I chose the Forest Cove – Oakhurst – Valley Ranch route for today’s bike ride. I didn’t know I would find new (to me at least) sections of the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway when I got to the Forest Cove Community Center on Marina Drive. The bike ride began at 11:03 AM as I rolled out on my Lynskey Helix bike. The last time I rode this route was April 22nd, 2022. I rode many of the streets as part of other routes but not this specific route since then. Today was the 5th time biking the route in 2022. I biked 26.92 miles today, a little less than the other times. December road miles now totals 120.58, 60% of my 200 mile goal. I finished the ride at 1:15 PM.

A couple of months ago I read that the City of Houston resumed work on the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway. Today I found out where that work was. As I rode past the Forest Cove Community Center on Marina Drive I saw trucks and workers ahead. The video shows some of the new greenway sections. At first I wasn’t sure about riding on the new greenway but the workers didn’t stop as I rode. Some sections were covered with dirt and a couple of workers shoveled it away. The new sections incorporate some of the original concrete streets with added concrete. I think the City of Houston portion is in place and now it is up to Harris County to build the remainder through Edgewater Park to US59. At the end of the greenway where the picnic tables are (also there was a very old sign warning car owners they would be towed if they didn’t pay $3) I rode to Hamblen Road through a partially open gate just west of the BBQ restaurant and across from the closed flea market. There is a white fence on both sides of the gate if you come from Hamblen Road to the greenway.

I passed through two law enforcement spots. The first one was in Bear Branch with a bunch of Houston Police cars parked in front of a house. Two people were talking with a police officer. Not sure what happened but as I began the bike ride I heard sirens not too far away. The second was at E. Knox Street just east of the railroad crossing. Three Montgomery County Sheriff deputies cars were on Adams St and they were outside of their cars in a meeting. Again not sure what that was about.

Weather for the bike ride: start 79 (humidity 77%, dew point 71), mostly cloudy, wind calm; finish 80 (humidity 68%, dew point 68), partly cloudy, wind SW 6 mph. Wind wasn’t much of a problem but the humidity made for a muggy ride. I didn’t overdress. I wore shorts, short sleeve jersey, arm sleeves, and gloves.

Strava top results: PR on Don’t Get Run Over on Hamblen West (42s), Local Legend on Woodridge Forest Straightaway, Local Legend on John Quincy Adams.