It turns out I was too optimistic about biking today. I set out at 11:45 to ride the “Atascocita – Walden – Huffman” route but I didn’t make it. As I bicycled through Elm Grove Village in Kingwood I saw dark clouds to the north and east but I figured to ride away from them. Yesterday I tried to get ready to bicycle two times and each time rain arrived washing me out. Later when I took my wife to Hobby Lobby in New Caney I saw the roads were dry about a mile or two from home. Missed biking opportunity though it start to sprinkle when were on the way back home.
Normally I think a bike ride was worth while if I ride 10 miles or more. Today I fell short of that by half a mile or so. The rain caught me when I arrived at Kingwood Town Center and I found refuge in a covered hall between businesses in a strip center. At that point I rode 6.9 miles and paused at 12:17. The rain picked up (1.38″ at my home weather station) and I stayed until 1:25 or so. One of the businesses looked out into the hall and was a hair salon, Sanke Hairdressers. While I waited for the rain to stop or slow down I watched what was going on there. Lots of hairdressers without many customers meant they walked around and talked. Hopefully the rain caused the customers to stay otherwise they are over staffed.
Finally the rain slowed and I left to ride back home. It was about 10 degrees cooler and I was damp which made for a chilly 2+ mile ride back. I finished at 1:37 biking 9.47 miles. Rain chances tomorrow are less than today. May flowers are getting their rain.
Weather radar at the end of the bike ride. I am in the enter of the picture where the rain is the thinnest (65 degrees)
HOUSTON – A woman died Monday after she was struck by a vehicle in northeast Houston.
Police said a black Chrysler 300 struck the woman around 2 p.m. in the 11300 block of Homestead Road.
Lampasas Hillacious Bike Tour
Lampasas, Texas
April 8, 2017
This was the 3rd annual Lampasas ride. I would estimate 150 riders showed up even though the forecast was for high winds–which was accurate.
Christine in the back of the line up. Note the bike. Last week she received her Trek XM700 + Low Step electric assist bike. Suddenly, she can line up in the back knowing that she will not finish last. Her bike is as “fast” as my Giant, but the Trek comes with just a …
More than 2,000 bicyclists are expected to join in the 30th Annual Running of the Bike MS: Sam’s Club Round-Up Ride, set for May 6-7 in Fort Worth, Texas. The two-day, 163-mile trek’s objective is to raise $1.8 million in funding for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Last year, participants pedaled 279,000 miles and raised just …
Fredericksburg, TX to Austin, TX (80 miles, 4,500 ft. of elevation gain, 14 mph, 4114 calories burned)
Texas! The Texas Hill Country goes on and on and so does the entire state of Texas. You can’t really grasp the size of Texas by just looking at a map. Cycling through this big state is another story. It. Is. Big. …
Day 32: Trials & Tribulations!
ls & Tribulations!
Austin, TX to Bastop, TX (59.77 miles, 12.4 mph, 2,142 elevation gain, 2,669 calories burned)
We were expecting it, and it came! IT was the weather. But the weather happened to be the least of our worries today!
After a quick breakfast at the Fairfield Inn, we cycled once again on the narrow shoulder of the South West Parkway having three lanes of …
Day 38 Texas D21: Shepherds Sanctuary to Silsbee
Monday April 10, 2017, 61 miles (98 km) – Total so far: 1,854 miles (2,984 km)
584′, 5:27, 10.8
Got an early morning start today to try and outrun the rains but they caught me right after lunch. Light rain nothing serious but I did have 14-18 mph W hitting me most of the way to Silsbee. Arrived Silsbee around 2pm and spent the rest of the afternoon in urgent care. Need meds to kill this cold or allergies that have haunted me the past 4 days.
Roads were for the most parts pretty good, except for a lot of logging trucks on the road. I’m very happy with 500” of vertical, it’s nice not to have to climb extreme grades every day.
Last night in Texas as I hope to make Merryville, LA or further if possible.
Day 25: Sanderson to Langtry Texas
Saturday April 8, 2017, 61 miles (98 km) – Total so far: 1,379 miles (2,219 km)
Overall today was a challenge, what with the start of 10 mile per hour headwinds from the southeast, directly into my line of travel. From lunch on it seemed like I was fighting a battle with Mother nature.
My stay at Canyons RV had it’s pluses and minuses. On the positive side I had a laundery room for washing clothes as well as sheltering from the winds and mosquitos in the evening. I had pine needles to sleep on for the first time on this trip. On the downside I was only 25 feet from the road and there were heavy trucks going by on a regular basis. When I saw both Art and Even come to the campground to do thier laundery, I mentioned the inexpensive camp fee of $10, but then pointed out the noise from the road. Evan said, you know Charles, the truckers need to sleep like the rest of us so they will …
Day 26: Langtry to Del Rio Texas
Sunday April 9, 2017, 62 miles (100 km) – Total so far: 1,441 miles (2,319 km)
Today started out as another “battle ride” what with the ever-present headwinds, but ended on a brighter note in Del Rio as the wind seemed to have lost a lot of it’s punch.
