Until I met Dennis at the Huffman Chevron today’s bike ride was going to be routine for the “Atascocita – Walden – Huffman” route. As I was getting ready to leave the station I noticed a bike standing behind me and then I spotted Dennis walking towards the doors. He was wearing a bright orange and blue jersey with big letters across the front about a bike challenge. I asked him about the challenge and he told it was for cancer research. He is raising $450 during the month of June. His goal is to bike every day and ride 450 miles during June. He told me his schedule might get in the way but he was going to still attempt. He also told me he is a little short of the fund raising goal.

Dennis lives in Indian Shores, a subdivision north of Huffman on FM 2100. I asked him where he rides and he said today he was going 30+ miles by biking south to Crosby, by the grass farms and then east over Lake Houston and back home. He stopped at the Chevron station to refill his water bottle and get a snack. I wished him success on his biking and goals as he went inside and I got ready to leave. A photo of his bike and if you look closely in the enlarged photo you can see Dennis inside the store.

My bike ride started at 10:27 am (the start time is creeping later) and the weather during the bike ride: start 89 (63% humidity), party cloudy, wind S 9 mph. Finish 95 (47% humidity), partly cloudy, wind S 6 mph. I need to start earlier to avoid some of the heat.

Skirting around a couple of schools early in the bike ride to avoid the final day dismissal traffic was a good idea but I got caught by the Kingwood High School traffic as I waited to cross Kingwood Drive on the way back home at 32.3 miles. School buses were running early too.

My legs out out decent power until I stopped at the Chevron station for a 15 minute break. After the break they just didn’t power the ride like before the break. Over training?? The legs brought me to the end of the bike ride at 1:26 pm but it wasn’t as fast as I preferred with my average speed dropping to 13.6 mph.

Later start on Saturday due to a morning commitment. Weather looks to be a repeat of today. I am still improvising ice cubes for the water bottle to start the bike ride. Last idea: fill the 3 oz. bath cups with water and freeze them. I think they will fit the water bottle opening and the cups are slick enough the ice will not stick.

My goal for June is 800 miles. That doesn’t allow many blank days.

SportTracks Bike Ride Summary