tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24885356339901672102011-07-28T14:15:28.772-05:00Can you ride your bike in Round Rock? Read along as I meander all around our city. I'll show you the places you can go on a bike.Levisque67noreply@blogger.comBlogger331100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-51422368138153764272011-06-05T21:56:00.002-05:002011-06-12T13:11:33.514-05:00

Last year, some friends and I rode the Austin Social Ride held every Thursday. It was fun but a bit hectic. There were so many cyclists and we had no clue where we were going or how we were going to get back to our vehicles. Their ride ended at a bar that had two kegs on tap for the cyclists. People left when they decided it was time to go home. It really was fun, but I like a little more

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-47579074375899771382010-08-15T15:58:00.000-05:002010-08-15T15:58:00.093-05:00

So I went out for a morning ride before the heat got hot. Right off the bat, about three blocks from home, some crazy lady actually got mad at me because I was riding my bike through an intersection. Strange thing is she had a stop sign; I didn't. She didn't honk at me, but she revved her engine and glared at me through her sunglasses. So, of course, I stood up and pedaled hard to keep up with

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-34709006934932937322010-08-09T09:41:00.001-05:002010-08-09T09:52:04.175-05:00

Round Rock has a 4-story parking lot downtown, and it is a good place to start a ride. You can park your car for free and go enjoy yourself on a bike ride. I know, I know. Who drives their car downtown and then parks and rides their bike. Round Rock is not the small town it used to be; it's a bit spread out, so this gives us a decent starting point. I had not seen the bats in awhile, but it's

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-81883271203524560522010-07-24T20:44:00.005-05:002010-07-24T20:53:43.140-05:00

This is the ride I meant to do the last time I was hungover. I like riding on A.W. Grimes on the weekend. It's a fun road, smooth enough. Before I went across Gattis, I pulled into the parking lot to give my lungs a break. Maybe I wasn't hungover this time, but now I could tell I had a different problem -- I'm out of shape! There's a Subway there. No line waiting and they serve breakfast. Yum.

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-79438024447788171562010-07-22T20:54:00.001-05:002011-06-11T11:06:51.590-05:00

Found this over on CycleChic a few days ago and thought it was the coolest little thing: a flower vase for your handlebars. Yeah, I'm a dude, but I happen to like flowers. The website is in German, though. Maybe next payday I'll think about figuring out how to order one or two.

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-45774081002440788462010-07-15T12:28:00.000-05:002010-07-15T12:28:23.118-05:00

Quick post. We had to a pay few fines (meaning I had to pay) at the library for overdue books which is okay with me because I get to ride my bike downtown. Everything was normal except for this: It's a toolbox! Right in the middle of someone's yard. I immediately suspected a trap. Someone was trying to catch a handyman or a husband. A little worn but still in decent shape, it was tempting to

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-45563318951895905892010-07-10T18:02:00.004-05:002010-07-10T18:54:16.703-05:00

Okay, so I went drinking with some friends last night, and when I woke up this morning, I did not feel or look great. I got up, let the dog out, saw my pants by the door, and that I had put my keys where they belong. The events were blurry but I think I took some ibuprofen and tried playing my guitar for some reason. Then I went back to bed and woke up three hours later.My bike shoes were by the

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-44199974070499816882010-06-16T11:45:00.009-05:002010-06-16T12:17:01.224-05:00

A few days ago, we (my son and I) rented a movie from Red Box down at the 7-11. We rode our bikes there and he told me that renting a game would really be a waste of money because it's cheaper to join gamefly.com or to rent a game from BlockBuster. It's true. I may get a movie for just a buck from Red Box, and it sure is convenient to walk right up, but it's still cheaper to go to BlockBuster and

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-3315616264490099082010-05-22T16:27:00.003-05:002010-05-22T16:31:38.660-05:00

Right now, I'm really hating my knees. Seems like they just have a burning feeling all the time. Is my body saying to do more or to stop what I'm doing?Not that it matters. Stopping is not an option. But it kinda sucks to feel this way more and more often. Maybe I need a new hobby. Ha ha. Who am I kidding. Something in my blood just craves riding a bike.Years from now, when I'm old, when people

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-60341146274254457532010-05-04T19:37:00.004-05:002010-05-04T20:25:43.226-05:00

Day 3:Rode to 7-11 to drop off a Red Box movie: The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus. Had to return a book to the library, too. Shot straight down Mays Street because at 7:15 pm, there isn't much traffic.Had to stop at the snack shop next to the library, though; forgot my water bottle. Didn't feel like turning straight back so I made a loop back around to N. Georgetown and a couple of back

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-36221820705622661072010-04-10T12:29:00.015-05:002010-04-10T14:51:13.221-05:00

