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  • Fri, April 10, 2020 9:45 AM | Lorraine Leonard (Administrator)

    Lake Benbrook Park is Closed

    Yesterday we were informed by Terry Schmidt, the lead ranger for Lake Benbrook Park that the park is closed, and cyclists should not ride through the park.

    To avoid negative consequences for riders, please respect the Corps of Engineer's decision to close the Lake Benbrook Park.

    Thank you,

    Lorraine L Leonard, President


  • Thu, March 19, 2020 4:05 PM | Lorraine Leonard (Administrator)

    Yesterday, March 18, 2020, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a statewide disaster declaration.

    “Abbott said Texans should gather in groups of no more than 10 people and that they should avoid large crowds.”

    Following the Governors declaration, the CDC’s closures recommendations, and the President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America to limit group numbers and practice social distancing, the Fort Worth Bicycling Association will suspend hosting bicycling events through the end of April.

    Please continue to ride your bike and enjoy the spring weather.

    Post your pictures to our public facing Facebook site so we can at least keep in touch through pictures and chats until the COVID-19 virus is under control.

    Thank you –

    Lorraine Leonard, FWBA President


  • Wed, March 18, 2020 9:00 PM | Steve Gray (Administrator)

    I am sure that you have been following the President's and CDC's announcements on cancellations, closures, group restrictions.  In recognition of those, Kerrville is now operating in Phase 3 of their Emergency Operations Pandemic Plan.  The City recommends following The President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America, including avoiding social gatherings in groups of more than 10 people. Schreiner University is now limiting campus access to only employees, and canceling all non-campus events until the beginning of May.  Some RV parks are cancelling reservations.  In light of these factors, and in support of the national objectives for extensive social distancing, Easter Hill Country Tour 2020 is canceled.  We fully expect to rebound in 2021 with the great plan that we were days from implementing when this pandemic hit.

    See EHCT.com for full details on Registration Refunds, Jersey Purchases, and Lodging Cancellations 


  • Fri, September 13, 2019 11:17 AM | Lorraine Leonard (Administrator)

    Star-Telegram published an article today stating the trail system between Fort Worth and Dallas is fully funded and expected to open 2023. This is very exciting for those who want to stay off the roads.

    Check out this link for more information.

    https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article234874557.html

  • Tue, September 03, 2019 12:22 PM | Lorraine Leonard (Administrator)

    Hey everyone,

    I received a very nice message from a rider who had taken a spill and two FWBA riders came to his aid.  He gave his consent to post his message. THANK YOU for coming to his aid and also for displaying your FWBA colors!

    On Aug 25, 2019, at 10:36 AM, Richard D. Buzz Smith <buzz@theev-angelist.org> wrote:

    Ms. Leonard,

    I want to share an experience I had this morning with two of your club’s members. Unfortunately, I did not get their names.

    I was riding the Fort Worth Bike Trail, just south of the Trinity River, just west of Riverside Drive, when I drifted off the trail into the groove, left by the edger, that maintains the trail. I was riding around 15MPH, when this occurred, and when I stupidly tried to steer back onto the trail, I went down hard. My helmet smacked the pavement. I got some pavement rash on my left arm, leg and hand and my entire left side is getting more and more sore by the minute.

    I’m so thankful I was wearing my helmet!

    As I lay there dazed and more than a little embarrassed, I saw two bicyclists approaching from the west. They were both wearing FWBA jerseys. They stopped, asking if I was okay, if my bike was rideable, if I had someone to call (in case I was unable to make it back to my starting point), how far I had to ride to get back, etc. They noticed my bleeding, before I did and offered water, from their bottles, to rinse the wounds. They had me ride with them, back to their starting point, just to make sure I was okay. I’m 61, and although my usual ride is 25-30 miles, round trip, I don’t think of myself as a “real” bicyclist (and today’s spill bears that out).

    I am thankful that I met your club and two of its great members today.

    -Buzz

     

  • Wed, August 14, 2019 3:56 PM | Lorraine Leonard (Administrator)

    Hey everyone - I was just informed of the funeral services for Vickie Elaine Rigby who left this world on July 31, 2019. Her obituary will run on Aug 18, 2019 in the Star Telegram.

    FWBA club members and all other biking/running buddies are invited to attend.

    Please see the info below regarding her services and memorials.

    Services:

    Sunday, August 25, 2019 at Thompson’s Harveson & Cole Funeral Home, 702 8th Avenue, Fort Worth, 76104.

    2 p.m - Family and friends are invited to remember, grieve and support each other followed by the Memorial service at 3 p.m.

