Texas Bicycling News Digest March 5th
Interest in a new Gravel Grinder race?
by drmoreau         forums.mtbr.com
Hi,
I’m working on a course profile for a 200 mile grinder in NE Texas, provisionally for October 2014. Planning a 100 mile route too, as well as shorter/easier rides for family/friends. I’m modeling the ride on the Dirty Kanza. Would have food/music at registration and at finish as well.
Do you think we could get 300 riders for each distance? …
Texas Hills, The Whole Enchilada 2014
By Bruce Nelson and Axel Kunzmann
Who? What? Where? When? And — Why?: The nuts and bolts
We have heard from several people of the joy of bicycling in the Texas Hills for years. But, the trips we have seen advertised were too short to merit a trip to Texas. So, when our friends Rosy and Jordan told us about this one, we jumped, first joining the Bicycle Adventure Club [click here] and then booking this trip [click here].
The ride directors are John McManus and Brenda Cole. Other participants are Bruce Nelson & Axel Kunzmann (us), Dianne Olsen, Gail Moyes, Frank Moyes, Hal Baas, Michael Blake, George Ellis, Chip Sterling, Kathy Sterling, Rosy Jacobsen, Jordan Jacobsen, Kathy Patrick-Baas, Donna Leban, Marion Shaw, Fred Shaw, Glenn Guenterberg, Toni Blanken, Thomas Blanken, Patrice Van Vleet and Rick Hill.
Unless otherwise noted, photos are from the cameras of Axel and Bruce. To see other journals we have done…
River Bend Work day March 8, 2014
GHORBA
Trail: River Bend
Saturday, March 8, 2014 – 7:30am
t is now or never to build trail.
Greg has marked a new trail and we need to finish it before the grass is too thick.
We will work that weekend between races so no excuses. Paydirt hours can be had.
Plan on meeting at the green gate at 7:30 am on the March 8th. We, ll work till noon.
Bring water, gloves, loppers, racks…
Granbury,Texas to Marysville, Washington the long way
By Martin Dabrowski*
Before I go.: Off to see the world
I’m of to see parts of the USA that I’ve never seen before, the deep south. I’ve been to 43 states so far in my life and this trip will add 6 of the missing ones. I’ll still have Alaska left but that’s another tip.
Why am I going by bicycle? It’s a good way to really see things. You’re not locked up in a fast moving car, whizzing by things at 70 miles an hour. You can stop anywhere, smell everything and really enjoy the scenery. And one of the big pluses is the people that you meet. You roll into a rest area or camp ground and you are non-threatening to people, just a curiosity. “Who is this weird guy on a bike?” I’ve had some very interesting conversations in my previous trips and I’ve also gotten some helpful hints as to what to see and where to go.
This journal will not be a great literary work, just a…
Interview- RAAM Cycling Challenge – Marble Falls, TX
www.wheelbrothers.com
Have you ever tried one of the RAAM Challenge events? If not, this would be a great place to start! It’s one of the coolest ride series around, and it’s on March 8th, 2014. We sat down for an amazing interview with the newest host of the event, Jon Reiling.
Why join your ride?
First of all, the thing that I am most proud of is that we have something for everyone. All levels of riders. We have a half mile ride, all way up to a 400 mile ride for those qualifying for RAMM. There is also an option to ride solo or as a team. As a team, you can ride it has a 2 man or 4 man team, and split it up between riders. Additionally, we focus on the community. Texas has an amazing cycling community, which is one of the reasons we chose the Austin event. We want to support the community in all aspects. This year, we are highlighting the…
March Bike Event Roundup
By Brandon Mulder      www.austinpost.org
Ahhh, springtime … at long last. The glorious sunshine and moderate temperatures that revisit our city this month leave no excuse to not take full advantage of the great outdoors. There are occasions aplenty to take part in some social and cycling adventures.
Tuesday Morning Blazing Saddle Ride: Every Tuesday morning at 6:15 sharp, Mellow Johnny’s and Team 787Racing hold a fast-paced sunrise ride. Rides cover about 40 miles, and maintain an average speed of 20 mph through West Austin hills. This is not a “no-drop†ride—which means stragglers are left behind. The ride takes off from Mellow Johnny’s new address, 400 Nueces. More info here.
