Texas Bicycling News Digest May 22nd 2019

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Mountain biking takes riders off the beaten path

By TYE CHANDLER | www.yourglenrosetx.com

There are some novice mountain biking options in Somervell County, but the 8.1-mile single-track trail on Solavaca Ranch isn’t one of them. With more than three miles of dirt road, the ranch also includes advanced sections of trail with rock-strewn descents, climbing switchbacks, steep drop-offs and obstacles of roots, rocks, logs and more.

“It’s a fairly technical trail,” said owner Mack Hargrave. “There are drops and climbs characteristic of mountain bike trails in this area. It’s not as difficult as Dinosaur Valley State Park’s track, but has similar obstacles. It’s not a friendly …

Bike Packing BBRSP: Short film

By June Bug | austinmountainbiking.com

Just came across this on bikepacking.com

Who knew Texas Tech up in the Panhandle plains of Lubbock, has an Adventure Media class: CMI 4313 Offers students practical, creative, and strategic insight and experience in assessing and producing media associated with outdoor adventure….and the class would go bikepacking in Big Bend Ranch State Park, and because it’s an outdoor media adventure class, made a short film …

Woman charged in June fatal wreck in North Lubbock

By Gabriel Monte | www.lubbockonline.com

A Lubbock County grand jury indicted a 24-year-old woman who was arrested in connection with a fatal wreck last June in North Lubbock.

Laura Reynolds is charged with manslaughter, a second-degree felony that carries a punishment of two to 20 years in prison.

Lubbock prosecutors believe she operated her vehicle recklessly on June 28, 2018, by driving her vehicle while impaired by alcohol, failing to keep a proper look out and failing to maintain a safe distance from the bicycle ridden by 18-year-old Davion Boswell, resulting in the collision that killed him, according to the indictment. …

Video: 5th Annual Operation Clean Sweep

By: Joanna Guzman | www.kveo.com

MCALLEN, Texas – Multiple cities in the Rio Grande Valley join together to tackle dirty streets in the Valley. The goal is to improve ride-ability and increase safety for cyclists. Texas Department of Transportation and many cities in the Valley gathered this morning to remove debris from bike lanes and road shoulders. …

Video: Cyclists work to increase bike lane safety in lower valley

By: Tatiana Favela | www.ktsm.com

El Paso, Texas (KTSM) – Some cyclists in the Lower Valley are trying to ensure the safety of those who ride bikes and share the road with drivers.

Scott White with Velo Paso, a bicycle-pedestrian coalition, said it’s unaccpetable for the city to not prioritize widening bike lanes that are too narrow.

“We still need to make it a reality and that’s what concerns me. With the way things have been going on with the city is there’s always a possibility that somebody’s going to say, because of financial issues, they’re going to say, ‘we’re just going to leave it as it is’ and …

Women’s MTB ride at Memorial!

Maga | www.strava.com

Texas Bicycling from Twitter

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Windy Spring Creek Greenway Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

I set out today at 11:02 AM (I tried to leave before 11 AM but didn’t make it) to ride the Spring Creek Greenway for May. The last time I rode there was April 10th. I wanted to ride earlier this month but during the May 7th and 9th rain storms portions of the greenway were under water. Yesterday I saw another cyclist on Strava ride there and I asked him if was open from US59 to I-45 and he said open all the way. More on that later.

Weather for the ride was great except for the pesky wind. Weather during the ride: start 86 (71% humidity), mostly cloudy, wind S 17 mph 25 mph gusts. Finish 88 (73% humidity), partly cloudy, wind S 21 mph 28 mph gusts. I wore shorts, short sleeve jersey, arm sleeves, and sunscreen. Below is the weather at the end of the bike ride.

Getting to the trailhead at US59 and the San Jacinto River I battled the wind whenever I got out in the open. Riding across the river on the Bevell Jarrell Memorial Bridge was hard pedaling into the headwind. At the north entrance someone put a dead deer carcass in a white garbage bag and left it on the ramp.

