Avenue — even though there has never been a decent continuous sidewalk, much less an handicapped-accessible one covering that same area.

A bike lane would take frontage property away from longtime small business owners, reducing access to their businesses by building a median that would close off access to all but …

Cyclists Split On Sharing Bike Lanes With Pizza Delivery Robots

By Nathan Bernier | www.kut.org

A small fleet of robots delivering pizza in Central Austin has set off a debate about whether the semi-autonomous machines’ use of bike lanes will squeeze cyclists off the road or launch a technological revolution to reduce motor vehicle deliveries and boost demand for bicycle infrastructure.

"My personal view is that I don’t believe these belong in the bike lane," said Jake Boone, who serves as vice-chair of the …

Austin Mobility News For June 21

patch.com

The Austin Bike Map is updated regularly by Austin Transportation staff members who plan and build the infrastructure you ride on.

Your weekly news update from the City of Austin Transportation Department

In this week’s edition:

First phase of improvements to Stassney Lane under construction
Find Austin's safest, most updated bike routes with the Austin Bike Map
Calendar Corner: June 21 – 27, 2020

Texarkana Texas Receives $5.1 Million in Sidewalk Grants

Lisa Lindsey | kkyr.com

Great news for the beautification of our town. The City of Texarkana, Texas was recently awarded $5,152,402 for sidewalk improvements. These improvements will be along College Drive and North Robison Road. It was awarded from the Texas Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside (TA) Program. Where will these improvements be located?

So the big question is where will these improvements be located? According to the press release, the first will go towards a bicycle and pedestrian sidewalk infrastructure along College Drive from Robison Road to U.S. 71 (State Line Ave). This project will also include bike and pedestrian signalization improvements at Texas Boulevard. …

Registration open for 38th Annual Tour de Gap ride benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters

www.bigcountryhomepage.com

ABILENE, Texas (News Release) — Tour de Gap bike ride is BACK! This year marks the 38th Annual Tour de Gap ride at the Old Settlers’ Reunion Grounds in Buffalo Gap on July 24-25, 2021.

Tour de Gap is hugely popular, bringing in around 300 riders year after year from across Texas.

Participants will ride through the rolling hills of …

Fiesta Wildflower, San Antonio, Texas June 20, 2021

Roy and Christine | roy-pedalpushers.blogspot.com

Staging area was the Rolling Oaks Mall. This was just one of the many parking lots. Unfortunately, it appeared that COVID had forced the closure of many of the mall stores. Across the lot can be seen the starting/finishing arch. This must have been an overflow lot as it was full when we finished. …

Bike sharing in San Antonio saw boost during coronavirus pandemic

Samuel King | www.ksat.com

UTSA researchers found that communication about COVID-19 safety protocols were a factor

SAN ANTONIO – Many people turned to biking during the COVID-19 pandemic, for exercise or even to get around.

And a recent study from researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio found that boom in biking even extended to San Antonio Bike Share.

“And it was amazing how the locals came out of the woodwork, if you will,” said JD Simpson, executive director of San Antonio Bike Share. “And suddenly people who had never used our program before …

Texas Biking from Twitter

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

A New Jersey, Closing the 2020 Gap, 2 Goals In Sight

Texbiker.net Posted on by

A delayed start for today’s bike ride putting me in a hotter part of the day. Aboard my Lynskey R300 bike the ride began at 11:09 AM and finished at 1:51 PM. I headed south and east on my “Atascocita – Walden – FM 2100” route for the 8th time this year. I wore a new KORAMAN jersey that I received for Father’s Day.

6-24-2021 YTD Bike Rides Summary Today's Route
6-24-2021 YTD Bike Rides Summary Today’s Route
  • 6-24-2021 KORAMAN Cycling Jersey Front
  • 6-24-2021 KORAMAN Cycling Jersey Back

Before the ride I checked the weather and saw possible rain on the radar east of Lake Houston but when I got there on the bike ride the roads were dry. Which is okay since the rain delay on yesterday’s ride. Humidity and wind seem to affect my legs today as I struggled to get my average speed above 13 mph. Weather conditions: start 85 (82% humidity, 79.3 dew point), mostly cloudy, wind S 9 mph; finish 90 (66% humidity, 76.7 dew point), mostly cloudy, wind SE 16 mph. I didn’t realize the wind increased that much because I had a hard time pedaling in the 9 mph breeze. Converting to k/hr 9 mph is 14 k/hr and 16 mph is 25 k/hr. Those speeds would cause a peloton to panic.

