# Off on my first longish Catrike adventure



## cwskas (31 May 2022)

I am not sure exactly how to do this, but will try to keep up. I was invited to join the *OK Freewheel* ride last year by a new friend who had done it many times. I had previous plans to take a grandson to Yellowstone the same week and decided I needed to stick to that plan, but have been planning to do the 43rd version this year.







I didn’t do as much prep as I had intended due to other obligations and some procrastination on my part. I ordered new *Arkel panniers* that could be used on the rear of my trike or either the front or rear of a proper touring cycle should I ever make that transition. They are about twice the volume of the other ones I have for the trike. Somehow, I still ran out of room!






I originally planned to ride from my house to my son’s house the first day, but decided to drive my van to their house with trike and gear on board and make my first day of riding from there.

Thats about all I can think about for an intro other than a thank you to my gracias wife for giving the go ahead to make this trip.

Willie


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## Cycleops (31 May 2022)

With the American obsession with automobiles and most probably never having seen a recumbent I’m sure many there think you are rather ‘weird’.
Enjoy your trip and more power to you.


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## beckinerd (2 Jun 2022)

😘😘😘


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## cwskas (2 Jun 2022)

Day 1 Waco to Fort Parker State Park
56 miles, 5h2m moving, 11.1 mph, 1, 096 ft elevation gain

I have had this written up since the first night, but haven’t been able to get my photos uploaded.

l planned on 630 am departure and finally got away about 720! It was Memorial Day here and most folks had the day off, so the trip across town was pretty simple.

Nice ride out to Groesbeck with zero problems.

Crossing the Brazos River














I could tell that I was carrying more weight than normal. I weighed my trike at 42 kg, normally I am riding with it about 20 kg. It was especially noticeable of course up grades. I would feel like I was pushing up a 4% grade and it would only be 2!






A Tree picture for Hobbes





I pushed it a little because I was supposed to meet two other riders at the Subway in Groesbeck at 1130 am. I ended up not getting there until about 1145 am, but still beat them by a bit.
















David & Mark arriving. They started in the San Antonio area and tonight will be there 4th on the road.





Much easier little stretch on to Fort Parker SP and I have a very pretty campsite. I intend to use the hammock every chance I get because it is a little more comfortable for me and will be much easier to pack up in the morning than the tent.

Fort Parker State Park campsite pictures will have to be on the next post.

The load rode quite well and I think I will get used to it as the trip continues. My legs are sore, I hadn’t ridden since the Tour de Norway on May 21.

Willie


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## cwskas (2 Jun 2022)

Fort Parker State Park campsite

This first picture was long the road not too far north of Groesbeck.

























A very nice night in the hammock, an early morning shower and I departed about 630 am because I had a 30 ride to get to their hotel by 7.

Willie


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## Ming the Merciless (2 Jun 2022)

Lovely sunrise view


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## HobbesOnTour (2 Jun 2022)

Good man, Willie! 

A tent *and* a hammock??? 
I like your style!


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## cwskas (3 Jun 2022)

Day 2 - Fort Parker to Gun Barrel City
76 miles, 8h25m moving, 9.1 mph, 1, 096 ft elevation gain, 132 total miles

I have no idea what breed these are, but they posed nicely.






This house had some very interesting yard decorations.










We had lunch at Braum’s in Corsicana. Very nice burger & milkshake to break up the day. I probably also drank 32 oz of very cold water. And then filled all three of my bottles with ice and water.

This is the old city jail.





The trinity river is probably the largest in Texas. Sometimes this will be full and raging!





Willie


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## cwskas (3 Jun 2022)

Day 3 - Gun Barrel City to Emory
57 miles, 6h27m moving, 8.9mph, 1, 434 ft elevation gain, 189 total miles

Our planned route turned out to contain a tiny, slanted shoulder and lots of traffic both directions. David, the author and head of this expedition came up with an alternative which turned out to be much better . . . And only a little bit further.

The new choice turned out to be a very nice rural, paved, rolling, route.

























It was another hot day but not as many miles. Once we left the smaller road it became harder to keep pushing on. If I remember correctly, the last 25-30 miles had no convenience stores or other good stops for refilling our water bottles.











I rolled into Emory very tired, hot and thirsty. Since we were heading north we would occasionally cross the road for a shady spot to rest.






