February 2013 - Sandpipers Bike Rides

February 2013 - Sandpipers Bike Rides

February 5 – Bicentennial Boulevard Bike Trail and

 International Museum of Arts and Science (IMAS)  

  

This will be a new ride for us.  We will park at the IMAS which is on Nolana Avenue and unload our bikes.  Bicentennial Boulevard is immediately east of the museum and the bicycle trail runs north and south from there.  We will explore this bicycle trail which runs for several miles in each direction.  The ride will be on level paved surfaces.  The distance will depend on the weather, shorter if cold, longer if warm.  The ride should be between 4 and 8 miles.  Following the ride we will visit the IMAS.  Lunch will be at Double Dave’s Pizza on N10th Street near Trenton.  Admission to the IMAS is $5.00 per person for seniors.

February 12 – Hidalgo Pump House    

  

     The historic Hidalgo Pump House sits along the Rio Grande River near the International Bridge to Reynosa, Mexico.  There is a $2 admission fee to the pump house grounds.  A tour of the pump house is available and in interesting look at the past in Hidalgo County.  This pump house moved water north to McAllen where it was lifted again for its trip north to Edinburg.  The ride is on a paved trail with a few sections of gravel.  There are minor elevation changes as we ride up onto the levee and again coming down.  We get a close up look at the border wall as we ride along the levee overlooking the wall.  The trail continues past reservoirs for the irrigation system and then runs along the irrigation canal.  Lunch following the ride will be at Logan’s Restaurant on 10^th Street in McAllen.

February 19 – Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park and World Birding Center

 Admission fee $5 per person.  Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park and World Birding Center is accessible on foot or bicycle only.  There is a tram tour offered several times a day.  Bicycle type touring cars (2 and 4 passenger 4 wheel pedal vehicles) are available for rent.  There are numerous feeding stations with blinds for viewing the wildlife at close range.  Many birds, javalina and other animals are seen at or near these feeding stations.  Bring:   Camera, Binoculars, Bird Identification Guide (if you have one).  We’ll eat lunch at BJ’s Brewhaus.

February 26 – South Padre Island 

South Padre Island in the off season makes for a pleasant ride.  We will travel together to the island leaving Sandpipers gate at the usual 9:00 a.m. time.  Those who wish can travel independently and meet us at the Convention Center parking lot on the north side of the developed area on the island.  The group traveling from the park should arrive shortly before 11:00 a.m. at the Convention Center.  We will ride from the Convention Center south to Isla Blanca Park.  There is no admission charge for bicycles entering the park.  After riding through the park we’ll stop at Dirty Al’s Seafood.  Bring a bicycle lock for the lunch stop.  After lunch we return to the Convention Center.   We will ride through neighborhoods on the Gulf and Laguna Madre side of the island on the way to and from Isla Blanca Park.  The total distance of this ride is about 10 miles on level paved roads.  Bring a camera, water, sun screen and a bike lock.

All rides depart Sandpipers gate at 9:00 a.m.  Rides cancelled if no one shows up.  If people show up we go!  Supplies and equipment which may be useful on rides are sun screen, insect repellant, water, camera, binoculars and a spare inner tube for your bicycle.  Tom carries a set of tools including a tire pump and patch kit on all bicycle rides.