    A Secondary service will be held in Bakersfield, Calilfornia at a date to be determined.

    Memorials: Charitable donations can be made in Vickie’s name to Kern Wheelmen Bicycle Club of Bakersfield, CA, Johnson County Iris and Daylily Society, or any charity of your choice.

    Please give Steve Barter a big hug and show him support during this difficult time for the loss of his life partner. :)

    Rest in peace Vickie.

    Sincerely,

    Lorraine L Leonard, FWBA President

     

  • Fri, August 09, 2019 3:21 PM | Lorraine Leonard (Administrator)

    On July 26, 2019 a meeting was held between the Benbrook Lake Park Corps of Engineers Rangers and Fort Worth Bicycling Association (FWBA) to discuss roadway usage inside the park, the bypass road around Nice Hill, the pedal-thru gate between the day use area and the campground, and use of restrooms. Craig Roshaven, Steve Bales, Sherwin Rubin, and David Wagner represented our FWBA with goodwill and professionalism to express the concerns of our members and cyclists in general. I’ve listed a few key takeaways, the recommendation from our representatives, and the letter from Terry Schmidt who is the supervising ranger.

    Key takeaways:

    Park Ranger citation authority - Corps Rangers have complete personal discretion whether to issue or not issue a citation. Rangers are encouraged to be thoughtful of elderly riders and those who hold senior passes.

    Roadway usage inside the park – Cyclists should stay on the main roads and should not use secondary roads that access campsites.

    The bypass road around Nice Hill– No waiver or exemption will be issued. Rangers should use their discretion if they observe older riders bypassing Nice Hill.

    Restrooms – Cyclists may use any restroom facilities in either the day use area, the campground, or main road.

    Pedal-thru gate between the day use area and the campground– Rangers will evaluate how this can be improved upon.

    Recommendation from our representatives:

    If Nice Hill is too physically challenging to ride over, a rider or riders with a Lifetime Senior Pass  may ride around it provided they do so at a reasonable pace for the safety of any campers that may be on the bypass road. Though this is not in keeping with the Rules we have reason to believe Park Rangers will use their discretionary authority to not issue a citation if these conditions are met. 

    Below is the response from Terry Schmidt, the supervising Ranger. Please read it and honor the park rules/guidelines.

    Let’s enjoy our ride, be happy, and make great memories!

    L3

    Lorraine L Leonard, FWBA President

     

    From: "Schmidt, Terry L CIV USARMY CESWF (USA)" <Terry.L.Schmidt@usace.army.mil>
    Date: August 7, 2019 at 3:08:01 PM CDT
    To: Craig Roshaven <
    croshaven@uuma.org>
    Cc: "Brewer, Christopher R CIV USARMY CESWF (USA)" <
    Christopher.R.Brewer@usace.army.mil>, "Black, Lyndy T CIV USARMY CESWF (US)" <Lyndy.T.Black@usace.army.mil>, "Jasper, Andrew S SWF" <Andrew.S.Jasper@usace.army.mil>, "Murphy, James A CIV USARMY CESWF (US)" <James.A.Murphy@usace.army.mil>
    Subject: Cycling Rules and Regulations

    Mr. Roshaven –

     Thank you for meeting with my staff on the 26th of July.  It was very productive and beneficial for all sides to hear everyone's point-of-view.  As was discussed, one of our most difficult management issues is our many different 'recreational publics', each with have different interests and priorities.  Our ongoing task is to provide safe recreational opportunities for all of them at once, and at the same time prevent potential conflicts that might arise between them.

     Below are several rules and precautions that you are encouraged to share with all members of the FW Bicycling Association and any other interested cyclists, regarding bicycle use at Benbrook Lake.

     This discussion applies only to questions concerning the Dayuse area and the Campground in Holiday Park on the west side of Benbrook Lake.  As the vast majority of bicycle traffic is in Holiday Park, our meeting did not discuss any issues in the two City lease areas of Dutch Branch or Pecan Valley Parks, or in Bear Creek, Mustang or Rocky Creek Parks on the south and east sides of the lake.

     I have included a map showing the 'main park road' that is Lakeview / Pearl Ranch Road through the both the Dayuse area and Campground.   The Dayuse area and the Campground are shown on the map in different colors.  The boundary between the two is the gate that your riders are aware of, where they pedal thru at the adjacent bicycle gate.  In the dayuse area they are free to use any roadway.  In the campground they must use only the main roadway and not the secondary roads or loops. 

