August Spring Creek Greenway Bike Ride
Today was time to ride the Spring Creek Greenway, my once a month ride there. I rolled the Canyon’s wheels at 9:36 am getting underway. Weather during the ride: start 85 (79% humidity), a few clouds, wind E 9 mph. Finish 94 (51% humidity), mostly cloudy, wind SE 14 mph, gusts 21 mph. I wanted to added a couple of miles to the distance so I added extra streets at the beginning and ended up biking 44.65 miles. This pushed August to 202.18 miles, 25% of my goal for the month.
After biking through Kingwood and Forest Cove I arrived at the trail head by I-69/US59. I wasn’t sure if I would see many people and the first 2 miles I saw one other biker who I would end seeing multiple times. He rode a lime/yellow Cannondale and we exchanged waves and hellos each time. One time he commented on the nice bike I was riding and I said thanks. At Jesse Jones Park there weren’t many people there. I made my way to the greenway trail entrance and set off. Now I began seeing other people occasionally, mostly cyclists. I waved or said hi to everyone and most responded.
Yesterday I saw another cyclist’s ride on Strava.com where he rode the greenway and I asked if the west end opened yet and he replied that had not. When I got there the barricade was in place and I turned around. Maybe the next section will open one of these days. Now I began the return trip.
Stopping at the Dennis Johnston Park I planned on refilling my water bottle at the main building but the water pressure was so low I didn’t get much water. Leaving the building I saw two bikers putting their bikes on cars and rode over to talk. By the time I got there one had went into his car and drove away but the other man was outside his car and we talked. I think his name is David Solomon (not sure on the spelling) from Tomball. His friend was from the west side of Houston. They ride at George Bush Park a lot but today decided to ride the greenway. David invited me to ride with them on their Friday weekly ride at the greenway starting at 8 am. I told him that would be early for me allowing to get to the start near Dennis Johnston Park. Maybe I can figure out a way to do that. I wished David a good and he said he was going home to rest and cool down. David rode a Masi and his friend was on a Specialized.
I stopped at a water fountain on the way out of the park and filled my water bottle with kind of cool water. I noticed inside the water bottle lid some mold or black stuff and made a note to clean it when I got home which I did with a toothbrush because it was hard to get to.
I didn’t take many photos on the ride heading west but I took some on the return trip. (Click to enlarge them)
I wanted to take photos of cyclists but they appear to quickly for me to stop and get my phone out. I did see David and his friend at one of the parks resting before I talked to him at Dennis Johnston Park.
Back at Jesse Jones Park I took a rest break sitting on a bench near the restrooms under a shade tree. I ate a Clif Bar and drank cool water from the restroom water fountain. Staying over 20 minutes (the PowerPod went to sleep after 20 minutes) I refilled the water bottle for the rest of the ride back home. I was about 9 miles from the finish. As I came out of the trees I saw some dark clouds to the south and west but they were far enough away that I didn’t need to worry about getting wet. That is one of the nice things about the greenway, all of the trees shade the trail and keeps the heat down.
Wahoo Ride Summary at the rest stop in Jesse Jones Park.
Out of the greenway at I-69/US59 I rode under the freeway, up to the pedestrian/bikeway bridge over the San Jacinto River and through Forest Cove into Kingwood finishing the ride at 1:35 pm.
This week’s biking is going to be abnormal due to a couple of appointments but that adds variety. Weather looks favorable all week.