No bike ride report today. The temperature got to 60 degrees around 3:30PM but the wind was 24 mph from the north. This would make the wind chill fall below my whimp cut off so I stayed home. Saturday the sky is supposed to clear, the wind drop off and the temperature reach the low 70’s. I plan on being back on the road.

Why are bikes being targeted by Congress?
People for Bikes
How in the the world can biking and walking be controversial?

They’re good exercise, fun to do and—as an alternative to driving everywhere—help us save money and the environment. Both biking and walking are increasingly popular for transportation and recreation today, thanks in large part to a recent flowering of federally-funded trails, bikeways and pathways that make getting around on two wheels and two feet safer and more convenient.

But in these antagonistic political times, bikers and walkers are now targets of controversy for some members of Congress. In September, Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn proposed stripping all designated federal funding for bike and pedestrian projects from the pending Transportation Bill. After an outpouring of opposition from citizens…

A potential source of riding events and groups can be found at www.meetup.com

Upcoming Meetups (Meetup.com)
Oct 28 6:00 PM
Weekly Road Bike Ride and Run (Brick)
Terry Hershey Park 15200 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77079
This is a weekly brick. We will ride between 20-23 miles, and run afterward. The run will be 3/5/12 miles (it’s up to the individual). The ride is a straight shot to Katy’s Fry Rd. on the paved path. There will not be any traffic or red lights to…… MORE

Oct 29 10:00 AM
Weekly Mountain Bike Ride For Beginners@ Memorial Park
Memorial Park N Picnic Ln, Houston, TX 77007
This is for beginners. We will do slow to medium pace through the trails. WHAT TO BRING: Snacks Spare tire or patch kit Pump (not mandatory) Helmet (required) TIME: Please be on time, call me @ 832-665-5960 if you’re going to be late so we can wa…… MORE

Tour Das Hugel … A voyage of transformation, and pain (Part II)
by robdamico        Austin on Two Wheels

This is the second part of Rob D’Amico’s series looking at Tour Das Hugel and his attempt to do the 2011 ride. See here for Part I.  He also is hosting a fundraiser that lets you donate a set amount for each mile he completes, with all proceeds going to local bike nonprofits.

About Me: Part II
I mentioned before that I really wanted to lose a bunch of weight, maybe 15 pounds in two months, to make the hills a bit easier. I kept picturing a backpack with a 15 pound iron weight in it, hoping it would spur the discipline to eat (and…

Energy Corridor Shared-Use Pathways Project
by Aaron Chang            BikeHouston

On Monday, October 31 the Energy Corridor District will be submitting a federal grant application (TIGER III) for their Shared-Use Pathways Project. The Energy Corridor District is contributing local matching funds and will be responsible for future maintenance of the project. BikeHouston and numerous local organizations have written letters of support in favor of this important project.

About the Project
The Energy Corridor Shared-Use Pathways Project encompasses four transportation corridors along SH 6 and Eldridge Parkway. The shared-use pathway is a 13-mile path designated specifically for pedestrians and cyclists. It will connect residential…

Cycling – 101.5 miles! … No! … 101.5 Hilly Miles!
Don Bynum’s Blog

Last Saturday (22 Oct, 2011) Gil Jones and I cycled from my home on the west shore of Lake Buchanan, TX to Junction, TX.  Gil and I cycle to many nice little towns in central Texas.  Junction just happens to also be 101.5 miles away, if one takes the scenic route.  I may mention that 101.5 thing again somewhere. …

Open Mountain Bike Trails in DFW and Weekend Weather.
by Shawn             Texas Mountain Bike Trails
Texas got dumped on last night. I’m not talking about the Rangers game either. (#collapse) Well, maybe I am just a little bit. The Dallas area got hit with their first winter shower of the year last night putting up to a half inch of rain on our trails. The rain is much needed and…

Enchilada Buffet Mountain Bike Trail -Austin Texas
www.singletracks.com
Description: The History of the EB
The idea for the annual Enchilada Buffet Ride started with a simple blog post in 2008 by one Austin Mountain Biker with the extreme urge to ride all the Parks in Austin in one day. The entire post from the Bike Mojo Forum site is below:

It’s been on the backburner for almost 2 years now. Last year we went as far as planning it and it fizzled out. This year I’m setting a day and am going to show up. If I am by myself then so be it. I’ve wanted to attempt this ride for a long time. …

Premier multisport event a victim of poor economy
By Bill Cullins         San Angelo Standard-Times
Striders Duathlon, the oldest run-bike-run event in Texas, has been canceled for 2012 after being a San Angelo classic for 18 years.

The event promotion company, Ironhead Race Productions, cited “a down turned economy and the vast and continuing proliferation of multisport events without regard to impact” as being the reason that continuation of the event was no longer fiscally possible. …

Austin’s Cultural Campus Bike Tour
utvac.org
Sign Up Now For Austin’s Cultural Campus Bike Tour, Co-Hosted by Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop Saturday, November 12, Starts @ 9 am

Explore art, history, the humanities, and science while enjoying a casual bike ride! Co-hosted by Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop and the Austin Cycling Association. This no-drop, co-ed group ride is perfect for cyclists of all levels and riding abilities. Total distance is about 6 miles. On this route, riders will visit museums that are…