     While on US Army Corps of Engineers [USACE / COE] property at Benbrook Lake, cyclists may at any time -

       - travel through the park on the main roadway (Lakeview Road / Pearl Ranch Road).

       - use any restroom facilities in either the dayuse area or the campground.  All restrooms are located along the main road (Lakeview Road / Pearl Ranch Road).

       - use any of the day-use facilities in the Holiday Park Dayuse area, as do any of the other paid users of that park area.  However while in the Holiday Park Campground, cyclists must remain on the main park road (Lakeview Road and Pearl Ranch Road).  Cycles are not allowed on the secondary roads that access campsites, nor may they occupy camping sites. 

     

    While at Benbrook Lake, cyclists must always -

       - obey all traffic rules, restrictions and USACE regulations.  This includes obeying all posted signage especially including stop signs, and adhering to any other regulations for vehicles.

       - honor all indications of closed areas, not cross any barricades, pass any road cones, nor climb over any closed gates.

       - ride no more than two abreast, and make every effort to stay to the right of the road so other traffic may pass safely.

    These are public safety issues.  We have high pedestrian traffic areas near park entrances and elsewhere.  When a normally open area or road is closed for any reason, workers and machinery or equipment operators will be focusing on their primary jobs and may be reasonably expectant that no other people will be in the closed areas.

     All the above guidelines are for the safety of the cyclists as well as the campground patrons.

     Any violation of these COE regulations may result in a citation and/or removal from the park or campground (this of course applies to all park users, not just cyclists).   Park Ranger citation authority is a management tool used to ensure public safety.  Corps Rangers are not mandated to enforce laws or regulations by issuing a citation in every circumstance of an observed violation, but they do have complete discretion at all times whether to issue, or not issue, a citation.

     During our meeting, we had discussion of a waiver of the restriction of riding only the main roadway thru the campground, so that elderly or physically-limited riders could bypass the steep approach and descents at ‘Nice Hill’.   Having investigated our policies, I do not see any way to officially allow individual exceptions to our posted rules and regulations, so there is no practical way to provide an official waiver.  That being said, I have discussed the COE citation authority above.  As noted, citations are not issued in all instances but are at the officer’s personal discretion, and of course then only in situations when an actual violation is directly observed.  I have encouraged my staff to be thoughtful in their discretion particularly in any instance involving elderly riders, or those with either the ‘American the Beautiful Senior’ or ‘Access’ park passes.  That is all I can offer in this regard.

     I believe with common understanding of the needs and wishes of both the Corps of Engineers Rangers and the FW Bicycling Association, these guidelines will assist in fewer misunderstandings and disagreements in the park.   Thank you and your entire association for your assistance and cooperation.  We will also see what we can do to improve the pedal-thru gate between the Dayuse area and the Campground.

     Feel free to contact me anytime on these or other issues.

    Thank you again.

     Terry

     Terry Schmidt
      Lake Manager, Benbrook Lake / Trinity Regional ProjO


     

     

  • Mon, August 05, 2019 3:52 PM | Stephen White (Administrator)

    If you ordered clothing, your order will be shipped in the next few days.


    The fall store is open! Everything from the spring store along with jackets, vests, arm warmers, fall & winter stuff!!

    Click here to order.

    Enhance your red/black collection and stock up on the redesigned hi-vis green items.

    The store will be open until the end of August. Clothing will be made and shipped directly to you in time for Leakey.

  • Mon, August 05, 2019 12:14 PM | Lorraine Leonard (Administrator)

    Hello members,

    Just wanted to pass along a reminder of key dates as it relates to the memory of Heinz Wichterich who died Wednesday, July 17, 2019.

    His funeral will be on Saturday, August 10 at 11:00 am at the First Christian Church, 601 Johnson Avenue, Burleson, TX.

    There will be a Memorial Ride for Heinz on Sunday, August 11 at 8:00am - register on FWBAClub.org

    His family requested in lieu of flowers; donations may be made by check to the Fort Worth Bicycling Association, PO Box 131, Aledo, TX 76008.  We will work with Heinz's family to apply any monies collected to a lasting memorial for Heinz.

    Thank you all -

    Lorraine L Leonard, FWBA President

     

     

  • Tue, May 28, 2019 2:40 PM | Steve Gray (Administrator)

    If you are too, then follow ftworthbicyclingassociation. Follow and tag your own photos with #FWBAClub! Take a look right now to see our Austin-to-Ft Worth pictures popping up!

    Go there now! https://www.instagram.com/ftworthbicyclingassociation/

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