More air is better. As I was getting my bike ready for today’s ride I squeezed the rear tire. It wasn’t as soft as if it had a flat but I easily moved the sidewalls. Time to air up the tires. This may account for the sluggish speeds on the last few rides. I could tell the difference as I rolled down the driveway onto the street. There is a 2″ drop at the end of the driveway onto the street and I could feel this firmly as I rolled off it. Yesterday it wasn’t so firm. As I rode the “Atascocita South – Walden – Huffman” route I rode faster than yesterday. The weather conditions were much the same so that probably didn’t play apart. My average speed built up to 14 mph sooner and I got to 15.o mph sooner as well over the 33.8 mile long route. Before today I checked the tire pressure by tapping the tire with a spoke and listening to the sound. apparently I can’t tell the difference from one pressure to another. The pump gauge showed 60 psi before I pumped it up to 110 psi. I will not bother with the spoke tap test now; squeezing is better.

With my revived speed I covered the 33.8 miles at an overall 15.0 mph average speed with the maximum average of 15.4 mph. This is .6 mph better than Monday’s ride.

On Old Atascocita Road I met and passed 3 other riders going the opposite direction. We waved and yelled hello. No much further I saw a dog on the grass to my right. He saw me and started to run beside me but not in a threatening manner. He ran along for several hundred feet before slowing to a walk. On Fairlake Drive as I came around the corner near the Fairlake Houston Marina a large doe deer scampered across the road hoofs clicking on the asphalt ahead of me before veering off the road into the brush. This is the first deer I have seen in some time.

In Walden I tried to add more distance going on a street I thought would loop around to where I exit Walden but I took the wrong street and looped back to where I came from. Looking at the map when I got home I should’ve went straight instead of turning right. I will try this the next time I ride this way.

I took a break in Huffman at the Chevron station. It was about 20 minutes long. Sitting in the shade under the pump canopy was pleasant with a light breeze and 83 degrees. By the time I got home at 12:56 is was up to 89. I left home at 10:01. Partly cloudy skies continued, a welcomed change from last week’s rain. More nice weather tomorrow.

The Spindletop spin is Saturday in Beaumont. I think I will ride it with the weather forecast. I rode there last year too.

Weather when I stopped in Huffman

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