I decided to ride the Spring Creek Greenway today. The Canyon Endurace and I started biking at 9:44 AM hoping to go to the Dennis Johnston Park unlike the last time when the greenway was closed at the Carter Park trail head. I filled the CamelBak with some extra ice and water because it was supposed to be hot today. This would be the 5th time biking the greenway this year. With some route mechanic work I rode 44.63 miles today, the second most miles on the greenway out of the 5 times. Those miles pushed my week total to 154.41 miles. July comes in at 313.43 miles, 39% of my goal for the month.
It did get hot during the ride but thanks to the abundance of trees and shade along the route it didn’t cook me too much. Weather conditions: start 89 (76% humidity, 80.3 dew point), partly cloudy, wind S 9 mph. Finish 97 (58% humidity, 79.3 dew point), partly cloudy, wind S 8 mph. While the wind speed doesn’t look high the headwind getting to the US59 trail head seemed to take extra energy. While on the greenway some gusts reminded me of the wind.
While I hoped the construction was finished that did not turn out to be true. As I left Jesse Jones Park I spotted a small sign with an update, starting at mile 6 through mile 8, the trail would be closed until further notice. When I got to mile 6 a big dump truck sat on the greenway with a pickup truck beyond it.
Determined to not give up, I rode through Carter Park onto Treaschwig Road and to Cypresswood Drive where I stopped by a Subway to check Google Maps on how to get to John Pundt Park. With the streets in my mind I set out on Cypresswood Drive to Birnamwood Blvd. and Spring Creek Drive to enter the park. As I rode into the park I thought about turning around there but changed my mind and rode to Dennis Johnston Park as planned.
With the construction traffic on the greenway was light with a few bikers, joggers, and walkers.
My water in the CamelBak was still cold at Dennis Johnston Park which was good since there wasn’t any places to get more.
Turning around I rode back to John Pundt Park, stopped for a rest break to eat a Clif Bar, and drink cold water. That was around 12:05 PM. When I finished I retraced the streets back to Carter Park to get on the greenway. On the greenway I didn’t stop until I exited at the US59 trail head. That was around the 38 mile point leaving 6 miles to get back home.
Out in the open now the wind played with my legs slowing me down until I reached Hamblen Road where trees lined the road on my right blocking some of the wind. From there I pedaled through Forest Cove into Kingwood. As I got close to the finish I sucked on the CamelBak tube and for the first time no water came out. I used it all. Good thing I put the extra ice and water in. When I got home and emptied the CamelBak a few pieces of ice fell in the sink. I haven’t done that before on a ride this year, maybe ever. I need to put a mask in the CamelBak pouch so I can go into stores to get water and ice.
Strava posted a PR and three ribbons during the ride that it labeled “harder than your usual effort”. I agree.
