I have wanted to ride the Spring Creek Greenway for sometime and today was the day. Starting out at 10:00 am the weather was comfortable. I biked through Forest Cove to Hamblen Road. The plan was to bike west on Hamblen to the u-turn under I-69/US59 and take the Bevil Jarrell Memorial Bridge across the San Jacinto River and to the trailhead on the u-turn road on the south side of the river. I wasn’t sure if the bridge replacement construction would cause a problem on both u-turns. Other than sand on the road ia a few places this worked and I was at the trailhead 6.9 miles from home.
Photos I took up to this point.
Since I wasn’t sure about the greenway surface and speed I decided to ride my Blue Norcross AL bike which worked great. Also I wondered how many people would be on the greenway. I saw several people on the bridge before getting on the greenway and not long after I took the photos above I saw other bikers. The road surface was asphalt with a few short sections of concrete partlcularly around the bridges.
After entering the greenway the first break was at Jesse Jones Park where I got lost trying to find the trail after riding through the park. After a couple of false starts I saw a sign and headed west. The greenway was impacted by Hurricane Harvey flooding in many places with sand piled up on the sides of the trail in places. In Jesse Jones Park the Harris County Precinct 4 crews were clearing trees and other things.
Leaving Jesse Jones Park the road goes up a small hill and turns left back onto the dedicated trail. Thank goodness for the signs. Back on the trail I came across more people. At one point I saw a 4 wheel “gator” moving slowly with two women walking bikes in front. At first I wasn’t sure if the man in the gator was helping but as I got close I saw all three of them were Precinct 4 Deputy Constables. I passed them and thought they were patrolling the trail. Not too long after that I came across a lone woman deputy constable biker and I slowed to talk with her. She said she was training and and would bike patrol in other places in Precinct 4. Also the training lasted from 7 am to 3 pm riding back and forth on the trail. I think she said training lasted a week. Moving on from her I came upon another woman deputy constable also in training. She said last year when was training she blew out her knee and couldn’t finish so she was back. When she completed the training she would be west of SH 249 patrolling. She was prepared for the heat with a Camelbak while the previous lady just had two clear plastic bottles of water. Thinking I wouldn’t see anymore deputy constables I was surprised at the next bridge another woman deputy constable was stopped looking down the creek. I stopped to talk with her and found out she was the instructor. Except for the male deputy riding the gator each woman was riding a mountain bike. I saw deputies again on the return trip but they were the same ones.
The trail skirts residential areas in places and I saw at least one golf course. No big hills and the trail moved up and down though the ride back to the east seemed a little hillier but maybe my legs were tired.
I thought the trail was 18 miles from the I-69/US59 trail entrance to the end but it was only about 14 miles. The last mile went under the Hardy Toll Road and maybe 1/2 mile farther ended with barriers and a sign saying closed for construction. I could see the trail continue around the corner but no construction work. Photos at the trail end.
A mile before the end of the trail I stopped at the Dennis Johnston Park for water which is not very plentiful along the trail. A lady volunteered to take my picture when I came out of the main building after I took one without me.
The ride back to Jesse Jones Park was good but the little hills seemed more abundant. I still made a wrong turn in the park and rode around the perimeter trail again before getting back to the greenway trail. I stopped at the park to eat a couple of granola bars. I was looking for a fountain to refill my water bottle and went to the restroom building. The restrooms were closed with paint buckets in front of the closed gate but the water fountain worked providing nice cold water. I guessed it was repaired after the flood.
These are photos I took along the trail mostly on the way west. The park in the photos below did not have running water at the restroom building. I finished the bike ride at 2:00 pm, the time I told my wife I thought I would be home.
I look forward to biking the greenway again. Maybe I will ride once each month.
No PowerPod on this ride.
SportTracks Bike Ride Summary