As I could hear the tent flapping all nite long I reset the alarm for 5:30 am in order to get an early start. Yes, I did have to use my head lamp to pack up. Oh, and if you are wondering, I have switched to a USB headlamp made by Black Diamond and just love it. No more having to hunt up spendy batteries. Small miracles mean so much.
I was rolling by 7:30 am into the wind and over the rough chip seal. Conditions were cloudy and cool; 60 degrees. I could tell from the map that there really would not be anything to look at until I got to Amistad National Recreation Area where I would find a huge body of watering that formed a reservoir behind Amistad Dam that straddles Mexico and the United States. The dam was constructed so that water would collect and recharge the Rio Grande River, which otherwise would never make it all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. The dam was completed in 1969. As the water backed up the …
Day 27: Del Rio to Bracketville Texas
Monday April 10, 2017, 32 miles (51 km) – Total so far: 1,473 miles (2,371 km)
Today was a short one as the alternative would have been a really long one all the way to CampWood.
Before I begin the day let me tell you about my “mental” strength that I gained yesterday. In every trip I have ever been on I have always had a day where I seem to have gone through a threshold where I realize that I am strong both mentally and physically, and that I can rest assured that I can complete this trip with enough horse power to get through headwinds, chip seal, heat, cold, and the uncertainly that comes with travel. Sometime yesterday when I was having a “battle day” I thought hey, I can do this! I can keep cool, calm, aware, smile, and still listen (CCastle) all the while struggling with the conditions.
Make no doubt about it, long distance cycling touring is hard work. The bike is heavy and a challenge to steer at slow speeds. I simply can’t try to pedal hard to climb a hill any faster. Sure, I occasionally stand up to pedal, but typically that requires more energy than it is worth. A wind gust can feel like a slap in the face. A rough road surface makes for a …
WACO, TX (KXXV) – Private land near Cameron Park has now been converted into a ranch.
The 60-acre property has restored trails and newly developed trails for bikers, runners and hikers of different skills to enjoy.
Ranch Manager Trent Dougherty said the land was purchased in 2014 by Waco Businessman Todd Behringer with the intention of preserving the trails.
“When we first started working here, the idea of enhancing the restoration and recreation was a dream because the first …
Normal people don’t ride bicycles for 100 miles in 100-degree heat, wheeling through areas without shade, where winds whip grit through spokes and Lycra.
So why does the Hotter’N Hell Hundred draw 14,000-plus riders to Wichita Falls each August?
That’s the question a group of Midwestern State University nursing professors sought to answer with “Motivation to Ride in the Hotter’N Hell Hundred Bicycling Event,” a …
Day 37 Texas D20: Punkin to Shepherds Sanctuary
Sunday April 9, 2017, 31 miles (50 km) – Total so far: 1,793 miles (2,886 km)
850′ V, 2:59:11, 10.5
Short day because I’m still not feeling well and I need to get some rest. I had to fix a flat first thing this morning, then leaving Coldsprings I got off track again and was heading north, it cost me 45 min, vertical and ruined my mojo.
Met up with the private adventure cycling tour at the sanctuary. 13 riders and all their personal gear is hauled for them daily so …
In order to get back home sooner to watch a replay of the Paris-Roubaix race I opted for the slightly shorter “Atascocita – Walden” route for a total of 25.08 miles. After getting home from church I started the bike ride at 12:34 and finished at 2:25. My wife is not a fan of the Paris-Roubaix race so I watched the 26 minute final 15 k replay on the computer. I planned on watching the NBC Sports Gold version but Flash kept crashing in the Chrome browser causing me to watch the EuroSport replay at Steephill.tv.
Nothing unusual happened on the bike ride with fantastic weather: partly cloudy sky, 84 degrees, and a strong south wind at 17 mph with 26 mph gusts. This made the ride to Walden tough and watching the PowerPod I could see the watts jump up when the gusts hit and I upped my pedaling to try to keep my speed. Yesterday I watched this video to learn a little more about power meters.
I need to learn more but this explained what FTP means. I looked at a website to calculate power zones and I need to change mine. A cyclist my age doesn’t have a 30 year old’s zones.
This is a picture of what my PowerPod setup looks like with the Barfly out front mount.
Staying west of Lake Houston I did not spot any love bugs today. They were not missed.
Gallery of images: home weather starting, airport weather at the end, Strava extended statistics, this week summary and month to date. (click on the image to enlarge it)
