Texas Cycling News December 30th
Transportation planners look down the road to make travel easier
By Robin Foster         www.chron.com
Tiia Carraway (spOK) asks about provisions for safe routes for cyclists and walkers in the new proposed plan during an H-GAC public comment meeting at Wolfe Elementary School. Photo By R. Clayton McKee
West Houston has arrived as a destination, as its own city within the Bayou City, and that’s not just in the minds of people who live, invest and work here.
It’s according to data mined by regional planners who will use it to improve multimodal transportation for this high-growth area in the years to come.
“I can’t tell you we’re going to fix congestion here, but to have the city, the county and other entities here come to agreement on goals and priorities is a great accomplishment,” Clark Martinson said of final …
Nathan Aikele : Eight Months Later
By Ian Dille / Photos compliments of Nathan Aikele and Diane Goggins      texasbikeracing.com
If you live in Texas, and you race bikes, you likely know about Nathan Aikele. He’s the racer who crashed at the Driveway Series in Austin last April. He was probably going to win the category 3/4 race. Then, on the last lap, he looked back to check the gap to the chasers. He ran into a tree. His helmet shattered and his spine snapped.
He came-to completely confused. He remembered driving to the race, pinning his number, lining up. But nothing else about the race or the accident. He refused to give his family’s contact information to the paramedic. He didn’t want to alarm them.
In lucid moments, he had questions: Why did they cut off his …
Huge Garmin Edge 510/810/1000 Update: Cycling Dynamics, Di2 Support, Edge Remote, Segments and more
by Ray Maker      www.dcrainmaker.com
Today Garmin has released an oft-asked about feature update to all of the Garmin Edge cycling units released in the last two years, bringing the Edge 510 and Edge 810 the vast majority of the new features found in the Edge 1000. While at the same time adding the previously announced Cycling Dynamics to not just the already confirmed Edge 1000, but also the Edge 510 and Edge 810. Finally, the Edge 1000 gets a landscape mode that was noted some 6+ months ago upon release. Not to mention all three units get a …
How to make Houston safe for bikes and pedestrians
By Jay Crossley, special to the Houston Chronicle
Bayou trails aren’t enough. We need Neighborhood Greenways.
Neighborhood Greenways are especially important in places where children could walk or bike. Above: A school crossing in Portland, Ore. Neighborhood Greenway elements include landscaping, wide sidewalks on either side of the street, a 20 mph speed limit, and barriers to protect pedestrians.
Imagine your neighborhood working for children. Imagine children walking out their front door, riding their bicycles or skateboards or walking to friends’ houses on a network that’s designed to keep them safe. Imagine not being worried about traffic crashes on their walk to school.
Imagine yourself growing old in Houston, reaching the age where you no longer feel safe driving a car. You’ll still want to live an engaged life, visit friends, go …
Bicyclist in serious condition after crash with SUV
By OLIVIA MESSERÂ Â Â Â Â Â www.wacotrib.com
A bicyclist is in serious condition after being struck by a black Dodge SUV at a downtown Waco intersection about 5 p.m. Monday, officials said.
The woman was traveling east on a blue bicycle on Austin Avenue when the SUV, traveling the opposite direction, turned south onto …
Craddock seeking consistency in second year with Giant
By: Pat Malach      www.cyclingnews.com
Giant-Alpecin’s Lawson Craddock will be looking for more consistency in 2015 as he targets the Tour of California, another shot at the Vuelta a Espana and a spot on the US team for Worlds.
Craddock, who will turn 23 in February, logged 67 race days during his neo-pro season with the Dutch WorldTour squad, finishing third overall in California and placing sixth in the individual time trial at the Tour de Suisse. He started his first Grand Tour at the Vuelta, where he played a part in three stage wins for Giant before abandoning on stage 14. The Vuelta result started a string of …
Century of the Month More or Less
Fort Worth Bicycling Association
Club Ride
Saturday, January 03, 2015 9:00 am
Century of the Month More or Less monthly ride.
Saturday, December 06, 2014 9:00 am.
Come on out and join Eddie and Rickey Wray for the “Century of the Month More or Less” series with a century or less from the Bicycles Inc., in Arlington.
Routes of 12, 23, 42, 61, 81, and 102 miles will be available.
