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Home→Bicycling News→Texas Bicycle News Digest April 5th

Texas Bicycle News Digest April 5th

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red river riot 2015

by James Peel

Bike Handing Clinic #2 with Third Coast Training

by Michael Pincus        The Road Less Traveled


Yesterday would mark the second clinic I would be doing with Third Coast Training in Pasadena, Texas (Southeast Houston). After having much success with the first clinic I ran in 2014, Johnny (Owner/Coach at Third Coast Training) and I decided to give it a second go in 2015. Our plan was to build upon what we did the first time to make this workshop a better experience for riders of different skill levels.
I have been assisting in cycling clinics for a few years now – from small-scale club cornering clinics as a cat 3 with the Pearland Cycling Club, to larger clinics at the Driveway with Super Squadra, to spending a …

Four favorite bicycle routes near Austin

by Pam LeBlanc        www.mystatesman.com    (subscription required)


These bike rides will take you up hills, past flowers and to the best burger joints
Holy spinning bicycle tires, have you peeked outside? Now’s the season Central Texas bicyclists dream about nine months out of the year.
Do yourself a favor and pull your bike out of the shed, pump up its tires, dust off your helmet, squirm into your skin-tight cycling kit and climb aboard. Don’t dawdle, either. It’ll be blistering hot before you know it, and Lycra just isn’t as comfortable when it’s soaked in sweat. …

The Big Bend – Again

By Bill Smith        www.crazyguyonabike.com

Prologue: Why Texas and the Big Bend – Now.
Saturday November 1, 2014
In recent years I have spent the month of November somewhere warm and dry – everything that where I live – isn’t! Last year it was Cuba, the year before that the Big Bend of Texas. I decided to return here not only for the weather but also to see more of the country, parts that I didn’t see previously and parts that I wanted to revisit. A shout out to Jerry Witherspoon who posts on CGOAB as his article on the Big Bend first got me interested in touring here.(https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=7938) The plan was to fly into El Paso (the closest airport with easy connections) and take the Amtrak train to Alpine, Texas and begin cycling there and then taking the train back from Alpine to El Paso when done cycling. After starting in El Paso on the previous trip I had no desire to revisit I-10 and the country between there and Marfa. I had engaged those who frequent CGOAB on whether or not I could take my bike on Amtrak as Alpine was not a “Baggage” stop. The consensus was “No”. True to form I sided with the minority who thought “maybe”. I looked at car rental and buses, but neither was a very convenient option. I decided to take the chance on the train as I got the sense that Amtrak was trying to come …

2015 Coast 2 Coast

By Wayne Andresen        www.crazyguyonabike.com

Day 17: El Paso, TX to Fort Hancock, TX: Riding through El Paso
Monday March 23, 2015, 57 miles (92 km) – Total so far: 927 miles (1,492 km)
Elevation Gain/Loss: 236’/518′
Last night we stayed in a motel on the west side of El Paso. Today we had about 20 miles of slow city riding to get to the east side of El Paso and back onto our normal secondary country roads. The parts of the city we saw were quite old and not in the best shape, but as I am sure with most older cities, there are newer areas that we didn’t see. Shortly after leaving the motel we did ride through an older, nice neighborhood of very fine and well kept stately homes. I really did not see enough of El Paso to come to any conclusions about the city as I indicated I would in last night’s blog.
Today, including the ride through El Paso, we rode a total of 57 miles, and, …
Day 18: Fort Hancock, TX to Van Horn, TX: We ended the day with exactly 1000 miles ridden!
Day 19: Van Horn, TX to Marfa, TX
Day 20: Marfa, TX to Marathon, TX: Today’s Ride of Two Halves
Day 21: Rest Day: A Day Off at Big Bend National Park
Day 22: Marathon, TX to Sanderson, Texas: Easy Day!
Day 23: Sanderson to Comstock, TX: A very exhausting day. *
Day 24: Comstock to Brakettville, Texas *
Day 25: Brackettville to Concan, Texas: The desert is behind us! *
Day 26: A Day of Rest: The First Half of our C2C Journey is Complete! *
Day 27: Concan to Kerrville, Texas: Daughter Mindy and Husband Lance, from Seattle, Ride With Me Across the Halfway Point! *
Day 28: Kerrville to Blanco, Texas: Another Day of Hill Country Rollers *
Day 29: Road Block: Turmoil in Texas. *

My First Bike Tour: Hurst, Tx. to Shreveport, La.

