After taking July 4th off to celebrate our country’s birth I was back riding today. I chose the “Stroker Road – Huffman” route for variety and rode 41.33 miles. I watched stage 4 of the TdF which delayed my starting until 11:39. The post race show on NBC Sports Network included Lawson Craddock from Houston. I wanted to hear what he had to say about racing. This is his first time at the TdF.

With that start time the temperature was heating up with a mostly cloudy sky. It was 94 degrees. As I started the ride I could feel the heat even and the shade didn’t make too much difference.

No one else was out biking except for 3 three people who I would label transportation riders. The reason for the label: no helmet, no bike clothes, older bike with wide tires and maybe a rack or basket. The first two were on FM2100. I was riding north and they were riding the shoulder south. I was impressed with their speed and determination into a stiff wind. The third rider was on Kings River Drive as I was riding back to W. Lake Houston Parkway on the way home. He was pedaling a MTB for all it was worth up a small incline. I tried to wave but a car passed between us. Oh, I forgot the two Mormon missionary guys riding their bikes on Pinehurst Trail south of FM1960. I had my head down riding into the wind and looked up just in time to see them going the opposite direction and I waved and said hello.

The wind was fighting me today. It was tough riding south on Ramsey Road, east on Stroker Road and west on FM1960. Riding over Lake Houston the wind kept trying to push me to the concrete barrier/guardrail. I would move back to the middle of the shoulder only to start moving back when a gust of wind came through.

At 30 miles I arrived at the Huffman Chevron. I was about to bonk so the timing was perfect. I took this screen shot of the Wahoo Elemnt when I arrived at 1:49 and the weather before I left at 2:30.

I went inside to buy a large PowerAde drink. Sitting outside in the shade the breeze that I had to fight now cooled me down. Eating a Clif bar and a whole wheat fruit bar replenished my energy for the ride home. While I was there several law enforcement cars stopped in: 2 Harris County Deputy Sheriffs and two Houston Policemen in one vehicle. One of the HPD policemen talked to the second sheriff deputy and I overheard them talking about someone they both had arrested for some crime, maybe stealing a car? While I was sitting in the shade 3 people sat in a Ford Escape in front of me scratching off lotto game cards. They must have had several because they arrived the same time I did and were still there when I left.

As I rode along the route I saw many US flags and some fireworks debris from yesterday probably.

The last 11+ miles was hot and the shade was not as much as I would have preferred. My home weather station showed 98 degrees at the finish of the ride. The heat index was 116. Drinking lots of water is a necessity: I drank two 24 oz water bottle and a 32 oz PowerAde. I still loss 2.4 pounds during the ride.

The ride summary and splits from SportTracks. (Click on the image to enlarge it)

Links to RidewithGPS and Strava.