Yesterday was an off day but I am back on the bike today riding to the south and east through Atascocita, Eagle Springs, Walden and Huffman. We are enjoying a warm weeek and today was no exception as I rolled out the driveway at 10:53 with 88 degrees (59% humidity) and partly cloudy sky. A very light 5.8 mph south breeze did not keep me cool. I pulled back in the driveway at 1:48 and the temperature increased to 95.9 degrees (40% humidity).

No much happened while I was biking but when I stopped at my usual place in Huffman for a break I saw three other bicyclists heading east on FM1960. What was unusual about them was the first one had rear paniers on his bike, the second was pulling a low profile trailer and the third none of those. After stopping for the traffic light they pedaled on to the east. My thought was the trio were on a trip, maybe across Texas or the country. I was sitting down and they were on the other side of 4 lanes of traffic so I did not have an opportunity to ask them. Many people that bike across Texas pick a route further north to avoid the Houston traffic. From Huffman to the east the traffic is not that heavy as long as you stay away from I-10.

I did notice on Fairlake Drive and Old Atascocita Road that someone was burning two piles of tree trunks. With the dry ground and dying grass I thought it might be hazardous since no one was watching the fire. So when I came to the Houston Fire Department station on FM1960 near E. Lake Houston Parkway I stopped to tell them about it. There happened to be a fire truck getting ready to pullout (not on an emergency run). I motioned for them to stop and the driver rolled down the window. I had to yell my message (the engine noise was loud) and I don’t think he really understood what I said. They drove away from the station going west and went past Fairlake Drive. Maybe they checked it out when they came back.

Shortly after the bicyclists moved on a train came. What struck me about this train was the 10 or 12 cars behind the engine were Tropicana juice ones. They must sit awhile when they reach their destination because almost everyone of them was coated with graffiti. After the Tropicana cars were a bunch of automobile carriers and then container cars. The typical trains around here are all tank cars due to the chemical plants.

My first ride in August went 35.54 miles at a 15.9 mph average speed. In August 2012 I biked 782.3 miles so that will be my goal for 2013. I have a ways to go but 29 more days to do it. On the 25th I will ride the Hotter’N Hell Hundred in Wichita Falls. I usually bike 75 miles then. This week’s mileage stands at 139.75 and year to date I biked 4287 miles.

My plan is for a 40+ mile ride on Saturday. The weather will be hot and dry again.

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