Bike Date
#2
Posted 31 December 2011 - 12:43 PM
#3
Posted 31 December 2011 - 01:21 PM
Great pics.
Better Business Bureau: A place to find or post valid complaints for auto delerships and maintenance facilities. (New Features) If you have a valid gripe about auto dealerships, this is the place to voice it.
#4
Posted 31 December 2011 - 10:49 PM
Doohickie, it looks like you and your wife had a lot of fun. I like Los Vaqueros and I miss their Berry Street location.
#5
Posted 01 January 2012 - 12:35 AM
As much as I liked having Los Vaqueros nearby on Berry, it really didn't capture the ambiance of the Mains Street location.
And yeah... get a bike. There are several paths from downtown to cool destinations, and not just via Trinity Trails. There is a group called the Night Riders (you can find them on Facebook) that does a pub crawl ride every Sunday evening; meet at the Chat Room Pub on Magnolia at 7, leave at 7:30. You can get to the Stockyards via the Trinity Trails, Main Street, or Samuels Ave. A new bike/pedestrian bridge is under construction that will connect the near West Side with Trinity Park. Lots of cools bike routes. The Trinity Trails is a good start, but there is so much more to cycling in Fort Worth than that.
#6
Posted 01 January 2012 - 10:17 AM
JBB, a lot of times when I do extra day off or holiday rides, we will ride to the Stockyards from our houses (usually we will meet at the trailhead by Hoffbrau on University). Having Mexican Food in the middle of a ride is not that bad. I have rarely had trouble after eating a heavy meal.
#8
Posted 01 January 2012 - 07:20 PM
David, I would highly encourage you to get a bicycle. It's great exercise and you get to see a lot of interesting scenery. Living in The Tower, you have easy access to the Trinity Trails. I would also encourage any of our other forum members who do not own a bicycle to get one.
Doohickie, it looks like you and your wife had a lot of fun. I like Los Vaqueros and I miss their Berry Street location.
I'm definitely getting one here pretty quick, we now have bike routes between the tower and my shop so I have zero excuses.
One thing I find "odd" on the streets with the Bike Route designation like Jones, it says bikes can use the ENTIRE lane. So does that mean they're not supposed to ride in the middle of the street on a non bike lane street?
I also see security bikes and police bikes ride on side walks downtown, makes perfect sense with road way congestion etc... but the general public can't ride on a sidewalk at any time, is this correct?
Red Lights, Can bicycles go through them when no cars are around or is that just something Police Bikes are allowed to do?
Better Business Bureau: A place to find or post valid complaints for auto delerships and maintenance facilities. (New Features) If you have a valid gripe about auto dealerships, this is the place to voice it.
#9
Posted 01 January 2012 - 10:34 PM
#10
Posted 02 January 2012 - 01:11 AM
I'm definitely getting one here pretty quick, we now have bike routes between the tower and my shop so I have zero excuses.
One thing I find "odd" on the streets with the Bike Route designation like Jones, it says bikes can use the ENTIRE lane. So does that mean they're not supposed to ride in the middle of the street on a non bike lane street?
To maintain continuity on roads that have bike lanes, but in some sections do not have space for a bike lane, the city will put up signage saying that the bike may use full lane when the bike route follows the traffic lane. This does not prohibit a cyclist from using the traffic lane when there is no designated bike route.
I also see security bikes and police bikes ride on side walks downtown, makes perfect sense with road way congestion etc... but the general public can't ride on a sidewalk at any time, is this correct?
I actually don't know what the law is in Fort Worth, but I know it is common in downtown areas of cities to prohibit cyclists on the sidewalk. There are reasons security and police do have bicycles on the sidewalk, but this doesn't change any prohibition of "civilian" cyclists from sidewalks.
Red Lights, Can bicycles go through them when no cars are around or is that just something Police Bikes are allowed to do?
Legally, no. However, I've followed the following haiku successfully:
I stop for people
whose right of way I honor.
But not for no one.
Just bear in mind that when you might take liberties you are representing all cyclists. I try to ensure that I NEVER violate the right of way of other vehicles, whether I am driving a car or riding a bike.
