Group of 5 Ride Mostly Montgomery County Roads
Today’s bike ride was a Houston Cycling Club Meetup ride. I met four bikers at Kingwood Park High School about 9 AM to ride the “New Caney – Gene Campbell Road” route. The weather was cool with some fog but that started to leave as we were getting ready to leave the high school. The other bicyclists:
We pulled out a few minutes after 9 AM riding through Woodridge Forest on the way to the I-69/US59 northbound service road. Traffic was light once we were on the service road as we made our way to New Caney. A sort stop at the Shell station in New Caney and we headed west on FM 1485. We moved to the shoulder about 1 mile from the Shell station and biked there until making the left turn onto Gene Campbell Road. The 18 wheelers did not come out while we rode west to FM 1314. I slowed the speed a couple of times on Gene Campbell Road to wait for a couple of riders to catch up after a water bottle fell out. The wind also hampered the speed as it came from the south at 8 mph with 16 mph gusts.
Once were on FM 1314 bicycling towards Porter the wind wasn’t in our face as much. We made a stop at the Sorters Road Valero station and then rode on to Old Sorters Road, turned right going to Briar Tree. Passing through Briar Tree a pair of small dogs came to the edge of the road to bark and maybe chase us but I think they gave up quickly as we passed. Entering Oakhurst we made our way to Northpark Drive, Kingwood Place and I-69/US59 to make the u-turn under the freeway to ride to Kings Manor. I changed the usual route to get us back to the high school where we pulled in a few minutes before noon. We said our goodbyes as everyone prepared to go home. One lived in Walden, one lived in Woodstream Village (Kingwood), one lived in Kings Forest and the other lived in west Houston.
By the end of the ride the temperature was approaching 80 degrees and the clothes I started with (long sleeve thermal jersey, leg warmers, jacket and shorts) were soaked. I was comfortable until about half way through the ride when I noticed the sweat coming out of the sleeves soaking my gloves. I hesitated to take my jacket off for fear the wind and wet jersey would feel too cold.
Links to RideWithGPS.com and Strava.com.
I am within 21 miles of reaching my February goal of 345 miles. Tomorrow’s (Sunday) weather could repeat today’s so I should be able to ride after church.
Today’s weather.
