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Home→Bicycling News→Texas Bicycling Blog and News Digest March 10th

Texas Bicycling Blog and News Digest March 10th

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Expensive Organized Rides

Bike Noob

As I sat indoors on an unseasonably cool, gloomy day today, it occurred to me that an organized ride is coming up that I was thinking about doing this year. I got out the laptop and jumped onto the ride’s website.
Oh, no! The ride was Saturday — and today is Sunday! That’s what I get for “thinking” about doing a ride, but not adding it to any kind of a schedule, and holding off on registration until I’m “sure” I want to ride it. I just — forgot.
I wonder, though, if that forgetting was any kind of a clue that maybe I really didn’t want to do the ride in the first place. I’ve written before about my ambivalent feelings toward organized rides — how they’re a way to get an expensive t-shirt. Then I changed my mind, and rode a…

Court rules for landowner in trail dispute

Associated Press |     www.valleymorningstar.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has sided with a Wyoming property owner in a dispute over a bicycle trail that follows the route of an abandoned railroad. The decision could force the government to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to compensate landowners.
The justices ruled 8-1 Monday that property owner Marvin Brandt remains the owner of a 200-foot-wide trail that crosses his 83-acre parcel in southern Wyoming’s Medicine Bow National Forest. The trail once was…

Mayor Parker says she aims to change cycling culture in Houston

By John Donnelly, Reporter

HOUSTON (FOX 26) – Cyclist Phillip Niccum knows riding the streets of Houston can be a deadly game.
“I’ve had several friends killed riding bicycles on the streets of Houston and in the surrounding area. So I try to stay off the streets when I ride bicycles. That’s why I like mountain bikes. You can jump the curb and get on the sidewalk and stay out of the traffic,” says Niccum.
It certainly has been dangerously lately. On Tuesday night, Hoang Nguyen allegedly struck and injured cyclist Andrew Fitzpatrick as he rode along FM 1960.
On Dec. 19, 2012, a hit-and-run driver struck and killed Stephen Belle as he rode on Normandy on the east side of town.
On Dec. 1, a hit-and-run driver struck and…
Houston weather, traffic, news | FOX 26 | MyFoxHouston

HBC Urban Challenge Ride Ride

Houston Bicycle Club

Location: In Town
Sunday 03/23/14    9:00AM
Distances: 40 to 45 miles
The Urban Challenge Rides are in-town group rides, faster and longer than the EZ Rides, each time taking you to different parts of the city. You should be able to maintain a pace of 15 mph for a distance of 40 to 45 miles, usually with one rest stop. …

This Week’s Rides

San Antonio Cycling Club

Sunday, Mar 16th,
Elmendorf Ride
9:00 AM
Meet at the carpool parking area located at Loop 1604 & Hwy 181. Map S3. Cruisers or Roadies can choose distances of 21, 44, or the optional 53 miles. (The 53 mile route will be leaderless, however maps will be available). These rides have everything from flat to rolling hills to a few small hills. Ride Leader, David, 210-849-5663. Join us for lunch at a nearby cafe. Guests welcome.
Directions: Take Hwy 181 South towards…

Grampies Go South

By Steve Miller and Dodie Miller

Day 64: Sanderson to Wild Camp 35 km east of Marathon
Sunday March 9, 2014, 54 km (34 miles) – Total so far: 3,786 km (2,353 miles)
The handimart across the street from the motel (called Stripes) was really pretty good. Not only do they have fresh fruiit for less than Walmart, but they have breakfast tacos, in eight varieties. These are only 99 cents each, also an excellent deal.
I zipped across the street to pick up some of these, at 6 a.m. when the store opens. To my horror, the same headwind that had stopped us yesterday was still blowing out there, in just the same way. I returned wondering if I should tell Dodie about it. She was in front of our room loading the bikes and remarked that the headwind was gone. It was just the sheltetr of the building, but I let it pass. The weather forecast called for NNE winds, so why NW was blowing out there was a mystery.
We ate our tacos and in about 30 minutes were out at the road. No wind, nothing, not a breath! Wow, who’s asking questions, let’s go!
It’s worth noting that although this was 6:30, it was still dark because daylight savings time was now in effect. So it was our standard drill of…

Grampies Go South

By Steve Miller and Dodie Miller

Day 65: Wild Camp to Marathon
Monday March 10, 2014, 35 km (22 miles) – Total so far: 3,821 km (2,374 miles)
We made the run to Marathon quite handily this morning, kicking ourselves gently for not having made it yesterday.

Looking at the map, it was clear that there was no advantage in rying to go further than Marathon today. The next stop could have been a picnic site 35km further on, but then the stop after that would be a picnic site after Alpine or maybe after Marfa. Our basic choices through this area are to go motel to motel, in Marathon, Alpine, and Marfa before launching into the void, trying to reach Van Horn, 125 km from Marfaor to go picnic site to picnic site, before jumping into the same void.
Picnic site to picnic site would leave us with no power (since the failure of the rim on the wheel that had the dynamo). On the other hand, with no cell service or internet, why do we need power? Well, there is the camera, the lights and flashers, the ipod, the movies! We can theoretically, but not happily, do without those, and the solar panel could actually maintain at least the camera, so ..
Part of this issue was resolved for us when we found the most likely motel at Marathon filled up. Spring Break is the culprit. It could easily seal us out of…

Current Ride Info

Carrollton Cycling Club

Irving  Bible Church rides start Monday March 17 at 6:00 pm.  Pump the tires, polish the helmet and let’s get started!
Monday and Wednesday, Starting March 17 at 6:00 pm
“No-Drop” ride, Irving Bible Church, Irving. About 23 miles at an average
13 MPH No-Drop pace.
Contact: Don /Jean Blackard: djblackard@verizon.net
Monday and Wednesday, Starting March 17 at 6:00 pm
“Intermediate” ride, Irving Bible Church, Irving. About 27 miles at an average 16 MPH+
Moderate to Intermediate pace.
Contact: Don /Jean Blackard: djblackard@verizon.net

Dallas REI — Northeast Texas Trail

Dallas REI Store

Date: 3/20/2014
Event Location: Dallas REI
Event Fee: Free
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 PM CDT
Leader: NETT
Group Size: 50
Description: Joseph Pitchford will review his 130-mile bike trip on the Northeast Texas Trail (NETT). Pitchford and Steve DeBauge completed the first thru-bike of the entire NETT corridor in 2012, stopping overnight in small towns along the route. The NETT runs from Farmersville to New Boston, through 17 other small towns along the way. When complete, the NETT will be the 5th longest rail-trail conversion in the United States. The first 40 attendees will receive a free copy of “The Cyclist’s Guide to the Northeast Texas Trail.”

Tweets

https://twitter.com/BBQ44/status/443253461887377408

https://twitter.com/DrewiferdLee/status/443054145768292352

https://twitter.com/txbikeracing/status/443049338428596224

Posted in Bicycling News permalink

About Rick Ankrum

In 1999 I had a burning desire to create a web site focused on Texas bicycling. Over the years this web site has existed many people have visited. As I think of information I need to bicycle I add them to the web site.

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