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After missing last Saturday’s ride I thought I would try a route that I have not done before or at least exactly like this. So I chose to ride a modified route from the Humble Lions February ride. A couple of the differences were that I started in Kingwood instead of Humble and when I got to Crosby I did not take the route to the east of US 90. This route is interesting in the variety of settings. From suburban city to country with cows in the field scenes this route covers them all. Grass farms around Crosby were soaking up the sun and I could recent signs of grass being harvested.

On Old Astascocita Road and Ramsey Road I met oncoming cyclists returning from their ride. I don’t know what time they started but I left at 7:32 so they must’ve gotten a earlier start than that. Pictures of most of the riders (click on the picture to enlarge it).

The picture at the end is the Shell station in Summerwood. I was resting there when a man came out of the store and we talked about my route and how he runs but then bikes to cool down. He was telling me about the loop in Eisenhower Park which is close to Duessen Park which I rode through to get to the station. Next time I ride this route I will take the loop through Eisenhower Park to check it out. I was wondering how the traffic would be on W. Lake Houston Parkway from the station to FM1960. It was not a problem with the traffic giving me a wide berth. While the route is very flat (at one point I was only 3 ft. above sea level) the bridge on W. Lake Houston Parkway over the railroad tracks was a challenge after 42 miles or so. I had to go down a couple of gears to maintain some speed.

Around the 21.2 mile point I was startled by this rather large dog racing towards me from the left and then suddenly deciding to try and stop with paws and claws sliding on the pavement. I had no trouble sprinting away from him. He must have changed his mind when he got close enough to see me. I was heading into the wind so I had my head down and was not noticing things off to the side.

The weather was mild at this time of the day with the temperature at 81 degrees when I started and 91 when I finished. Wind was a mild 7 mph from the SW. Skies were partly cloudy although near Crosby a dark cloud appeared for a few minutes. Of course I was no where near any shelter if it did decide to rain. But the cloud disappeared quickly. The National Weather Service issued this alert before I left for the ride:

Special Weather Statement – Montgomery (Texas)
from Texas – (Montgomery/TXZ199) – Current Watches, Warnings and Advi
CROCKETT…TRINITY…GROVETON…
MADISONVILLE…HUNTSVILLE…SHEPHERD…COLDSPRING…LIVINGSTON…
CORRIGAN…ONALASKA…CALDWELL…LAKE SOMERVILLE…
COLLEGE STATION…BRYAN…BRENHAM…NAVASOTA…THE WOODLANDS…
CONROE…WILLIS…LIBERTY…CLEVELAND…DAYTON…COLUMBUS…
EAGLE LAKE…WEIMAR…SEALY…BELLVILLE…HEMPSTEAD…
PRAIRIE VIEW…BROOKSHIRE…HOUSTON…PASADENA…KATY…TOMBALL…
HUMBLE…WINNIE…MONT BELVIEU…ANAHUAC…EL CAMPO…WHARTON…
PIERCE…SUGAR LAND…MISSOURI CITY…RICHMOND…ROSENBERG…
EDNA…BAY CITY…PALACIOS…PEARLAND…LAKE JACKSON…ALVIN…
ANGLETON…FREEPORT…LEAGUE CITY…TEXAS CITY…FRIENDSWOOD…
GALVESTON
501 AM CDT SAT AUG 14 2010

…EXCESSIVE HEAT EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS THIS WEEKEND…

A STRENGTHENING UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL RESULT IN
SOME OF THE HOTTEST TEMPERATURES OF THE SEASON SO FAR OVER THE
NEXT FEW DAYS. HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO REACH 100 TO 102
DEGREES OVER THE NORTHERN COUNTIES OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS…THE UPPER
90S IN THE HOUSTON METRO AREA…AND MID 90S ALONG THE COAST.
OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES WILL PROVIDE LITTLE RELIEF…WITH MINIMUM
TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO RANGE IN THE UPPER 70S AND LOWER 80S.
LITTLE CHANGE IN TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED THROUGH TUESDAY.

THE COMBINATION OF HEAT AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL RESULT IN MAXIMUM HEAT
INDEX VALUES OF 104 TO 110 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON AND 104 TO 108
DEGREES ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

I was finished before the heat became a problem. Perspiration continues to pour from my brow. I have discovered a method to relieve it some: I wear a cotton bandanna under my helmet to help with the moisture which works until it is saturated but if I push on the side of my helmet I can force the sweat to drain off. It is amazing how much drains when I push.

Today’s ride statistics:

• miles 54.07
• riding time 3:37:02
• average pace 4:01 min/mile
• average speed 14.9 mph
• max speed 24.7 mph (probably when I was going down the railroad overpass)
• average cadence 76.5 rpm
• max cadence 109 rpm
• climb 314 ft., descend 246 ft., max elevation 103 ft., minimum elevation 3 ft.
• August miles 252.90
• YTD miles 3361.37

Charts and Map from the ride. Click on one of the thumbnails to enlarge it and to navigate to the others.

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