#11
Posted 02 January 2012 - 08:01 AM
#12
Posted 02 January 2012 - 04:59 PM
With Trinity Bicycles moving downtown to Sundance you'll have a great resource for getting and maintaining a bike!
I'm looking at the police bikes, just a stock 24 to 27 gear Fuji bikes you see downtown, I figure if it works for them should work for what I need.
Better Business Bureau: A place to find or post valid complaints for auto delerships and maintenance facilities. (New Features) If you have a valid gripe about auto dealerships, this is the place to voice it.
#13
Posted 19 May 2012 - 09:53 PM
We rented bicycles from Trinity Bicycles downtown. A really nice shop. A supreme location. (In general, sure it's supreme for me as I am looking at it out my window.) Interesting to have a bike shop in such a premium building. (no non-millionaires live in Sundance West. A few billionaires do.) But somehow it works. I guess because it is such a nice shop. It does have a very central location and sure enough is handy to the Trinity River Trails. (Exactly my target) People in the shop all get an A+. They did not treat me like a dope when I asked them if the bikes shifted and where was the clutch. Not kidding. The last time I was on a bike was 20 years ago and they were Sears bikes I paid 100 bucks for. (they were worth 40) These bikes were amazingly good. Really easy to operate as well as efficient. (fast speed, little energy)
What a great time I had. My wife, Debbie, and I have been wanting to get our feet wet on bicycles. I was waiting until I was in good shape. Of course being in good shape running and being in good shape riding a bike are two different things. I am in good shape now (for those that don't know I got three thumb size stents put in my chest on Sept. 21) Since then I have been exercising big time and eating only the most perfect foods. (Only whole grains, vegetables and fruit. No animal products or oil or nuts or anything else.) I have lost 35 lbs. or more as a result. Losing 35 lbs. does not hurt on a bike either. I could not have felt better. I am ready to roll. Sit down... I took my camera with my 50mm 1.2L on it. I was worried about falling but was not a problem. We are planning our next bike event. Want to grab my nephew and his new bride living in The Firestone Apartments. They don't have bikes either.
His name is Charles
Bernie Scheffler (I think he is the Main Man there)
#14
Posted 20 May 2012 - 07:21 PM
You are right, you photographed Bernie Scheffler. He used to post around here on the forum as Bernd. I actually visited with him this evening because I was downtown shooting the Sundance buildings site before construction actually begins. He was leaving his shop and bicycling home and I caught him in Downtown. He lives only a few blocks from me. Then, in Ryan Place, he was going down a cross street, as I was heading southbound on his street. I waited for him as he passed by and we visited for a few more minutes in a place better for conversing on the street.
#15
Posted 20 May 2012 - 08:04 PM
#16
Posted 21 May 2012 - 10:19 AM
If you're not aware, they moved to this location earlier this year. Previously they were on South Main across from ABC Flag. I believe they are paying about the same per square foot for the Sundance location (although in a slightly smaller shop, so the overall rent is cheaper), but they have far more walk-in traffic and significant rental bike income. Business-wise, moving to downtown was a no-brainer. In fact, they now have enough business to support (kind of) 4 employees including the two owners.A supreme location. (In general, sure it's supreme for me as I am looking at it out my window.) Interesting to have a bike shop in such a premium building. (no non-millionaires live in Sundance West. A few billionaires do.) But somehow it works. I guess because it is such a nice shop. It does have a very central location and sure enough is handy to the Trinity River Trails. (Exactly my target) People in the shop all get an A+. They did not treat me like a dope when I asked them if the bikes shifted and where was the clutch. Not kidding. The last time I was on a bike was 20 years ago
They do understand that a lot of people buying (or renting) a bike haven't ridden in years, and for all their wealth of knowledge, are not real snooty about it. I built my first wheel last year, and they guided me through the process.
