Huffman was today’s route destination. As I prepared to leave I checked the radar to see where the rain was. There wasn’t much rain showing despite the cloudy sky. I set off at 9:58 with 80 degrees and 87% humidity. At first it felt comfortable but as my body warmed up the perspiration started to flow. I changed my starting route a little riding through Sherwood Trails on the streets I used yesterday. As I rode to the south I could some dark clouds in the distance but no rain was falling on me. The route went south on W. Lake Houston Parkway and as I passed the YMCA a light rain shower started but when I turned into Kingwood Greens it stopped.

As I emerged from Kingwood Greens back onto W. Lake Houston Parkway I could see more dark clouds to the south and east but I continued on. The streets stayed dry until I got to FM1960 and crossed over to go through Walden. At this point the tone of the ride changed to following the rain but not in it all the way to Huffman. I might as well been in the rain with the spray the traffic sent out as I rode on the shoulder. The wettest time was on the FM1960 causeway over Lake Houston. When I rode onto the west end of the causeway I could see the rain falling on the east end but as I biked toward the east the rain moved out. The roads were soaked all the way to the Huffman Chevron.

While I was at the Huffman Chevron drying out and drinking it rained lightly twice just to keep the road wet for me. I finished drying and drinking and headed back home going west on FM1960. Before I left the Chevron station I looked at the weather radar on my phone (see a slide below) and it showed rain right where I was headed on the way home. The road was wet until I got to E. Lake Houston Parkway where it became dry. The road was dry from that point all the way home. There was a point when I thought this would change though. As I moved onto the east side of the causeway under full sun it began to rain lightly but it only lasted a few hundred yards. That was the last rain on the ride.

I got home at 12:47. The temperature was 88 degrees with 64% humidity. I wiped the dirt off my shoes, took my socks and helmet off to get ready to wash the Stradalli. It has gotten washed after every ride this week. For a long time I only had to wipe it down but now that the rain seems to be a permanent fixture I may have formed a new habit for the end of rides.

Today I biked 32.39 miles averaging 15.5 mph. I was tempted to shorten the ride when I saw the rain on the other end of the causeway but I didn’t give in.

Mileage standings:

• 146.71 miles this week
• 858.29 miles this month (28 miles left to reach my goal)
• 3262 miles this year
• Links to Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS.com

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