Bike Month & Bike To Work Day

Once again it is Bike Month featuring Bike To Work rides throughout the city.  You can get the details at Bike Houston.  Here is a list of events.

Rides & Events

May 6th Bike to Work Texas Medical Center

May 12th Bike to Work Greenway Plaza/Galleria

May 13th Bike to Work Sugarland

May 19th Bike to Work Energy Corridor

May 19th Bike to Work NASA

May 20th Bike to Work Downtown

May 21st Bike to Work Woodlands

I have skipped this event the last couple years but am going to make it a priority this year.  My concern always around this time of year, and what has stopped me from joining this event in the past, is lightning.  I don't mind riding in rain, sometimes it draws out some boyhood fun, but I'm not looking to get zapped.  Also George Bush Park is flooded and will probably stay that way for a few more weeks meaning I have to ride around the park and deal with more cagers.  Usually in the morning if I leave early enough it is fine, but the evening sometimes can be a bit of a hassle.  Hope to see you out there on your bikes.

New Commute, The Good, Bad, & Ugly

I'm now commuting from Katy to an office building on the North I-10 frontage road and Kirkwood.  It's 19.5 miles each way and in many ways encompasses the best and worst of bike commuting in Houston.  With the shared use paths on the Bayous,George Bush & Terry Hershey parks, roughly 18 of the 19.5 mile commute is car free and safe as can be.  It's a scenic ride where I've seen deer, armadillo, rabbits, squirrels, alligators, coyotes, opossum, snakes, cygnets, swans, vultures, hawks, ducks, etc.  18 really great commuting miles.

Route Using Kirkwood Heading North

The other 1.5 miles or so isn't as great.  If I take Terry Hershey East to Kirkwood (screen shot above) I then travel North on the Kirkwood "bike lane".  This designated bike lane is maybe two feet wide and usually filled with debris.  The painted lane is faded and almost nonexistent in many spots.  It's the type of bike lane that is more dangerous than good.

Commute Using Terry Hershey Park  North of I-10

If I take Terry Hershey North of the I-10 (screen shot above), I ride on the sidewalk of the I-10 frontage road like a dork.  In the morning I'm going against traffic and in the evening constantly looking over my shoulder to make sure I don't get slammed by a right turning car.  I then cut up Eldridge for a block, again dorking it on the sidewalk, to get to Dairy Ashford and another 2 foot bike lane, albeit with less debris than Kirkwood.  This bike lane takes me to another off street shared use path at the Addicks Reservoir.  The weird thing is that heading East on Dairy Ashford there is no way to make a proper left turn onto the shared use path.  They built this great path and then also put a concrete median in the middle of Dairy Ashford blocking the path from East bound riders.  I end up riding in the painted median, cutting across Dairy Ashford and riding in the gutter against traffic for maybe 50 yards before I can make a left onto the path.  In the evening going home heading West the cars lining up to go right on Eldridge end up pinching the 2 foot bike lane.  I haven't clipped a side mirror yet but it won't surprise me when I do.

Map of Energy Corridor paths found on Addick Reservoir bike path.  North is the bottom of this map

Start of shared use path at Addicks Reservoir just off Dairy Ashford.  I need to take a photo of the jacked up median on Dairy Ashford that blocks this entrance

North I-10 frontage road facing East just after exiting Terry Hershey Park

Start of Terry Hershey Park North of I-10

Thought the Texas flags were a nice touch on this day.  This is the path around the Barker Reservoir that takes you towards George Bush Park.

I've seen riders on the street of the I-10 frontage road, and they have my respect, but I just don't feel comfortable sharing the road with that heavy car traffic.  Lately with all the rain George Bush Park has been flooded and I haven't been able to use the path.  I know I can take city streets to get to work, and in the morning sharing the roads isn't so bad, but in the evening when the roads are crowded and drivers are impatient...I just don't want to do it.  Four cyclist have been killed on our streets in the last month and that just chills me.  So there you have it.  A great workout, wonderful safe ride with beautiful scenery, and some frustratingly not well planned bike lanes on city streets.  And Mother Nature throws her twists in as well.

Energy Corridor Bike To Work Day 2015

Today makes two years in a row I didn't commute via bike on Bike To Work Day.  Last year George Bush was flooded and this year there is supposed to be lightning in the PM.  I don't mind riding in the rain, and kind of enjoy it actually, but after a too close for comfort ride in a lightning storm two years ago I am now extremely gun shy about riding if there is supposed to be lightning.  Ah no, I got to call bullshit on me.  I just wanted to sleep in an extra hour this morning!  Either way there was no biking to work today.

Here is the Energy Corridors bike to work site  http://www.energycorridor.org/mobility/bike-to-work

I can't seem to get their maps to work but I posted them last year
http://cyclingspacecity.blogspot.com/2014/05/energy-corridor-bike-to-work-site.html

Coming soon I'll post the details of the route to my new work site.

