The 24Th Freeze Your Fanny run and ride will be held Feb.4 in Longview, TX.  OK, so it’s the 24Th year while we all know that the 23rd year was canceled.  Hopefully, all will go well and the icy roads will be left until after the event.  This once a year fundraiser benefits East Texas Lightnin, a not for profit organization, that provides recreation and athletic training for individuals with mental disabilities.  The organization services 200 athletes that participate in seven Special Olympics events in the East Texas area, as well as, state competitions.

FYF offers a 5k/10 run option and a bike tour boasting a metric century, 50,40,30 and 10 mile routes. Another boast is that you will never be hungry when you participate in this event, the early morning continental breakfast, homemade cookies at all rest stops and Wendy’s chili at the finish line.  No, you don’t go to eat but it never hurts to cover your bases.  The scenic routes are worthy of a camera if you take the time, and you have the opportunity to stop and pet the cows as long as you remember that the course closes at 2:00p.m.

Registration for the event can be done electronically at www.active.com or you can go to the website www.freezeyourfanny.com for a hard copy of the registration form.  While your on the web check out the event on facebook.

Top 10 questions for Freeze your Fanny, David Letterman style

10.  Are there any hills?
9.  It doesn’t get that cold it East Texas. Does it?
8.  Is that a motorcycle cop behind us?
7.  What does the long sleeve tshirt look like this year?
6.  Was that a cow on the road?
5.  Will there be oatmeal raisin cookies at the last rest stop?
4.  Are they really homemade?
3.  Did I intentionally sign up for the 62?
2.  Will there be hot chocolate this year?
1.  (drum roll) Are frozen bananas healthy?

For more information on the event go to the website or contact pmjc@sbcglobal.net.

The 6th Annual David Eikenburg Memorial Bike Ride benefiting Camp Agape invites you to join their cause on July 9, 2011.

We were lucky enough to be granted an interview with Maegan Eikenburg, one of the daughters of David Eikenburg  and also one of the organizers of the David Eikenburg Memorial Bike Ride to ask some questions about their upcoming ride.

Who is “David”?

David, the pastor, was a man who touched everyone he met. He had the biggest heart of gold. He was willing to help the homeless on the street as well as the man who had everything. He was no respecter of persons. David had an excitement and relentless energy that overflowed to the congregation. He loved the Lord and he spent day-in day-out doing what Jesus would do. He would sit with the family during a critical surgery, hold the hand of a friend dying of cancer, take a blind lady to the store for groceries, buy a tank of gas for the down and out, organize a group to help a widow move, visit the stranger in the jail, rescue a teenager in trouble, and with his unyielding strength, he was there during a crisis for whatever was needed. David loved missions and during his ministry, he organized and participated in many mission trips to Venezuela, Brazil, Nicaragua, and Ecuador.

How long has the event been around and how did it start?

This marks the sixth annual David’s Ride.  This ride was started to honor our beloved pastor, father, husband and friend, David Eikenburg, who died tragically in a cycling accident on July 11, 2005. He died doing what he loved, but his first love and passion was to share the love of Jesus. Every year we honor him with this bike ride, remembering what he loved, and then to glorify God by continuing David’s legacy and passion for spreading the Good News to people everywhere.

What was the motivation behind starting the tour and who benefits from it?

After experiencing such a tragic loss in our family, we saw the need to support a ministry that would reach children that have experienced the loss of a loved one.  Often times when a family experiences death, the focus is on the adults and the children are left behind and confused. Camp Agape provides an environment where children are surrounded with other children who are also grieving.  Our family believes in the mission of Camp Agape and is committed to making sure no child is left behind in the event of a death in the family.  All proceeds go to Camp Agape, a Christian bereavement camp for children who have lost a loved one.

How have they been able to utilize the funds in the past?

All funds raised from David’s Ride are donated to Camp Agape, a Christian bereavement camp for children who have lost a loved one. It costs approximately $200 for 1 camper to attend the camp and is free of charge for the camper. With the money donated from last year’s ride we were able to sponsor 20 children and assist in the healing of their hurting hearts.

Logistically, can you give us an idea how many volunteers, finances, and planning it takes to put on this event?

An event of this magnitude takes countless hours of planning and many volunteers to execute.  In regards to funds, we tend to operate on a very small budget.  We try not to lose sight of the fact that the money we raise (minus our expenses) go to benefit young lives who might have lost a significant loved one in their lives just like David’s daughters did.

