Texas Bicycling News – March 1, 2023
Texas cyclists need safer roads. Here’s a law to help them
By Dallas Morning News Editorial | www.dallasnews.com
Legalize the Idaho stop at intersections.
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A cyclist shares the road with a car on Mockingbird Lane above White Rock Lake in Dallas.
An advocacy group for cyclists is lobbying to legalize the “Idaho stop.” Texas should support this measure but implement it carefully over time.
The Idaho stop, so named because it first became law in Idaho in 1982, gives cyclists the right of way at intersections. Practically, it allows cyclists to treat stop signs like yield signs, and traffic lights like stop signs. Versions of the law have passed in at least 10 other states, including Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado and Utah.
And it works. According to a study by DePaul University, cyclist injuries declined by 14.5% in Idaho the year after the law was implemented. A 2022 report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said, “Based upon the current research and data available, these laws showed added …
Upcoming Events
Greater Dallas Bicyclists | gdbclub.clubexpress.com
Mar 2 6:00 Mesquite Casual Ride A casual, moderately paced ride through Sunnyvale and Mesquite Mar 2 6:30 PM Thursday Night Downtown Ride Mar 4 Lancaster Pre-ride #1 Mar 4 9 AM Distance Builder Mar 4 10 AM Easygoing Ride Social, slow-paced, no one left behind ride Mar 5 9:00 AM Sunday Roll An "Explore Dallas" ride, starts at NW corner of Preston & Royal. Mar 7 6:30 PM Tuesday Evening Bike Ride A 30 mile ride through Las Colinas
Trek Travel Designs Hill Country Rides for Serious Bicyclists
Written by: Lori Rackl | texashighways.com
Multiday expeditions occur in Central Texas destinations like Fredericksburg and Luckenbach
In his 1977 outlaw country classic, Waylon Jennings croons, “Out in Luckenbach, Texas, ain’t nobody feelin’ no pain.” I guarantee Waylon and Willie and the boys didn’t ride a bike to their beloved Luckenbach. I did. And my legs were feeling plenty of pain.
I was halfway through a weeklong cycling trip in October when I pulled my two-wheeler into Luckenbach, an Instagrammer’s dream destination. As I gulped electrolytes from my water bottle, I noticed a black and white cat posing on the rustic porch of the post office turned general store and chickens congregating under the shade of a sprawling live oak.
I’d pedaled 190 miles in the past four days, climbing more than 10,000 feet along the way. My quads were tired. My glutes were beat. My whole body was wrecked. But that’s exactly what I bargained for …
Life Time Announces Lineup of 2023 Athletic Events Spanning Mountain Bike and Gravel Races, Marathons and Triathlons
www.prnewswire.com
New mountain bike event for 2023, Little Sugar MTB, adds to line up of 25 iconic events, including the Leadville Trail 100 MTB, Chicago Half Marathon, UNBOUND Gravel and Miami Marathon, delivering exceptional participant experiences
CHANHASSEN, Minn., Feb. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Life Time (NYSE: LTH), the nation’s premier healthy lifestyle brand that operates 160+ athletic country clubs across North America, has released its 2023 lineup of more than 25 premier athletic events. Composed of cycling, running and triathlon events, the portfolio spans 11 states and draws participants from around the world, helping them embrace their endurance sports passions and live healthy, happy lives. Unique to Life Time athletic events is that they are part of the comprehensive Life Time ecosystem of healthy living, healthy aging and healthy entertainment destinations, programs, events, and services for people 90 days to 90+ years old.
2023 Life Time athletic events highlights: …
… November 4: Stages Cycling Austin Rattler MTB & Life Time Austin Rattler Run, TX – Saddle up for a Texas mountain biking or running favorite. The MTB offers a 20-mile loop course (with option to do 60-miles as a Leadville qualifier). The run course features 10-miles of single track fire roads and granite formations (with option to do 30-miles as a Leadville qualifier). Registration is now open for both events. …
Bicyclist shot in Texas, authorities investigating
By Ronnie Marley | www.fox26houston.com
TEXAS CITY, Texas – Texas City police are investigating after a bicyclist was shot on Tuesday morning.
Authorities said Texas City police received a call of a subject being shot on a bicycle in the 6200 block of FM 1765.
Investigators learned that a 20-year-old man was shot in the upper right left by an unknown suspect while riding his bicycle.
The victim was picked up and taken to a local hospital by a passerby driver.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Texas City Police Department at (409) 643-5720 or the Mainland Community Crime Stoppers at (409) 945-8477.
The Nearly Completed Northeast Texas Trail Is an Outdoor Sports Paradise
Written by: Pam LeBlanc | texashighways.com
With a distance of 130 miles, the route offers a variety of terrain for cyclists and walkers traveling from Farmersville to New Boston.
The Trail de Paris features plenty of room for joggers, bicyclists, and those out for a pleasant stroll. Photo by Stan A. Williams
Imagine hopping on a trail in Farmersville, about an hour northeast of Dallas, and pedaling a bike, hiking, or riding a scooter all the way to New Boston, eight miles from the Arkansas border.
The 130-mile Northeast Texas Trail allows just that, and a recent infusion of about $18 million in federal grants is putting the finishing touches on the longest trail in Texas.
The idea for the trail began in the 1980s, when the Santa Fe Railway abandoned tracks in the northern part of the state. The Northeast Texas Trail Coalition formed to turn the corridor into a recreational trail. Development began in the 1990s, starting at the trail’s midpoint in Paris and Farmersville to the west. Other communities followed suit, improving the surface of the corridor and, in some places, paving it and adding amenities like water stops, fix-it stations and mile …
Bike Night returns to Austin’s Circuit of the Americas in March
By Amber Heckler | austin.culturemap.com
If you’ve ever wanted to get your wheels on the Circuit of the Americas track, now’s your chance. After a highly successful 2022 season that saw more than 11,000 in attendance, Ascension Seton’s Bike Night at COTA is returning in March with a new service for riders.
Ascension is introducing bike rentals for the first time on designated nights for its 2023 events. Riders of any age or experience level are welcome to take a lap around the track and enjoy one of the many post-ride tailgate activities at the …
Show support for Urban Trail Connectivity Saturday 11am Walnut
By cmc4130 | austinmountainbiking.com
The message Austin Ridge Riders will be promoting is that “It’s not about the concrete—it’s about connecting neighborhoods to places people want to ride, like MTB Trails, BMX Parks, Bicycle Playgrounds, Skills Parks, etc.”
It’ll be great to show the elected officials and administrators a good crowd of MTB riders!
Texas Biking from Twitter
Saturday 3/4/2023 The Bagel Ride
— The Bagel Ride (@thebagelride) March 1, 2023
8:30am ride start
Starts behind Little Woodrow's, 12601 Tech Ridge Blvd, Austin 78753
54mi (86km). Store stop at 30mihttps://t.co/9jDCtHIdjH
SOS 22 miles on the road , very warm . pic.twitter.com/a2XtibhuId
— jerald roll (@grandpajerald) March 1, 2023
The Guadalupe river ( now a stream ) pic.twitter.com/vAmgFoxLCe
— jerald roll (@grandpajerald) March 1, 2023
Nice ride. I can totally relate riding southbound on FM509. Like a wind tunnel. You can check that ride on Strava:https://t.co/fhjxNEo2Qk
— Daniel Mendiola (@dan_mendiola) March 1, 2023