Here is our proposed schedule for bicycle rides for 2016-2017. If you have
questions or something looks incorrect, please contact us via e-mail or
phone.
FYI: Louise and I are going to be on the
Bare Necessities Cruise in Tahiti and the Society Islands, April 1 – 15,
2017. We plan to leave about two weeks in advance of that cruise
so the bicycle rides scheduled March 21 through April 11 are tentative depending
upon a volunteer to lead those rides.
Tom & Louise Butler
314-374-5889
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Sandpipers Bicycle Ride Schedule 2016-2017
General Information: Line up on Main Street (on the N side of the street by the office, pavilion and bath house)
ready to depart the gate at 9:00 a.m.
We ride at a relaxed pace stopping occasionally to point out items of interest, sip some water and catch our breath. We travel with tools for minor repairs. Bring a camera, binoculars, sun screen, insect repellant, emergency medications, whatever applies to your situation. Dress for the weather, layers allow adjusting for temperature changes during the ride.
We sometimes have pick-up trucks or other vehicles with additional room for bicycles if you don’t have a way to haul your own. Contact Tom & Louise, Lot 44, if you have space available or if you need someone to haul your bicycle.
Our Schedule: We are scheduling a ride on Tuesday, every other week. If a ride is canceled due to adverse weather conditions, we will use the following Tuesday as a weather make-up day. Strong winds, cold temperatures and rain may result in cancelation. Decision time is 9:00 a.m. on the day of the ride. If we are there, we ride, if we are not, we’ll go next week. I’ll start an e-mail list for those who would like an e-mail notice of cancellation. This will be done on short notice most of the time. Only a truly ominous forecast will bring cancellation the night before a ride.
Lunch following a bike ride has been a tradition. We will continue this tradition but it is by no means required that you lunch with us. Occasionally we have a ride that requires bringing a bag lunch. For some rides we stop mid-ride for lunch so a bicycle lock to secure your bicycle while we are in the restaurant is needed.
2016
Description: Bentsen State Park near Mission has water features, scrub forest and grasslands. The Hawk Tower is handicap accessible and gives us a nice overview of the area near the Rio Grande and Mexico. There are bird feeders with blinds for observers which make bird watching extraordinary. We will ride about 8 miles on level paved park roads with a short walk to the Hawk Tower. There is a $5 per person entrance fee for those who do not have a Texas State Park Pass. We will eat lunch at BJ’s Brewhaus near the McAllen Convention Center. Bring water, sunscreen, insect repellant, bicycle helmet, binoculars and/or camera as you desire.
November 8 – Make-up date for Bentsen State Park – If November 1st is cancelled for weather we will do that ride today.
November 15 – South Padre Island and Isla Blanca Park are featured on this ride. The ride is on level, paved city streets. We ride about 12 miles from the Convention Center to the southern tip of SPI in Isla Blanca County Park and return. On the return we will stop for lunch at Blackbeards Restaurant, bring a bicycle lock to secure your bicycle during lunch. There are no admission charges on this ride. Bring water, sunscreen, insect repellant, bicycle helmet, binoculars and/or camera as you desire.
November 22 – Make-up date for South Padre Island in the event of weather cancellation on the 15th.
November 29 – Estero Llano Grande State Park. Estero Llano Grande State Park is a World Birding Center site. This is a ride through the state park on park trails. With the exception of the levees this is a level ride on well-maintained gravel trails. Estero is a wildlife rich park with many water birds and if warm, butterflies also. We will ride through an abandoned RV park which has been annexed by the park and is being returned to the wild. The park is the closest to Sandpipers which has alligators. We’ll park our bikes and walk to the alligator pond to see if any are active and visible the day of the ride. Admission to the park is $5.00 per person but several of us usually have a Texas State Park Pass so we can usually get at least one person per couple in with the pass. Following the ride, we will load our bikes and drive to Fat Daddy’s Barbeque for lunch. For those interested in a trip to Progresso, Mexico, Estero Llano Grande State Park is just a few miles from the parking lot for the bridge.
December 6 – Make-up date for Estero Llano Grande State Park in the event of weather cancellation on November 29th.
December 13 - Bicentennial Boulevard Bike Trail. This is a dedicated bicycle and walking trail that parallels Bicentennial Boulevard. It is under development to the north of Nolana and we may explore some of that area. To the south the trail crosses Bicentennial several times. There are lights at the crossings. The trail is flat and is paved along its entire route. We will park at the IMAS, International Museum of Art and Science, and ride as much of the trail as the weather and time permit. This ride could be 6 to 8 miles long if weather permits. If the ride is shorter and the group wishes, we can visit the IMAS (Admission is $5 for seniors) before loading bicycles and driving to the Corner Bakery Café for lunch.
December 20 - Make-up date for Bicentennial Boulevard – IMAS in the event of weather cancellation on December 13th.
December 27 – Mission Bike Trail. This is a dedicated bicycle and walking trail. It is paved though rough in a few spots on our ride last spring. The trailhead has undergone significant development and I’m hoping that the trail will show the same improvement. The trail has several hills, not steep but not flat either. We will ride through the native thorn scrub and cactus and along an irrigation canal. The ride length can vary depending on weather. The short version is about 5 miles out and back on the same trail. The long version is about 4 miles longer. That extension is virtually flat. After the ride we will load our bikes and travel to McAlister’s Deli in McAllen for lunch.
