Half-way there: 9-year-old bikes across America for cancer cure

By Matthew Costa        www.yourhoustonnews.com

Very few people would ever consider riding a bike across a state. Some might even believe going across a county is impossible.
For 9-year-old CJ Burford though, going a far distance on his bike is just another day’s goal.
But Burford isn’t just going across the state of Texas, he’s biking with his family across the entire United States in an effort to raise funds to help fight cancer for children.
“God told me to do this when I was 5-years old,” Burford at a stop in Conroe. “I asked my mom if I should ride my bike for Jesus, and she said, ‘Yes you…

Ups and down

www.chron.com

Our mobility edition for the perfect fall weather.

The AC’s off and the Thumbs-cycle is back on the road. In that spirit:
[Up] Mama said to start on a good note so despite too many fatalities, pot holes and “sliver-thin bike lanes,” the website of Bicycling magazine carried this headline on a story about riding in Houston: “Thanks to a bike-loving mayor and tireless advocates … a sprawling, traffic-clogged city transformed itself into America’s most improved cycling town.”
[Up] And there’s more good news ahead. Our first protected on-street bicycle lane opens by the end of the year when barriers are off of back-order. This trail will take riders from the east side of downtown to the magnificent Buffalo Bayou Park.
[Down] But we’re here to help make things better, so why does the city of Houston allow trash cans to be placed inside bike lanes? This wouldn’t be an issue if the good mayor and her security detail commuted to…

CS City Council Position 5 Candidates address transit questions

brazoscyclists.org

The BVC bicyclists recently contacted two of the College Station 2014 City Council Candidates for Place 5 to gain perspective on how they plan to address bicycling and other transportation issues as City Councilmembers. Here, in order, is the message we sent, as well as the candidates’ replies, in the order received:
Dear Ms. Schultz and Ms. Harvall,
On behalf of the Brazos Valley Cyclists, a local association of bicycling enthusiasts (http://brazoscyclists.org), could I impose and ask for a few minutes of your time to answer a question we have?  I’ll send your responses to our listserv and post them on our blog.
The question is:  What do you see as the largest transportation challenges that you will work to address as a city council member, and how will you address those transportation challenges?
The questions we are not asking (but which offer a sense of cyclist sentiment) included
– would you fund bike lanes and bicycle-specific detection at intersections?
– would you support regulations that punish car drivers who hit cyclists rather than just chalking it…

A Better Way from Downtown to the Pedestrian Bridge is on the Way

Austin on a Bike

I swear, it’s like every year the city gives or takes away my favorite way to get to the pedestrian bridge from downtown. This year, thankfully, it’s giving and not taking away.
No, it’s not that sweet, bike-only path, but instead Seaholm Drive, which cuts downhill from 3rd street (west of that rickety bike/ped bridge) to the part of 2nd street that you didn’t really realize existed. Simply put, we won’t have to ride down that terrible concrete barrier bike lane anymore and we won’t have to brave the skinny sidewalk on Lamar either.
According to the email from the city, construction should be complete around November 3rd (my birthday is the next day, in case you were wondering – and also when that underpass bike path has opened or closed over the past…

Race Preview – BCRCX – 11.01.14

by joeyTWOwheels        texascx.com

Remember Escalara Loca in Fort Worth in 2011?
Or the brilliant dash up the side of the hill at Spotts Park at BCRCX 2013?
Either race will remind a cyclocross racer that stairs are legitimate obstacles. In fact, the more the merrier.
We caught up with local fast men Scott Minard and Nathan Mills of BCR (the director and marketing chief, respectively) about this year’s BCRCX:
2014BCRCX2Tell us about your infamous, compact course and how it might vary this year.
It will be very similar to last year. Lots of fast sweeping turns, a high speed sand pit, a little bit of elevation and of course the infamous stairway to heaven, which is six flights of pain per lap. The only…

Race Preview – Give Me Some Sugar CX – 11.02.14

by joeyTWOwheels        texascx.com

Boo!
GiveMeSomeSugarCX_2014flyerHalloween Weekend is upon us and we have four big races to choose from. Here at TexasCX.com we’re writing em up as they come in. First up, Give Me Some Sugar CX in Houston.
We spoke with veteran cross course designer and event Director, Bryan Voytilla of Kolo Promotions, about this event.
So, let’s cut to the chase. You built a giant flyover. HUGE. Tell me about this over-engineered beast.
Well first off major credit for the course design goes to Joey Martinez and Rob Sisk. These guys are brilliant when it comes to putting a course together. The fly-over credit goes to Joey Martinez (check him out on Instagram @jamzilla84), this guy can build anything and he’s one fast single speeder. We wanted to do something that would raise the bar. Sugar_FlyoverThis is the Texas Cup series after all, and we feel people need to…