Update Tool When George Bush Park Flooded

***Update February 22, 20017.  The shared use path through George Bush Park is flooded this morning while the water level is 82'.  I'm not sure if the ongoing Army Corps of Engineers work has changed the USGS sensors or what but the below info needs to be updated-- see here:

http://cyclingspacecity.blogspot.com/2017/02/text-when-george-bush-park-flooded.html?_sm_au_=icVqSQJ24nJv1q2P  *****

A coworker introduced me to this great tool from the United States Geological Society that notifies you when the path at George Bush Park is flooded.  He claims when this chart of the elevation of Barker Reservoir is above 84 inches feet the path is flooded.

You can set an SMS alert to send a daily update when the water level is above a certain thresh hold, in this case 84 '.

I know the park was flooded yesterday April 30th and if the trend line continues the park should be okay for a Monday commute.  I'm looking forward to seeing how accurate this is.  Twice last year I packed the panniers and headed out for work to find the park was surprisingly still flooded and return home for a cager commute.

You can find the graph, and sign up for the alerts, here waterdata.usgs.gov  The chart you want is third down  "Elevation of reservoir water surface above datum, feet, Press Transducer, High Orifice"

Road Rage On The Bike Path

So commuting by bike is supposed to be my healthy alternative to the madness that is commuting by car in Houston, but tonight I got in a bit of a row on my commute home.  This happened where the shared use path around Barker Reservoir ends at Sergeant Hatch Park.   You know where people who drive their cars, to go ride their bikes, end up parking.  So I am coming upon the exit of the path and there is another rider approaching from the other side to enter the path.  There is only room for one bicyclist at a time to pass.  So who has right of way when two cyclists are approaching at nearly the same time?

My first rule is if there is a brutal wind whoever is eating the 20-30 mph headwinds has my respect and the right of way.  Barring that I think it should be the person exiting.  Here is my reasoning:

1) Do you barge onto the elevator when the doors open and before people have a chance to get off?
2) In this case I was in the middle of my ride/commute and the other rider hadn't even started his ride, he can wait.
3) I'm riding with fully loaded panniers on each side of the bike.  Cut a guy some slack.
4) But mostly his ride hadn't even started.  Let the other rider exit the path and then go!

So as I approach the exit the other rider makes no assertive move or clear intention that he thinks he has the right of way.  He was kind of paused before the gate and I decided he was waiting for me and I made my move.  As I passed through the gate we came close to each other and he looked uncomfortable, I almost think he was having trouble getting in and out of his clips, and loudly called me an "idiot".  I didn't take to this at all.  I stopped my bike dropped a "F You" back to him, invited him to stop, turned my bike around and went through the gate, re-invited him to stop, and called him a spiteful woman with a 5 letter word but he kept riding away. Of course I am going to keep my eyes out for Mr new bike, new kit, can't get in his clips, drive to go ride his bike, shit talker.  I got a couple ideas for him.

Then a couple miles into George Bush Park I saw a young girl getting helped to the trail parking area.  It looked like someone was calling her an ambulance.  From the way they were immobilizing her arm at the elbow I think she had a broken collarbone.  Just a nasty injury.  I feel terrible for her.  I want people out on the shared use paths enjoying their bikes.  I guess in retrospect I'm glad the "idiot" caller didn't take me up on my offer.  We should be having fun out there folks!

Proposed Road To Cut Through George Bush Park

Last night another cyclist told me that the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT)  has approved a road connecting Highland Knolls Dr. with Briar Forrest Dr.  This new major thoroughfare would cut right through the North section of George Bush Park and effectively kill off a green space area and a multi-use path used by thousands of joggers, walkers, and cyclist every month.

I'm still trying to get more details but this article gives some info.  The proposal is part of the West Houston Mobility Plan (link to plan) from the Galveston-Houston Area Council (whatever the hell that is).  This plan was finalized December 18th with the expectation that TXDOT will approve it this month.  What that means for actually getting built, I have no idea.  This is a terrible plan.  There are already 4 East-West thoroughfares through the area: 1-10, I-10 frontage road, Westheimer Pkwy, West Park Tollway.  I believe this new route would cut through a reservoir, mess up the regional flood protection, and kill of a major cycling route.

Here is a map of the recommended changes.  If my color blind eyes are reading this right, it shows existing streets connecting Kingsland Blvd with Memorial and Barker Cypress running through the park.  Hard to have faith in this study with such major errors.

My best hope right now is that this is some study that gets approved and then sits on a shelf for years without ever getting implemented.

Scoping New Work Commute Routes

So I have a new job that will have me working at Enclave Parkway near Briar Forrest in the Energy Corridor for the next 2 months.  I decided to try out possible routes from Katy on a Sunday afternoon.