What was the most rewarding experience throughout the years hosting this event?

The most rewarding experience for our family is at the beginning of the event.  We all stand together and take the site in, knowing that all these riders are riding for David, when he can’t. We say a prayer for the safety of the riders and then the ride begins. It is absolutely breath taking to see all the riders take off into the sunrise.

How many riders do you assist during the average race?

We anticipate 400 riders this year.

What was the most unforgettable experience or worst accident you had in this event? (prefer the rewarding/unforgettable experience ;o))
The most unforgettable experience was in 2007 a huge thunder storm came into the area the early morning of our ride.  We prayed and miraculously the rain ceased and storm moved on 5 minutes before the ride started.  The weather was cool and lightly breezy and made for an awesome day.

What can folks do to support you and your mission?

We are a nonprofit organization; therefore, we do not have a large marketing budget. We rely primarily on word of mouth advertizing. So the biggest support we could get is spreading the word about David’s Ride.  Other ways that people can support David’s Ride is through donations and volunteering their time on the day of the event.

What is your role in this race and to the success of it?

Our family is the core team of David’s Ride. We raise the funds, mark the routes, design the t-shirts, advertise the ride throughout the nation, gather volunteers and above all promote cycling for Christ.

Do you ride and if yes, what kind of bicycle do you ride and what is your favorite route in your area?

I (Maegan – one of David’s daughters) started cycling after my father’s accident.  I wanted to participate in the ride because it made me feel close to my dad.  I ride a Trek.  I’ve ridden several of the routes for over the years, but my favorite is the 70 mile route.  All the routes follow back country roads with rest stops at local churches. It is neat to see my dad’s legacy throughout the ride in many different areas.

Which are your top 3 favorite MUST DO rides in Texas (besides your own)?

MS150 (Houston to Austin, TX), Goatneck (Cleburne, TX) and Hotter n Hell (Whichita Falls, TX)

Additional stuff you would like the folks to know about?

Every year it amazes me the great feedback for our riders.  Below is a ride review that we received from a cyclist in 2009.

The David Eikenburg Memorial Bike Ride is definitely a ride to remember. It is not only a ride that remembers a great man who left a wonderful legacy but it is a ride that you must remember to mark your calendars for next year, July 10^th, 2010.  This year’s ride hit an all time high with a record number of 250 riders.

This was my 1^st year to ride in the bike ride and I was a little scared of what might be to come but what a great experience it turned out to be.  The staff and volunteers were all so friendly and encouraging, from the moment I walked up to register until the time I crossed the finish line and enjoyed a wonderful free BBQ lunch.  The scenery was beautiful.  Empty winding roads through Texas farmlands that don’t necessary go anywhere in particular.  As I rode the ride I wasn’t sure exactly where I was going but the routes were marked with paint on the pavement and color coded signs on the side of the road.  Those who organized this ride hit the markings right on the nose.  The directions were easy to follow and clearly marked at each turn.  It was so wonderful to see all of God great creations and to ride the same roads that David Eikenburg once road.  I felt like I was able to share the road with him as I pedaled my heart out.  Each ride was supported by numerous rest stops.  To say the rest stops were awesome is not enough. The rest stops were stocked with plenty of sandwiches, cookies, and fruit slices.  It was so encouraging to pull into a rest stop and have the volunteers cheer for you, but it didn’t stop there because as soon as we stopped the volunteers ran up and filled our water bottles with Gatorade and water as we rested up for the next leg of the ride.  This was so encouraging especially during those times when I thought I just couldn’t go any further. The ride was also supported by SAG support and a bike technician that was able to meet any rider during the ride to fix flat tires or bike problems.

What made the David Eikenburg Memorial Bike Ride even more special was the charity all the proceeds go to.  Camp Agape is a free Christian bereavement camp for children who have lost a loved one.   The David Eikenburg Memorial Bike Ride had all the trimmings and I felt pampered the whole time.  One thing I have learned is that all rides are different but this one left me with a great feeling in my heart because it was put on by a Christian family that not only wants to remember their husband, father and friend but they want to continue his legacy by sharing the love of God with all those around them.

 

Thanks Maegan Eikenburg for this quick interview and we hope to catch everyone at the ride!

