Buescher State Park

So I was Googling about Buescher State Park and Bastrop State Park to check out how long the route was that you take during the “Challenge route” during the MS150.  I came across some landscaping in satellite view.  Talk about leaving your mark.

So when you’re departing from the Austin airport, try to look out the window and see if you find it.  Pretty funny.

Common Courtesy

Since I’ve moved to Austin, I can count three, maybe four times that I have had a vehicle proceed to back up their car at an intersection to let me pass on the cross path.  One time was while I was jogging down by Lady Bird Lake and crossing the street.  It really amazed me as to how people treat pedestrians here. It’s a cool feeling especially if you are aware of it.

It’s the little things that count.  I say it’s almost like that insurance commercial where you see someone do a good deed and pass it on.  It’s simple as paying if forward.  Nothing lost.  It’s cool.  I appreciate it and I like the fact that there’s respect out there for one another.  Southern hospitality at its finest.

Proposition 1

Something worth voting for to improve the bike community.

source: http://www.getaustinmoving.com/

Help Get Austin Moving!

Proposition 1 will provide $90 million in bonds for new road, sidewalk, trail and bikeway projects to:

• Reduce Traffic Congestion by improving roads and intersections & providing more choices.
• Protect the Environment by reducing congestion & providing alternatives to protect air quality.
• Improve Public Safety by makings our streets, sidewalks & trails safe for all users.
• Provide More Options by improving roads and building new sidewalks, bikeways and trails.

Proposition 1 is within the City’s existing bonding capacity, so it will NOT require a tax increase.

inspiration

When you ride, what is your inspiration?

Is it the bike?  Is it the routes that you take?  Maybe it’s the community itself?

There are various types of influences.  Maybe someone gets influences when watching the Tour de France wanting to do something similar.  Maybe it’s finding an alternative exercise regimen that requires low impact on your joints.  Maybe it’s just the fun of being on two wheels and the ability for green transportation.  You have to admit, it’s cheaper to fuel your body than to fuel your car at times.

What is my inspiration?

Seeing Houston become a social, mobile city.  A city that thrives off being some type of “local” city.  I understand the grandness of the city and the reason you don’t see people riding around the city on bikes more is evident.  It’s not quite apparent the visibility of what roads are bike routes unless you are looking for them.

If you look at craigslist and compare Houston’s bike sale list compared to Austin, you have a huge variety in Austin compared to here.  Austin is a college city so that fills a lot of that population in addition to it being in the center of the city.  But what else can we do to get more people on bikes?

Just a fun idea.  It makes me use the creative side of my brain.

I just want to see someone wearing an aero helmet while commuting.

Houston Critical Mass

Check out this vid.  You’ll need a Facebook account to see it actually but it’s cool that it will be presented at the Houston Critical Mass event tonight.

Everyone needs to get a bike if they don’t have one.  Hoping to get a group going to hit up the one next month.  It’ll be warmer so hopefully more people are down.

As for PedalHouston.com, it’s been great getting the feedback that I have been receiving but also just the general interest in it.  It’s good to know that there is an outlet available for Houston.  I know there are plenty of them out there but I am glad I can help to do what I can to help out.

There are a lot of great things to look forward to on the website and hopefully we can see how much of a culture we can grow with this thing.  Until then, bundle up and get out there and ride.  I surely need to.

Lemonade

So there’s a great movement going on right now.  It’s the Lemonade movement.  The concept is simple.  It’s same concept that has been going on for as long as you’ve heard that “If life hands you some lemons, make lemonade” phrase.  But it’s true.  It is seriously what you make of it.  How do I find myself in this?  Being laid off from working with a fairly notable construction company and doing control systems work for them, I learned a lot about myself but I also learned more about myself after I was given the dreadful talk of being “let go.”

This is where I am thankful that I personally took it upon myself to find what I really wanted to do with my life and what else there is out there for me to do.  Are there any other places I see myself excelling in or making myself more of an asset?  Do I want to work for a different company or is it possible to even start my own, for that matter?

Passions can drive a person up the wall.  I felt like that when I came up with a great idea.  A great concept for something huge.  For my friends and family who really got under the idea and heard the motivation in my voice and the confidence in my speech that I was serious about making this happen.  It feels great to have people believe in something that they know can become a great thing.  This project that I’m working on started off as a way to connect with people and find out what’s going on in the bike community in Houston.  I feel like it is going to be something greater than that.  I’m hoping that it will reach people in and around the city but also get noticed elsewhere that we care about the cyclists in the city.  It is going to happen and it will happen.  Take the time out to watch the short clip of the Lemonade video.

When yourself or someone that you know gets laid off, take some time out and think about all the things you are doing, want to do and should be doing with this extra time you have “in-between jobs” as you might find your niche that can possibly be even greater than you anticipated.

