I set out today at 11:02 AM (I tried to leave before 11 AM but didn’t make it) to ride the Spring Creek Greenway for May. The last time I rode there was April 10th. I wanted to ride earlier this month but during the May 7th and 9th rain storms portions of the greenway were under water. Yesterday I saw another cyclist on Strava ride there and I asked him if was open from US59 to I-45 and he said open all the way. More on that later.

Weather for the ride was great except for the pesky wind. Weather during the ride: start 86 (71% humidity), mostly cloudy, wind S 17 mph 25 mph gusts. Finish 88 (73% humidity), partly cloudy, wind S 21 mph 28 mph gusts. I wore shorts, short sleeve jersey, arm sleeves, and sunscreen. Below is the weather at the end of the bike ride.

Getting to the trailhead at US59 and the San Jacinto River I battled the wind whenever I got out in the open. Riding across the river on the Bevell Jarrell Memorial Bridge was hard pedaling into the headwind. At the north entrance someone put a dead deer carcass in a white garbage bag and left it on the ramp.

Once I was on the greenway I saw about two dozen other cyclists coming and going or in the parking lots. One cyclist on a mountain bike sporting a red Mohawk hair cut without a helmet passed me several times. A few other cyclists passed me more than once. Even among all of the trees I felt the wind blowing and whenever I got out in the open it was strong. At the first bridge the water was pushed toward the bridge and the gusts made it hard to ride across. Later at other openings and parks the wind was evident.

Riding toward Pundt Park the trail was blocked before the park circling around to the right. On the return leg the detour circled to the other side. Not sure why that portion of the trail was closed. I stopped at Pundt Park to rest for a few minutes and to eat a snack.

From there the trail was open with some places with a light coating of sand but not enough to be a problem. Passing the exit to Dennis Johnston Park near the Hardy Toll Road and Grand Parkway I rode towards the end of the trail west of I-45 but the trail was blocked before going under I-45 with workers dropping riff-raff over the bank where the water had ate away.

This was at the 23.5 mile point. Behind me another cyclist on a trike recumbent pulled up, saw the barrier and turned around. On the way back to Dennis Johnston Park I went under the railroad tracks as a speeding freight train went overhead and I took these photos.

Leaving Dennis Johnston Park after refilling my water bottle heading back to US59 I saw a few more bikers and the red Mohawk one twice. At Jesse Jones Park I stopped for a rest break and to east another snack, refill my water bottle for the ride back home.

Back on the Canyon bike I rode to the US59 trailhead, under the freeway and across the bridge. The deer was still there. From there I rode east on Hamblen Road dodging the many roughly patched spots with some cars trailing behind until they could pass. At the Forest Cove Drive stop sign they turned left and I went straight. I made it by the first school before they let out with cars parked waiting but when I got to Bear Branch Elementary I waited for what seemed like a couple of hundred children to cross the street stopping traffic including me. I almost got through and was stopped by a second wave of children. I finally escaped and rode home to finish at 3:21 PM.

The weather is heating up and will stay dry so Thursday biking should happen.

SportTracks Bike Ride Summary

2019 trails 2018 by 31 miles, leads 2017 by 369 miles, and leads 2016 by 36 miles. Older years are behind 2019 by wide margins.