June Bug

4 hours ago, RedRider3141 said:

Not sure, are you referring to the massive amount of rain they got this spring?

Rode there years ago and at the time,  it's future seemed in doubt due to an iffy land status. 

More detailed explanation posted on facebook:  

"Sadly, everyone, after a lot of deliberation and hope against hope, we've decided that the best move here is to cancel this year's Cranksgiving. It didn't rain much Thursday, as was predicted, and that would have been fine. But the % for Saturday has remained very steady at around 90%. Weather prediction isn't perfect, but barely more than 24 hours away from the event, it's probably pretty good at this point.

All is not lost!

We are putting together something in its place here after the first of the year. We have tons of awesome swag and we'll go a 'lite' Cranksgiving in the new year.

Hate having to do this...but we all agreed that it's the best move. Stay tuned for more about what we're putting together for January.

Refunds for those who registered and paid will be processed in the coming days. If you'd like to contribute your registration fee to ARR, that's most certainly welcome, so let me know if you'd like to do that. If I don't hear from you, we'll process your refund shortly."

4 hours ago, RedRider3141 said:

Visiting Family in Tucson

Did Tucson's Fantasy Island trail system survive? 

Posting this as a topic in case any of you stayed at a Comfort area B & B called Cielito Lindo while riding at Flat Rock Ranch.  The owner was discovered to have been filming guests with a secret camera in the master bedroom.  It's a felony.

The owner has been arrested and the sheriff's office is looking to identify additional victims.  And yes, how weird would it be to contact the Sheriff's Office and say, "So, yeah, um, we did stay there and we, uh...are we on camera?" knowing the Sheriff's Office has seen all  the video.  On the other hand, prison time for the perp...

Post from the Kendall County Sheriff's Office today: 

Quote

A. Jay Allee operates a Bed and Breakfast rental cabin under the name Cielito Lindo in Comfort, Kendall County. In July, a guest staying at the cabin reported finding a hidden camera in the master bedroom of the cabin and reported the incident to the Sheriff’s Office. KCSO CID began an investigation that ultimately recovered evidence indicating Allee has been secretly videotaping guests staying at his cabin for over a year, possibly longer.

On November 20, 2021, A. Jay Allee was arrested by the Kendall County Sheriff's Office on four counts of Invasive Visual Recording, a felony offense in the state of Texas, after CID investigators identified four of Allee’s victims. Allee was released from the Kendall County Jail after posting his $600,000.00 bail. CID Investigators continue to work to identify additional victims found in the evidence recovered in this investigation and additional charges against Allee are expected. 

If anyone has any information of any individual who may have stayed at the Cielito Lindo rental cabin from May 2020 through July 2021, we encourage them to contact Lt. Butch Matjeka, KCSO CID, 830-331-8836.

16 hours ago, bear said:

serendipitously, over the last year I switched to 165's on my MTBs after being on 175s for basically ever.

Bear, what's your inseam? 

and...What is this "road bike" that you speak of?

Article from the Houston Chronicle with details on rolling coal, how trucks are modified to roll coal, EPA regulations, what's legal, what's not. 

Truck drivers say 'rolling coal' is for 'idiots,' but emissions cheating is a bigger Texas problem

Finally got this sorted out via NextDoor Gracywoods from someone who lives across the street from the trailhead. 

The dog-walker died at the  Lincolnshire trailhead by the dam. For those that aren't familiar with this entrance, it's right at the "Dr." for Lincolnshire Dr. 

Insect stings seem to have been involved. He was walking two dogs; one was found and I don't know if the 2nd dog was located.  The missing dog is said to be a chiweenie (cross between a dachshund  and a chihuahua). 

I'm wondering if the dogs somehow disturbed a ground nest of yellowjackets/hornets. 

North Star Greenbelt was referenced upthread.  It's a paved neighborhood greenbelt under powerlines and not in any way connected to Walnut Creek Park. 

Years ago my brother, a teacher at the time, was with a group of middle school students on a field trip near Killeen.  One of the students managed to disturb a nest of ground hornets and enough kids were stung that it made national news.  I just googled "students stung by hornets on field trip" and it's a more common occurrence than one might think.

8 hours ago, AustinBike said:

They're pretty much like vegans and CrossFit people, rapidly self-identify when not really necessary. I guess singlespeeders fit into that group as well.

I ASSess your statement as accurate. 

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Ride begins at 9:30am, but you can arrive and start laps at any time.  The last lap starts no later than 3pm.

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There will also be trail work stations along the route. Stop and complete a station and earn an additional ticket for each station completed.

Early registration ends Nov. 26 at 5 p.m. Onsite registration and packet pick up at Reimers Ranch beginning at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 27.

