Peddlin' Texas: Humble, TX – Lions Club Ride

This Valentine's weekend I cut a badly needed 50 miler in near perfect weather on Saturday morning. 3.5 hrs with some wind. The annual ride by the Lions Club was one I had not done before and it took off from Will Clayton Parkway near the airport – Cycling out against the backdrop of planes coming in for a landing, was one thing, but there was also the opportunity to ride over Lake Houston. This reservoir built in 1953, supplies much of the water for the city of Houston, and is on the west fork of the San Jacinto River, 15 miles northeast of downtown H-Town. Going over the main bridge was tricky as the reflectors along the side are old and broken and cyclists had to weave in between them to avoid a bumpy ride. While I was doing this I looked across at the sunrise breaking through clouds across the lake and I noticed several large water birds just skimming the surface – flying low an inch above the water with hardly any wing movement. They seemed to be moving at the speed we were – just on the lookout for something to eat – Amazing sight – and just one of many on the ride. A white collie ran alongside some of the ride near a farm and the wind mostly behaved although it whipped up to 12 mph by 9 am. the We rode through Atascocita, Humble and through the Dwight D. Eisenhower Park on the way back. There were some peaceful farms, one had a creaky Aermotor 702 spinning away. In Lubbock, TX there is a fantastic Windmill Museum called the American Wind Power Center and Museum. It is well worth a stop if you are ever up in that part of Texas. Wind power is now generating up to 10% of our state’s electricity and these early windmills used to pump water were key to opening up the west.