Cyclesomatic 2012 in Oak Cliff

Bike Friendly Oak Cliff is gearing up for the fourth annual Cyclesomatic, which runs from Sept 29 to Oct 28. The event website calls Cyclesomatic "a celebration of all things bicycle."

The first Cyclesomatic event is an overnight "Tour to the Lake" camping trip scheduled for Sept 29-30. But no need to worry if camping isn't your thing; the event schedule is filled to the brim with rides and other activities throughout October, including many family-friendly rides.

One kid-centered event is iBike Rosemont, about which Bike Friendly Oak Cliff says, "Not many of our events inspire more than this one. None of our events we do mean more. And, none of them have made more of a difference in a child’s life." For the event, students and parents ride their bikes to school every day and then have a celebratory group ride at the end of the week. Bike Friendly Oak Cliff also encourages other schools in the Dallas area to start an iBike program.

If you'll be in Dallas throughout October, don't miss your chance to take part in Cyclesomatic and spend some time with North Texas cyclists!

Houston - Vote YES on Proposition B!

The City of Houston has a bond measure on the ballot this November that will help create more parks and green spaces in the city. Parks By You, who is spearheading the campaign to get the bond passed, intends to use 70 miles of bayous and greenways to give most Houstonians access to parks within 1.5 miles of their residences. These new linear parks and bayou green spaces will be paid for partly through the bond measure and partly through outside matching funds.

The trails that will be built through these parks will increase safety and accessibility for cyclists and pedestrians, as they will no longer have to mix with traffic on busy streets. These off-road trails will make active commutes more pleasant and more attractive to more people.

Some of the benefits of this project include:
Public Health and Safety Benefits:

• Communities will have local neighborhood opportunities to stay active and healthy.
• Increased access to recreational spaces, making it easier for children and adults to play and exercise safely.
• Active communities are safe communities--when people have safe spaces to play, exercise, and interact, crime is reduced.

Transportation Benefits:

• The trails will reduce the necessity for cyclists and pedestrians to travel on dangerous streets. In conjunction with existing infrastructure, the trails will provide an effective system of transportation throughout the city.
• Road traffic congestion and air pollution can be reduced as more people choose to walk or cycle instead of drive.

Environmental Benefits:

• The bayous were built to hold water. In rainy situations the green spaces will decrease overflow that currently floods streets and surrounding neighborhoods.
• The natural filtration systems these green spaces provide will improve water quality--resulting in less spending on water filtration.
• The trees that would adorn these spaces will boost air quality.

The bond measure is Proposition B on the ballot. Please vote Yes for Proposition B and help make Houston greener and more accessible for cyclists and pedestrians!

Zac Ford Fundraiser

Fort Worth resident Zac Ford was the victim of a hit-and-run driver in early August. All he remembers of the incident was riding along on his bicycle and then waking up in a hospital. He was fortunate to have relatively minor injuries, but he was left with a sizeable hospital bill and no bicycle, since his assailant has not yet be caught. To help him out, the Fort Worth bike community rallied around and organized a fundraiser in his honor. Additionally, Zac's friends and fellow cyclists want to be sure that Texas streets and roads are safe for cyclists and pedestrians of all ages, so some of the evening's proceeds went to BikeTexas to help promote bicycle safety and education throughout Texas. The event organizers invited BikeTexas to attend.

About 170 riders departed from Zio Carlos in Fort Worth to the site of the accident and back again. Participants were treated to three live bands, as well as a raffle with prizes donated by local businesses. An organization of air traffic controllers who know Zac came together to get him a new bike, but he was not the only lucky recipient of a new set of wheels that evening: The final raffle prize was a new carbon fiber bike frame and fork. The man who won this bicycle was also without a bicycle due to another hit-and-run accident in back May, but he has not yet fully recovered from his injuries. He tearfully told the crowd that he thought they would release him to get back on the bike in November.

Altogether, about 200 people from Fort Worth and the surrounding communities came out to the fundraiser. BikeTexas is honored to have been invited and receive part of the night's proceeds, but more importantly, we're delighted to see such a strong and dedicated cycling community that wants to make a difference in their city.

Funeral Ride for Iris Stagner

To honor our friend, colleague, and fellow cyclist Iris Stagner, friends of Iris and BikeTexas hosted a memorial ride in Mineral Wells at 1:00 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012, one hour before funeral services for Iris at Indian Creek Baptist Church in Mineral Wells.

The five-mile ride started from the parking lot of the Palo Pinto General Hospital. The ride headed west on US 180, past the site of the crash that took Iris from us, and then proceeded to the nearby church. Cyclists lined up on Indian Creek Road in front of the church for the arrival of the funeral procession. The Palo Pinto County Sheriff's Department provided escort and traffic control for the ride.

About 75 friends of Iris came out for her ride. Butch Stagner, Iris's husband, greeted riders and thanked them for their support.

According to an article in Individual.com, the Mineral Wells Stage Race will be renamed the Iris Stagner Memorial Stage Race.

You can read Iris's obituary here.