Oakhurst – Cumberland – Valley Ranch for Variety
Today I rode a route for the 5th time out of the 155 rides this year. This route keeps me south of Community Drive and away from the construction on the US 59 service road at the Grand Parkway. I label this route “Oakhurst – Cumberland – Valley Ranch”. Leaving home at 11:23 I saw some dark clouds to the south but hoped they stayed away. They almost did until I was riding east on Northpark Drive and felt some sprinkles. I turned back to the west since the reason I went almost to US59 was to check out the service station under construction on Northpark just west of US59. Once I started back to Oakhurst the rain stayed behind and the wind helped too. I was slowly able to build up my average speed to 15.3 mph by the time I reached Cumberland Parkway where I turned back into the wind. From that point forward the average speed dropped down as I battled the wind. My legs just didn’t have what they needed to push into the wind from the southeast at 12 mph but I think the wind was gusting higher.
I stopped briefly at Stripes on FM1314 to refill my water bottle and then I rode through Valley Ranch to the US 59 service road. The wind was still slowing me down. When I finally reached Porter I took a break at the Star Stop Exxon. While I was at the Star Stop I was thinking to myself, why do I stop here? There is a big plywood patch over part of the glass window, the Powerade dispenser didn’t work until I asked a man to look it and then only one flavor worked. This is not a very good station. The problem is the other choices are not much better. I will try the Shell station across the street next time.
When I finished resting at Star Stop I rode east on FM1314 to Loop 494 to go south and enter Kingwood via Adams Street. The wind tried to slow me down the whole way home where I arrived at 2:12. My legs were about done. The temperature was 90 and the sun was beating down mightily.
The ride today was 31.23 miles long averaging 14.9 mph. This week I rode 166.94 miles and 5348 miles year to date.
The mail person delivered my KMC Missing Link Tool this afternoon so I am ready to install my new KMC-11 chain. I plan using WD40 Dry Chain lube and hopefully this will stop the black stuff from getting all over the bike, mainly the rear wheel and right chainstay.
I was thinking about riding the Gatorfest bike ride tomorrow but it starts at 7:00 AM in Anahuac about 55 miles from home. That takes about 80 minutes drive there and I would have to get up at 5:00 AM. I am an early riser but that is too early even for me.
Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS.
