I did not expect to see any other bikers on today’s route since it is mostly east of US59 and other bikers do not seem to want to go there. However I did see two bikers, one on the US59 service road and the other in Roman Forest. The ride got underway at 6:56AM which is earlier than my previous Saturday ones but not quite as early as I was planning. Even at that time the temperature was 82 degrees at the start and on the New Caney High School message board on US59 later on. When I got home the temperature was 96 degrees with 46% humidity. I was riding along at a good clip until I got to Splendora and then turned south. I don’t know if my pace was too fast before that point and I used up my energy or if it was the 14 mph wind out of the south but from Splendora to Porter my speed was around 13 mph whereas before I kept it in the 18 to 19 mph range. The 21 mph wind gusts didn’t help any either.

The route was on what I call lesser traffic roads after I left US59 and headed into Roman Forest. On the Huffman-Cleveland Road traffic is very light. I saw several motorcycles which out numbered the cars/pickups. As I was riding on the Huffman-Cleveland Road I saw an older woman riding a multicolored mule in a corral kicking some clouds of dust. She was on a good looking saddle with a cowboy hat. As I rode by the mule’s ears perked up. Later on when I got to the junction of FM1010 and FM2090 there is a closed Sallas Grocery store. I stopped there to get some ice out of my water bottle because the water was gone and while I was sitting on the old wood bench two motorcycle riders pulled in to take a break. We exchanged some pleasantries. They had banners on their windshields which said they were Patriot Riders. Their conversation was about riding to New Mexico in the fall when it should be cooler.

Riding into Splendora I stopped at the Chevron station (no Valero station visits this ride) and there was a pickup truck with four mountain bikes in the back. I did not talk to them but I suspect they were going to Sam Houston National Forest in Coldspring. When I stopped at the Exxon station in Porter I was sitting in the shade drinking a Diet Pepsi and watching the little puffs of clouds move through the sky, there weren’t many of them. The wind seemed to lessen when I left the Exxon station but I tihnk it was the rest and food that gave me some energy to combat the wind.

From this point I was able to keep a higher pace and rode home. Today’s route was 53.5 miles long and my average speed was 14.6 mph with a 21.2 mph max speed. Average cadence was 77 rpm. These numbers were probably influenced by my slow section from Splendora to Porter. June miles are now at 426.45, year to date miles are 2604.16. This week’s miles are 139.55. I plan on an early ride tomorrow to avoid the heat and setup for Father’s Day.

6-18-2011 Bike Ride Data and Route Map

6-18-2011 Home Weather Finish

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