Texas Bicycling News Digest October 9th
South Texas man sentenced to 18 years in prison for fatally striking bicyclist while drunk
THE ASSOCIATED PRESSÂ Â Â Â Â Â www.therepublic.com
EDINBURG, Texas — A South Texas man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison after fatally hitting a bicyclist while drunk and driving off with the body in the bed of his truck.
A Hidalgo County judge delivered the sentence Wednesday to 24-year-old Emilio Gomez, who pleaded guilty last month to intoxicated manslaughter.
Police say Gomez killed 38-year-old Eddie Arguelles in April. They say Arguelles was cycling with a friend before dawn when he…
Cycling Legalese: Steel Road Plate Dangers
by brad      urbanvelo.org
Steel road plates are commonly used to cover trenches dug in a roadway for utility work, and are particularly dangerous to bicyclists. Most everyone has a story about them — a friend once fractured his eye socket due to a gap between plates. Everyday cyclist and Chicago based injury lawyer, Brendan Kevenides helps to fill us in on what some local ordinances require of steel plates and what can be done about them.
Q: There are steel plates all over the city where I ride. They are dangerous, especially when they are wet. Are there any rules protect bicyclists from the hazards they pose?
Steel road plates suck. Ask any urban bicyclist and they will tell you from experience about steel plates. They are often not installed flush with the pavement or at least with ramping around there edges. Many times they shift so that dangerous gaps exist between them and the street, or between two or more plates. Even when they are installed correctly they get very slippery when…
A 64-Mile Bike ‘Superhighway’ Will Connect Fort Worth To Dallas
By Stephanie Kuo      keranews.org
Bicyclists in car country just got some good news: Transportation planners took a $7 million dollar step toward a commuter bike and pedestrian trail reaching from downtown Fort Worth to downtown Dallas.
The money approved Thursday will help build about 10 more miles of connecting trails.
As is stands today, studies rank North Texas at or near the bottom for bicycle commuting — in one survey of the country’s 70 biggest cities, Fort Worth was at No. 60, Dallas No. 65 and Plano dead last.
Urban planners and city agencies are calling it the…
Edward Jones’ Tour de Ted set for Saturday in Houston
katytimes.com      Subscription Required
Nine cities throughout Texas are participating in a bike tour commemorating the life of Ted Jones, who was instrumental in opening Edward Jones’ first branch office. The tour, beginning in Houston on Oct. 11 and concluding in Dallas/Fort Worth on Oct. 19, is aptly named Tour de Ted – Ride the Lone Star.
The bike tour celebrates the life of the firm’s second managing partner, Ted Jones, and…
Cycleast moves to bigger digs, barre3 studio opens in Circle C
By Pam LeBlanc      fitness.blog.austin360.com
And in shop news this week …
The Cycleast crew at the new shop.
East side bike shop Cycleast is moving to a new, larger location at 1619 East Cesar Chavez Street. The shop opened 18 months ago on Pedernales Street, but has since outgrown its digs. The new 2,500-square-foot location will include a 600-square-foot community space for yoga, fitness, music, art and events. The shop focuses on repairs, restorations and custom bikes. Plus, it’s run by a bunch of cool people, headed by owner Russell Pickavance.
“We are excited to have a new space that enables…
Rolling Wheels In My Neighborhood On A Street Named After A Fungal Disease
Durango Texas
Today I rolled my bike wheels without rolling my motorized vehicle’s wheels first. In other words I took my handlebars on a tour of the neighborhood.
The roads to the west of my neighborhood power line greenbelt are smoothly paved, wide, hilly, and with little traffic.
At one point I stopped my handlebars to take a picture of the odd item springing from the ground you see on the left. Is this some sort…
L4 or Bust
by Beth
We made it to Fort Clark Springs in Brackettville, Texas. It’s a former army barracks and is nicer than the internet’s whiners make it sound. But there is no wireless connection and I can only get a weak mobile signal from my Dad’s room, so this is just a short missive to let everyone know we’re okay.
The minivan is a dark red color. Help me think of names.
Dinner and Bikes rolls out again!
takingthelane.com
The fifth annual Dinner and Bikes tour is upon us!
Josh, Aaron, Joe, and I will be rolling out yet again this May, hitting the road in some sort of gas guzzling behemoth, making a sort of lopsided shape that defies geometrical definition. Our easternmost extreme will be Chicago. Our westernmost extreme will be Amarillo, Texas. Our southernmost point will be Brownsville, Texas, which is about as far south as you can get around here without crossing into Mexico. From there we head to New Orleans, and from there back north.
At one of our events, the audience serves themselves from a gourmet vegan, gluten-free buffet, Elly talks about powerful Bikenomics movements around the world, Joe shows a selection of very short documentaries about bicycle…
Grace Creek MTB Trail Work and Ride Day
Longview Bicycle Club
Saturday 10/11/2014 at 9:00 AM
Come out Saturday morning and help us make final touches to the new section of trail. This new section has some hills and provides more of a challenge than the rest of the trail.
We will also be marking more new trail and test riding the new section. Bring any of the following tools: loppers, rake, shovel, saw, etc.