Scoping Out New Work Commute Routes

With the multi-use path through George Bush Park and Terry Hershey Park I can ride most of the roughly 16 miles car free.  I was hoping there would be an exit from Terry Hershey right next to my new office but there wasn't.  If I exit at Enclave Parkway it is a fairly short ride to Briar Forrest Rd and there is a bike lane.  Always a welcome sight to see a bike lane

Bike Lane on Enclave Parkway

The shortest and quickest route is to skip Terry Hershey and instead take Briar Forrest from the end of George Bush park.  Unfortunately the bike lane on Briar Forrest has a lot of debris and sections where construction has blocked the path.  As nice as it is to see a bike lane, sometimes in Houston they can be pretty impractical.  So my choices are the winding , and in the early evening crowded with joggers, dog walkers, families, etc Terry Hershey path, and Briar Forrest with its less than stellar bike path and rush hour cars.  Guess that will be a game time decision.  Either way I am looking forward to commuting via bike again.

Bike Lanes Don't Increase Passing Distance

Bicycling Magazine's blog has an interesting story on a study conducted in the UK showing that bike lanes don't cause motorists to increase their passing distance.  This is something I think many bicyclists feel intuitively.  Often times I feel the only value bike lanes offer is after a crash.  If my bits and pieces are in a dedicated bike lane the driver won't be able to say they couldn't avoid me.  The take away for riders is, even if you are in a bike loan you need to be aware of your surroundings and aware of traffic.

Dedicated, Separated, Bike Lane Coming To Downtown!

Houston's Downtown area is going to get a seperated bike lane.  Sometime in October a separated bike lane will be installed on Lamar St.  This new bike lane will connect the Buffalo Bayou Bike Trail to Discovery Green. You can read about the project here Chronicle Article.

What makes this really exiting is that there is currently work going on to connect the four mile Columbia Tap Trail to Discovery Green.  This will make a 7+ mile separated urban path.

Shopping- Betabrand & 3' Is The Law Sticker

A friend just sent me this video of Betabrand's bike commuter shirt with reflective thread in the stripes.  Here is a link to the $118 shirt .Buy here  Awesome idea.

Then there is this ad on Craigslist for a sticker "promoting" Houston's three foot passing ordinance.

Flooded Out Bike Path For Bike To Work Day

In 2013 I commuted a tad over one-thousand miles via bike.  Four things kept me from commuting more: business trips, work from home days, lightning, and flooding. So far in 2014 I have commuted just over a hundred miles by bike because I'm now a full-time teleworker.  So I was really looking forward to May 15th's Bike To Work Day.  I used the day as a reason to schedule meetings in the office and made plans to meet up and commute with a fellow Katy dwelling coworker and MS 150 teammate.  So of course we get 8 inches of rain the last two days and the path through George Bush Park is flooded out the night before Bike To Work Day.  Unfortunately the only alternate routes I know of involve streets with heavy car commuter traffic.  Next year then! 

Check out these pictures I took of the mixed use path through George Bush Park on May 14th at around 7:00 PM.

Bench that looks over the river that runs through the park.  This is west of the boardwalk

Entrance to boardwalk from west side

Heading East towards Barker Cypress just after the boardwalk

Heading East towards Barker Cypress just after the boardwalk

Energy Corridor Bike To Work Site

In advance of May 15th's Bike To Work Day I came across the Energy Corridor District's great Bike To Work site.  They are having an event on Bike To Work Day from 6:30 to 7:30 AM at the Gazebo, just off Memorial, in Terry Hershey park featuring a free breakfast, raffle, and giveaways.  They will have Bike Champions leading commutes from several points in the surrounding area (Alief, Heights, Sugarland, Katy) into the event at Terry Hershey. The longest commute I saw was 19 miles. You can sign up for a ride or email a champion for more info.  These route maps are a keeper. 

My commute from Katy is pretty close to one they are doing, though I add a mixed use path from Fry & Mason to Westheimer instead of proceeding further North on Fry.  I just like being off the roads especially during commute hours.

These route maps are a keeper for both commuting and weekend ride ideas..

Personal Best Commute Time & Fans Welcoming Sagan To Cali (Video)

Stoked to drop over four minutes from my personal best on my commute this morning!  And I have to share this great video from the Amgen Tour Of California folks.  It is Peter Sagan meeting his fans.  Check it out.

Let The Commute Begin

Houston Bicycle Commuting:

Coming soon I'll go into greater detail on my commute and commuting in Houston but for now a short trip report.  Between the short days, ice storms, and crazy work schedule I haven't commuted via bike once this year.  So it felt great to get up a little early this morning and get on the road.  It was about 45F and foggy.  Around the Barker Cypress Reservoir was extremely foggy and seven miles into my seventeen mile ride my toes started to get numb, but other than that it was perfect.  I saw three other cyclists and a couple joggers going through George Bush Park, which is light traffic for this heavily used trail.  Perhaps it's still a little early and cold for the masses to start taking advantage of the park. One of my favorite parts of riding through the park early in the morning, or just before dusk, this time of year is seeing deer roaming the park.  

This would be Strava segment, "GBP Heading North"

Start of Strava section "ILC Sprint"

Start of Strava section George Bush East Police Substation to Hwy 6 Curve

Rounding around the North side of Barker Cypress heading East.