Rider registration HERE

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1 hour ago, 4fun said:

This one seems particularly malicious and I hope he goes down!

It will be interesting to follow.  The Grand Jury had zero problem returning an indictment, probably because it's so egregious.  The BikeLaw blog entry referenced a Special Prosecutor.  What's up with that?

There was also an "adult" in the passenger seat, but name and age have not been released.  Maybe another teenager?

Excellent blog post by Bike Law, the law firm representing the 6 injured cyclists: Felony Charges for Waller Driver

The lawyer writing the blog deconstructs the statement from the Arnold's (parents of the minor teen driver) lawyer noting some misstatements and lies. For example, the teen did NOT call 911.  The teen did not render or offer to render any kind of aid. 

The truck is a diesel F 250 and there is quite a bit of obvious damage to the bumper. Note the stain on the pavement, which I'm assuming is radiator fluid; the truck's license plate ended up on on one of the bicycles. 

I didn't know it by either of those names.  I thought it was the Shady Springs side trail that goes by the actual Shady Springs down in the little arroyo. 

3 hours ago, St.Bernardo said:

JB, how do you like the 1x set up on your urban bike?  

I like it, just had to get used to not shifting among chain rings! 

The old triple had pretty amazing range, but don't really miss it since there aren't any big climbs on the commute. 

I think this 1x set up has 10 rings on the cassette. There is this one spot in the middle where I keep shifting back and forth for the sweet spot that isn't there.  Minor quibble, though.  

I have a double chain ring on my Salsa Spearfish, and am quite happy with that set up. 

16 hours ago, AustinBike said:

Someone is setting up camp on Windy...

No surprise there.  It's easy and direct access from North Lamar.  

On 11/10/2021 at 10:58 AM, CBaron said:

Climbing up Char-dog up shortly after the 180* left-hand switch back

I thought I was the only person that climbed up Char Dog...it's a nice little up. 

I had Cycle Progression add a kickstand to my commuter bike to end the "Dammit, my bike just fell over AGAIN" urban commuting saga. 

I ride my bike to Hyde Park Gym on a regular basis.  I lock it to a square metal sign post where it's in direct view of the front counter through a big picture window. 

Awhile back as I was doing lock up, the front wheel rotated around and the bike fell over, damaging the rear derailleur, leading to the installation of Box 1 drive train that had been sitting in a box for over 6 months.  So, from a triple chain ring set up to single chain ring in front, win win maybe. 

Last month, the EXACT same thing happened, bike fell over, but this time it resulted in  non obvious damage to the front brake, which then failed abruptly on the ride home, leaking fluid all over my hand in the process.  The rear derailleur wasn't broken but needed major readjustment. 

Cycle Progression repaired the cabling , replaced the broken brake lever, adjusted the derailleur and while in the shop, I told them to root around and find a kick stand and install it. Handiest thing ever and bike will not fall over again.  

Cost of parts and labor for bike falling over twice:  around $100  (not counting new drive train). 

Cost of kickstand: < $12. 

Cycle Progession is a block south of Hyde Park Gym on Guadalupe.  Note that the shop cat is on extended leave until remodeling is completed. 

13 hours ago, AntonioGG said:

I hope that kid does jail time, at least as long as those cyclists are rehabbing.

I was in physical therapy about five years ago.  A woman was coming in for treatment at the same time as I was seeing my physio.  She was a year out from having been hit by a motorist on Parmer who had decided that veering onto the shoulder at speed  and hitting two  cyclists was preferable to running over a cardboard box in her lane. 

She was up and walking and superficially looked fairly normal, but the results of the trauma to her body will be forever.  

Two of the cyclists hit by the coal rolling a**hat are probably in the same situation.  Their injuries were severe enough that they were life flighted to a major trauma center.   It appears from damage to the truck that the teen driver hit some/all of the riders from behind; he didn't sideswipe the group. 

I'm interested in the demographics of Waller County.  This is the same county where Sandra Bland, who was headed from a job interview at Prairieview A & M, was pulled over for not signaling a lane change.  I suspect this is an extremely conservative good ol' boy county with a marginally corrupt police dept, and perhaps a lot of not  so conservative people moving in.  Felony charges against a white teen-aged boy for harassing and injuring cyclists  are a bold step for the DA. I hope s/he survives their next election. 

Waller County is just northwest of the Houston area and many Houston cyclists ride out that way. I honestly didn't think the kid would be charged, but here we are. 

A diesel truck has to be specially modified to "roll coal" which consists of blowing out  clouds of black, sooty, partially combusted exhaust fumes.  Rolling coal is used as an anti-environmental statement and to harass, for example, bicyclists.  This modification is illegal in some states, but of course not in Texas. 