With today’s ride I moved to within 14 miles of my 800 mile goal for June at 786.91 miles. For the week I am at 157.37 miles. This is encouraging for a 200 mile week with 3 potential riding days left. Here how 2021 YTD miles compares to previous years. I narrowed the difference to 2020 to double digits.

6-24-2021 Strava Year Progressions YTD Miles
6-24-2021 Strava Year Progressions YTD Miles
6-24-2021 SportTracks Bike Ride Summary

Texas Bicycling News June 23rd 2021

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Bicyclist drowns after falling into Lake Lavon

www.fox4news.com

WYLIE, Texas – Divers recovered the body of a bicyclist who drowned after falling into a North Texas lake.

The Collin County Sheriff’s Office said deputies got a call Monday afternoon from someone who saw a man on a bicycle hit the side of the bridge on FM 2862 and then fall over the railing into Lake Lavon.

The witness didn’t see the …

Greater Dallas Bicyclists

www.facebook.com

We skipped the ribbon cutting last week and chose to check out the Margaret McDermott Bridge all by ourselves this Sunday. The bike/pedestrian path was in fact really nice and will provide another option to get across the Trinity. 28.8 causal miles with plenty of shades in 3 hours.

Texarkana bike shop asking for community’s help with stolen lumber from bridges

by: Sydney Simone | www.arklatexhomepage.com

TEXARKANA, Texas (KTAL/KMSS) – A bike shop in Texarkana is asking for the community’s help after lumber used to build bridges on bike trails was stolen.

For many years, mountain bikers have been building bridges across the trail at Bringle Lake Park in Texarkana with the help of donations.

Recently, Terry Berridge, the owner of Berridge Bikes, says he got a call that someone stole all of the …

Anyone ever ride a bike to a concert at Cynthia Mitchell Woods Pavilion in The Woodlands? from bikehouston

Tyler plans to expand its network of walking and biking trails

by: Sharon Raissi | www.ketk.com

TYLER, Texas (KETK) – The city of Tyler is planning to expand Legacy Trails, a network of walking and biking trails in the city .

The Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization wants to stretch the trail from South Tyler all the way to the north side of town.

Organizers say they are hoping these additions will add another mode of transportation and help connect both parts of the community.

“Just being able to see all of the amenities from South Tyler getting tied to North Tyler and going back the other way,” Manager of Tyler Area MPO Michael Hall said. “It gives everyone in North Tyler close to …

Texas Biking from Twitter

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Didn’t Count On The Weather Change

Texbiker.net Posted on by

I didn’t count on the weather changing so much during today’s bike ride. Getting an earlier start (9:44 AM) I thought finishing earlier than yesterday was most likely. It didn’t happen, I finished at 1:38 PM. I chose a route I haven’t rode since May 28th, “Kingwood – FM1314 NW to McQueen Road”. I wanted to ride at least 40 miles and this route met that. I biked 41.24 miles after adding two extra loops when I got back into Kingwood. My week total stands at 123.92 miles and June is at 753.46 miles. YTD 2021 reduced the gap with 2020 to 100 miles. A summary of the bike rides on today’s route in 2021.

6-23-2021 YTD Bike Rides Summary Today's Route
6-23-2021 YTD Bike Rides Summary Today’s Route

Changing weather caught me around mile 28 when the darkening clouds started sending rain down. I was at River Walk Drive riding SE. I saw the rain ahead on FM 1314, pedaled faster seeking a place of shelter. Biking in the rain is not my favorite but if it’s not raining hard I ride on but add lightning and I seek shelter. I made it to Pat’s Donuts front porch and hung out there for 45 minutes or so until the lightning went away and the rain slowed. With the wet roads and light rain I biked on. When I reached Oakhurst the rain went away lasting until I finished. The Canyon Endurace was gritty and when I got home I washed it. That is what delayed the finish later than yesterday with about the same distance. The video shows some of the rain while waited at Pat’s Donuts. I did not get an apple fritter. Overall weather: start 86 (78% humidity, 78.8 dew point), mostly cloudy, wind 5 mph; finish 80 (96% humidity, 79 dew point), mostly cloudy, wind NE 10 mph.

I wore a long sleeve jersey for sun protection but it also helped riding in the rain. The temperature dropped 10 degrees and the rain made it feel cooler.

Strava awarded me 3rd fastest time on Stripes-to_OldHoustonRd (25:00). I pedaled at a good pace with a light tailwind and no traffic light interruptions to set that.

6-23-2021 Strava Bike Ride Summary