My timing was just right today to avoid the rain just as I walked inside the house at the end of the ride. It rained about 1/4″ which was enough to totally soak me if I wasn’t already wet from all of the sweat I generated on the ride. I almost got soaked earlier in the ride when I left the Cumberland Shell station after a rest break. I rode up to the traffic light at Painted Blvd. to get onto FM1314. The first obstacle was an 18 wheeler, well actually 17 wheeler, stuck in the left turn lane with the driver side front tire leaning up against the truck and the axle laying on the pavement. I rode around the truck and dashed across FM1314 to ride SE toward Porter. As soon as I cleared the intersection big rain drops starting falling but they only lasted a couple of hundred feet and then I was out of them. I should’ve been warned by what I saw when I arrived at the Shell station; I could see heavy rain in the west past the Grand Parkway overpass over FM1314. I was glad to not be riding that far.
All of this took place while I rode the “Oakhurst – Cumberland – Valley Ranch” route. I haven’t biked this route since the Grand Parkway construction finished restricting the lanes on FM1314 while the overpass was being built. I started late (1:09) because I waited for the streets at home to dry some from a quick shower, an earlier doctor’s appointment and talking to my oldest daughter on the phone.
To help lengthen the ride I rode south to Kingwood Drive and then back north. In Kings Forest I stopped at a small park and took this picture.
This is a small pocket park off one of the through streets. I don’t know the background of why Herb Hudson’s name is there though. From there I wove my way west to US59 and Sorters Road before riding in Kingwood Place. The weather was hot but not as much as yesterday. This is the weather at my home when I left.
When I started riding on Old Sorters Road I could see some small puddles in the low spots in the asphalt from a recent rain but I avoided them. Riding NW on FM1314 took me to the Shell station where I rested with Gatorade and a Clif bar. The Elemnt screens when I arrived there.
While I was resting at the pumps a lady went in the store and when she came out she walked towards me and asked if I had a problem or was resting. I told her I was resting and said her husband told her to ask when she a biker because he rides bikes too. I told her I was resting and thanked her.
Biking SE on FM1314 I turned north to ride through Valley Ranch and I could see some dark clouds to the north. I hoped I would turn east before I ran under them and I did heading back to US59. At US59 I rode the service road south to Northpark Drive and then north to start winding my way back into Kingwood. After I passed through Woodridge Forest and into Sherwood Trails i felt a couple of rain drops and could see some dark clouds nearby. Riding the greenbelt trail the last 1/2 mile was wet from earlier rain but it didn’t cause a problem. I was back home at 4:09.
Tuesday’s forecast has a 50% chance of rain so I might get wet then.
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