Halloween Weekend Is An Epic Time For Cyclists In Houston

This weekend is shaping up to be an epic weekend.  Critical Mass is on Halloween night and that has to be a blast.  The next day we have the HTX Bike Fest and Bayou City Racing Cyclocross at Spotts Park in the Heights.  And Sunday has Sunday Streets

I hate to admit it but I'll be trick-or-treating with the kids and will miss Critical Mass. Thousands of people riding their bikes through Houston while in costume!  Now that they have smoothed out the issues with the police, and the route, I am sure it will be an epic good time.




I am really looking forward to HTX Bike Fest.  It is an all day bike festival at Market Square Park Downtown.  They will have bike vendors with booths and demos.  In particular I am looking forward to seeing the BMX stunts and watching my kids see the BMXers work ramps for the first time.  I'm guessing there will be some blown young minds.

Also on Saturday is a cyclocross race with a total of $1,200 in prize money.

Sunday is the 4th Sunday Streets festival.  Here is a guide to Sunday's festival.

September Critical Mass

So after last weeks fully charged cell phone battery dying five miles into the Conquer The Coast ride I knew I needed a new solution for taking videos and photos of my rides.  So I brought my trusty digital camera to Critical Mass.  I took a few videos of the walking start from Market Square and then bam!  The memory card was full.  Damn.  More proof life controls me and I don't control my life, or some other businessy self-help tripe.  Damn Damn damn.

Getting close to start time.  Fun atmosphere in Market Square Park

Minutes from starting and the crowd is spilling out of the park

Crowd overflowing from Market Square Park

Some great bikes were out.  This is only photo of a bike I got before memory card was overloaded

As for the ride, it was a good time and a great improvement over my last CM.  There was no hostility from the police or police helicopter hovering overhead.  The route was 18 miles and circled around downtown.  There were some great looking bikes and colorful people on display.  I stuck to my Critical Mass routine of staying away from knuckle heads, who look like they are going to cause a crash, while staying within ear shot of someone playing music I like.  Was a nice ride through town and some neighborhoods, frankly, this west side suburbanite would probably never see.

 Next Mass is Halloween.  What a blast.

Disjointed February Critical Mass

February 2014 Houston Critical Mass

So last Friday's Critical Mass featured a very heavy Houston Police Department presence with numerous officers at intersections, following the route, and even a police helicopter overhead for the entire route.  It was a disjointed presence, as if HPD didn't know if they were there to help ease congestion or harass the Critical Mass Riders.  At some intersections HPD was stopping car traffic and letting bicyclists pass through red lights.  At other intersections they were yelling for cyclists to stop at reds and or waiting to ticket red light runners.  Early in the ride we were followed by an overweight officer on his motorcycle who was pretty hostile.  He was waiting at an intersection and started blaring his siren when the light turned red, there were no cars coming so I thought his siren was telling us to continue through the red.  When I started to cross against the light he shot out his motorcycle to block the path and yelled the light was red.  I stopped and ignored his yelling but was thinking, 'what the hell, a half mile back HPD was telling us to run reds'.  Later when we were on N. MacGregor Way we were followed by a HPD car who would blare out on her loudspeaker for cyclists to stay in the right lane whenever anyone came close to the lane marker.  To me it felt more like harassment than safety assurance.  After the mid-route break at  Telephone RD and Wayside Dr HPD stood by and didn't do any traffic control to help ease congestion.

For me Critical Mass is a way to have a fun, safe, low-key ride around town at night. I get a kick out of seeing families on the side of the road and little kids waving or smiling at the Christmas tree lights on my bike.  If we make a statement that reminds motorists there are bicyclists in Houston and to share the roads then great.  I lived in San Francisco throughout the nineties and remember some really hostile Critical Mass rides.  That's not for me, but part of me wonders if the Critical Mass "Organizers" need to stop sharing the route with HPD or maybe do the ride at 5:30 PM and see how HPD likes that.  That said I'll be out in March enjoying the ride as best I can.  Check out some pictures below.

The Ride:

The Route

Waiting for ride to start at Market Square Park

Waiting to get started again after break

Little more waiting to get started again after break

Still more waiting to get started again after break

And even more waiting to get started again after break.  Notice the B-Cycle bike?

You can check our the Houston bike share program here: Houston B-Cycle

The Bikes:

Cooler on rear rack doubles as a kickstand

Cooler on rear rack has been customized as a stereo

Inside the cooler.  He said he used a moped battery to power this.  It was good and loud too.

Fat Tire Bike With Front Basket

Fat Tire Bike With Front Basket

Nice Fat Tire Bike

Couple Low Rider inspired Beach Cruisers.  Got to love the dice on these nice rides.

Fixie with I think a Brooks saddle.  Picture doesn't do justice to this sweet bike

Motocross bike turned bicycle

Houston Critical Mass Bike Ride

Houston Critical Mass Bike Ride:

Every last Friday of the month is Houston's Critical Mass bike ride. The ride starts at Market Square Park downtown and the route varies from event to event.  Here is the 19 mile route the January 31st, 2014 ride took.

We had a long stop for a train to pass, as well as a planned stop.  I did the 19 miles in 3 hours and found everyone in good humor and didn't see any hostility with cars. 

A video of my favorite bike. You play Tortured Soul and I'm rolling along with you.

Some Photos from the Ride:

 

 

Fox News at Market Square Park

The thatscoolwire.com booth featuring bike wired with Cool El Wires

Custom unicycle.  Guy has serious skills

Organized stop. Time to grab another beer or hit the food truck

One of the bridges we crossed

Unofficial lead rider.  Just follow the music and you 

won't get lost