Donuts, sausage rolls, and Starbucks coffee will be served, as usual.
The store will be open for the use of the facilities and any …
2014 In Review
Bike Noob
Got in a nice 15-mile ride Monday afternoon with my biking friend Maggie. We figured the weather forecast for the next few days doesn’t look good, and we needed to ride while we had the chance.
The ride was nothing special, but it was very special at the same time. That’s because it was a ride. It doesn’t matter whether the ride is short or long, covers new ground or cruises familiar streets. Just being out on the bike is what matters.
And that’s where I find myself regarding cycling as 2014 ends. I’m not going to set any speed records, or even distance records anymore. I just want to get out there on a regular basis.
The possibility of biking boredom was thwarted this year, when I took …
Race Preview – Resolution CX – 01.03-04.15
by joeyTWOwheels      texascx.com
Before we get to #CXNats, we’ve got to go through States. So let’s strap it down and show the rest of the country how we do it at one of the gems of #TXCX – Resolution CX (formerly once also called The Most Awesome CX Race).
ResolutionCX_2015-4_Page_1This event is bigger than ever – hosting #TXCXStates and a USA Cycling PRO CX and UCI-sanctioned event. Jeff Lucido, fearless leader of the Texas Cross Syndicate, has worked hard for years to make this happen, and it’s finally here.
Jeff – tell us how the course will compare to last year’s hilly fun:
This year we are taking a new approach to the course flow to prepare folks for Nationals in Austin the following week. We have a new UCI sand pit (look it up, it will be hard) and …
Dec 29 (Day 363) – Goodbye open road, hello safety….
Biking For Birds
As I wrote yesterday, I have at this late stage in the year found all the birds I can realistically find before 2014 expires. As Sonia arrived last night, I will now shift the focus away from bird chasing and towards her. I am also looking forward to the necessarily lighter riding days that will close out the year. However, there was still a bit of remaining riding to be done today to reach my friend’s house in Dallas that will serve as our base for the final 2 days of the year. This ride, at exactly 60 miles, would be the last significant one of the year. The riding conditions today were near perfect with smooth roads, clear skies, temperatures in the 40s, and a nice light to moderate southeast tailwind that sped me west.
60 miles back into the Dallas ‘burbs
I will confess to getting a bit emotional towards to end of my ride today. As much as I have …
Dec 30 (Day 364) – Some fun with numbers……
Biking For Birds
With the 2 miles that I rode to the supermarket today, I ran the mileage total for the year to 17,830! Even though I still technically have one day left, the few miles I may (or may not!) ride tomorrow won’t have any grand bearing one the overall numbers (miles or birds) for the year. I therefore decided with the free time that I had to today to present a few numbers and graphs that might help people understand my year a bit better.
The first value that is worth calculating is simple the average number of miles I rode each day. That number is 48.85 miles/day (17,830 miles / 365 days). I present how I calculated this number not as I doubt that reader how to calculate averages, but to show that I am counting all 365 days of the year in the average number. Traveling cyclists often count the average number of miles over a trip using the …
Baby, It’s Coooold Owwwtsiiiide…
BikeableDallas.com
This time last year, we’d already endured one Ice-pocalypse and were bracing ourselves for more. At the risk of jinxing ourselves, it seems Mother Nature has spared us the worst this winter season (at least the 2014 portion of it). Yes, I’m knocking on wood as I write this. I apologize in advance if we suddenly get a deluge of frozen stuff in the next two days before we hit 2015.
