I never know what will happen on a bike ride. I set out on the “New Caney – Roman Forest – Valley Ranch” route today expecting a typical ride. The weather was great with a clear blue sky, light wind and 65 degrees when I left home at 12:39. I dressed slightly different from yesterday with a short sleeve jersey, long sleeve jersey, shorts, leg warmers, and a windbreaker jacket. I was going to wear half finger gloves but at the last minute changed to full finger gloves. I am glad I did because the wind had a real chill to it and my hands are out front catching the full effect. I was a little cool until I warmed up but then I was comfortable. Humidity was very low again today at 21%. I hope I can remember this in July.
Riding north the wind generally was at my back and I maintained a good pace at 16 to 18 mph. At the Roman Forest Blvd. turn around the wind became a headwind. I had to fight it all the way home from that point. I rode south on the US59 service road to Valley Ranch Parkway and turned right going past the New Caney football stadium on the way to the Stripes station at FM1314. I stopped there 20.64 miles into the ride for a quick break to eat a couple of chewy granola bars and drink some water. Up to this point nothing unusual about this ride. The weather while I was at Stripes.
After a quick 12 minute break I was back riding again through Briar Tree and Oakhurst. I was enjoying the bright blue sky. Exiting Oakhurst I rode to Kingwood Place and then the US59 service road to make my U-turn at Kingwood Drive and back into Kingwood.
Here is where the excitement happens. At the U-turn a bunch of wreckers, two Houston police cruisers, a Houston Fire Department ambulance and a fire truck had the U-turn blocked. Prior to getting to the turn I saw a LifeFlight helicopter hovering over Loop 494 to the left about a half mile away. I thought it was waiting to land at Kingwood Drive and US59. Riding under US59 I quickly saw the northbound service road was blocked and stayed on Kingwood Drive to turn left onto Loop 494 there. I did that and as I was riding north I could see why they LifeFlight helicopter was hovering over that spot. Ahead was a bunch of red and blue flashing lights and vehicles. Along the west side of Loop 494 at Kingwood Drive a police officer was walking with a German Shepherd looking for something or someone. Also a couple of Montgomery County Sheriff cruisers turned off Loop 494. Getting close to the flashing lights I saw another Houston Fire Department ambulance on the left shoulder with a Houston fire engine behind it. On the right shoulder was two Houston Police cruisers, two Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constable cruisers, a DPS trooper SUV and another Montgomery Precinct 4 Constable cruiser on the left behind the fire engine. I moved into the main lane from the shoulder to get around all of the vehicles on the right shoulder and as I passed there was a Hispanic man sitting on the ground with his hands cuffed behind his back. Now the helicopter moved to Kingwood Drive and US59 but as I entered into Kings Manor it returned to the Loop 494 site and hovered above.
[Update: Two arrested after fatal accident near Kingwood – from The Atascocita Observer]
My theory of what happened: a vehicle was running away from the law officers going south on the US59 service road and took the u-turn at Kingwood Drive and crashed into a vehicle(s) there. The occupants of the fleeing car got out and ran toward Loop 494. One was caught that I saw sitting on the side of the road and the officers were searching for others. Maybe this will make the news and I will see if I guessed right.
I rode from there home and finished at 3:11. The sky was still blue and the wind was light. The temperature was up to 72 degrees which I had wanted at the beginning of the ride.
I am making progress on reaching the 346 mile goal for February. I am up to 100 miles so far. The next two days I will not be able to bike but Saturday I will ride the Humble Lions Bike Rally on the 55 mile route.
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