Beaumont, TX to Houston, TX (30 miles)

Sunday May 18, 2008

I "slept in" until 7am.
Two reasons: 1) Kevin told me he would give me a boost out of Beaumont on my way to Houston. I like this as I don't have to deal with city traffic that way. 2) Michelle wanted to make breakfast for me and peace-girl.

Kevin showed up with his shy son Blake. Cool little boy who began answering my questions by telling his Dad the answer and telling his Dad to tell me. After a while, and a few friend making names like "cookie face", Blake may not have realized that he was now talking directly to me.

Kevin and Blake gave me a lift along Highway 90 to the Dayton area. I started biking around 11:30am. The shoulder was good the whole way into Houston. My plan: Take Highway 90 until it ended. I stuck to that plan longer than I should've. I found myself on the Freeway riding in the breakdown lane. How it became a freeway all of a sudden, I am not sure, but it did and I was there.

At the 8 Beltway and end of 90 Freeway, my mind was fried. I found a new residential development in it's infancy and sat against a fence in a bit of shade while talking with Audrey. I remember laughing with her and the joking helped bring back the sanity the freeway temporarily took away.

Studying the Houston detail portion of the Texas state map, I found a way toward the center of the city where I was almost sure my friends Rob and Julia Wellner and their son Gus lived. As I approached the 610 Beltway on Wallisville Road, they called and agreed to meet me at a chosen McDonalds.

After I had studied my maps for a while at McDonalds, the Wellner crew arrived wisking me back to their place where I was able to shower, do laundry, catch up with them over dinner, and plan the route out of Houston in the morning.

There was no energy left for updating the blog despite their offer to use their computer. I sometimes need to choose between sleep and blog updates. Up until now, I have been a dedicated blogger, but from now on sleep wins.

start time: 11:30am
end time: 3pm
time on bike: 2:15:14
mileage: 30 miles
avg speed: 11.83 mph
max speed: 19.75 mph
calories: 1,787
conditions: hot, clear, maybe 87F