New Bike Shop In Katy

Houston has some great bike shops- Blue Line Bike Lab, West End Bikes, Urban Bike Gallery, Daniel Boone Bikes- to name a few, but out in the burbs of Katy we are stuck with chain store Sun & Ski, assholes at Bike Barn, and tiny Bicycle World Express.  But starting with a soft launch this Wednesday November 18th Bicycle World is opening a new full service bike shop on the I-10 Freeway in the strip mall next to Main Event & Guitar Center.  If they keep the customer service of their small express store then Katy will finally have a top flight local bike shop.

Vote With Cycling In MInd

With tomorrow's election you have the option to consider cycling into your decision.  Bike Houston has sent a candidate questionnaire to mayoral and city council candidates.  You can review there responses here.  One candidate who has bicycling as a central aspect of their lives is Tom McCasland running for the City Council At Large #1.  McCasland has commuted in Houston exclusively by bike and public transit, he wrote the grant to turn utility easements into shared use paths, and was critical in the three foot safe passing law getting passed in Houston.  So go read up on the candidates at Bike Houston's web site and don't forget to vote tomorrow.

Now this is how you lock your bike!

Got to love New Orleans.

Cyclocross Season In Houston Starts

I first heard about cyclocross back in the  Eighties when I rode with a high school friend who was far more advanced in bike riding than me.  I honestly couldn't get his enthusiasm for taking your road bike and pounding it through the forest.  But now I get the appeal in particular in a place like Houston where we ride miles and miles of flat roads.  The switch to going over a course that changes from pavement, to grass, to sand, to running over barriers sounds like fun.  And now there is easy access to specialized bikes just for cyclocross.  What more $$ to spend on bikes? Shocking.

The Houston Grand Prix Of Cyclocross starts September 26th and spans five races ending on November 21st.  The locations of the races move from park to park.  My old butt is too slow to race but I plan on taking the family to watch a couple the races.  Here is the series schedule and pasted below is the flyer for the first race in Sugarland.  Now I need to go find a cowbell.

Houstonia Magazine Cyclists Guide To Houston

Back in July Houstonia Magazine published their Cyclists Guide To Houston and it is a good read.  They have articles on What's Next for B-Cycle, a guide to various bike rides that hits the major points, a style guide for the best bike for you, an article on Bike Houston and the 3' safe passing ordinance, and an essay on the unexpected joys of being a bike commuter that I enjoyed.  Here is a quote that I can relate to:  I’ve become a connoisseur of Houston’s street art, my knowledge of the Montrose rental market is encyclopedic, and I see history everywhere. Yes, history. People who think this is a city without one just aren’t looking very hard.

Check out the article.  It is worth your time.

Yet another attack on funding for trails, walking and biking has surfaced!

From my friends at Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.  I've called both Senators Cornyn and Cruz (oy vey)

The full Senate is gearing up to vote on its version of a transportation bill—and yet another attack on funding for trails, walking and biking has surfaced!
We need your help now. Call your senators and help defend critical funding for trails, walking and biking.

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) has introduced an amendment that eliminates the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)—the nation's largest dedicated source of funding for trails, walking and biking. This program also funds the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) and helps people like you and me stay healthy, get outdoors, support our local economy and get where we need to go.
Trails, protected bikeways, sidewalks, crosswalks and safe routes to school are essential parts of our transportation system—and TAP helps fund thousands of these projects across the country.
But Sen. Lee has introduced an amendment (S.A. 2280) to eliminate this critical program.
Congress has debated transportation legislation over the past month, and every time an attack on TAP has surfaced, supporters like you have rallied to defend it with your emails and phone calls. It's working, but we need your support once more. Help us defend funding for TAP and for safe places to walk and bike in your community by calling your senators now.
The Senate could vote on this legislation as early as this weekend, and it’s important that your legislator hear from you right away. Call your senators using the information below:

• Sen. John Cornyn - (202) 224-2934
• Sen. Ted Cruz - (202) 224-5922

If your senators' information does not appear above, please call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202.224.3121 to be connected to your senators' offices.
Simply deliver this short message:

“My name is Kent Peasley from katy, and I'm calling about the Senate's transportation bill. Please support funding for the Transportation Alternatives Program, or TAP, and the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) within it. I ask that my senator vote against Sen. Mike Lee's amendment (S.A. 2280) and any other attempts to eliminate TAP and funding for walking, biking or recreational trails. We should be supporting these modes of transportation, not limiting them. Thank you.”

Then tell us about your call. This important step will help us effectively advocate for biking, walking and trails.
Please take this simple action now. A vote could happen as soon this weekend!
Thanks for doing all you can for walking, biking and trails in your state—and across the country!
Sincerely,
Patrick Wojahn
Director of Government Relations
Marianne Wesley Fowler
Senior Strategist for Policy Advocacy
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

Summer Crit Series

July 5th through August 1 is a weekly criterium designed for beginners, the Summer Crit Series at the Houston Sports Park.  The weekly race features a beginners race program where instructors provide lessons on racing in criteriums.  The races are for Nuniors and Cat 5,4,3 Men and Women.