Texas Bicycling News Digest November 8th 2018

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Biking Around Fort Worth To Get Easier

By Ken Molestina | dfw.cbslocal.com

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – Fort Worth Bike Sharing is expanding by adding 50 new electric bicycles or E-Bikes to their fleet around the city.

The E-Bikes aren’t scheduled to hit the streets until April of 2019, but dozens of people got a sneak peak and demo ride on Wednesday.

Kristen Camareno is the executive director of …

https://youtu.be/N3AWVPI_8Tk

SRC Weekend Rides – Various Options

Brad Weaver | steinerranchcycling.com

This weekend we have a mishmash of events going on, thus rides from Steiner are on your own unless noted below.

Saturday is Tour Das Hugel and the Endurance Pace will leave from Cups & Cones.

Tour Das Hugel for those who enjoy the suffer-fest of hill climbing. 7:00 am MoPac Pedestrian Bridge (Stafford Drive by Pedestrian Bridge / Zilker) Route: …

Thursday Training

Eduardo Salas (Cyclones) | www.strava.com

Great Monument/Battleship Texas metric Ride. Perfect group!

Bill Rowe | www.strava.com

Cruising with the homies

Jeremy Brown | www.strava.com

Metz & Boyer: The Border Run

By Mark Metz and Ray Boyer | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 17: El Paso to Ft. Hancock, TX
Sunday October 28, 2018, 56 miles (90 km) – Total so far: 902 miles (1,452 km)
Mark here: Except for 10 miles of rough pavement at the end, the ride down the Rio Grande valley was about as easy as one can imagine. We were on roads that were on the bottom land, so they were completely flat. We were headed down river, so the road was very slightly downhill all day — and we had a tail wind.
The first 15 miles or so was in the urban/suburban/ex-urban sprawl of …

Day 18: Fort Hancock to Van Horn
Monday October 29, 2018, 68 miles (109 km) – Total so far: 970 miles (1,561 km)
Mark here: Today was a day of following I-10 and The Southern Pacific Railroad. The first 20 miles or so was on the interstate — good surface, nice grade on hills, but noisy and lots of junk on the shoulder that can destroy bike tires in a heartbeat. A long stint in the middle of the day was on the old highway, which serves as a local access road right along sided of the highway. We still had to put up with interstate noise, but we had no worries about traffic or road hazards. Every now and …

Day 19: Van Horn to Balmorhea
Tuesday October 30, 2018, 70 miles (113 km) – Total so far: 1,040 miles (1,674 km)
Mark here: Not much new about today’s ride. We have decided to deviate from The Southern Tier. The trade-off is foregoing travel through the border region down to Del Rio for saving a hundred miles or so. Since we have a deadline to meet in reaching New Orleans, we opted to save a some miles.
The landscape is much as I described yesterday, although I noticed as …

Day 20: Balmorhea to Fort Stockton
Wednesday October 31, 2018, 52 miles (84 km) – Total so far: 1,092 miles (1,757 km)
Ray here: Balmorhea is an interesting little town. At its heart is a giant artesian spring that pumps millions of gallons of water that is used to irrigate farms for, we were told, 12 miles around. The rest flows into a lake that apparently offers good fishing. This was all explained to us by the woman who, with her husband, run the Eleven Inn, a rustic but very comfortable motel in Balmorhea. After a quick breakfast at an interstate cafe, we set off on a day that promised to be fairly quick and easy. And it was for the first 20 miles or so to Fort Stockton. Road conditions deteriorated and …

Day 21: Fort Stockton to Iraan
Thursday November 1, 2018, 67 miles (108 km) – Total so far: 1,159 miles (1,865 km)
Mark here: Ah, the best laid plans… It was one of those days. The plan was to get out early – hard to do at this time of year in this western edge of the time zone – so that we could finish the 65+ mile ride to Iraan early enough to beat the worst of the forecasted rain. An early breakfast down the street from our hotel was a logical short stop, but when we came out of the cafe Ray’s back tire was flat. We fixed it and moved on down the main drag in Fort Stockton until my front tire went flat. Tick, tick, tick… A few miles out of town, when Ray had another flat, this one on …

Day 22: Iraan to Ozona
Friday November 2, 2018, 57 miles (92 km) – Total so far: 1,216 miles (1,957 km)
Ray here: After yesterday’s rain, wind,flats, cold, we woke up today to bright blue skies and favorable west wind. We had spent the evening going over our gear, patching tubes and doing what we could to make sure the bikes were in good shape. The end result was a swift 57 miler to the interesting town of Ozona. It is the only town in Crockett County, named for Davey Crockett who never came here. But there is a fine statue in his honor in the town square, put there as part of the Texas Centennial in the 1930’s. It is located on Interstate 10. There are lovely old homes and a classic town center with a courthouse, museum, and library. There is also a ton of energy industry activity serving the …