Meet behind the old movie theater on Hwy 31 at 9:00 AM. Rain or shine.
New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar
New Bike Event: Reveille Peak 100K Mountain Bike Race – Burnet, TX: When: Sat Nov 22, 2014 9am to Sat Nov 22, … http://t.co/Rnzj2ZbFWF
— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) October 10, 2014
New Bike Event: 6Hour Dinosaur – San Angelo, TX: When: Sat Nov 1, 2014 2pm to Sat Nov 1, 2014 8pmÂ
CDTWhere: S… http://t.co/vdbdPrEE1d— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) October 10, 2014
Tweets
RT athlete Michael Jones w/ the win again in tonight's @DrivewaySeries 3/4/5 race! Overall leaders jersey now, too! pic.twitter.com/axyEmQEwPS
— ROTHE Training (@rothetraining) October 10, 2014
Last day of practice before tomorrow's bicycle rodeo! http://t.co/YiUN1DUsZw
— Justin Moore (@bikegeek) October 10, 2014
#bikeparking at El Paso ST #bridge @ElPasoTXGov pic.twitter.com/je513c9tPU
— VeloPaso (@velopaso) October 9, 2014
https://twitter.com/CAIHouston/status/520318300283490304
Neil Bremner, owner of @BikeBarnTX, & Missouri City Councilman Don Smith joined me for last night's 20 mile ride pic.twitter.com/GE4c0sWLYJ
— Rodney Ellis (@RodneyEllis) October 9, 2014
A little dirt for lunch http://t.co/6wLdQm9JQZ
— weiland (@weiland) October 9, 2014
The goal today was 20 miles but settled for 18 due to running out of water and electrolytes. All miles… http://t.co/nasGMu1jyU
— CalebSimpson (@calebsimpson) October 9, 2014
https://twitter.com/elementina1122/status/520054926190211072
Just spent 5 hours biking to and checking in to all 35 @fwbikesharing stations. #fortworth #bike… http://t.co/OzTt9zgKag
— Chuck Bouligny (@soutth) October 9, 2014
I was toasted after last night's cross race! pic.twitter.com/rfflXS9rYe
— the Radavist (@TheRadavist) October 9, 2014
14 miles into 20. Yes I did get in and it felt grand! @boneshakertx #breakaway. I'm now 15 miles into… http://t.co/QAwf7M5os3
— CalebSimpson (@calebsimpson) October 9, 2014
Attention Riders -tomorrow night will be the final FNR of the 2014 season. Please come out and join us as we plan… http://t.co/TrupvwaqGA
— Alkek Velodrome (@AlkekVelodrome) October 9, 2014
Safe, convenient, accessible bike parking for residents is essential.
"@ElPasoDevNews: Campbell Apartments #ElPaso http://t.co/gN1pJ3cHpo"— VeloPaso (@velopaso) October 9, 2014
Drunken driver gets 18 years for killing South Texas cyclist http://t.co/8m4REkVylR
— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) October 9, 2014
Event Reminders
2 Day Alert: Bike MS: Valero Ride to the River 2014 – San Antonio, TX, Oct 11, 2014 08:00AM – Wheatley Heights Sports Complex, San Anton
— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) October 9, 2014
2 Day Alert: Outlaw Trail 100 – Round Rock, TX, Oct 11, 2014 08:00AM – Old Settlers Park, 3300 East Palm Valley Boulevard, Round Rock, T
— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) October 9, 2014
2 Day Alert: Tour de Ted – Nine Cities in Texas, Oct 11, 2014 08:30AM – (CST) http://t.co/2HaRvu0pif
— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) October 9, 2014
2 Day Alert: Flagpole Ride – College Station, TX, Oct 11, 2014 08:45AM – Military Walk, College Station, TX, 77845, United States(CST) h
— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) October 9, 2014
2 Day Alert: Slumpys Dirt Circus – Southland, TX, Oct 11, 2014 09:00AM – S 8th St, Southland, TX(CST) http://t.co/sdytd5EqGO
— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) October 9, 2014
2 Day Alert: Tour de Fireant – Marshall, TX, Oct 11, 2014 09:00AM – 213 W Austin St, Marshall, TX 75670, USA(CST) http://t.co/9vBh6mURMc
— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) October 9, 2014
2 Day Alert: North Texas Bicycle Rally – Trophy Club, TX, Oct 11, 2014 09:00AM – Byron Nelson High School, 2775 Bobcat Blvd, Trophy Club
— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) October 9, 2014
2 Day Alert: SCCCC MTB Championship – Waco, TX, Oct 11, 2014 09:30AM – Cameron Park, Emmons Cliff Dr, Waco, TX, United States(CST) http:
— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) October 9, 2014
2 Day Alert: San Antonio Cyclocross, it's a Bexar – San Antonio, TX, Oct 11, 2014 11:00AM – Dave Erwin Dr, San Antonio, TX, USA(CST) htt
— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) October 9, 2014
2 Day Alert: Dave Boyd Huntsville Classic XVII – Huntsville, TX, Oct 11, 2014 12:00PM – Huntsville State Park, 565 Park Road, 40 west, H
— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) October 9, 2014