I ride with Charles regularly. His quite an interesting dude. The Fairmount Bike Taxi also seems to be expanding. The woman (Robin) who started it had one or two taxis and was using them mostly for special events. They recently bought several more taxis and have recruited legs to pedal them for the upcoming Colonial Golf Tournament this weekend.His name is Charles
Yep, Bernie is the main man. Bernie and Bryan McHendry own the place.Bernie Scheffler (I think he is the Main Man there)
Concur. One of the more periods when you are most likely to take a fall is when you first start to ride after a long layoff. I fell on one of my first rides in 2008 after 20+ years away the bike. I cracked the helmet but aside from a few minor scratches was otherwise uninjured. I know a lot of people don't wear helmets and that's their decision, but I always advice new/returning riders to get one when they are first starting out.Brian, where were your helmets? Please protect your head.
Had been so long since I had ridden a bike a helmet did not even cross my mind. (I need to get a helmet,or two)
#17
Posted 21 May 2012 - 11:47 AM
#18
Posted 21 May 2012 - 01:28 PM
On the helmet issue, I always ride with one, even if I'm riding around the block or down the street.
#19
Posted 22 May 2012 - 02:29 PM
Best believe I aint going no where!!
#20
Posted 23 May 2012 - 09:09 AM
I'm not sure what the difference is between "all kinds of parts for bicycles" and "cyclist stuff" is. They are a full service bicycle shop. If they don't have it for you, they can usually get it in less than a week. (Their stock may be a bit thin in some places because they just moved locations a couple months ago.)Does the bike shop stock all kinds of parts for bicycles or is primarily cyclist stuff??
#21
Posted 28 May 2012 - 09:14 PM
On Saturday, my wife suggested a trail ride. Noting the wind out of the southwest, I suggested riding out to Benbrook so we would have the wind at our backs on the return trip. She asked whether there was a place to eat along the way and I said that no, it's really just the trail. We parked at LMRA and rode down Bellaire toward the trail. It's a scenic trail that runs through a largely wooded area, providing good shade. We rode all the way to the Art Cowsen Trailhead and kept going. We followed the trail along Winscott Road (in this case, I really appreciate the two-way bike paths on either side of the road). We chose the path on the south side of the road. When we saw the steep incline, I thought that would be far enough for my wife. She looked at her odometer, though, and said if we went a little further she could set a personal best for longest ride. The hill was steeper than she wanted, so we crossed over to the other side of the street and into the residential area. After riding a little further, we realized we were just a few blocks from Route 377 and decided to look for a place for lunch.
I remembered that I didn't bring the lock, so we stopped at Tractor Supply Company and picked up a cable lock (intended for deer blinds, so it is weather-proofed and camouflaged). Then we saw an antique mall and decided to check out their tea room. The food was great and the service was friendly. Back on the bikes, we started back. I got a flat, then another. I only had one tube, so we were dead in the water at the trailhead. We called our son who brought the patch kit and I fixed the tube. We continued back to LMRA uneventfully and my wife set her personal best at 14 miles. There were a few times where she might have bailed out and shortened the ride, but she was determined.
Then on Sunday she said she's never been to Paris Coffee Shop and suggested we ride there for breakfast to start the Memorial Day holiday. I pointed out that it was 9 miles each way and asked if she really thought she could do it, but once she makes up her mind....
So we did the ride. It was quite easy with wind at our backs in the morning, and I picked the flattest route I could find and we set out. We made the trip in just under an hour, including traffic and a brief break to drink some water. We headed for home and it took a little longer because of one significant hill (going south from Westcreek Park) that she barely made it up and a bit of a headwind. When we we got close to home, we decided to ride through our neighborhood so she could say she rode 20 miles. When we finished she had 22 miles for the trip, shattering her previous best from a couple of days before.
Yes, she rode this behemoth 22 miles
Due to construction on James Ave. northbound at Seminary, we cut over to 6th and eventually over to 5th. Then we rode through Shaw Clarke neighborhood (hi, avvy!), down Woodlands and College, toward Travis Ave. Baptist Church, then under the train tracks at Lowden and up Adams toward Ryan Place and Fairmount.
Breakfast (she had pie for breakfast)
We rode back on Ryan Avenue to Rosemont Park, then jogged over to 8th Ave. which turns into James at Seminary. We got off James and rode through the Seminary campus.
