Exploring the Lower Rio Grande Valley on a Bike

by Ray Garza            rgvcycling.com

I’ve made a few changes to my blog site and what I want to focus on. My tag line used to be about losing weight (and it’s still my goal) but I wanted to change directions. Instead, I want to focus more on exploring the lower Rio Grande Valley on a bike. I figure kill two birds with one stone. Explore the Valley with long rides and lose weight at the same time.
The lower Rio Grande Valley is located in deep south Texas. I have to put the word, lower, in it because the Rio Grande Valley stretches all the way up to Colorado where the Rio Grande River starts. I realized this when I would see the Rio Grande Valley associated with New Mexico and I was saying, “What?”. After doing a little research, I found out about the …

APD works to get ‘top offenders’ off the streets

by Shannon Murray, KVUE

(Video)
AUSTIN — In the last year, dozens of Austin’s habitual criminals have been taken off the streets, thanks to a new program used by Austin police.
Jason Dusterhoft, assistant chief with the Austin Police Department, said a small number of people in Austin commit the majority of the region’s crime, and that’s why Austin police created the Top Offender Program.
Last year, Bicycle Sports Shop on South Lamar had six expensive bikes stolen. Police said the four people they arrested, on the list of APD’s top offenders, were behind the …

Lawson is from Texas

Rough start to 2015 for Craddock after crash Down Under

By Andrew Hood        velonews.competitor.com

ADELAIDE, Australia (VN) — It was a rough start to the 2015 season for American Lawson Craddock, who crashed out of the Santos Tour Down Under on Friday.
The 22-year-old Texan ended up in a local hospital with broken bones after crashing heavily in the opening kilometers of Friday’s fourth stage.
According to Giant-Alpecin, Craddock suffered a fractured wrist, sternum, and rib. He was transported to a local hospital, and is expected to spend at least the night under the care of Australian doctors.
“Lawson has a lot of pain,” said …

Four smart things about USDOT’s new ‘Mayors Challenge’ for bike safety

Michael Andersen, Green Lane Project staff writer        www.peopleforbikes.org

There’s a difference between bike-safety warnings that focus on blaming victims and warnings that recommend actual systemic improvements. Today’s launch of a Mayors’ Challenge for Safer People, Safer Streets by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx is the good kind of warning.
Yes, it’d be nice if it weren’t being pegged on the dubious claim that biking has gotten more dangerous in the last few years. Also if USDOT were offering any money for cities that take its advice.
That said, there’s a lot for biking believers to love in this initiative launched Friday. Let’s count a few of the ways.
The feds want cities to measure successful bike trips, not just bad ones. …

Austin, TX

Tiara Travels: Rabbit Fest royalty stays busy

Wendy Sledd | Special to the Herald        kdhnews.com

Young Miss Rabbit Fest Kelsey Dane and Pre-Teen Miss Rabbit Fest Natalie Perez cheer on the cyclists as they leave the starting line in the Megan Babb Memorial Bicycle Race on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015. The two city festival representatives also greeted guests as they arrived and directed them to registration.
School may be back in full swing, but that has not slowed down the Rabbit Fest royalty with a half-dozen appearances this past week.
The Rabbit Fest queens, ages 9 and older, are encouraged to do a community service effort or a platform they support throughout the year of their reigns. Miss Rabbit Fest Aleea Best’s platform is …

Kim Hornsby speaks to Rotary about next Police Unity Tour

Bob Massey | Herald correspondent        kdhnews.com

The violent deaths of two Killeen police officers in less than a year shocked the community and plunged their immediate family members into deep grief. The tragedies also showed how police officers lay their lives on the line each day in the Killeen-Harker Heights area.
Killeen police SWAT member …

Austin was a little too weird for Cyclocross National Championships

by Bill Cullins        www.gosanangelo.com

On Jan. 10, I wrote about the 2015 Cyclocross National Championships that were taking place that week in Austin’s Zilker Park.
In that column, I noted that racing had started Wednesday and continued Thursday and Friday with heats for master’s age groups and that junior, collegiate and Pro/Elite races would take place Saturday and Sunday.
Now, as Paul Harvey used to say, here is the rest of the story.
For the first four days of the five-day event, the 2,000 competitors from all over the nation and thousands of spectators enjoyed a …

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

New Bike Event added: The Walburg Classic Road Race – Walburg, TX Feb 21, 2015 08:00AM http://t.co/FQhMpImIVc

— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) January 23, 2015

New Bike Event added: Mountain Biking Social Ride – Millican, TX Jan 27, 2015 06:00PM http://t.co/LyuwP7ZhNa

— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) January 24, 2015

Tweets

Not the start to 2015 that I wanted. Fractured sternum, rib, and wrist. As well as separated AC Joint. Devastated would be an understatement

— Lawson Craddock (@lawsoncraddock) January 23, 2015

Hey look SUNSHINE. WooHoooo#bikes #cycling #bikerental #sunshine #smilethesunsout @ Streamline Cycles http://t.co/botTCliihN

— Streamline Cycles (@Streamlinecycle) January 23, 2015

Rough start to 2015 for Craddock after crash Down Under http://t.co/LTIYFlArGu #cycling #velonews

— Cycling Right Now (@CyclingRightNow) January 23, 2015

Event Reminders

2 Day Alert: FrostBike50 – Cypress, TX, Jan 25, 2015 08:00AM – 9191 Barker Cypress Rd, Cypress, TX 77433, USA(CST) http://t.co/SsVnWIyl0n

— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) January 23, 2015

2 Day Alert: Band Against MS Ride Houston – Hockley, TX, Jan 25, 2015 08:00AM – 22602 Hegar Rd, Hockley, TX 77447, USA(CST) http://zpr.i

— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) January 23, 2015

2 Day Alert: Southside Mission Ride – San Antonio, TX, Jan 25, 2015 09:00AM – San Antonio, TX, USA(CST) http://t.co/QHZdsuPCke

— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) January 23, 2015

2 Day Alert: 787 Racing 6-hr MTB Race – Dripping Springs, TX, Jan 25, 2015 09:00AM – Dripping Springs, TX(CST) http://t.co/Z3shYw6f3d

— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) January 23, 2015

2 Day Alert: All Level Ride @ Walnut Creek Fall/Winter hours, Jan 25, 2015 11:00AM – (CST) http://t.co/z7ysgirrFg

— Rick Ankrum (@texbiker) January 23, 2015