Once I was on the greenway I saw about two dozen other cyclists coming and going or in the parking lots. One cyclist on a mountain bike sporting a red Mohawk hair cut without a helmet passed me several times. A few other cyclists passed me more than once. Even among all of the trees I felt the wind blowing and whenever I got out in the open it was strong. At the first bridge the water was pushed toward the bridge and the gusts made it hard to ride across. Later at other openings and parks the wind was evident.

Riding toward Pundt Park the trail was blocked before the park circling around to the right. On the return leg the detour circled to the other side. Not sure why that portion of the trail was closed. I stopped at Pundt Park to rest for a few minutes and to eat a snack.

From there the trail was open with some places with a light coating of sand but not enough to be a problem. Passing the exit to Dennis Johnston Park near the Hardy Toll Road and Grand Parkway I rode towards the end of the trail west of I-45 but the trail was blocked before going under I-45 with workers dropping riff-raff over the bank where the water had ate away.

This was at the 23.5 mile point. Behind me another cyclist on a trike recumbent pulled up, saw the barrier and turned around. On the way back to Dennis Johnston Park I went under the railroad tracks as a speeding freight train went overhead and I took these photos.

Leaving Dennis Johnston Park after refilling my water bottle heading back to US59 I saw a few more bikers and the red Mohawk one twice. At Jesse Jones Park I stopped for a rest break and to east another snack, refill my water bottle for the ride back home.

Back on the Canyon bike I rode to the US59 trailhead, under the freeway and across the bridge. The deer was still there. From there I rode east on Hamblen Road dodging the many roughly patched spots with some cars trailing behind until they could pass. At the Forest Cove Drive stop sign they turned left and I went straight. I made it by the first school before they let out with cars parked waiting but when I got to Bear Branch Elementary I waited for what seemed like a couple of hundred children to cross the street stopping traffic including me. I almost got through and was stopped by a second wave of children. I finally escaped and rode home to finish at 3:21 PM.

The weather is heating up and will stay dry so Thursday biking should happen.

SportTracks Bike Ride Summary

SportTracks bike Ride Summary

Strava Year Progressions YTD Bike Ride Miles

2019 trails 2018 by 31 miles, leads 2017 by 369 miles, and leads 2016 by 36 miles. Older years are behind 2019 by wide margins.

Strava Year Progressions YTD Bike Ride Miles

Texas Bicycling News Digest May 21st 2019

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Celebrate summer starting with National Trails Day event

by Mark Smith | www.crosstimbersgazette.com

People across the country and in the local community will gather next weekend at their favorite trails for a walk, run or bike ride on National Trails Day, and the city of Highland Village and Denton County Transportation Authority are inviting residents to participate.

DCTA is partnering with the cities of Denton, Lake Dallas, Corinth, Highland Village and Lewisville to host “National Trails Day” events on June 1, from 9 a.m. to noon. The event is meant to get residents out and moving on DCTA’s A-train Rail Trail to enjoy the benefits of recreation and exposure to …

Houston doesn’t do pool noodles (not OC, found on my Facebook cycling group) from bicycling

Long Beach, CA to St. Augustine, FL via the southern tier

By Tony Olague | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Columbus to Sealy TX Tuesday May 21, 2019, 28 miles (45 km) – Total so far: 1,226 miles (1,973 km) Recovering from a longish ride yesterday, we decided on a shorter ride to Sealy, TX. Most of the day was windy, overcast, and a sprinkle of rain in later part of the day. We rode on the frontage road of the I-10. Sometimes we would be on the northside of the I-10 and other times on the southside. It was nicer riding on the …

5 WheelBrothers tools to cycle in the Texas heat and ride through the summer!

www.wheelbrothers.com

5 Ways to Beat the Heat and Ride Through the Summer

Summer is swiftly approaching, and with average Texas temperatures already in the mid80s, it’s time to start thinking about how to stay safe when you’re riding in the heat.