Day 23: Ozona to Junction
Saturday November 3, 2018, 103 miles (166 km) – Total so far: 1,319 miles (2,123 km)
Mark here: The long ride from Ozona to Junction required us to depart just before sunrise and pedal our bikes until just after sunset. Along the way, we passed through the only town – indeed the only services of any kind, at the 35 mile mark — way to early to call it a day. We did find a new general store open in the ghost town of Roosevelt, less than 20 miles from our destination. Our backup plan was to guerrilla camp on a ranch or at a rest stop along I-10 if we could find one, but it was a beautiful, sun-drenched day and …

Day 24: Junction TX to Fredericksburg TX
Sunday November 4, 2018, 67 miles (108 km) – Total so far: 1,386 miles (2,231 km)
Ray here: I almost wimped out today, feeling very low this morning and even suggesting to Mark that we do a rest day in Junction. Being a good riding partner he said if that is what I needed, fine. No pressure. So I ate some breakfast and lay down for half an hour, felt rejuvenated, and saddled up. What followed was a fine day of riding with a solid tailwind. We did part of the run on Interstate 10, which you can think of as a straight line through the route we are taking to Austin. We’ve been mostly on country road that used to be the main road that was replaced by 10. The surface was rough but mostly tolerable. The Interstate was as miserable as ever. The berm was fine for …

Day 25: Fredericksburg to Austin
Monday November 5, 2018, 86 miles (138 km) – Total so far: 1,472 miles (2,369 km)
Mark here: Several days ago we put together an itinerary that would put us in Austin in five days. It was an ambitious plan and we knew there were a lot of things that could prevent us from making it in that time. The reason for the sprint across Texas is so that we can make it to New Orleans in time for Ray’s scheduled flight to PA for Thanksgiving. We reasoned that if we could make Austin in five days, the next 14 days to New Orleans would require moderate daily mileage. Somehow, through …

Days 26 and 27: A day Austin and Austin to La Grange, TX
Tuesday November 6, 2018, 76 miles (122 km) – Total so far: 1,548 miles (2,491 km)
Mark here: Tired legs, machines in need of attention, and the allure of Austin were the reasons we had planned a layover day in Austin many days ago. All three became realities as we approached the city. We spent part of the day having some work done at Easy Street Recumbents, the only bike shop featuring recumbent bikes for hundreds, if not thousands, of miles around. A quick visit to an eyeglasses store to repair my glasses, some time working on tires and minor adjustments, and an authentic Austin BBQ dinner rounded out the day. …

Day 28: La Grange to Navasota
Wednesday November 7, 2018, 67 miles (108 km) – Total so far: 1,615 miles (2,599 km)
Mark here: We ride on primary roads, secondary roads and tertiary roads. There are usually trade-offs to be made if we have a choice. Tertiary roads are usually nearly traffic free, but often have rough surfaces that impose a lot of rolling resistance. They also tend to follow the topography more closely, without the build-up of low spots and cuts through hill tops that we see on primary roads. In Texas, these roads are called “farm to market” or ranch to market” roads. Very quaint, and probably accurate since these roads were most likely built for …

Day 29: Navasota to Coldspring
Thursday November 8, 2018, 64 miles (103 km) – Total so far: 1,679 miles (2,702 km)
Ray here: After a fine evening in Navasota, we set sail for Cold Spring, about 60 miles ahead through the rolling hills through the Sam Houston National Forest. There were some longish hills to climb getting out of the Brazos and Navasota River valleys. After that the rollers were, for the most part, a pleasant ride, trending toward downhill. This is very much ranch country, with lots of cattle grazing and lots of places offering bulls and heifers for sale. A few goats made an appearance, but no sign of sheep for …

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Texas Bicycling News Digest November 7th 2018

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Take 2: Celebrate Mason Park Pedestrian/Bike Bridge Ribbon Cutting Ceremony along Brays Bayou Greenway

houstonparksboard.org

Join Houston Parks Board, Houston Parks and Recreation Department, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Harris County Flood Control District, Houston-Galveston Area Council, and Council Member Robert Gallegos for a “take 2” ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the Mason Park Pedestrian/Bike Bridge. The iconic 485-foot-long, 16-foot-wide pedestrian/bike suspension bridge, a pivotal moment for Bayou Greenways 2020, provides a new, safe crossing over Brays Bayou and is already a vital connection in the community!

