I like it when a bike ride has a purpose. Today I altered my usual sequence and rode the “Atascocita – Walden – Huffman Extended” route to take me by the Huffman Dairy Queen to stop and get a free cone. For a number of years Dairy Queen gives away a free cone on the first day of spring which is today.

Thankfully the weather cooperated so that eating the cone wouldn’t be chilly affair. Weather during the bike ride: start 72 (32% humidity), partly cloudy, wind E 5 mph. Finish 75 (30% humidity), mostly cloudy, wind NW 9 mph. I wasn’t fully into the warm weather believing the wind still felt chilly so I wore shorts, a long sleeve thermal jersey under a wind breaker jacket. At first I wondered if maybe I should have added a short sleeve jersey to the mix but after I warmed up it felt comfortable. I started a little late at 12:23 PM but this gave time to warm up a couple of degrees. I better enjoy the low humidity because in a few weeks it will ramp up.

I wasn’t the only cyclist out enjoying the first day of spring. I met the first biker on Pinehurst Trail around Farmingham Drive at 11.5 miles. The second came from the south on Fairlake Drive 16.3 miles into the ride.

Taking the “extended” route took me north of FM 1960 on FM 2100 to Smith Road which looped back to FM 1960 riding in front of the Dairy Queen on E. Lake Houston Parkway. Sitting at a table in the sun I ate the ice cream knowing this will probably be the on DQ cone for the year. The sugar propelled me from there to home finishing at 3:08 PM.

Thursday weather should be a repeat of today (Wednesday) but no free cone. I plan on biking.

Years 2016, 2017, and 2018 still total more YTD miles. 2013 is not too far behind my 2019 miles. Click on the image to enlarge it.