Maybe someday we will have platoons of cyclists riding in the winter, too. (Photo from Albany Bicycle Coalition)
Maybe someday Dallas will have platoons of cyclists riding in the winter, too. (Photo from Albany Bicycle Coalition)
Odds are, at some point it will get REALLY cold in Dallas before it gets really (and consistently) warm. But unless the city is frozen in a glaze of ice, you don’t have to stop riding your bicycle when the super cold weather hits. In fact, this …
New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar
New Bike Event: Ready2Roll Cycling Training Series – Houston, TX: Recurring Event
First start: 2015-01-10 13:3… http://t.co/ydNzAMHlwZ— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) December 30, 2014
New Bike Event: Take the Lake Texas – Palo Pinto, TX: When: Sat Apr 18, 2015 8am to 11:30amÂ
CDTWhere: Lake Pa… http://t.co/xSd8jQFGs7— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) December 30, 2014
New Bike Event: Bike Out Hunger – Weatherford, TX: When: Sat May 2, 2015 8:30am to 2pmÂ
CDTWhere: Northside Ba… http://t.co/SYhcgDotSF— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) December 30, 2014
New Bike Event: El Camino presented by American Classic – Palestine, TX: When: Sat Oct 3, 2015 6am to Sat Oct … http://t.co/CFNJLQkbyV
— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) December 30, 2014
New Bike Event: Tour de Cure – San Antonio, TX: When: Sat May 9, 2015 6:30am to 4:30pmÂ
CDTWhere: Texas A&M – … http://t.co/F9vtE7X8Cy— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) December 31, 2014
New Bike Event: Coastal Bend Tour de Cure – Corpus Christi, TX: When: Sat Apr 11, 2015 8am to 3:30pmÂ
CDTWhere… http://t.co/ermmqzOMkt— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) December 31, 2014
New Bike Event: Bankers’ Recovery Ride – College Station, TX: When: Sun Jan 4, 2015 7am to 10:30amÂ
CSTWho: Te… http://t.co/mvwpbHNJxF— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) December 31, 2014
Tweets
Bicyclist Completes 48-State #Cycling Tour For Charity – http://t.co/rQJgJSaW7L
— reQwip (@reQwip) December 31, 2014
Thoughts? Bueller… Bueller… Bueller…? pic.twitter.com/tap03cSlC1
— Baylor Cycling (@BaylorCycling) December 31, 2014
Our own Joey Machado lets Keegan Shelling know where to lay the #CXNats course! pic.twitter.com/Q0L7jpEfVL
— Bicycle Sport Shop (@BSS_Austin) December 30, 2014
Course recon with a couple of athletes at Zilker Park today. This will good! @AustinCX15 #limestonestairs #txcx pic.twitter.com/hHAhBkpS5T
— ROTHE Training (@rothetraining) December 30, 2014
NYD rides are canceled as the weather looks to be more frightful than fun. Meet at the Lantern at 11am, details at https://t.co/bK1uwwqO92
— PBA Rides (@PBAGeneral) December 30, 2014
Another day at the office. Getting ready to head to @VisitAustinTX next wk for #cxnats. @sportsaustin #trueaustin pic.twitter.com/vrrMe1Jctq
— USA Cycling (@usacycling) December 30, 2014
35 min trail run along Colorado River from @hyattlostpines to McKinney Roughs State Park. Then hot chocolate by fire pic.twitter.com/nA8TO1aTaS
— Chad Smith (@chadsmith71) December 30, 2014
Deep breath. Keegan & team are on the ground. #CXnats pic.twitter.com/lbgxcSPLX6
— AustinCX15 (@AustinCX15) December 30, 2014
https://twitter.com/BSS_Road_Club/status/549965813403615233
Join Us Tomorrow, Wednesday December 31st for the final CX race of the season at Alkek Velodrome. Gates will open… http://t.co/eTVfclOdhj
— Alkek Velodrome (@AlkekVelodrome) December 30, 2014
@CXProject2015: @AustinCX15 CX Nats Welcome Reception, TX State CX Championship and more… http://t.co/CIWVj0SDqB http://t.co/ZD4mnPsPj1
— Texas CX Project (@TexasCXProject) December 30, 2014
Event Reminders
2 Day Alert: New Year's Day Leaderless Ride @ Bullis – San Antonio, TX, Jan 01, 2015 10:00AM – (CST) http://t.co/ksDqTy5ANv
— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) December 30, 2014
2 Day Alert: Tour de Cypresswood Bike Path, Jan 01, 2015 04:00PM – (CST) http://t.co/x8bhhDsdSG
— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) December 30, 2014
2 Day Alert: Odessa Tuesday-Thursday Ride – Odessa, TX, Jan 01, 2015 06:00PM – 8050 Hwy 191, Odessa, TX, United States(CST) http://zpr.i
— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) December 31, 2014
2 Day Alert: Thursday Nights Under the Lights with TCW, Jan 01, 2015 06:00PM – (CST) http://t.co/SQ5JrTsQBT
— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) December 31, 2014