Where: Mason Park, 541 South 75th St., Houston, TX 77023

When: Saturday, November 10, 2018, 10:00am

Admission: Free

Once 420 Pounds, This Man Now Crushes 150-Mile Weekend Rides

BY ANDREW DAWSON | www.bicycling.com


Name: Ben Jernigan
Age: 34
Occupation: Insurance adjuster
Hometown: Seguin, Texas

Start Weight: 420 pounds
End Weight: 295 pounds
Time Cycling: 6 years

At my heaviest weight, I was 420 pounds. I’ve always been a pretty hefty guy. In my late teens, I was big, but not obese, at 260 pounds working as a commercial electrician and hitting the weight room. Then, I switched carriers, and my lifestyle went completely sedentary. Slowly over the next four years, I put on more and more weight until I reached the peak. I wore a size 60 suit and a size 54 pants. …

Happy place intervals

Venny Alub | www.strava.com

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Bunny Hop Failure Meets Concrete Bike Ride

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Until I hit the 28.71 mile point on today’s bike ride all was going well. At that point I rode south on the I-69/US59 frontage road. I wanted to stop at the Circle K/Valero store at Northpark Drive. Looking in my rear view mirror I saw a car coming up behind but not real close. Normally when I enter the driveway to the store I swing out and try to approach the 2″ high curb straight on but today I didn’t do that because of the approaching car. I went for a bunny hop to get the front wheel over the curb and when I came down the rear wheel didn’t follow but slide along the curb and down I went. Thank goodness for my helmet because my head bounced of the concrete. As I lay on the road I looked around to be sure no one was coming into the driveway. Two cars were stopped waiting to exit the driveway. Both drivers got out and came over to help me get up. After getting up I put the bar end plug back in the right sie bar end, straightened the Elemnt computer in its mount. I noticed the chain was off the front chain ring and walked about 200 yards to the store getting some paper towels at the pumps to dab on the elbow road rash. When I did that I saw and felt the hematoma on my right hip. I went inside the store to refill my water bottle and one of the clerks noticed the road rash on my knee which I missed. I told I crashed and she was sympathetic. Walking out side I went to the picnic tables on the west side of the store and sat down to survey the damage to me and the Canyon bike. After checking my phone for damage I looked at the elbow rash and knee. My head felt better now but my hip hurt. Looking at the bike I saw the rear derailleur looked bent. I went back to the pumps for paper towels so I could put the chain back on the front chainring. Then I tried to shift the right lever and  determined the chain would not move to a larger rear cog. A few minutes later I walked to the pumps getting ready to leave and one of the men there talked with about biking. I showed him the road rash on elbow and knee and we both said crashes happen. He wished me a blessed day and I rode off.

This was about 7 miles from home and I rode there slowly.

The ride started at 10:56 am as I began on the “Kingwood – SH 242 – Kingwood” route headed north. The weather was warm again and the wind was light. Weather during the ride.

Biking north I made good time and to add a couple of miles to the ride I went through Tavola and the road east of the railroad tracks to Woodbranch. Crossing I-69/US59 set me up for the ride south. Expecting the wind to slow me some I appreciated the wind breaks along the way. Looping through Valley Ranch got me out of the wind some times and when I returned to the frontage road I stayed on it until the crash. I built up my average speed to 14.2 mph and felt good. From there the ride changed and I finished at 2:01 pm with 35.58 miles rode. November stands at 160.92 miles, 200 miles away from my goal. The crash injury and bike damage will keep me off the bike for a few days.

When I got home I called Canyon Bikes USA to ask about a new derailleur hanger and bar tape. They are shipping replacements to me. Sean at Canyon expressed his concern about my crash. Photos of my injuries and the bent derailleur hanger. Update 11/8/2018: I added two photos of my cracked Catlike helmet. I ordered a replacement.

This is the first crash riding the Canyon Endurace CF SLX. Hopefully the last. I think my last crash was 4/18/2014 according to my SportTracks diary.

SportTracks Bike Ride Summary

SportTracks Bike Ride Summary

Texas Bicycling News Digest November 6th 2018

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Police: Lakeway man drives off after hitting cyclist

By: Chelsea Moreno | www.kxan.com


LAKEWAY, Texas (KXAN) — A man was arrested and charged Saturday for driving away after hitting a man who was riding his bicycle, police say.

When officers arrived at Ranch Road 620 near Lohman’s Crossing Road just before 5:50 a.m., they saw a damaged bicycle in the road and debris from the crash.

Austin-Travis County EMS took the victim to St. David’s South Austin hospital with a serious injury. …

Memorial Hermann cardiologist Konstantinos Charitakis, M.D., cycles his way to healthy living

By Shanley Pierce | www.tmc.edu


Konstantinos Charitakis, M.D.
OCCUPATION: Interventional cardiologist at Memorial Hermann Hospital; assistant professor of cardiovascular medicine at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth
INTEREST: Cycling

As an interventional cardiologist, Konstantinos Charitakis, M.D., understands the importance of maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. Whether he’s pedaling along the roads in Fulshear with former patients and his local cycling team or racing other enthusiasts online on his stationary bike at home in Montrose, Charitakis puts in 150 miles every week. …

Man arrested after allegedly trying to run over 3 cyclists on Northwest Side

By Fares Sabawi | www.mysanantonio.com

A San Antonio man is accused of trying to intentionally run three cyclists over with this vehicle Sunday, according to police.

Christopher Garcia, 58, was arrested Monday on three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

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The cyclists called police to the intersection of Hillcrest and West Woodlawn. They told officers that Garcia nearly ran them over, according to his arrest affidavit. …

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