Getting up at 4 AM for a bike ride is not my normal activity but to get to the Rollin’ Pearland Ride before the 7:05 AM start called for it. I registered for the 51 mile route and my friend Jeff did too. I backed out of the driveway around 5:20 AM to start the 50 or so drive to the start at Independence Park on Pearland Parkway. Google Maps took me not quite as direct as I wanted but I arrived around 6:20 AM. Fog and mist hung over the park as everyone put their bikes together and got ready. I met Jeff as I walked back from getting my packet agreeing to meet at the starting line. The temperature was 78 and the wind calm. The forecast called for mid 90’s later and sunny.

The “C” group for 51 miles rolled away at 7:12 AM. The fog had lifted mostly by then but whenever we stopped for traffic lights my sunglasses fogged up. That was didn’t happen for long as the sun got higher. I loaded the route on my Wahoo bolt computer for turn-by-turn directions. That worked excepted for 2 turns where the route signs said turn and the TBT didn’t agree. The first time I didn’t see a reason for the problem but the second time road construction closed part of the road and the change made sense. Rest stops were spread apart longer than most rides. The first one was about 20 miles and the only other one was at 41 miles. Maybe there was another that we missed? The highest rider number I saw was 909 but there were other cycling groups out on some of the route too. Some were in the same direction and others ride opposite.

Riding south went into a headwind and most other directions the wind wasn’t a factor. Jeff and I stopped at 37.2 for a self proclaimed rest stop. My feet needed rest and time to drink from the CamelBak. Jeff gave me a Peanut Butter Clif bar since I didn’t bring any food. That helped my energy a lot. We stopped at the rest stop at 41 miles. I ate two chewy granola bars, drank several cups of dill pickle juice and water. Back on the bike to ride to the finish. I turned into the park and stopped the Bolt computer at 10:53 AM. That was a nice early finish. I averaged 15.1 mph. It has been a long time since I did that. The ride covered 51.25 miles. With the different starting location the route was not the same at times but some roads were familiar. Last year I rode 49.29 miles.

I set a bunch of Strava results. Four of them: PR on Tower Counter Attack (9:25) PR on CR 48 Speedway (3:15) PR on 58 to 288 westbound (4:31) PR on #localbikeshop (3:09).