Along Brays Bayou

I made a major goal Tuesday.    From my house in Alief  (Southwest Houstonm, outside the Beltway) , along Keegans and Brays Bayous, to MacGregor Park just South of University of Houston is 20 miles.    292 pounds of 67 year old couch potato made it!  MacGregor Park is one of the few spots along Brays Bayou with parking for those who DON'T live just a few blocks from one of these bayou greenways trails.   You can bike through the park, play in a pickup game of roundball, or bike on through the park and on farther down stream on the bayou.

Just a small mention of the Covid-19 mask.    My wife ordered me a set that are specifically for athletic endeavors.   Replaceable charcoal filters.   I can actually breathe while wearing one.   We won't mention that my wife recently found a review of said mask that said they are pretty much useless, because the inlet ports that give me enough air also move unfiltered air in AND out.   As Scarlett said, "I'll worry about that tomorrow, at Tara.   After all....."    

Between Texas 288 and MacGregor Park is a little bit of construction (eventually all bridges across the bayou will be rebuilt for flood control/survival), and a whole lot of very stately homes from many years back.   I smell old money.   The Brays Trail runs along both sides of the bayou.  On the South bank of the bayou, almost to MacGregor Park, is a high-quality exercise pavilion with bike racks, water, and a number of exercise stations.   Technically, it's closed because of the Pandemic, but.....   There are two foot bridges for bikes, so you can go down one side and come back on the other.  The Westernmost bridge is part of Colombia Tap Trail.   There is construction here right now.     I ignored the detour; probably shouldn't have.

Columbia Tap Trail just South of Brays Bayou Trail.    If you head South, across 288, and turn right, you can take a quiet city street to Parks and Recreation @ Brays Bayou.

There is a new H-E-B at the corner of Brays and 288.  At the corner by New Hope Baptist Church (historical marker) is a stop for Bus 4 that can take you to the TMC transit center and all the way the other end of Alief.   $1.25 

There are two Metro stops close to MacGregor.   I wanted to bike to the one adjacent to UH, but the trail does a cloverleaf down and up (which is cool) and my legs rebelled against even that slight incline by this stage of my journey, so I boarded at MLK @ Old Spanish Trail.   Went two stops, by the stadium and rode a block to my bus stop at Scott and Alabama, where, by the way, someone has placed something called "Rookies Cookies!"   I managed to avoid it - this time, but I see a side trip in my future!   Makes sense doesn't it?   End a 20 mile ride with ice cream and cookies!   Ask me why I can't lose weight!

Not sure how much farther we can go at the present time.   Website maps show Brays Greenway Trail is closed at Hwy 90a and the detour is not something I am interested in.   The problem with world class bike trails  -  it can be a mess building them., and the mess is there for some time.   I am considering driving to MacGregor and doing a fairly short exploration of the bayou from there.