Scout-a-Route: Every Saturday at 9 a.m., Mellow Johnny’s and the Austin Cycling Association hold their casual, no-drop Scout-a-Route ride. These rides are designed to help riders navigate the city’s bike routes and other safe biking commuting options through the…
FrankenBike – Austin
austin.frankenbike.net
FrankenBike # 104 ~ March 29, 2014 ~ 10am-4pm ~
Bike Farm ~ 6516 Shirley Ave ~ 78752
FrankenBike # 105 ~ April 26, 2014 ~ 10am-4pm ~
University Cyclery ~ 2901 N Lamar Blvd ~ 78705
FrankenBike # 106 ~ May 31, 2014 ~ 10am-4pm ~
BikeTexas ~ 1902 East 6th ~ 78702
FrankenBike # 107 ~ June 28, 2014 ~ 10am-4pm ~
Ozone Bikes ~ 3202 Guadalupe St ~ 78705 ~
Celebrating 9 Years of FrankenBike! …
Jurgen Gruber wins the Cat 3 40-49 at the 2014 Mellow Johnny’s Classic MTB Race!
www.voodooracing.net
Voodoo rider Jurgen Gruber dominated the Cat 3 40-49 MTB race at the Mellow Johnny’s Classic with a lead of almost 2 minutes!
Driver arrested in FM 1960 hit-and-run
by Heather Alexander, Houston Chronicle
A 55-year-old man has been charged with failure to stop and render aid after a Tuesday hit-and-run that critically injured a cyclist.
Hoang Xuan Nguyen is accused of hitting the cyclist around 9:30 p.m. on FM 1960 near the Bush Intercontinental Airport.
The cyclist was taken by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann Hospital with critical injuries.
Witnesses who called 911 after the driver failed to…
City to test whether pedestrians, cyclists will use car-free streets
By Dug Begley, Mike Morris      www.chron.com
Houston officials will soon close portions of some heavily traveled roads to cars, testing whether residents will take to the streets for some exercise and entertainment.
The pilot program, announced Wednesday, starts April 6 when a combined 2.5 miles of White Oak Boulevard and Quitman Street will be closed to automotive traffic between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
“It is a way to acquaint ourselves with what is around those streets in a way we don’t normally experience it going by car,” Mayor Annise Parker said.
The Heights and near north side closings will be followed in May with a…
The Horror of Lago Vista
texasbikeracing.com
compliments of Steven Wheeler / Super Squadra pb Austinbikes
On the way home from La Primavera at Lago Vista on Saturday, I called my wife, Nina.
“Hey honey, I’m on the way home,†I told her.
“Already? What happened?†She asked, knowing that bike races that end too soon—usually end badly.
“Well, I got dropped.â€
“Okay, well, why race if you’re going to get dropped?†Nina teased.
“I didn’t plan on getting dropped after 40 miles,†I explained, but because Nina had been out of town for work the week prior, and I’d been solely in charge of taking care of our two young kids—getting them to school, and going to swim practice, and preparing their meals, and doing their laundry, and reading…
The Racing Post March 2014 Edition
The Racing Post
Mayor Annise Parker Launches SundayStreetsHTX
www.houstongovnewsroom.org
Pilot program will open streets to bicyclists and pedestrians for recreation and physical activity
SundayStreetsHTx will open White Oak, Westheimer and Washington/Market Square to bicyclists and pedestrians on the first Sundays in April, May and June 2014, respectively. The streets will be open from 11 am – 3 pm.
Open Streets are multi-faceted programs that promote the use of public streets for recreation and physical activity. Open Streets originated in Bogota, Colombia, over 30 years ago, and have been rapidly spreading to other regions of the world with the largest expansion in the United States. It is estimated there are over 200 large-scale Open Streets initiatives worldwide, with 90 in the U.S., including San Antonio, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, Portland, San Francisco, New York City and Los Angeles.
“SundayStreetsHTX is an opportunity for families and neighbors to…
USA Cycling announces 28 domestic elite teams to compete in 2014
www.usacycling.org
New for 2014: The top six men’s domestic elite teams will be eligible to race at the 2014 Professional Criterium National Championships.
Colorado Springs, Colo. (March 5, 2014) — Twenty-eight men’s and women’s domestic elite teams will join 10 total UCI continental squads in competition for supremacy on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar (NRC) and the National Criterium Calendar (NCC) in 2014.
As was the case in 2013, women’s DETs are eligible to participate in the Volkswagen USA Cycling Professional Road & Time Trial National Championships in Chattanooga, Tenn., May 24-26, as well as the 2014 USA Cycling Professional Criterium National Championships on Sept. 6 in High Point, N.C.
New for 2014, the top six men’s DETs on the…
…Athlete Octane Cycling
Marco Aledia (Worthington, Ohio)
Rahsaan Bahati (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Colton Barret (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Anthony Canevari (Downey, Calif.)
Clayton Chase (Mequon, Wis.)
Andrew Dahlheim (Austin, Texas)…
Elbowz Racing
Gabriel Baca (MEX)
Simon Essl (Dallas, Texas)
Adam Koble (Denton, Texas)
Michael Lalla (Coon Rapids, Minn.)
