Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup February 5th
Hit-and-run charge filed 2 months after cyclist’s death
By Dane Schiller, Dug Begley      www.chron.com
Prosecutors filed a hit-and-run charge Wednesday against a Houston woman who they contend was drinking and driving when she fatally struck cyclist Chelsea Norman in early December.
Norman’s death galvanized the city’s bike riding community and spurred calls for justice and answers.
In a document filed by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Margaret Renee Mayer, 35, is accused of intentionally not stopping her car after hitting Norman, who was riding home at about 10:20 p.m. on Dec. 1 from her job at Whole Foods Market in Montrose.
Norman, 24, was gravely injured but alive when she was found sprawled on…
Cyclist in body brace, distracted driver off the hook after Farmers Branch crash
By SCOTT K. PARKSÂ Â Â Â Â Â www.dallasnews.com
Corky Rawdon never saw it coming.
And now he’s one of the latest victims of distracted driving in North Texas.
Rawdon, 64, was enjoying a Saturday afternoon bicycle ride near his home in Farmers Branch. He was pedaling in the right-hand lane of Valley View Lane near Oran Good Park when a white SUV rear-ended him.
“The next thing I know I’m on the ground,†he recalled. “I intentionally moved my arms and…
Race Against Cancer! Ray Porter Memorial 6 Hour
www.texasmountainbiketrails.com
SATURDAY, February 8th!
Don’t miss the second annual Race Against Cancer at Tyler State Park this Saturday February 8th.
In light of our communities recent loss, this year the Big Pig Cancer Foundation has officially renamed the event in honor of local endurance, mountain bike legend Ray Porter who passed away on December 27th after being diagnosed with Cholangiocarcinoma on November 13, 2013. Ray and his wife Gina have been active supporters of the Dallas / Ft. Worth mountain bike community for many years and now it is our time to give back and support “his girlâ€. …
Highland Lakes Mountain Biking team members follow own paths
DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR      www.dailytrib.com
BURNET — At some point, two guys — likely — came across a dirt path while pedaling their bikes, looked at each other, smiled and headed off the road. It probably happened hundreds, even thousands, of times, but, eventually, that little side trip led to the creation of modern mountain biking.
It’s something members of the Highland Lakes High School Mountain Biking team experience every time they hit the trails, whether during competition, practice or just a ride.
“With mountain biking, you can pick your own path,†said team member and…
Next Monthly Meeting – West Texas Cycling Association
Date: February 10, 2014
Time: 7:00 PM
Host: Randy Muslow
Where:
4703 S. Loop 289
Conference Room
Lubbock, TX
Even in cities with setbacks, consensus for protected bike lanes keeps rolling
Michael Andersen, Green Lane Project staff writer      www.peopleforbikes.org
Bluebonnet Lane in Austin, Tex.
The sign that a new idea is succeeding isn’t when it scores some early victories. It’s when it experiences setbacks … and survives.
Here at Green Lane Project HQ, I’m pleased to say we’re having trouble keeping up with all the protected bike lane projects popping up across the continent. Though we’ve just updated our database of proposed, planned and built protected bike lanes in the United States, cities of all sizes seem to be doing their best to make it obsolete as soon as possible. And as I went through the news from January, I noticed an interesting trend: even when bike projects suffer setbacks, advocates and…
Race Volunteers Needed!
Texas A&M Cycling
We are looking for volunteers for our race on March 1 and 2! We need all the help we can get so we can continue to host a successful event. Anybody is welcome to help, you’ll just need to do a quick, online, certification training. To sign up, complete the form on…
Rudolph’s Revenge 30 Mile Single Speed Spin Fest
www.bigpigracing.org
Overall, this race had everything, and the set-up and support was top notch. The first 5 miles were flat and fast crushed granite greenbelt; from there it took a turn onto pavement into a couple of lung burning climbs, and some nice downhill sections for about another 5 miles. Then you get to the Isle du Bois (IDB) trail, which is some of the most technical single track in North Texas. Rock gardens are the norm, with some sandpits thrown in to really test your skills, but overall the trail flows really well. 10 miles of this with a good bit of elevation gain and loss and then we headed back the way we came through the pavement hills, and finishing on the superfast greenbelt.
I was 1 of only 6 crazy enough to attempt the race on a single speed, and unfortunately did not pick the correct gearing at all (34×22). I was way under geared for the greenbelt and hills, but felt great on the single track. For the first 5 miles, I was trying to keep pace with my teammate and eventual first place finisher, Mr. Big Pig himself. He was pushing a much stronger gear (34×17), and it took a lot just to…
New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar
New Event: North Texas Classic Bike Ride – Fort Worth, TX: When: Sat May 10, 2014 8am to 1pmÂ
CDTWhere: Ed Wil… http://t.co/rttQpWpTmZ— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) February 5, 2014
New Event: WildRide Against Cancer – Richardson, TX: When: Sat May 17, 2014 8am to 1pmÂ
CDTWho: Texas Bicyclin… http://t.co/Xn1aOLtawk— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) February 5, 2014
New Event: Real Ale Ride – Blanco, TX: When: Sat May 17, 2014 8am to 2pmÂ
CDTWhere: Real Ale Brewing Company, … http://t.co/JHGk3eTARl— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) February 5, 2014
New Event: Atlas Ride – Cedar Park, TX: When: Sat May 31, 2014 8am to 2pmÂ
CDTWhere: 2303 N Lakeline Blvd, Ced… http://t.co/2vKv1ERkYS— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) February 5, 2014
New Event: Cow Creek Country Classic – Waxahachie, TX: When: Sat Jun 28, 2014 8am to 4pmÂ
CDTWhere: Waxahachie… http://t.co/gE3vk6lVBP— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) February 5, 2014
Tweets
@houstonpolice Thank you, HPD — esp. Officer Y.D. Estrada — for identifying the hit-and-run driver who killed bicyclist Chelsea Norman.
— Justin McMurtry (@jdmcmurtry) February 5, 2014
We're loving the new bike path out East of town! #latergram http://t.co/ZihL6fCgwX
— Bicycle Sport Shop (@BSS_Austin) February 6, 2014
Over 150 student athletes will kick off the Texas High School Mountain Bike Racing season this weekend at… http://t.co/8HZfYKg2hO
— Reveille Peak Ranch (@RPRTexas) February 5, 2014
Morning workouts. I hate waking up early, but I love the accomplished feeling once I finish #earlybird
— Baylor Cycling (@BaylorCycling) February 5, 2014