For event-specific training tips, this WheelBrothers post offers some tips on preparing for a rally and how to ride in a group safely. And look here for help on deciding what gear to pack.

But let’s talk about heat training in general! High temperatures can heighten the intensity of your ride just like increasing speed, distance, or incline. Humidity is another a condition to …

I Didn’t Ride My Bicycle Today, and I’m Okay With That

A DUDE ABIKES | adudeabikes.com

Returning readers recall relatively recent reflections recommending rest. After five days of riding my bike almost 90 miles, and knowing I would reach 100 miles last week, this weekend I did very little. My body, my left knee and quadricep muscle in particular, were very grateful. As usual I was having trouble getting myself going. So when a friend offered to come by and help with some errands in his car, I jumped, however gently, at the opportunity. Later, we went for a …

Public input sought on proposed SL 335 improvements from SW 9th avenue to FM 1719

By: Karl Wehmhoener | www.myhighplains.com

AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – TxDOT is seeking public input sought on proposed SL 335 improvements from SW 9th avenue to FM 1719 tonight from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Church at Quail Creek.

The purpose of the open house is to share information and gather public input on proposed improvements to SL 335, Segment C-1, from SW 9th Avenue to FM 1719 (Western Street), in Potter County. …

… The proposed project consists of converting an existing 2-lane roadway to a 4-lane freeway facility with ramps, one-way frontage roads, grade separations over intersecting cross streets and railroads. The proposed project will also provide bike and pedestrian accommodations. The open house will …

Woman accused of killing man on bicycle indicted for manslaughter

www.kcbd.com

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Laura Reynolds, the woman police say hit an 18-year-old riding his bicycle, was indicted for manslaughter by a Lubbock Grand Jury Tuesday.

The accident happened early in the morning of June 28 of last year along 11th Street and Slide Road. The bicyclist was identified as Davion Boswell. Police at the time said Boswell was riding his bike south along …

Haarvarks Kemah Tuesday

Troy Serrano | www.strava.com

Texas Bicycling from Twitter

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Wind Tunnel Practice Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

If you need to get some wind tunnel practice this is the place. I knew it was windy outside with the trees moving around but when I looked at the NWAA app it surprised me with 36 mph gusts. I chose the “Atascocita South – Walden – Huffman” route for some variety for the first time since March 19th. Any direction with an “S” in it was a headwind. The start was at 10:52 AM.

The ride went 34.01 miles boosting May to 550.75 miles, 83% of the way to my 660 mile goal.

Other than the wind the weather agreed with biking: start 84 (74% humidity), mostly cloudy, wind S 28 mph 36 mph gusts. Finish 87 (71% humidity), overcast, wind S 15 mph 24 mph gusts. I wore shorts, short sleeve jersey, and arm sleeves. This was a good test about how hot the arm sleeves would be and they were comfortable with the wind moving through and around them.

  • Bike Ride Airport Weather Start
  • Bike Ride Airport Weather Finish

I got a sense of the wind when I stopped waiting for traffic at Old Atascocita Road and FM 2100. I put my right foot down like I usually do and a gust hit me almost pushing me over to the left. I moved my right foot out another 12″ to counter the wind. The next challenge was riding west over Lake Houston on FM 1960. The wind was so strong I shifted down one gear to push through the wind and the gusts from my left pushed me to the right. When traffic went by there was a brief relief and then I got slammed with another gust.

Finally making the right turn onto Pinehurst Trail Drive the wind shifted to a tailwind and my legs got relief. This stayed with me until I finished at 1:29 PM.

Some physical data:

  • average heart rate 123 bps
  • max heart rate 151 bps
  • average power output 133 watts
  • max power output 482 watts

Wind on Wednesday is supposed to go down some. Good biking weather.

SportTracks Bike Ride Summary

SportTracks Bike Ride Summary

Strava Year Progressions YTD Bike Ride Miles

2019 trails 2018 by 42 miles, leads 2017 by 323 miles, and trails 2016 by 10 miles.

Strava Year Progressions YTD Bike Ride Miles