Stefan Rothe (Austin, Texas)
Ben Spies (Dallas, Texas)
Colin Strickland (Austin, Texas)…
more Texans on other teams
List of Club Rides
The Tyler Bicycle Club
Sunday
Owens Elementary Ride
“A†group – 2:00 pm start, 40+ miles, 16 to 18 mph average.
“B†group – 2:30 pm start, 18 to 23 miles, 13.5 to 15.5 average, no drop.
UT Tyler
2:00 pm start time
Old Beauty and the Beast Route – 30 to 60+ miles, 15 to 17 mph average.
Monday
Fresh Ride
6:00 pm start time.
Ride from Fresh Grocery Store, park on south side of building. 25 to 30 miles, 14 to 16 mph average.
Tuesday
Elite Bicycle Ride
6:00 pm start time.
Ride from parking lot at Elite Bicycles. 18 to 30+ miles, 13 to 16 mph average.
Simpson’s Tuesday Nighter
6:00 pm start time.
“A†group: Pain Train racing training ride. 30+ miles, 17+ mph.
“B’ group: Non-Pain Train ride, 25 to 30 miles, 14 to 16 mph. …
2014 Mellow Johnny’s Classic Mountain Bike Race
www.turnincranks.com
My Cat2 40-44 mountain bike race video from 2014 Mellow Johnny’s Classic. Weather started out nice. Watch the temp in the upper right as it starts at 68 and plummets to below 40 over the course of the race!
Some water on the lens from sprinkles of rain. Said rain also resulted in slick rocks and roots which resulted in a crash about 1/3 through my 2nd lap.
Finished up 12 of 30 starters. Had been hoping for a…
Grampies Go South
By Steve Miller and Dodie Miller
Day 60: Uvalde to Wild Camp 15 km west of Bracketville
Wednesday March 5, 2014, 80 km (50 miles) – Total so far: 3,528 km (2,192 miles)
It took four or five km to pass back through the centre of Uvalde, reach our police station, and head out into the wilds of the Pecos region. Actually, the Hill Country nominally hangs on until just before Brackettville, but as we saw yesterday, the Hill Country is already done for. …
Bryan’s Story: #myrideto Confidence
by djcurtin      Bicycle Sport Shop’s Offical Cycling Blog
With the launch of our new Get Started bike and accessory packages, we wanted to tell the story of how some riders got started on their cycling journey. After talking with a number of folks we found three really great people with really great stories about their rides to becoming cyclists. If you know someone on the fence about giving cycling a try, share one of these stories with them. Below you’ll see Bryan’s and his “ride to confidence.†We want to hear your story too. Take to social media and use the hashtag #myrideto and tag us telling us your story. We’ll share our favorite pictures and posts with our followers to help get more people on bikes.
Bryan’s Ride to Confidence
My best friend/roommate got a bike for Christmas. Watching him put it together reminded me of how much I loved riding my bike when I was younger and how I couldn’t wait to get home from school so I could ride around the neighborhood with my friends. It had been so long since I had been on a bike and I had gained so much weight since then that I didn’t really think that getting a bike was an option for…
2014 La Primavera 35+ Finish
Vince Marotte
The Vampire Army Draws Blood at Lago Vista
Bat City started 5 riders; Russ, Ben, Dave, Andy and Vince on Sunday at Lago, which runs counter clockwise up the steep ramps. We had plenty of power and options and as a team we have carte blánche in the peloton when we toe the line with the biggest squad representing plenty of top 10s so far this season.
The plan at the start was to set tempo on the hill starting around lap 2 and then see what we could do on the hill on lap 4 or 5. Andy and I were thinking about having a go on one of those laps, staying near the front and out of the wind. This plan quickly changed as around lap 2 the looming cold front came in all at once, dropping the temp from 68 to 45 in a few minutes. This meant we…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIDkO1_KW_Q&feature=player_detailpage
Tweets
Truck full of bikes heading your way Yellow Bike Project! http://t.co/YQ9LhNOZf3
— Bicycle Sport Shop (@BSS_Austin) March 5, 2014
Terra Firma Racing and Richardson Bike Mart are finalizing details for the first Reveille Peak Bike Festival… http://t.co/g8VmAYghWj
— Reveille Peak Ranch (@RPRTexas) March 5, 2014
Wrangling and wrenching on bikes for our bike share #Sxcycles @sxsw. #Austin we are bringing you almost 200 bikes! pic.twitter.com/r0MPlUINSa
— Tern Bicycles (@ternbicycles) March 5, 2014
Heads up! The Wednesday night rides start up again next Wednesday. Leave the store at 6PM for a 23 mile,… http://t.co/gXUzO4q1t2
— Bikesport (@BikesportTX) March 5, 2014
https://twitter.com/ButlerTrail/status/441251851015426049
Kat and Katie out on the world famous Gruppo VOP ride this morning, crushing some sprint points.
— ATC Racing (@ATCRacingTeam) March 5, 2014