Revisiting Coldspring to Bike Through The Forest and Hills
I left home before 8:30 AM to drive to Coldspring. As I came to the stop sign in my Jeep at FM 2025 and SH 150 in Coldspring three cyclists rode towards me. I wasn’t the only cyclist wanting to ride in the Coldspring area. The last time I biked this route was January 21st, 2017. Previously I rode this route in 2013 and 2011. Held in January the weather can be chilly keeping me home. I didn’t know if the roads got better or worse. I soon found out the hills didn’t flatten.
Parking near the San Jacinto County Courthouse I unpacked the Canyon Endurace CF SLX bike. Weather was a little chilly at 68 degrees but the sun was out and the wind was only 5 mph as I started the ride at 9:33 AM. When I returned to the courthouse at 12:55 PM ending the ride with 46.34 miles it had warmed up to 81 and the wind was still light at 6 mph. The distance was a few tenths of mile less than 2017. I thought the distance would close the difference between 2020 YTD miles and 2021 but it so happens I biked 46.1 miles on May 6th, 2020. I didn’t reduce the 62 mile shortage of 2021.
The roads were not so rough chip seal surface with the biggest improvement on FM 222. It was marked by rough pavement and potholes in 2017. SH 150 was supposed to have construction according to a warning sign in Shepherd but I see any though several places had orange barrels in the grass. Traffic was light on all of the roads and SH 150 had a wide shoulder in both directions.
As if the hills weren’t enough I encountered three dog sprints. One on SH 150 around the 16 mile point but not on the return but I heard a dog in the yard of a house in the area. The dog came across the road in front of me forcing me to slow. He stayed on the shoulder and grass barking when I moved to the main lane. I think he knew the main lane was dangerous. The second was on the return leg on FM 222 not long after I passed the Shepherd United Methodist Church. It was a big growling dog who looked mean and hungry. I rode faster and he didn’t keep up. I don’t know if he couldn’t chase longer or I rode away. The third dog sprint also was on FM 222 later on the return to Coldspring. A medium large white dog ran along side in the grass but didn’t come to the pavement. Thankfully he lost interest because it was on an incline and my speed was maxed out.
Some photos I took.
On SH 150 2 miles west of Shepherd 
FM 222 
FM 222
I racked up some Strava medals but not as many as in 2017.