I found out how much I loved cycling and the mechanics of bikes.  I wouldn’t be surprised by how many bikes I’ll have in 10 years or what I’ll make of all this stuff.  It’s a hobby but to me, it’s all in my lifestyle now.

Alkek Velodrome

www.houstoncycling.org

19008 Saums Rd
Houston, TX 77084
(281) 578-0858

photos taken by yours truly.

When you have extra time and you start to meet people in the biking community, you get exposed to some really fresh stuff.  I had only seen track bike racing on the Olympics and never really thought it existed in Houston.  I was able to check out the Texas Cup Race omnium event.  It’s pretty cool to see the different types of races and rules whilst competing on a track.

It’s a great place for the family to come out and get involved with a totally relaxed environment.  Not to mention they even have races for the kids to participate in.  It’s a very lax competition environment where people do get their time to shine but they also let the newbies get their limelight also.

What’s cool about track bikes are that they are fixed gears and there are no brakes.  You are in total control of the bike.  No higher or lower gears to help you gain your momentum or candence, just the pure energy that you put into the bike and how well you use the track.  The track in Houston is completely made of concrete.  It’s a beast to maintain I’m sure and that’s why it would be great to get people out there to support.  The people who come here genuinely care about this facility and the races they conduct.  What’s cool is that if you decide to race, if you win you get paid.  How cool is that?  It’s another gem of Houston that I wonder if Houston ever knew about it or am I just late to the party?!  Check out their site to see when their races are and check it out.  Maybe I’ll see ya out there.

4th Annual Heights Bicycle Rally and Scavenger Hunt

picture taken at onion creek cafe

This is a cool event happening right in my backyard, this Sunday.  This is the 4th Annual Heights Bicycle Rally and Scavenger Hunt on Sunday, October 4th from 7:30am to 4:00pm.  For all the people that aren’t up for cranking 50miles, this’ll be a great day spent on your bike just touring around the Heights.  You’ll definitely see things that you wouldn’t through your car window.  There are a lot of great things you’ll appreciate being on your bike.  Who knows?!  Maybe I’ll be out there too.  Do a wavey if you see me.

If there weather is anything like it is today, it’ll be a fun experience.  Bring the kids, the pets, the friends, the family or just bring yourself.  Pedal out while the weather is nice like this.

Also, it’s the weekend of Biketoberfest being hosted by Blue Lane Bike.  Beers, bikes and bands in their parking lot and also I’m sure a couple of the restaurants and bars around the area are throwing a couple event parties as well to help support the weekend biking events.

A Bike Lane

it’s that simple.  it’s non-intrusive to the surrounding community and it gives pedestrians options of how they may want to travel.

now THIS is a bike lane : definitely check out the video and the article about a SICK evolution in New York City and what they did from a very populated cycling community.  it’s great to see but what i personally get a kick out of is how happy people are about with the change.  drivers will be happier because they don’t have to cautiously/wrecklessly share the road with the cyclers but also it’s safer for the riders themselves.

safety. convenience. respect. – truly awesome what they accomplished.

who woulda thought that i’d find the Mother Nature Network on twitter?!

——-

so for Houston, this is what i see…

it’s the Nicholson/Heights Bike Trail.  the trail runs from 26th st to 7th st on nicholson where it then diverges.  the trail then continues towards the heights blvd and passes through a neighborhood then proceeds to go into downtown Houston.

when i first saw the trail, it wasn’t the most appealing but what do you expect while it’s still being worked on?  but i see a major potential for casual riders.  it’s going to definitely be a shared path with walkers/runners/pedestrians alike but what i like is that it connects the community in the Heights district to that into the downtown.

what’s cool about this trail is that it takes you through all the types of neighborhoods in the Heights.  you see the plush, high end houses but you also go through the middle class area also.  it’s a journey and it’s refreshing.  it kinda rekindled my faith in what Houston has to offer as a city.  i envision how cool the trail would be on the weekends, especially in the mornings with people doing their runs/rides.  it’ll be cool to see a buncha bistros/cafe open along the trail to promote people to stop in for a drink or a bite also.  possibilities are endless.  i wonder who will pounce on it.

the picture above is where the trail is up to so far.  it has major hopes of a fantastic view of the city as you leave the Heights area.  this trail used to be an old railroad track and it’s great to see recreational and functional use of an obsolete route that can bring Houston to be come a great commuter inner city type community.  wouldn’t that be ridiculous?!

also, the trail is adjacent to a pretty retro vibe bike shop, blue line bike lab on white oak blvd.  they got some whimsical bikes but also some great used and new bikes inside to check out.

this is where the train stops.  props to the construction guys and the manager in charge of this project.  it may not seem like the biggest and baddest project for them (coming from an engineer’s perspective) but it’s gonna revolutionize the way we pedal around Houston.

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One thing’s for certain: you can’t fake community, and you can’t force it, either. – Chris Brogan