When I awoke this morning and read the weather conditions I was bracing for some dampness. with the temperature at 60 degrees at 6:00 AM and the humidity at 100% the fog and mist were in the air. I thought I would need to use the windshield wipers while driving the 10 miles or so to the start but they were not needed. The forecast said the fog should burn off by mid-morning and it did. The ride began at the Humble High School as the Humble Civic Center had another event. When I got there about 7:10 AM the parking lot was starting fill up. Before I went to see if there were any extra T-shirts and swag bags I walked around handing out Texbiker.net business cards. I should have brought more than the 30 or so. Several people commented that they visited Texbiker.net regularly.
The walk to the starting line was a long one so I had to walk briskly to get back and get the bike out. That done I rode to the start line. Unknowingly I got in line not too fr from Jim Brown who goes to church with me at First United Methodist in Humble. We talked while waiting for the ride to begin. We got off a little later than planned with my clipping in at 8:16. Since the ride uses arm bands it is hard to judge the number of riders but I think about 500 riders were in the starting area.
The streets were damp as we pulled out but there were stretches that were dry. The fog was the heaviest riding across the McKay Causeway over Lake Houston. Prior to that I stopped at rest stop #1 to visit the restroom and to get my cadence sensor to work. The sensor had slid forward on the chain stay. That is why the cadence chart does not show anything until about mile 6 or 7.
Various Lions Clubs man the rest stops and they were well staffed and stocked. I stopped at each one but usually just to take a couple of pictures or some video. The ones I stopped at for a longer period were #1, #3 and #4. Number 4 is in Crosby at John Keating Chevrolet. The reason to stop there is the breakfast tacos they serve. I had 2. After that stop there is only one more. Somewhere after rest stop #3 I missed a turn sign and ended up going off the planned route but it was not difficult to get back on the route at US90 in Crosby.
I felt great today and was able to average 15.7 mph. There is only one short incline in the ride when we go over the railroad on W. Lake Houston Parkway and then it is back to the flat road to the finish. I did not eat the BBQ at the finish but I could smell the aroma as I rode to the Jeep.
Mileage status after the ride:
- February miles 192.52
- YTD 410.51
2-19-2011 ride Data and Map
Ride Photo Gallery
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Additional charts, weather and Garmin Connect stuff.
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