Early Bird or Lone Rider: Timing the Cyclist’s Wave in Huffman
Did I start the bike ride too early to see other cyclists over by Huffman? It was only 5 minutes earlier than last Saturday at 8:07 AM today. I followed the same route, Atascocita – Huffman – Atascocita Hike & Bike Trail, but on my Cervelo Caledonia not the Canyon Endurace. The 86% humidity meant sweating not long after rolling away. Fortunately the wind was only 6 mph from the south, enough to cool a little but not enough to require hard pedaling. The first cyclist appeared on W. Lake Houston Parkway by Kings River Drive. No more until Old Atascocita Road with one west of FM2100 and three east of there. I made the u-turn at Sheldon Services after not seeing any blinking white lights coming my direction. At the railroad crossing in Huffman I waited for a long freight train to pass through. It was hot standing in the sun and not moving. Headed west on FM1960 I looked south as I passed Fairlake Lane and saw three cyclists. I expected them to catch up as I biked across the lake but only one arrived as I approached Atascocita Shores Drive. He went ahead turning left and then pulled into the store as I rode by. I said hi. Riding through Walden I made my way to Farmingham Road and entered the Atascocita Hike & Bike Trail. We haven’t had much rain this week so I thought the mud under FM1960 would manageable and it was. Mud stuck to the tires but I rode slowly to shed some of it. Crossing W. Lake Houston Parkway I continued on the hike and bike trail to Kings Park Way. Side streets took me back to W. Lake Houston Parkway and riding north. Around Kings Harbor a cyclist passed me and we exchanged hi’s. So far the number of cyclists was no where near the unprecedented number I saw last Saturday but riding behind the stores on the Strava New HEB Ally segment 2 bicycle riders pulled in front of me. One wore an Ohio State University jersey. I asked if he was from Ohio and he said yes, Akron. His name was Jim and the other rider was Mike. They were on the way back from the Exxon station on US90 by Baytown for a 50 mile round trip . They ride most days from the Starbucks store at 8:15 AM, earlier than I usually start. That was the last cyclists. I made my way home finishing at 10:46 AM. I was soaked with sweat like getting out of the pool. The heat was still building.
Weather: Start 84 degrees, humidity 86%, dew point 79.5, cloud cover 23%, wind S 7 mph gusts 10 mph; Finish 90 degrees, humidity 69%, dew point 78.7, partly cloudy, wind S 8 mph.