Click here to view the event details of the 6th Annual David Eikenburg Memorial Bike Ride

Date:May 02, 2010

Event: Loop 1604 Peloton Ride

Location: Spectrum Club at Rogers Ranch

Entry Fees Per Route: $75.00:  $75.00

About the Race:

Ride like a professional! Join us for a fast 100 mile ride around San Antonio’s Loop 1604. Ride is escorted by SAPD motorcycle police. Three SAG vehicles will be on hand to provide nutriition at key points during the ride. Group will stay together as a peloton and ride at 20mph. Duration of the ride is approximately 5 hours. Also included is an event tshirt and post ride pizza party!

Flyer: http://www.brittonbikes.com/hcsa-events/loop-1604-ride/loop-1604.htm

Registration: http://www.active.com/triathlon/san-antonio-tx/san-antonio-peloton-ride-2010

Additional Info:

SAG vehicles will be available for riders needing to rest for a few miles. Rider will be transported ahead of the peloton to reconnect. Electrolyte replacement, water, bananas and gels or bars will also be provided.

Website: http://www.brittonbikes.com/hcsa-events/loop-1604-ride/loop-1604.htm

Just how fast can a Texan pedal a bike?

Here in Austin, home of perhaps the most powerful pair of quads in the world, plenty of bicyclists are trying to find out.

They gather for weekly hammerhead training rides that depart area coffeehouses and bike shops. They line up for a 33-week bike race series staged on a track in East Austin. They drop $3,000 to $5,000 on road racing bikes that weigh considerably less than the tricycle you had as a kid.

Austin’s warm climate, varied terrain and obsession with fitness make it a great place for budding bike racers. And yes, there’s the Lance Armstrong effect. The seven-time winner of the Tour de France is regularly spotted training on the hills around town. Talk about motivation!

‘It’s definitely the hottest scene in Texas,’ says Andrew Willis, president of the Texas Bicycle Racing Association, the governing body of bike racing in the state, and the head of Holland Racing, every Thursday from March to October.

The Driveway Series isn’t exactly the Tour de France, but it does epitomize local bike racing.

Announcers call the action as cyclists zoom past on a privately owned, twisty paved loop usually reserved for race cars and motorized go-carts. Sponsors names hang from temporary fencing. Cyclists and fans dissect the action while munching burgers grilled under a tent. Riders throw their hands high as they blow across the finish line.

‘Anybody who races bikes in Austin does the Crit Series – it’s the perfect balance of racing and community,’ says John Trujillo, 27, a local racer who competes nearly every week in the series, which started March 18.

The races at the Driveway are staged on a 2.2-mile course that is partly shaded and partly exposed. Depending on how it is configured – eight variations can be set up, and they rotate each week – the route can be completely flat or include up to 90 feet of elevation gain. Sometimes the course is technical; other times it’s almost straight.

‘Other places will have group rides, but to have mock races on a closed course where the pavement is really smooth and there are officials and responsible parties should anything go wrong, and skills clinics available – that’s really unique,’ says Kate Sherwin, 30, a former professional racer who still rides in the Driveway Series.

The weekly event draws about 300 racers and spectators from as far away as Houston, San Antonio and Dallas. The races are divided into skill-based levels from beginners to elite. (In bike racing terminology, categories range from category 5 for entry-level riders to category 1, the top level in amateur racing.) There’s even a Kids Fun Lap, a special master’s series in June and July, and Ladies Night once a month hosted by the Austin Flyers cycling club.

For several years, Austin also hosted a downtown bike criterium, staged on urban roads around City Hall. Because of a lack of sponsors this year, that race has been canceled.

But bike racing isn’t for folks with light wallets.

Nearly 90 percent of bike racers are men, between the ages of 35 and 45 years old, with a healthy amount of disposable income. According to the National Association of Sporting Goods, the average household income of a bike racer is $75,000. The average racing bike costs about $3,500, but that number can easily climb to $5,000 or more. In Texas, 30 percent of racers earn between $100,000 and $150,000, and about half have bachelor’s degrees, according to a 2007 survey by Racing Post, a Dallas-based cycling magazine.

According to USA Cycling, the governing body of bike racing in the United States, Texas trails only California in the number of licensed bike racers.

The fastest-growing segment of racers is 50-years-and-older males who have retired from impact sports like running and triathlon. Cycling isn’t as hard on the knees.

But it is fierce, which might partly explain why it’s more popular among men than women.

‘Racing is really competitive, it’s ego-driven, and it doesn’t have the feel of a multi-sport event. People show up, they race, they check results and go home,’ Willis says.

Willis, a former professional racer himself, is now more involved in the business side of the sport. Last year he took over the Driveway Series from Barry Lee, who had started it in 2006.

