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. 

Revised Feb. & March Bike Rides

This is a revised schedule for the February & March Bike Rides.

Rides depart the Sandpipers Gate at 9:00 a.m.

unless otherwise noted.

 

February 7 - Mission Bike Trail

The Mission Bike Trail begins just south of US 83 and Hwy 107 (Conway Ave). The trail takes us up onto a levee and then follows the irrigation canal with several hills along the way. If the wind is not strong, we can ride a loop past Bentsen State Park and on past the NABA National Butterfly Garden before returning to the parking area. The total ride will be 8 to 10 miles with moderate hills. Lunch will be at Danny’s Restaurant in downtown Mission.

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February 14 – Port Isabel

We will caravan to Port Isabel with a rest stop in Harlingen. In Port Isabel we park at the large parking lot east of the light house. We will ride streets through the neighborhoods in Port Isabel. Along the way we’ll see homes overlooking Laguna Madre, the Port Isabel Yacht Club hotel, the causeway to South Padre Island, a side swing drawbridge, and more. The total ride is about 4 miles with several minor hills. Lunch after the ride will be at the White Sands Restaurant. While you are in Port Isabel, you may want to visit the light house and its museum, an interesting history museum and a marine museum. Tickets for all three museums can be purchased at the light house. There is also a small aquarium and there are dolphin watch tours from Port Isabel. South Padre Island is a five minute drive across the causeway for more entertainment and dining.

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February 21 – Hidalgo Pump House

The Hidalgo Pump House, now a museum, was a steam powered pump house typical of the early irrigation system here in the Rio Grande Valley. The grounds surrounding the pump house include a number of bodies of water and are rich in waterfowl. We will ride level trails on the grounds for a total distance of about 4 miles. There is a small admission charge and

we will tour the pump house and museum.

Following the ride we will have lunch at McAllister’s Deli.

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February 28 is during the Sandpipers Nude Olympics.

We will not have a bike ride on this date.

 Enjoy the friendly competition!

 Bike rides will resume on March 13.

March 6 is during the Sandpipers Nude Olympics.

We will not have a bike ride on this date.

Enjoy the friendly competition!

 Bike rides will resume on March 13.

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March 13 – South Padre Island,

Isla Blanca State Park

This is one of our most popular rides. We caravan from Sandpipers to South Padre Island making one stop at the rest area/visitors center in Harlingen. If you wish to travel independently, plan to arrive at the Convention Center on the north end of the tourist area about 10:30 a.m. Those who are driving independently should notify Tom or Louise, #44, before leaving so we know to look for you. We’ll ride side streets south from the Convention Center to the southern tip of the Island, a distance of about 4 miles with no hills. After riding through Isla Blanca State Park, we’ll stop for lunch at Dirty Al’s Seafood for lunch. Bring a bicycle lock to secure your bicycle during lunch. Our return will take a different set of side roads. We should return to the Convention Center about 2:30 p.m. Of course there are many attractions to visit after the bike ride. We’ll be right by the new birding center which is well worth the stop if you haven’t visited it since it was built several years ago. You can walk the boardwalks over the wetlands along Laguna Madre and perhaps spot some interesting birds or the alligator that dwells in those waters. There is also a sea turtle rescue center where you can learn about sea turtles and see some of the rescued turtles. There are many shops, fine restaurants and motels with off-season rates for those who wish to extend their stay on the island.

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March 20 – Tom & Louise will be gone.

We invite a volunteer to step forward to lead this trip. Contact Tom & Louise, #44. The trip is aready planned, now we need a leader.

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March 27 – Laguna Atascosa National

Wildlife Area

Located on Laguna Madre north of Port Isabel, Laguna Atascosa NWA is an interesting ride and one of our longest. At 14 miles, most of it level with occasional slight grades, the ride overlooks the coast of Laguna Madre for about a third of its length. There are numerous spots to view wildlife including our lunch stop at an overlook on Laguana Madre and the wildlife area. Bring a picnic lunch for this stop. There are toilets at the lunch stop but no other facilities. The last third of the ride is a gravel road but is generally in very good condition. There is an admission charge so our first stop is at the park headquarters. If you are traveling independently, please advise Tom or Louise, #44, of your plans so we know to look for you. We should have opportunities for seeing wildlife so bring binoculars and/or a camera. We like to have a sag wagon along on this ride if you would can assist by following the bicycles, please contact Tom or Louise. Following the ride you may wish to visit other areas of Laguna Atascosa including the overlook on Laguna Atascosa and not far away the alligator pond which had several good sized alligators last year.

Tuesday Bike Rides

OK, If you don't want to check the calendar (which is super easy...there is a link just off to the left) I'll tell you where they are going this week!

Estero Llano Grande State Park & World Birding Center

with lunch after at Fat Daddy's BBQ

YUM!