The chilly night concerned me as I got ready to leave where I stayed for the 7:30 start time. I bundled up wearing shorts, leg warmers, long sleeve thermal jersey, my Texbiker short sleeve jersey, wind jacket, and full finger gloves.

Arriving at the Boys Club starting location I parked the Rubicon Wrangler. Since I already got my ride number I walked around the parking lot passing out Texbiker business cards, running out of cards before running out of bikers.

Unloading the Canyon Endurace bike from the Jeep I put the wheels on, changed shoes, and made my way to the start line. We rolled out at 7:33 AM with the making its way up into the sky. It was cold but I didn’t really notice as we headed north. After navigating some side streets we came to the frontage road along US77/I-69. The tailwind helped propel me north for 21+ miles lifting my average speed over 16 mph. Once I turned east onto SH 186 in Raymondville my average speed began a steady decline as I battled the headwind.

Biking east on SH 186 the wind came from my right front quarter. While the route paralleled US77 the road surface consisted of smooth asphalt except for a stretch of 1/2 mile. On SH 186 not only the headwind slowed me down but the road surface turned to chip and seal.

Around the 23 mile point I came upon a group of bikers gathered around a biker laying on the shoulder. He did not look good. Not long after that a rest stop appeared where I looked back west toward the accident scene as an ambulance arrive with red lights flashing. I hope the rider avoided serious injury.

Riding farther east on SH 186 until about 30.5 miles another rest stop awaited as the route turned south on FM 1420. I spent some time at this rest stop preparing for more headwind. While I was there I had a great conversation with a man working at the rest stop. He asked where I was from and told me he had a friend living in Kingwood. After resting I got back on the bike battling the headwind as I rode south. Sometimes the scrawny trees on the left side of the road broke the wind some for relief but only for short breaks. Finally I made it to FM 498.

FM 498 went west moving the headwind to a tailwind. What a relief but I knew this lasted only 9 or 10 miles. Around 41.3 miles the next rest stop awaited and I stopped to drink and rest. Back on the Canyon I rode west until reaching US77/I-69 where the route turned south around 48+ miles into the ride. From then on the headwind tortured my leg as my average speed plummeted.

The next rest stop came around the 53 mile point and again I stopped. I drank more eating an oatmeal cookie to power the remaining 12+ miles. As I walked up to one of the tables the lady told me they had ice cream. I opened the cooler and got a fudge bar. I needed the sugar and cold to boost my energy.

Leaving the rest stop the road continued south into the 18 to 22 mph wind. My legs managed to turn the pedals as I slowly notched each mile. I saw a route sign around the 61 mile point that said “turn ahead” so I turned at the next street. Wrong choice. After riding west on the street a few hundred yards I realized it was a dead, turned around and got back on the route following another cyclist who seemed to know the route.

The route made several turns west and then south to get me to Wilson Road where the ride began going north after the start. I figured this meant maybe 3 or 4 miles to the finish plus turning east might reduce the headwind. It did let the headwind up some until I turned right back into. At one intersection I missed a turn sign and rode straight off the route. But up ahead I saw the street that goes to the finish location. Making my way there I stopped the Elemnt computer at 1:04 PM. Laying the Canyon against a picnic bench I went inside to get my certificate and a bottle of cold water. Going back outside I sat at the bench drinking the cold water and resting before riding to the Jeep. While I sitting there a man came over and asked me to take a picture of him and a lady biker. I rode to the Jeep put the Canyon in the back and crawled into the driver’s seat. Jalapeno 100 2020 completed.

Weather during the bike ride: start 44 (96% humidity, 43 dew point), fair, wind SE 6 mph. Finish 76 (43% humidity, 52 dew point), partly cloudy, wind S 18 – 22 mph.

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