‘It’s an incredibly rewarding sport,’ Willis says. ‘It forces you to stay focused, set goals and work toward them in a way just (recreational) cycling doesn’t.’

By Pamela LeBlanc of austin360.com – Link to Original Article here

The following is a guest post by Chip Seal of http://chipsea.blogspot.com/.  He has had several run in’s with the Ennis Police Department and here is his personal take on this situation:

—

I had learned to ride a bicycle in California, and rode it for thousands and thousands of miles in that state. So when I took up cycling again in Texas in 2006, I wanted to be sure I understood Texas bicycle specific law and how to safely navigate on a streetscape that had few wide lanes like had experienced in California.

Texas law was straightforward: In Texas, bicycles are vehicles, so they have the rights and duties of all other traffic. Texas cyclists have the statutory right to the roadway, (travel lane) and a duty to follow all the traffic rules like automobiles.

Four years later, and after traveling 12,000 miles in Texas traffic, I was confident that I understood what the Texas Transportation Code (TTC) said. The City of Ennis says that I don’t know what I am talking about.

The way they interpret the TTC, a cyclist in the City of Ennis must either abandon the roadway and ride on a shoulder any time other traffic comes by, or a cyclist can only operate on a roadway in a school zone. (The only place a cyclist can travel close to the maximum posted speed limit.) The Jury wasn’t clear as to which result they preferred.

One of the officers who ticketed me said under oath that he had only stopped two other cyclists in the past year, and neither of them for “impeding traffic”, the crime I am accused of. He also testified that I was the only operator of any type of vehicle that he had cited for impedance.

This surprised me, for there have been only a handful of cyclists in Ennis that I have seen over the past two years who were operating lawfully.

I was likewise surprised I had been the only illegal impeder he had ever seen! Indeed many common vehicles in and around Ennis cause other traffic to slow, but are commonly accepted and not considered “impeding”. For example, traffic is impeded all the time by folks making left turns, vehicles pulling a heavy load, driving below the speed limit when towing other vehicles, slowing to park or turn into a driveway, garbage collection trucks, mail delivery vehicles, and the operation of a farm or construction vehicles on the public streets whose primary purpose isn’t transportation.

I am therefore not fully convinced that my cycling has been treated like all the other vehicles by the City of Ennis. But maybe I am wrong about this. If so, I would expect any vehicle unable to keep up with automobiles, like farm equipment, will be ticketed if they venture into Ennis this year. It may be a new enforcement policy!

In fact, the roads in Ennis have ceased to be public roads if the severest interpretation of the jury is adopted. The only vehicles that would be allowed on the formally public streets of Ennis are those that have obtained prior approval from the government to drive on them, and are carrying documents that can prove that. No unregistered vehicles allowed.

22 Annual Freeze your Fanny

• February 6, 2010, Doris Mcqueen Primary – 6000 Airline Road @ US Hwy. 259
• http://freezeyourfanny.com/

25th Annual Super Bowl Sunday Ride

• Sunday – February 7, 2010 Multiple Cities in Texas
• http://www.greaterdallasbicyclists.com/specialevents/superbowlsunday.html

Kiepersol Estates Beauty and the Beast 22nd Annual Bicycle Tour

• March 20, 2010, Bullard, TX
• http://www.tylerbicycleclub.com/

“SPRING FEVER 2010″

• Saturday, March 20, 2010, Sulphur Springs, Texas
• http://www.sspilotclub.org/

8^th Annual smoking ‘Spokes Bike Ride

• Saturday March 27, 2010, Downtown Salado Pace Park
• http://smokinspokes.homestead.com/

Gatherin’ Steam Dogwood Bicycle Ride

• Saturday, April 3, 2010, Texas
• http://www.palestinechamber.org/

Tour Dallas

• April 3, 2010, Dallas City Hall
• http://www.tourdallas.org/home.html

Moritz Chevrolet Ride for Heroes

• April 17, 2010, Aledo
• http://www.rideforheroes.org/index.php/ride-for-heroes-2009/21

Tour de Cypress Sixth Annual Bike Race and Tour

• Saturday, April 17, 2010, Mount Vernon, Franklin County, Texas
• http://www.tourdecypress.com/

Muenster Germanfest 30th Annual Metric Century Bicycle Rally

• Saturday, April 24, 2010, North Texas
• http://www.nortexinfo.net/gfest/bike.htm

