After not biking for three days I was committed to biking today. The weather cooperated a little but the overcast sky kept the temperature around 70 degrees but thankfully the wind was only 8 mph. I prefer it to be 10 to 15 degrees warmer. I compensated by wearing a long sleeve jersey and a short sleeve jersey. Early in the ride it was 71 or 72 degrees and i was comfortable but as neared the end of the ride it felt cooler and I confirmed that after finishing.

At the start of today the week totaled 103 miles and with today’s 29.74 miles I finished the week with 132.8 miles. Missing the three days cut the difference between 2023 YTD miles (2421) and 2021 (2387) to 34 miles, the closest it has been for a while. Missing those three days was not good. Rain on Thursday and Friday meant no riding but I could’ve rode yesterday in the late afternoon.

I started today at 1:50 PM after getting home from Easter Sunday worships services. Riding my Lynskey Helix bike I set out on my Forest Cover – Oakhurst – Valley Ranch route. I’ve rode this route several times so far this year. The route makes it’s way through Kingwood and onto the San jacinto Bayou Greenway in Forest Cove. With the rain I wondered if the greenway might have experienced any water. I saw a couple of places where water washed leaves and pine needles onto the pavement but nothing serious. Exiting the greenway I rode west on Hamblen Road to Loop 494, Sorters Road north into Kingwood Place. From there Oakhurst was next, Briar Tree. I crossed over FM 1314 into Valley Ranch. I looked forward to the turn around at Valley Ranch Bend Drive where the wind would change from headwind to side and tail wind. I took side streets through Valley Ranch into Forest Colony and back to US59/I-69 for the ride south to Northpark Drive. A u-turn under the freeway and I was about 7 miles from the finish. A short ride into the wind again until I turned right on E. Knox St. Crossing over Loop 494 I rode through Woodridge Forest and back into Kingwood. The chill was more noticeable as I finished the ride at 4:01 PM.

With the rest my legs had the power and I built my average speed up to 14.0 mph until I slowed through Woodridge Forest. They were good enough to collect the Strava 3rd fastest time on Northshore Sunrise (3:55) in Forest Cove.