I thought I was going to take my dog to the dog park this morning. Poor Augie. He picked up on the vibe because he was doing a body wag when he saw me moving around this morning. I don't know how he does it, but he seems to know what I'm thinking. Out of curiosity, I checked Google Maps for the distance. Could I attach the Franken-stroller and take him that way? But then... something else was on

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-22299972700541979332010-04-03T20:42:00.006-05:002010-04-03T21:13:50.431-05:00

Round Rock has a discount theater: Cinemark Movies 8. Sadly, movies no longer cost a buck there; it's $1.75 now. But fret not, for the popcorn and soda will still set you back $10.The reason I like to go to the discount movies is because I get to ride through this field. I feel like a kid again on this route. Traffic on Mays Street is not bad on a Saturday afternoon, but it is a fast road and

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-84377495959011881282010-03-13T12:02:00.004-06:002010-03-13T12:56:39.573-06:00

My kids volunteered for a school function, and they had to be at school at 5:30 in the morning. So there I was driving the kids to school on an early Saturday morning. The view from the apex of the toll road (45 going east) is spectacular. Round Rock and Pflugerville was spread out before us, and an eerie red-orange sliver of a moon was just coming up over the horizon. (That's why we have words

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-7565140616450147662010-02-27T15:50:00.003-06:002010-02-27T16:16:57.805-06:00

620 wins, hands down.Riding my bike leading up to 79 has never bothered me much. The lanes are wide, and if you don't like the road, you can ride on the sidewalk. Traffic never picks up... until you hit the intersections leading to 79. It's plain dangerous. Today, I rode from Bowman to Mays to 79, and something has changed: the corner of 79 and Mays has heavier traffic.It's because Goodwill

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-83441951330366165472010-02-21T12:17:00.020-06:002010-02-21T21:09:17.067-06:00

First, the bridge was closed to traffic. That was a few months back, and I had every intention of taking pictures of that. I did ride through there several times, but never took a single picture so now I've paved my way closer to hell.Then, I stopped riding. Don't know why. I just did.So last month, or maybe even late December, I noticed the painted lines. I couldn't believe it! The two narrow

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-13521992566880137182009-11-01T23:09:00.005-06:002009-11-03T07:50:34.208-06:00

I found my camera! But I can't find the stupid cord to upload my pictures.It was a beautiful day, but it was a busy day. Riding wasn't scheduled, and it usually isn't, but I just had to get out there and ride. Last week, I took my dog for a walk around Old Settlers and it turned into a jog around the pond there. It was fun, and I thought it'd be good to ride the whole park and see how it had

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-58925066172180734982009-10-08T21:08:00.007-05:002009-10-09T06:04:56.072-05:00

I didn't ride outside today, but I did take down my road bike, pumped up the tires, and put on some bike shorts. It seemed like a good day to hang out in the man cave (my garage) and ride on the rollers. I had not done that in a long time.My first mistake was putting on my cycling shoes. The second mistake was watching a movie to kill time. The worst mistake was making it an action movie. The

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-79052588375551462012009-10-07T18:57:00.006-05:002009-10-07T19:16:02.884-05:00

I love riding by this bench. One of these days, it's going to fall over; or one of these days, I'm going to give in to temptation, and I'm going to sit on it. Had a few movies from BlockBuster that I had to return: Marley and Me and True Blood, Disc 2. I didn't care for the dog movie, but I am enjoying the vampire series. Will have to get the next discs. Anyway, traffic gets heavier closer to

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-71011803986041751652009-10-05T20:38:00.004-05:002009-10-05T20:50:50.932-05:00

A section of Hairy Man road, which runs alongside a creek, is going to be removed. With the recent rains, I couldn't help but think of that road. When this city was less busy, I used to ride my road bike down that road frequently. It's a bending road with no shoulder, the oaks and elms grow tall, and every season offers a wonderful view.I wish the road would stay open only for cyclists. A few

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-40892859529409443902009-09-20T16:23:00.010-05:002009-09-20T16:42:12.421-05:00

I was bored, so I thought I'd takes pictures of our bikes.This is my unicycle which I've owned since high school. I used to dress up as a clown and ride it at kid parties. I also juggled. ... yeah...My son doesn't have a bike at the moment, unless you count his kid bike. Notice the flat tires.My daughter, however, does have a bike.And my dog has access to my ride via this Burley stroller that I

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-16478076586414163902009-09-19T11:33:00.003-05:002009-09-19T11:43:12.059-05:00

Driving home from work on Friday, I made my last turn onto the access road that runs north along IH-35. That's when I spotted a cyclist riding on the access road. Yes, on the access road. That's right, during rush hour. Yep. On a Friday.(I wish I'd had my camera on hand. I need to start carrying it everywhere I go.)Those of us who cycle know it's no big deal -- I passed him, but the light turned

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-76520119223962922492009-09-01T18:53:00.002-05:002009-09-01T18:57:34.704-05:00