MS: Sam’s Club Ride 2010

• May 1st and 2nd 2010, Texas, Dallas
• http://biketxh.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?fr_id=13371&pg=entry

Next Head for the Hills

• May 8, 2010, Cedar Hills
• http://www.headforthehillsrally.com/

Hill Country Cycling Adventure

• May 13 – 16, 2010

23^rd Annual Cross Timbers Classic

• Saturday, May 15, 2010, Texas
• http://www.cross-timbers.org/

Schulenburg Steeple Chase

• Sugar Cycles Bike Ride – Saturday, Saturday, March 27^th
• http://schulenburgchamber.org/ email: Info@SchulenburgChamber.org

2010 WildRide! Against Cancer & 5K Trail Walk

• Saturday, May 15, 2010, Richardson
• http://richardsonregional.com/

Ride of Silence

• Wednesday, May 19, 2010, Hundreds of locations world wide
• http://www.rideofsilence.com/main.php

Comanche Cyclone  – 2010 Cyclone

• Saturday, June 5, 2010, Comanche
• http://www.comanchecyclone.org/index.html

Gateway to Texas Get-A-Way Tour

• June 9-13, 2010
• http://www.red-river.net/Cycle/cycle.htm email: redrivercc@1starnet.com

The Collin Classic Routes for 2010

• Saturday, June 12, 2010, McKinney
• http://www.collinclassic.org/home.html

Fire-Ant 100K Bicycle Tour

• Saturday, June 12, 2010
• http://www.bicycletexas.com/fireant100k.htm email: Lwhite8@juno.com

Deb Tribble Memorial Ride For Pride

• Saturday, July 3^rd, 2010
• http://www.grandviewchamber.net/ email: info@grandviewchamber.net

Tour the Peanut Country, 11^th Annual Bike Ride

• Saturday July 17th., 2010, Gorman, Texas
• http://www.peanutbikeride.com/

25^th Annual Tour d’Italia

• Saturday, June 19, 2010, Italy, TX
• http://www.tourditalia.com/

Peach Pedal

• Saturday, July 10, 2010 – Weatherford, Texas
• http://www.peachpedal.com/

Goatneck 100 – Goatneck Bike

• Saturday, July 31st, 2010, Cleburne High School
• http://www.thegoatneck.com/

Plano Fun Ride

• Tentative event schedule: July 31 or August 7, 2010
• http://www.planofunride.org/ email: mdakolb@verizon.net

Rockwall Rotary’s 24th Hot Rocks

• Saturday, August 7, 2010, Rockwall, TX
• http://www.rockwallrotary.org/BicycleRace.cfm

Hotter’N Hell 100

• Saturday, August 28, 2010, Michelob Ultra
• http://www.hh100.org/

Cowtown Classic

• Tentative, Saturday, 9/11/10.
• http://cowtownclassicbikeride.org/ email: cowtownclassicbikeride@hotmail.com

24th Annual Autumn in Bonham Bike Rally & Expo

• Friday, September 24th - Saturday, September 25th., 2010
• http://www.bonhamchamber.com/aib/autumn.htm email: bonhamchamber@cableone.net
  

Lone Star Ride Fighting AIDS

• Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas – 9/25/2010 6:30 am – 9/26/2010 5:00 pm
• http://www.lonestarride.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=335098

North Texas Bicycle Rally

• Friday, October 2, 2010
• http://www.ntbicyclerally.org/

19th Annual Pineywoods Purgatory

• Saturday, October 2, 2010
• http://www.pineywoodspurgatory.com/ email: lhlionsc@consolidated.net

Tour de Possum

• Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010 – Spring Lake Park, Texarkana, TX
• http://www.texarkanacycling.com/ email: mbpedalpusher @ aol.com

Wish 100

• October 9, 2010
• http://www.wish100.org/ email: EMichel@NorthTexasWish.org

8th Annual Quicksilver Paluxy Pedal

• Saturday, October 2, 2010, Glen Rose, Texas
• http://www.paluxypedal.com/

Tour D’ Trails 2010

• Saturday, October 9, 2010
• http://www.bicycletexas.com/tourdtrails.htm email: jldavis@peoplescom.net

Wheels for Life

• Saturday, October 16, 2010
• http://christianhomes.com/index.php/events/wheels-for-life email: attn@christianhomes.com

Springtown Spin

• Saturday, October 23, 2010
• http://www.tcyc4kids.org/ email: tech@BikeReg.com

Pedal 2 Paris

• October 23 & 24, 2010