Another getting up early Saturday to drive to Conroe for the The Heroes Ride. I left home around 6:50 am and arrived at the start area around 7:25 am. The overcast sky let the sun through a few times during the drive and while we got ready to start. Thinking it would be around 68 at the start I wore a long sleeve jersey and added a short sleeve one over top after pinning my 771 ride bib on the back of the jersey.

The weather during the bike ride: start 71 (100% humidity), overcast, wind SE 4 mph. Finish 82 (79% humidity), overcast, wind S 10 mph. By the end of the ride all of my kit was soaked with perspiration as the temperature moved up and all of the effort going up and down the hills.

I estimate 300 to 400 bicyclists gathered in the staging area and at the start time groups left with some space between them. I pushed the start button on the Elemnt computer at 8:04 am and a few seconds later my group rolled out the gate. Unlike the last time I rode the ride we didn’t circle behind the buildings to Airport Road but went straight to the road. At the finish we did the same thing which is why the distance was slightly shorter than last year at 51.93 miles.

Thanks to the miles ridden today my week totals 219.94 miles and October moves to 443.98 miles, 63% of my goal for October.

I followed the route with a number of other cyclists moving passed me while I passed some too. I rode at good pace trying not to over do it at the beginning because I knew there hills coming up. The road surface up to the Willis Waukegan/ FM 2432 intersection was smooth concrete but after that it changed to asphalt that generally was smooth. At County Line Road we turned left and the road got smoother. All was going well so I thought until the stop sign at Willis County Line Road when I tired to unclip my right shoe. It would not budge and as I slowed I realized that if I stopped I would fall over. Dodging a few other cyclists I turned right and coasted along trying to get my shoe unclipped. Finally I loosened the straps and got my foot out. Stopping I got of the bike. The left shoe was stuck too but not as bad and I got it loose. Moving to the right shoe I tugged on it and finally it came loose. Looking at the bottom of the shoe there was dried dirt, mostly sand, clogging the cleat area on the shoe. Pounding the shoe on the pavement and wiping away some of the dirt I got back on the bike and reversed directions to get back on the 51 mile route.

That happened at the 9.2 mile point. Riding to the next rest stop at 14.9 miles I worked on getting the right shoe loose before arriving and it came loose when I stopped at the rest area. I walked over to the tables where water and sport drink were and got a cup of each. Waling back to the Canyon bike I poured the water on right shoe cleat and pedal. I tried clipping into the cleat and it was better but not great. I moved the bike closer to the tables and got a paper towel, wiped the cleat and pedal hoping this would improve the situation. A couple of test clip ins and it was much better. From then on I unclipped without issue. I think I got the dirt standing in the loose gravel at the start line before I walked onto the asphalt.

After that episode the ride mainly consisted of riding up and down hills. SH 150 road surface was okay when we were in Walker County but when it crossed into San Jacinto County the shoulder disappeared and the surface got rough. Thankfully this section was short and the turn onto FM 1725 and the rest stop came to the rescue. After eating Graham Crackers with peanut butter and jelly, drinking water and sport drink and visiting the porta potty I got back on the bike and continued SE on FM 1725.

At Fm 3018 the 51 mile route turned right and the road surfaced improved. The hills did not improve with plenty of rolling ups and downs. Around 32.6 miles the next rest stop came and I visited it for blue sport drink. I knew the FM road ended soon and at around 36.2 miles I rode onto the Browder Traylor Road. The surface was smooth but the hills increased in height. Around 39 miles the last rest stop appeared at E. Williams Road. Stopping I ate a chocolate brownie, filled my water bottle and talked to one of the volunteers. Leaving the rest stop a short distance later put me on FM 1494 with the roughest road of the ride. This seemed to go on for ever and the right turn onto FM 2432 brought great relief to my arms, teeth and seat with the smooth asphalt road. The closer the ride got to rejoining FM 1484 the road gained a nice smooth shoulder and mostly flattened out.

Turning left onto FM 1484 I remembered it was about 4 miles to the finish. Now the wind became a factor switching to a headwind but the hills lessened and were not as steep. The left turn onto Technology Parkway signaled about 2 miles to the finish. The concrete road was mostly flat and at Airport Road I turned right and could see the finish not too far away. Rolling through the gate I saw the inflated finish line archway and rode under it stopping the ride at 12:10 pm. I circled back and rode to the Jeep where I put the Canyon bike inside, changed part of my clothes before walking to the building where lunch was served to change bike shorts into dry shorts. After getting a class of ice water I walked back to the Jeep to leave.

These are the photos I took at the start and along the ride at rest stops.

I will take Sunday off and Monday the weather may change as a “cold” front moves through.

SportTracks Bike Ride Summary