Bicycle traffic deaths soar; California leads nation

By Jerry Hirsch        www.latimes.com

If you are going to be killed by a car while riding a bicycle, there’s a good chance you are male, older than 20 and living in California or Florida.
That’s the finding of a report issued Monday by the Governors Highway Safety Assn. that also noted that between 2010 and 2012, U.S. bicyclist deaths increased by 16%.
California, with 338 cyclists killed in collisions with motor vehicles, and Florida, with 329, had the highest totals during that period, the report said.
They also had the largest increases in annual cyclist traffic fatalities from 2010 to 2012. Florida’s deaths rose by 37 to 120 in 2012 while cyclist traffic fatalities in California rose by 23 to 123. California had the most bicyclists killed of any state in 2012.
Nationally, cyclist traffic deaths jumped from 621 in 2010 to 680 in 2011 and 722 in 2012. The 16% increase was far greater than other…

Firefighters/cyclists honor fallen firefighters

Kevin Reece, KHOU 11 News         www.khou.com

The families of four fallen Houston firefighters each received a $2,000 donation on Monday. But the money wasn’t as important as the gesture and the promise that their loved ones memories are being kept alive.
The Brotherhood Ride is a group of firefighters, police officers and EMT’s who hold annual bicycle rides across the country to honor the fallen. Their first ride was in 2007 after the deaths of 9 firefighters in Charleston, South Carolina. Since then the cyclists have logged more than 3,600 miles through 14 states and raised more than $118,000 in donations.
Earlier this year riders traveled 760 miles in 9 days from Plaquemine, Louisiana to…

2,700 Miles, 27 Days, 27 Million Lives

www.bicycling.com

Riding 2,700 miles in 27 days—from Los Angeles to Charleston, South Carolina—may seem a little crazy. Add in the fact that Luis Leonardo is stopping in towns along the way to challenge law enforcement officials and other local luminaries to do a 27-second plank with him, and you have a recipe for one tired man at the end of the month. Oh yeah: He’s making the trip on a singlespeed.
He’s also raising awareness for the new nonprofit Hope and Rescue Foundation and its Hope27 campaign, with the end goal of ending human trafficking. The project gets its name from the 27 million people worldwide that the US estimates are working in slavery—a figure that includes child soldiers and those who have been forced into sexual servitude or domestic or manual labor.
Bicycling spoke with Leonardo 2,000 miles into his journey, which was scheduled to finish October 27, and found him in high spirits.
Bicycling: How far in are you right now?
Luis Leonardo: I just passed the 2,000 mile mark, so getting there! Only 700 more to go…
It’s great when 700 miles seems like a small amount.
Isn’t that crazy? I’ve been averaging 100 miles a day, and on a good day when there isn’t much wind or…

Tweets

If you haven't seen, we've finally gotten around to updating our events page. If you know of an upcoming event… http://t.co/wSMjxeHuw0

— MountainBikeTx.com (@MountainBikeTx) October 28, 2014

.@Albertsons is that a cart rack or a bike rack? Just want a proper place to park my bike while I shop… pic.twitter.com/Wm9KVfJ0yP

— Bike Hombre – STREETS ARE FOR PEOPLE (@sbwhite) October 28, 2014

Ride Schedule for week of October 80

*Tuesday – Mandatory ID's & Lights
Meet : 6 pm Album Park to ** Ft Bliss… http://t.co/5Kw8RAIJ0m

— EP Cyclists (@EPCyclists) October 28, 2014

Event: El Paso Bicycle Advisory Committee First Meeting – When: Wed Oct 29, 2014 5pm to 6pm  CDT Where: 218 N Camp… http://t.co/DRNMHzpdjP

— BikeTexas (@BikeTexas) October 28, 2014

I joined neighbors & friends at Bikefest to open the new Southern Walnut Creek Trail on the East side: @KVUE story: https://t.co/lHUSc4oAuI

— Lloyd Doggett (@RepLloydDoggett) October 27, 2014

Ride the BikeHouston Moonlight Ramble? Pls complete our survey & help us make it 2015 better http://t.co/5qzRuswQkM pic.twitter.com/tvBzZpVtW2

— BikeHouston (@BikeHouston) October 27, 2014

To members and friends of the Texas High School Mountain Bike League,

Come and join us at Reveille Peak Ranch on… http://t.co/xUI1gQTMyi

— Reveille Peak Ranch (@RPRTexas) October 27, 2014

Join the Austin Ridge Riders Mountain Bike Club for a group ride at RPR Dec. 13! All mountain bikers are welcome,… http://t.co/WFQYz4wuFi

— Reveille Peak Ranch (@RPRTexas) October 27, 2014

https://twitter.com/bikenoob/status/526742725925027841

A couple members of our Bike Friendly Fort Worth Board of Directors helped to teach a bicycling safety class in… http://t.co/A2v2clk48M

— Bike Friendly FW (@BikeFriendlyFW) October 27, 2014

We are officially closed for hunting season. Was a great year. See everyone January 1st. pic.twitter.com/0mNoYh2DoL

— Flat Rock Ranch (@jdreiss) October 27, 2014