A longer ride today on the “Splendora – FM2090 – FM1314” route coming in at 50.6 miles. I am getting closer to my June goal of 968 miles and now I am only 136 miles short. 4 potential biking days left. I will need to average 34 miles per day if I ride each day. I plan on biking 40 miles tomorrow (Saturday). As I write this it is raining at my home but I got here before it started. It might have cooled me off when I was riding.

I did ride in some light rain starting on Loop 494 north of New Caney to SH 242. It was another sun shining rain falling event. The light rain felt cooling. Later I saw water standing on the edge of FM1314 from Cumberland Blvd. to Sorters Road when I was going towards Porter.

I rode north to Splendora, west on FM2090 to FM1485 and then south to FM3083 and FM1485 where i stopped at the Valero station for a break. I sat in the shade drinking cold water from my water bottle as people came and went. After 10 or 15 minutes a man rode up on a 29″ MTB and went in the store. We exchanged hellos as he passed by. Later when he came out we started talking. He asked what was the longest ride I ever did. I told him 100 miles. He then told me about how a friend and him rode mountain bikes from Arizona to Alabama one summer. They rode 100 miles many days but didn’t take the most direct route. He said he rode 3,000 miles that summer. He rode back to Arizona but his friend went somewhere else. He still has the Giant bike he rode. It was a nice conversation. He said now he just rides a few miles around his home. He then rode away on his red dual suspension MTB after we shook hands and wished each other well. He was 56 when I took the long trip. He is 67 now. His friend had biked across the US 5 times back then.

Leaving the Valero I rode south on Old Houston Road to connect with FM1314 and then back to the southeast. I went through the Grand Parkway work zone on FM1314. Lo and bhold they were setting one of the concrete beams for the overpass in place over the east bound lanes with several others sitting on trucks waiting their turn. A flashing sign alerted traffic of lane changes coming tonight and Saturday. This probably means the west bound lanes are going in place soon too.

Arriving at the Stripes station at 2:00 and 39.1 miles into the ride I took a longer break to snack and drink Gatorade. The ice machine was fixed and the Gatorade was much colder than previous times this week. While I was sitting in the shade cooling off several people asked how I was doing. One lady wearing a McDonald’s t-shirt chatted with me more than the others. She wished me well for the rest of my ride as she pulled out.

After leaving home at 11:03 I got back home at 3:26 with some dark clouds to the northeast and the sun hiding behind some others to the west. It was 91 degrees as I pulled into the driveway. The light breeze was enough to keep the sweat  somewhat dried up. I used 8 paper towels at the Stripes station but not all of them were soaked like they normally are.

I will need to ride earlier tomorrow to avoid the late afternoon rain in the forecast.

Porter weather while at Stripes

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