Opening this week’s riding I chose the “Kingwood – Splendora – Kingwood” route and rode 44.28 miles. I started the ride at 10:43 AM with excellent biking weather: start 82 (68% humidity), mostly cloudy, wind 6 mph. Finish 84 (60% humidity), overcast, wind SE 14 mph.

I wore a new Bellwether Distance jersey atop my Bellwether shorts.

With the light wind I was able to ride at a good pace and kept improving my average speed to 14.8 mph before it dropped when I got back to Kingwood.

While riding through Tavola I stopped and took these photos.

The Knockout Roses’ brilliant red caught my eye.

Once I reached Splendora the ride back to the south was into a headwind but my legs had the power to keep my average speed up and increase it.

For a slight variation on this route I rode through Forest Colony from Valley Ranch Parkway back to the I-69/US59 south frontage road. My usual route is Azalea Blvd. but the road can be covered in mud from the trucks hauling dirt from a big excavation beside the road. They use water to keep the dust down.

I finished the ride at 2:00 PM in time to beat the school traffic. I still saw some debris from Friday’s rain and wind storm.

Tuesday’s weather forecast shows a 50% chance of rain but maybe a bike ride can be fit in before the rain arrives.