By Scott Streater        www.crazyguyonabike.com

More Prep
Friday April 3, 2015
Taking the bike in today to get a complete tuneup. It will be going to Bicycles Inc. a great bike shop here in Hurst. The GREAT “Bird” will perform his bike mechanic magic. I will be riding my Surly disc trucker on the trip. Arkel panniers, I will travel light staying in motels and credit carding ( I think that might be a word, but you know what I mean) it along the way. I have talked with a cpl of other trekkers who have traveled my route but in the opposite direction. They say I will have nice roads to travel on. Room is booked at a nice casino in Shreveport. Really looking forward to having a nice weekend at the end of my first trip. Again, thanks for …

Bike’s at the shop
Sunday April 5, 2015
Took my bike in to Bicycles Inc. on Saturday, getting a tuneup and adjustment. Replacing the chain and setting the brake calipers. Everything else seems to be good. On my trip, I plan on riding 70 or so miles a day. I normally ride @ 16-18 mph. I have been doing some training rides @ 12-14 mph., that seems to be the pace I see in a lot of folk’s journals’ here. I often need to remind myself to slow down. Most of my rides seem to be an intense training ride and I am constantly pushing hard. It is very refreshing to slow down and enjoy the ride! I have not done a completely loaded training ride yet, but I have ridden with everything except my camelback. My camelback holds 70 oz. of water which is a little bit more than 1/2 gallon. Water weighs approx. 8 lbs. per gallon so I am missing only 4 lbs. on my rides. I will do several fully loaded rides before my trip to get the true feel of the weight. This being my first trip, I am very …

2015 Bluebonnet Express – Waller, TX

the surly biker        thesurlybiker.wordpress.com


Been busy, so this is a few weeks late, but here’s this year’s Bluebonnett Express post.
Last year’s BBX was brutal. The wind was blowing at almost 20, and gusting to almost 30. It was grey, and dismal, and it was enough to make me hate every mile of the 55 mile route.
This year, though, was much better. The weather held, the sun came out, and the wind, well, held off a bit more than last year.
Overall, it was a great ride. The rest stops were top notch, the volunteers were awesome, and the routes were great. I only did the 45 mile route this year, but enjoyed every minute of it. However, this year I wasn’t able to fall into a pace line as easily as last year. There were only two that passed me but they were really strong riders and I couldn’t keep up. I tried to fall behind a …

Austin On A Bike’s Alternative Bike Routes: The East Side

Austin On A Bike

Navigating the East Side is easy, as long as you don’t follow the bike lanes or what’s still considered the Lance Armstrong Bikeway when you get east of I-35.
Think about it – take the bike lanes and you’ll be going north (or some version of it) on Chicon or Pleasant Valley / Chestnut, both of which are mediocre coming south, but sorta roller-coaster-y and uphill (not gradually so) going north. The same goes for 12th Street going east. And as for 5th, that aforementioned section of the Lance Armstrong Bikeway, I don’t think that thing has been repaved in 20 years, at least. It’s a nightmare.
That said, here are a couple of alternative routes when you’re on the east side that will help you avoid the steeper hills and take you generally out of the way of traffic and shitty road surfaces.
Oh, and for our purposes here, the East Side is generally defined as north of the river and …

Possible trail progress through TAP grants

by Claire Kowalick        www.timesrecordnews.com


Wichita Falls would make huge strides in finishing the Hike and Bike Trail with the approval of grants through the Transportation Alternative Program.
In January, the Texas Department of Transportation announced a call for projects that fall under TAP. The program provides money toward on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, access to public transportation, projects that enhance mobility and safe routes for children walking to schools. About $52 million will be funded toward TAP projects throughout Texas.
Wichita Falls is trying to …

Wounded warriors get renewed sense of purpose at 2015 Army Trials at Fort Bliss

By David Burge / El Paso Times


FORT BLISS >> The wounded warrior-athletes who competed last week at the 2015 Army Trials at Fort Bliss wanted to win, impress each other with their athletic prowess and possibly earn a spot in the upcoming Department of Defense Warrior Games.
But there was also a higher purpose than all that.
For the 80 wounded, injured and ill soldiers and veterans who competed in seven different sports, the trials were a way to find a renewed purpose in their lives, make some new friends and feel like a part of the Army team and family once again, they said.
Fort Bliss held the Army Trials in track and field, archery, sitting volleyball, air pistol and rifle, swimming, wheelchair basketball and cycling. Spots at …

Cyclists travel 9,000 miles to fundraise for national parks

By Bailie Myers        amarillo.com


Six cyclists are travelling 9,000 miles from the southernmost to the northernmost points of the U.S. to raise funds for the National Park Conservation Association and awareness of national parks.
The cyclists came to the area on Saturday and stayed for the weekend with Amarillo hosts Jake and Robin Splawn to take a quick rest before beginning the next leg of their …

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