Stopping to smell the roses at the campus of Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary
A stop closer to home.
It's been a fun journey so far.
#22
Posted 04 June 2012 - 01:37 PM
The ride started out fine. We rode through the southside neighborhoods to the Corner Bakery downtown. Shaw Clarke:
Capps Park (Travis Ave. Baptist Church in background):
On arrival at Corner Bakery:
After breakfast, we went to Trinity Bicycles. B was getting too much sun in her face, so she tried a cycling cap. Then we made a wrong move: We were feeling pretty good and decided on a different route back- West on 7th to Trinity Park, through the Colonial Country Club and TCU areas, then home. The heat and the hills in that area turned out be too much for us, especially B, who hasn't done too many hill climbs yet. We stopped at the McD's on Berry near University and got some refreshment and cooled off. From TCU we set a course that would minimize further hills but still be close to the shortest possible ride. We headed to the SW Baptist Seminary campus. By the time we got to the south end of the campus, though, B was done (and I wasn't far behind). Our son drove over to pick us up.
She ended up with a pretty ugly heat rash/sunburn on her legs. Very red and blotchy. It doesn't hurt so I thought it's more heat rash than sunburn (although it looked more like a tan this morning, so maybe it was sunblock malfunction). I think she might have finished the ride except for that. We learned to start our longer summer rides earlier day, or if we start later, to plan for a shorter, simpler route with fewer hills. Sometimes a ride is successful because it helps you find out where your limits are.
#23
Posted 04 June 2012 - 09:31 PM
#24
Posted 05 June 2012 - 07:42 AM
It was a tough call. My instincts said it was gonna be a hot return, but B has been steadily exceeding my expectations and has been up for any challenge. It's all a learning experience. After a day off Sunday, we did 12 miles around the neighborhood last night.
With the rain predicted for this week, we wanted to get a ride in while we could.
#25
Posted 04 July 2012 - 12:30 PM
Cruisin' through Wedgwood:
My wife holds romantic visions of restoring these two old houses on Merida, just south of Gambrell. I can't help but think of them as "drafty old houses" like George and Mary Bailey's house in "It's a Wonderful Life" and I'm not the guy to fix them up.
This is how we roll through the industrial district.
My wife eyes the menu at Cafe Brazil.
I've been there a few times, but this is the first time I'm writing it up. Service is a little different. Normal sit-down table service for the most part, but if you want coffee, you have to get your own. There are many choices each day in the rack of coffee urns, and you can pick whatever you want. Lots of different blends and flavors for the coffee snob in you.
I ordered a Classic Breakfast, but for some reason my picture of it got messed up. Picture two large plates, one with pancakes (or french toast or pancrepes, which are egg-dipped fried crepes), a couple eggs and a bunch o' bacon, all cooked just right.
My wife got a half order of French Toast with Fruit. Yes, this is indeed the half order.
The fruit is fresh cut, and it is glazed with both Crème Anglaise and Raspberry Sauce. (Crème Anglaise is like a slightly thinner version of the frosting on cinnamon rolls.) Delicious. I would characterize the prices as medium to low; breakfast for two with coffee for me and iced tea for my wife came to under $20 before the tip. I definitely recommend Cafe Brazil, not only for breakfast, but lunch and dinner too.
Pausing for a drink on the way home.
Clarke Elementary School on Shaw Street, the heart of the Shaw Clarke Neighborhood and Fort Worth's 2011 Neighborhood of the Year. This is not by any means a privileged area; it is mostly working class folks and young families in a tight knit little area of the city.
Stopping to pose on the campus of Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary.
James Grocery & Grill. It looks a little worn in, but the people there are very nice. They asked why we were taking pictures and my wife told them we like to check out different neighborhoods and write about them.
Unlike our last bike breakfast date, when we got going late on one of the first hot days of the year, we finished. Last time, our son drove out to James Grocery and picked us up. This time we started earlier and we made it home.
#26
Posted 04 July 2012 - 05:19 PM
Bruce Burton
#27
Posted 13 January 2013 - 06:30 PM
I should have posted on this many months ago. I went to elementary school at George C. Clarke Elementary.
0 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users