What good is it to create a blog about cycling around my city when I don't seem to have the time to actually ride?Seems the best option at this point is to schedule myself some rides for the sake of riding the areas. Not as much fun when it feels like an obligation, but I'm sure I'll enjoy it once I get out there again.Also, I'm going to carry my camera and my recorder around all the time. Having

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-20049145231633800312009-08-26T21:36:00.003-05:002009-08-26T21:41:23.686-05:00

Riding to work is sweaty work, and there's nowhere to clean up properly. Yes, I can towel down by a sink and put on extra deodorant, but it takes my body a long time to cool down properly.Tomorrow, I'm taking my bike to work, and at the end of the day, I'm jumping on my bike and riding around the park at the bottom of the hill. I affectionately call it the Duck Pond; it starts at the intersection

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-33865055434090444412009-08-18T20:38:00.004-05:002009-08-18T20:45:16.746-05:00

I was moving lots of stuff around in my garage -- a tv, a vhs tape player, a dvd player, my old XBox, an entertainment center, shelves, books, books, books, and a few books. And other stuff. I was very proud of my man cave.Tragically, one or two days later, I found another book in my room; I stooped to pick it up and my back went out. This twinge of pain shot down my right buttock and halfway up

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-78936774495537020592009-08-12T09:29:00.005-05:002009-08-12T15:27:34.142-05:00

Part One: Before I ride.So, the plan is to ride to work sometimes, but I don't want to ride the entire way. I've done it, and it's not that far. According to Google Maps, it's just under 8 miles which is not bad, but still.View Larger MapThis is where my bike rack comes in handy. I drive part of the way and then I ride part of the way. I mean, I cannot complain about stores and malls not having a

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-77156744860357841032009-08-11T09:38:00.001-05:002009-09-19T11:54:23.641-05:00

Leah stopped for a lost dog the other day. It was meandering and hopeless, crossing the street repeatedly. We've been watching the dog, looking for a 'lost dog' sign, and yet hoping he might get to be ours. The last two days he's been getting more and more anxious to go for a walk.So today, I hopped on my bike to go buy a leash at HEB. I've ridden to BlockBuster before because it's in the same

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-48769771161221717842009-08-09T10:51:00.001-05:002009-08-09T11:28:43.349-05:00

I like Round Rock Donuts, but I hate to wait in line for them. Yesterday, around 9:30 in the morning, before my kiddos woke up, I thought I'd surprise them with a half-dozen warm donuts.<a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/tx/round-rock/674124983460723583">Round Rock Donut Ride</a><br/><a href="http://

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-29625050913889032502009-08-04T11:59:00.002-05:002009-08-12T13:35:23.163-05:00

I'm writing this part before I ride.Right, so I have to go to a workshop at Walsh Middle School, but the neighborhood has complained that too many teachers are parking on their streets. RRISD set up a bus commute from Cactus Ranch Elementary, which is not too far from the middle school. I guess Cactus has more parking available.Either way, I'm going to ride my bike. Here's my route:View Larger

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-57452603075123462402009-08-03T20:28:00.000-05:002009-08-03T22:10:52.562-05:00

I was surfing on the web and came across a video featuring Michio Kaku. He's a physicist and futurist who happened to be discussing civilizations. He's a good speaker, so I looked him up on Wikipedia to find out some more and there was a list of his books. A sudden impulse came over me. I had to get one of his books! I grabbed a few things, jumped on my bike, and rode up to Half Price Books. If

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-26921659042224951932009-08-01T12:58:00.001-05:002009-08-01T12:59:14.305-05:00

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-48218479802734459832009-07-30T16:36:00.000-05:002009-07-30T16:48:14.537-05:00

I recently joined New Belgium Brewing Co. via Facebook, and one of their conditions was that I pledge to ride so many miles per month. Since I don't ride as much as I used to (read: not at all), I only put down 30 miles. Yes, that comes out to a mile a day; that seems like a reasonable amount.I wonder, how long does it take to ride a mile? My bikes have been stripped of their cyclocomputers, so I

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-54304886847478570132009-07-26T19:56:00.001-05:002009-07-26T21:08:33.355-05:00

Crossing Highway 79 from the north side of town to the south side of town has its challenges.The most dangerous route over 79 is traveling west on 79, under 35 and then turn left (south). You have to stay on the frontage road, which is even crazy just driving. There's a Starbucks on the corner and several cars have been hit from behind as they try to slow down and make the immediate right.

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488535633990167210.post-23559191403129537382009-07-20T18:05:00.000-05:002009-07-22T11:35:48.069-05:00

So my bike had a flat tire from two weeks ago. I was riding around Old Settler's and ran over something that deflated my tire in, like, 5 seconds. Since it was a nice evening, though, I didn't mind walking my bike back to the truck.Since then, I've been griping about my knees hurting too much, but watching the Tour de France really pumps me up. I have to ride my bike. Luckily, we are little

Levisque67noreply@blogger.com0