A small amount (0.16″) of rain fell during the night lowering the temperature this morning to 70 degrees around 7 AM. By the time I started riding at 10:30 it had warmed up to 89 with scattered clouds. I could feel the coolness as I warmed up in the early miles. I am beginning to wonder what it will be like in Wichita Falls on August 23rd for the Hotter’N Hell Hundred. Looking at the 10 day forecast on Wunderground.com Wichita Falls will be 99 degrees and clear. No quite the 100+ but getting close.
The route today went through Atascocita as usual but I took Kings Parkway to FM1960 and then south of Atascocita Road. Riding through this area adds some distance to the route and some different scenery. On W. Lake Houston Parkway another biker was riding south as I waited at Bens Branch Drive to also go south. He continued on W. Lake Houston Parkway when I turned into Kingwood Greens to loop back to W. Lake Houston Parkway. I like to take this loop to not ride on W. Lake Houston Parkway and miss some of the traffic. The south exit from Kingwood Greens puts me a few hundred feet from the bridge over the San Jacinto River which has a nice but debris cluttered shoulder. With this extended route I rode 34.24 miles and averaged 15.2 mph.
I should’ve averaged more but for some reason the wind seemed to slow me down even though it wasn’t that strong. Riding east over Lake Houston I had trouble getting my speed above 16 mph. Once I turned onto Fairlake Drive and amongst the trees the wind was not as much of an issue but when I rode onto Old Atascocita Road to FM2100 the wind returned and slowed me down. I hoped biking north on FM2100 the wind would be more friendly but it wasn’t.
This made me appreciate the rest stop at the Huffman Chevron. I got there around 12:10 at the 22+ mile point. I stayed about 30 minutes drinking some Powerade and eating Kashi snacks. This time the breeze was moving under the pump canopy and it didn’t take long for the sweat to evaporate. The last few rides I started wearing wrist bands to keep the sweat from soaking my gloves. They work good but I may have some rings on my arms from the sun not tanning where the bands are. Maybe the sunscreen will minimize this.
A couple of days ago I ordered two Camelbak Chill waterbottles thinking they were the new design. On closer inspection they are the previous model so I am waiting for the USPS to deliver them so that I can return them. I am thinking I will buy the new version at the Hotter’N Hell Hundred Exposition. The new version is supposed to have better insulated.
Mileage standings:
- 163.67 miles for the week (this week could be the highest for the year thanks to the metric century on Monday)
- 488.79 miles for August (356 miles to reach my goal for August)
- 4701 miles for the year
Tomorrow’s weather forecast: 94 with partly cloudy sky. Nothing to stop me from biking.
Links to Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS.
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