2017
January 3 – Make-up date for Mission Bike Trail in the event of weather cancellation on December 27th.
January 10 – Edinburg Wetlands WBC. The Edinburg City Park and World Birding Center is just a short drive from the park. The park and adjacent lakes are popular picnic sites for the locals but are usually empty on our weekday visits. We will ride the paved bicycle/walking/fitness track around the park. Following that we will enter the World Birding Center. This has been an excellent area for viewing a variety of birds. Join us for lunch at the Willie B’s BBQ Restaurant following the ride.
January 17 – Make-up date for Edinburg Wetlands in the event of weather cancellation on January 10th.
January 24 – The Old Hidalgo Pump House. The Old Hidalgo Pump House pumped water from the Rio Grande to the irrigation system in the early days of agriculture in the Rio Grande Valley. Originally run by steam powered pumps, it was later converted to diesel pumps. Much of the old equipment remains and we will take a short tour the facility. The ride is along the Border Wall for a short distance, past the retention ponds, along the canal system and through the town of Hidalgo. There is an admission charge or $3 per person. The ride will be about 3 miles on paved and gravel trails and city streets in Hidalgo. There is a short climb to the top of the levee at the Pump House. Lunch will be at Republic of the Rio Grande in McAllen. Bring water, sunscreen, insect repellant, bicycle helmet, binoculars and/or camera as you desire.
January 31 – Make-up Date for Hidalgo Pump House in the event of weather cancellation on January 24th.
February 7 – La Lomita Mission and Anzulduas Park and Dam
Description: These two locations combine to make an interesting ride right along the Rio Grande River. La Lomita Mission is one of the missions begun by the Oblate Brothers. The original chapel has been restored recently. Anzulduas Park is a Hidalgo County Park adjacent to the Anzulduas Dam. We will also see the floodway which directs floodwater from the dam to Laguna Madre on the coast. We will ride about 5 miles on a little used public road and park roads. There is one hill as we leave Anzulduas Park and we will also climb the levee going to and from La Lomita Mission. There are no admission charges on this ride. We will eat lunch at Riverside Restaurant in Mission following the ride. Bring water, sunscreen, insect repellant, bicycle helmet, binoculars and/or camera as you desire.
February 14 – Make-up date for La Lomita Mission and Anzalduas Park and Dam in the event of weather cancellation on February 7th.
February 21 – Port Isabel. We will depart the gate at the regular 9:00 a.m. departure time. There will be a short rest stop at the Texas Visitors Center at US 83 and US 77 in Harlingen. We’ll arrive in Port Isabel about 10:30 a.m. for those who wish to travel independently and meet us at the parking lot just east of the lighthouse. From there we will ride through some of the neighborhoods in Port Isabel. We get some nice looks at the Laguna Madre and the homes along that coast. We’ll ride over a unique side-swing draw bridge and see the shrimp fleet in dock from a distance. Following the ride we’ll load our bicycles and drive a short distance to Dirty Al’s Seafood for lunch.
February 28 – Make-up date for Port Isabel in the event of weather cancellation on February 21st.
March 7 – South Padre Island. South Padre Island and Isla Blanca Park are featured on this ride. The ride is on level, paved city streets. We ride about 12 miles from the Convention Center to the southern tip of SPI in Isla Blanca County Park and return. On the return we will stop for lunch at Blackbeards Restaurant, bring a bicycle lock to secure your bicycle during lunch. There are no admission charges on this ride. Bring water, sunscreen, insect repellant, bicycle helmet, binoculars and/or camera as you desire.
March 14 – Make-up date for South Padre Island in the event of weather cancellation on March 7th.
March 21 – National HYPERLINK "http://nationalbutterflycenter.org/"Butterfly Garden – Guest leaders needed for this ride or it’s make-up ride. ($5 per person Hidalgo county residents, $10 non-residents) This is a 2 mile ride on little traveled roads. We will visit the National Butterfly Center which has undergone quite a bit of development in recent years. While the Butterfly Center is a pretty secure area, you may want to bring a bicycle lock to secure your bicycle. Lunch will be at McAlister’s Deli following the ride. The Butlers will be out of town on this date and a substitute leader is needed for this ride. Volunteers should contact Tom and Louise Butler, Lot 44.
March 28 – Make-up Date for National Butterfly Garden in the event of weather cancellation on March 21st.
April 4 – McAllen Bike Trail -– Guest leaders needed for this ride or it’s make-up ride. The McAllen Bike Trail is a paved level bicycle and walking trail that parallels 2nd Street, Col Rowe Boulevard. We will ride 8 to 10 miles on the trail and through neighborhoods in North McAllen. The trail is generally well landscaped with features of the irrigation system evident along the way. It crosses a number of side streets, most have lights and crosswalk signals. We can vary the length of the ride depending on the weather. We will stop at Gatti’s Pizza Buffet on the ride. Bring a bicycle lock for the lunch stop. The Butlers will be out of town on this date and a substitute leader is needed for this ride. Volunteers should contact Tom and Louise Butler, Lot 44.
April 11 – Make-up date for McAllen Bike Trail in the event of weather cancellation on April 4.