In this particular incident numerous cyclists were injured, several severely,  when a 16-year-old driver tried to roll coal on a cycling group on a training ride. 

It is widely agreed that the incident was improperly/incompetently  investigated on scene; the Waller County DA is taking a strong stand here. 

Quote

Teen Driver Who Hit Cyclists While Coal Rolling Faces Felony Charges In Texas

Witnesses claim the teenager was taunting the pack of bicyclists with his truck, trying to spew exhaust over them, known as "Coal Rolling".

Waller County, Texas, officials announced felony charges on Monday against a 16-year-old pickup driver accused of crashing into a group of cyclists while trying to blow exhaust on them. The collision sent four bicyclists to the hospital.

The Waller County district attorney said his office had filed six charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against the driver, one for each biker hit by the truck, the culmination of a weeks-long investigation into the incident. The driver voluntary surrendered and will remain in custody until a juvenile court decision.

On Sept. 25, a group of cyclists were training for a triathlon when the driver started taunting them, the bikers said, revving his engine to spew exhaust on them in what’s known as “rolling coal.” When the driver sped up to reach another group of bikers, he hit six of the eight people riding along, causing a massive crash and sending four cyclists to the hospital, three with serious injuries.

Chase Ferrell, one of the cyclists who was behind the injured group, said the driver got out of the vehicle at the time and asked if he was going to go to jail.

“You did something really freaking stupid,” Ferrell recalled, adding: “You should go to jail.”

The driver wasn’t arrested, however, and his parents showed up shortly after the crash. Police arrived and let the teen go home without any citations, prompting an uproar from the Houston-area cycling community.

A legal representative for the driver said that juvenile confidentiality laws prevented comment but said: “My client and his family continue to pray for the quick recovery of the injured bikers.”

Officials said they appreciated the patience of the victims while investigators sifted through evidence.

“We wish them the speediest of recoveries on their long journey ahead, and remind everyone to share the roads, obey the traffic laws, and to treat each other with the respect that we all deserve,” the district attorney said.

Boggy Draw + Bear Paw Trails, above Dolores, CO.  Photos taken from same spot, 180 degrees rotation!  Also a warm pleasant day.  Some hard climbing at 8,500

Riding on Cannonball Mesa is on a 4-wheel drive road rather than a trail.  There are a few punchy climbs to get to the top of the mesa. One fork in the road on the mesa top takes you to Cannonball Pueblo, a late 12th C. Pueblo III canyon-rim complex of rooms, kivas and a tower.  2nd photo is Crusty riding down back to the car. 

The weather was sublime, maybe mid 70s and no wind.  Amazing for the last day of October. 

Photo 1: Start of the ride.

Photo 2:  Far end of Cannonball Mesa, SW Colorado, part of the Canyons of the Ancients National  Monument.   Near the Utah state line, looking northwest to the Abajo Mtns and Cedar Mesa.

When does snacking usually begin?  

next skill set will be learning to ride The Tower:  Early concept for Frisco’s Northwest Community Park includes large biking tower for ‘gravity riding’

Quote

Renderings of the conceptual tower were shown depicting a roughly 100-foot tower, but Coates said the intent is to build a smaller tower. The renderings, she said, are meant to “give the impact” of the original idea for the tower. A total of $2.43 million was given as an estimated cost for a 100-foot gravity tower, but presenters said the cost would scale down with a smaller tower.

The tower would allow cyclists to scale it at various heights and build enough speed to feed into “gravity trails,” 

The WC area got at least 2.5" last night and early this morning.  

My weather page noted that Onion Creek may crest as high as 19' where Onion Creek goes under South 183.  No notice about flooding on the McKinney Falls State Park page, though. 

Google knows things. 

August 4,  2018 Crusty et al. did the Zia South Boundary Big Ride event  from Angel Fire to Taos.  The Big Ride departure was at 7 am.  I killed some time riding the Angel Fire greebelt trails and reading, then did the van shuttle to pick up the guys in Taos later that afternoon.  Everybody finished the ride and all the bikes made it into the van, including the one yet to be loaded,  and the 6 of us snuggled up  for the twisty drive back to Angel Fire. 

description: 

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The South Boundary BigRide is an absolutely stunning 40-mile, mostly singletrack ride from Angel Fire Resort to Taos Youth and Family Center on the South Boundary Trail. The South Boundary trail is arguably the best ride in New Mexico and probably one of the top rides in the whole country with beautiful high alpine views and amazing aspen forests. It will be a perfect warm up for those training for Leadville, as the course tops out at nearly 11,000 feet!