Tomorrow I will ride the Jalapeno 100 in Harlingen. Today I wanted to get a feel for the roads around the area. Checking the rides I did last year in RideWithGPS I downloaded the Wilson Road – Combes – Loop 499 one to my Bolt computer for TBT directions. Last year I got off course and the Bolt computer kept beeping at me. This would be the second time on this route. It began at 11:11 AM. I rode my Canyon Endurace CF 7 bike but I changed out the wheels to DT Swiss Endura with 700x35mm tires at 70 psi. Most of the roads are chip’n seal and I wanted to see if the 700x35mm tires helped smooth them out. The tires helped some but the extra weight offset that. Tomorrow I’ll use the ICAN Cycling Alpha wheels with 700x28mm tires.

I took a side trip from the route to visit the Iwo Jima Monument at the Marine Military Academy. It stands tall. The wind had the flag straight out. This added a little distance to the route from Loop 499.

The wind was strong from the NE making for hard pedaling going any direction with an “N”. At the RoadRanger Store I turned south and my legs recovered some. I didn’t want to ride too many miles today and tire them out for tomorrow. When I moved to Loop 499 the route curved to the south letting me finish with a tailwind. Hopefully the wind dies down some by tomorrow. Weather: Start 73 degrees, humidity 53%, dew point 55, fair, wind NE 18 mph gusts 28 mph; Finish 77 degrees, humidity 40%, dew point 51, fair, wind NE 13 mph.