Apple Fritter Power vs Wind Power Bike Ride
Today’s bike ride took me north to New Caney on the “New Caney – Gene Campbell Road” route. I biked 36.86 miles moving the week’s total to 148.61 miles and October to 325.56 miles leaving 374.4 miles to reach the goal for October. Down the driveway and the ride started at 11:03 AM.
A nice 14 to 18 mph south wind pushed me to New Caney and then Gene Campbell Road. I knew somewhere I would pay the price for the tailwind. It came when I turned onto FM 1314 from Gene Campbell Road. FM 1314 goes southeast and the wind came out of the south. I kept my speed high enough to hold the overall average speed at 14.2 mph until I stopped at Pat’s Donuts for an apple fritter to fuel me back to Kingwood. I lost 1/10 mph while ate the fritter but gained it back by pushing the pedals hard enough into the headwind. Turning right off of FM 1314 put me among some trees and houses cutting the wind off some until I hit the open spaces by the two schools. Like pedaling in sand my speed slowed until I got back to the wind breaks. Overall average speed held at 14.2 mph through Oakhurst but when I got to the US59 frontage road I lost a 1/10 mph from the headwind. The u-turn under US59 and biking north meant a tailwind but I turned right to go to Loop 494 and slowed. By the time I got into Kings Manor my average speed still showed 14.1 mph but winding streets and stop signs drug it down. My legs ran out of apple fritter power and my speed slowed to the finish. With this Strava said today’s ride was harder than my usual effort.
Weather as I biked the route: start 91 (62% humidity, 75.9 dew point), a few clouds, wind S 14 mph. Finish 91 (55% humidity, 72.3 dew point), a few clouds, wind S 18 mph. Today might be the last 90+ degree day for awhile. A cold front arrives Friday mid-morning dropping temperatures into the 50’s at night for several days. Rain may accompany the change impacting my bike ride but I wait for the actual results.
Relive Bike Ride Recap
Relive ‘New Caney – Gene Campbell Road’