Texas: Roads and Drought
10-01-11, 12:40 PM
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Texas: Roads and Drought
So the heat is finally down enough to start riding consistently again, and my elbow seems to be healed up. Needing some new tires because I keep getting flats from thorns and other road debris every time I ride now.
..but I noticed something on my last ride, the exceptional drought that is plaguing Texas is doing a number on our roads. The expansive soil is contracting and taking the road surface with it, the result are cracks down the surface most of the time they are just a few millimeters wide, but there are these...
What you really can't see from the photo is that one side of the crack is much taller than the other and the depth of the crack must go down a foot or two.
Good times...
..but I noticed something on my last ride, the exceptional drought that is plaguing Texas is doing a number on our roads. The expansive soil is contracting and taking the road surface with it, the result are cracks down the surface most of the time they are just a few millimeters wide, but there are these...
What you really can't see from the photo is that one side of the crack is much taller than the other and the depth of the crack must go down a foot or two.
Good times...
10-01-11, 12:44 PM
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Some of our local club riders have crashed in the cracks.
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Fred "The Real Fred"
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10-01-11, 01:43 PM
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BR, There are quite a few two lane county roads that I just can't safely ride anymore and that includes on a motorcycle.
Brad
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10-01-11, 02:43 PM
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10-01-11, 07:16 PM
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Sadly, many rural roads are getting chipseal when they are repaired/replaced.
Many of the roads already took a beating from the sub-freezing temperatures last winter and from the heavy trucks used in gas drilling.
Many of the roads already took a beating from the sub-freezing temperatures last winter and from the heavy trucks used in gas drilling.
10-04-11, 10:20 PM
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i know i am ready for some rain around conroe........
10-05-11, 05:18 AM
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Brad
10-05-11, 07:15 AM
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The local hike and bike paths are taking a beating also, but they've gotten better with patching them. I've got a before picture, just haven't taken any after pictures.
10-05-11, 07:26 AM
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Oh my. I head to Texas in a couple of months. I hope the state gets some relief soon.
10-05-11, 11:04 AM
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It helps a lot if you ride the same roads regularly, as you'll know where those cracks are, and where they're bad.
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10-07-11, 08:01 AM
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It's really bad in central Texas. I have to really pay attention to traffic so I don't get pushed into a big crack since they seem the worst closest to the shoulder. If it gets much worse, I might have to ride the mtb on the road, haha. It does make me wonder if I should have bought the Salsa Vaya instead.
10-07-11, 08:49 AM
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I personally think it's amusing that at the start of October, the heat is finally down enough to start cycling regularly, whilst here in Buffalo, the head is down enough to stop cycling regularly.
... well, if you're sane. Hasn't stopped me yet. Yesterday mornings' 37 degree ride was... man I just got chills thinking about it. Makes this mornings 42 degree ride seem like heaven!
... well, if you're sane. Hasn't stopped me yet. Yesterday mornings' 37 degree ride was... man I just got chills thinking about it. Makes this mornings 42 degree ride seem like heaven!
10-07-11, 09:13 AM
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It's really bad in central Texas. I have to really pay attention to traffic so I don't get pushed into a big crack since they seem the worst closest to the shoulder. If it gets much worse, I might have to ride the mtb on the road, haha. It does make me wonder if I should have bought the Salsa Vaya instead.
Brad
10-07-11, 09:16 AM
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I personally think it's amusing that at the start of October, the heat is finally down enough to start cycling regularly, whilst here in Buffalo, the head is down enough to stop cycling regularly.
... well, if you're sane. Hasn't stopped me yet. Yesterday mornings' 37 degree ride was... man I just got chills thinking about it. Makes this mornings 42 degree ride seem like heaven!
... well, if you're sane. Hasn't stopped me yet. Yesterday mornings' 37 degree ride was... man I just got chills thinking about it. Makes this mornings 42 degree ride seem like heaven!
Brad
10-07-11, 09:37 AM
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Heh. I don't do long sleeve until it's under 50. Even then it's not a given; if I plan to be out cycling a long time (metric or more), it'll probably get over 50 at some point, making the long sleeves uncomfortable. This Sunday for example, supposed to start off at 40 and peak at 70, so I'll be doing the short sleeve thing.
10-07-11, 09:56 AM
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Heh. I don't do long sleeve until it's under 50. Even then it's not a given; if I plan to be out cycling a long time (metric or more), it'll probably get over 50 at some point, making the long sleeves uncomfortable. This Sunday for example, supposed to start off at 40 and peak at 70, so I'll be doing the short sleeve thing.
Brad
10-07-11, 10:33 AM
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I personally think it's amusing that at the start of October, the heat is finally down enough to start cycling regularly, whilst here in Buffalo, the head is down enough to stop cycling regularly.
... well, if you're sane. Hasn't stopped me yet. Yesterday mornings' 37 degree ride was... man I just got chills thinking about it. Makes this mornings 42 degree ride seem like heaven!
... well, if you're sane. Hasn't stopped me yet. Yesterday mornings' 37 degree ride was... man I just got chills thinking about it. Makes this mornings 42 degree ride seem like heaven!
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