Jan. 2013 - Sandpipers Bike Rides

January 2013 - Sandpipers Bike Rides

January 8 –

 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.

January 15 –

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 10th Street in McAllen.

January 22 –

La Lomita Mission, Anzulduas Park and Dam

We park at the La Lomita Mission and walk the ground exploring the old mission which has been restored recently. It was from the La Lomita Mission that the city of Mission was named. From there we ride about a mile on a low traffic road to Anzulduas County Park. Along the way we will see an old monastery which was burned down not too long ago. The stonework remains, a haunting hulk from the past. Riding into the park we cross the flood way then ride park roads along the Rio Grande River. The dam overview was closed last year but as recovery from the 2011 flood continues we will see if that area is open once again. Lunch will be at Danny’s Mexican Restaurant in Mission.

January 29 –

Port Isabel

This ride through Port Isabel takes us along homes overlooking Laguna Madre then past the Port Isabel Yacht Club which is now a hotel. If the Yacht Club is open we will take a brief tour of the property before continuing. Riding south we will have views of the causeway to South Padre Island and will see some dockside housing along the canals in Port Isabel. We cross a unique side swing drawbridge which allows the shrimp and fishing fleet access to the Gulf of Mexico. After returning to our cars parked near the old lighthouse we will eat lunch at the White Sands Restaurant. If you are looking for some interesting museums you may want to stay and tour the old lighthouse, the nautical museum and the history museum all available for one price. Of course South Padre Island is just a few short miles across the causeway.

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 repellent, 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.