Welcome and Definition
Welcome to the Texas Heritage Cycling Experience website. Heritage cycling, also called “trace cycling,” is the retrace, by bicycle, handcycle, wheelchair or other human powered vehicles, of the trails, roads and routes in Texas that were used by the earlier residents and inhabitants of Texas. Use of the term “bicycle” at this website automatically includes handcycles, wheelchairs, and other human powered vehicles, as applicable.

These trails may follow a historic theme of specific events, such as those of the Texas Revolution of 1836, or cover a broader story, such as the establishment of El Camino Real de los Tejas trail system by the Spanish over the period of the late Seventeenth Century to the early Nineteenth Century to facilitate the Spanish settlement of Texas. The routes frequently incorporate geographical and natural resource themes.

Purpose
Our formal purpose is to better understand both our own abilities and the travel experiences of our Texas predecessors by blending the physical and mental challenges of bicycle touring with the rich multi-layered history of old Texas trails and roads. Less formally stated, we want to use the bicycle to create an experience that approximates the experience of those who came many years before us – and get some great riding in at the same time!

Long Range Goal
Our long range goal is to (a) establish the information base and (b) entice and encourage bicycle tours by individuals and groups under their own planning, schedule and support, on the historic trails of Texas. Such trips may cover the complete or partial segment of the selected trail.

The information base will cover safety, routing, services such as food and lodging, and the historic sites, structures, markers and museums that, along with the knowledgeable and colorful Texas residents along the route, complete the experience of the heritage cyclist.

Infrastructure upgrade includes signage, shoulder construction on busier roads, paving of gravel segments and other improvements to the existing roads of Texas as needed to facilitate cycling. These efforts will channel through Bike Texas (formerly Texas Bicycle Coalition,) which has an advocacy component and established working relationships with elected officials and local, state, and federal agencies including the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT.)

We support efforts by local, state, and national advocacy groups that promote the upgrade of the existing infrastructure for bicycle touring. We believe that annual or other formal organized events sponsored by local interests are indispensable in promoting the use of all or segments of the historic routes by visitors and local residents alike. We also believe that off-road bicycle and multi-use trails can be an important part of the overall system. We do want to emphasize that a historic route must and will be a route that is available on a 365 days per year basis to local and visiting cyclists.

Immediate Goal
Our immediate goal for the period of June 2005 to June 2006 is to conduct a dozen pilot rides at the rate of one a month to demonstrate the concept and establish the experience of heritage cycling. We will document these rides for posting on our website as well as for submission to newspapers, magazines, and other publications. Some of our current pilot rides are just one or two people on multi-day tours of historic routes. Others are shaping up as bigger efforts with media coverage and Mayors on bikes covering the last few miles with us into town. Visit our rides list to see how all of this is progressing.

How this Site is Funded
There are no dues required for you to participate in Texas Heritage Cycling Experience and this website. We ask that you join and support groups that are doing great work to further this activity, such as BikeTexas/Texas Bicycle Coalition and the Texas State Historical Association. We will have an optional participant registration process soon, but will collect no dues.

Potential revenue sources for Texas Heritage Cycling Experience range from advertising income from tourism-related businesses to grants. We are examining the merits of becoming a 501(c) (3) organization. For now, several of us are just interested in getting the organization up and running on a pilot basis.

As you can see, this is very much a work in progress. Your volunteer efforts are certainly welcome! Contact us if you would like to participate.

Disclaimer on Texas Heritage Cycling Experience Information
Cyclists frequently trade information, formally and informally, about places to ride. Such information may not be correct, may be affected by changing conditions, or may apply differently to cyclists having different abilities, experience or goals. Texas Heritage Cycling makes no guarantee of the accuracy or applicability of the information contained in this website. The cyclist alone is completely responsible for operating in a safe and legal manner on roadways and trails.

As a condition of use of information from Texas Heritage Cycling Experience, cyclists must be prepared to modify or terminate their bicycle rides or journeys, EVEN AT GREAT INCONVENIENCE, if use of the information contained in the Texas Heritage Cycling Experience website would pose undue risk to the cyclist, fellow cyclists, motorists, pedestrians, or others along the road or trail.

If you experience challenges with this page or have any comments, please contact our Web Guy!
Site Updated 1/3/06
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