First bike ride for December I rode the Kingwood Trails for a total of 18.12 miles. The last bike ride was November 22 but I could’ve rode sooner than today. I held back because I didn’t want to increase my November mileage which might influence my goal for November 2017. I already biked more miles this year than ever before and I don’t know if I can match this next year. I am at 7,192 miles after today’s bike ride. I set my goal for December at 130 miles which would put me just over 7,300 miles if I make it.

When I walked into the kitchen this morning around 7:30 the temperature outside was 35 degrees. I wondered if it would go up 30+ degrees to the forecasted high but I was optimistic. I waited until 1:06 to start the bike ride on my Motobecane 700HT MTB. The plan was to ride the trails today and I think each ride in December. My Stradalli Red Pro 14 road bike has 18,814 miles on it but the Motobecane only has 2,104 and I bought in 2010. This shows my bias to the road.

At the beginning of the ride the sky was all blue but as the day progressed some wispy clouds moved in but riding among the trees the sun warming didn’t amount to much. I was glad I bundled up with leg warmers, windbreaker jacket, long sleeve thermal jersey and a short sleeve jersey. When I finished at 2:49 the temperature was still 65.

The ride went through Woodridge Forest and I rode to the far west of the subdivision where the roads are just a month or so old. Workers putting up new wood fencing lined the streets in a couple of places. Here are two pictures there. (My glove is the dark spot in the upper left) (click on the image to enlarge it)

One day maybe the streets in Woodridge Forest west will connect to Adams Street to the north giving another exit from Kingwood.

From Woodbridge Forest I biked the trails through North and South Woodland Hills, Trailwood Village and Lake Shores Village. When I rode across Kingwood Drive to Town Center I saw the farmer’s market vendors setting up and Christmas decorations in place.

No finger in the pictures this time. The route went east from Town Center looping back to Kingwood Drive. When I got to Kings Crossing Drive and Kingwood Drive the greenbelt trail was interrupted by signal light construction. Two workers in a hole were working on a concrete form where the trail used to be. My first thought was to ride on Kingwood Drive to thee first side street and back onto the trail but the traffic on Kingwood Drive is heavy so I walked my bike around the hole and back onto the trail.

The next spot I wasn’t sure about came up when the trail goes under W. Lake Houston Parkway. A new underpass culvert for the trail was being put in place requiring the northbound lanes to be raised. I thought I might need to detour around this spot but riding around a curve the trees gave way and I saw the new culvert was in place and I could stay on the trail under W. Lake Houston Parkway. A concrete truck was parked over the culvert but not involved in any trail work. From that point it was 17 miles into the ride leaving a little over a mile to the finish.

The weather is supposed to get wet and cool tomorrow (Friday) making biking doubtful.

Link to RidewithGPS map and metrics.

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