About an hour before arrival the sky turned quite dark. I could hear rolling thunder and see occasional lightening off to the east. The road was wet in places now, so it seemed likely that the storm had moved through just before our arrival. There were more quite dark clouds to the north and west.

I had received permission to camp on the grounds of the Volunteer Fire Department and decided to pick up the pace.

I pulled into the parking lot and the lawn was beautifully manicured but I was having second thoughts about camping. A check of live radar and a fresh forecast which included a 70% chance of thunderstorms convinced me to head to the motel where the others were staying.

More on the storms in tomorrow’s post.

Willie


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## cwskas (3 Jun 2022)

Day 4 - Emory to Paris
60 miles, 6h47m, 8.8 mph, 1122 elevation gain, 249 total miles

At 7am we were all at our doors looking out at the moderate rain. We decided to head on to a nearby restaurant to have breakfast and wait out the rain. The forecast and radar suggested clearing in a couple of hours.






I donned my new rain jacket gotten on sale from REI and off we went. Three recumbents, single file, lots of lights, surprising most of the other travelers for sure.

Not far north of town, we crossed the road to a small place that didn’t look very impressive to me. But I was hungry and riding in a significant rain . . .

There were a few tables with guests and two ladies instructing us to sit wherever we wished.

I am not one to take pictures of my food, but I wish I had recorded that feast. In no hurry, I savored my eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, biscuits and gravy! I was ready for anything.

Neither David and Mark finished their huge omelets.

I got my iPad and starting catching up on these posts.






David took this stealth picture- he said he was sure Mark & I were in deep meditation.

As suspected, the rain began to let up and we headed north. We needed our rain jackets for about an hour and then things the sky cleared. We had a few spectators as we passed who took interest in our procession.






We got to Sulfur Springs and David had a specific destination planned for lunch. I was thinking that I could skip lunch since I still felt full from breakfast. But David has cycled these parts numerous times and I decided to just see what he had to show us. A Good choice!











I had a very good grilled chicken salad in a definite ‘must visit’ little cafe. Then we went downtown to the square.

The courthouse





What a unique little building Mark is standing next to!






That is a public restroom! One way mirrors all around! You can see all around you, but no one can see in!

I will post a continuation later today. It is time to pack up & head out.

Willie


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## beckinerd (7 Jun 2022)

cwskas said:


> Fort Parker State Park campsite
> 
> This first picture was long the road not too far north of Groesbeck.
> View attachment 647312
> ...



Beautiful 😍


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## cwskas (7 Jun 2022)

Day 4 - Emory to Paris (continued)

Weather was quite nice for the rest of the afternoon. But first a picture of the courthouse with all three of us. Me in the middle (my favorite jersey), David to my right & Mark to my left.






The two of them started Just NE of San Antonio and this was for the 400th mile on this trip.





More spectators





Normally this time of year there are lots of colorful wildflowers along the roads. But most of the state is in a continuing drought and that took its toll on the wildflowers.




















Paris, Texas





A scale model of you know where, done by an engineering class from the local collage. It sits near a large event center in a very nice community park where I had permission to camp. Beside the tower is a very nice memorial to veterans.






I ended up staying in the hammock because it would be easier to pack up the next day and there was a nice breeze. I didn’t think to get a good picture before it got late and I left before there was much light the next morning.

Willie


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## cwskas (7 Jun 2022)

Day 5 - Paris to Idabel
53 miles, 6h13m moving, 8.6 mph, 1386 elevation gain (from David’s stats), 302 total miles

Both my GPS you & my watch failed at different times today, so I don’t have good stats for this day. However, it was very pretty. I will be able to reconstruct it when I get home to my computer.

The highlight for me was seeing a very beautiful mature bald eagle leave a tree near the road and fly along beside us for a brief while until peeling off out of sight. Such magnificent birds.

As I mentioned before, there was a lot of rain the other day, so the rivers were quite full and this one caught my eye. There were many of these birds after the bugs (I presume) late in the afternoon.





Most of the day we were on rural roads with light traffic. This little detour had no one but us.













I used this slightly sloping driveway to lube my chain as I slowly rolled backward.
















More pictures in the next post.

Willie


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## cwskas (7 Jun 2022)

Paris to Idabel (continued)

This tree had been severed completely (perhaps in a storm) and was growing still.





A nice little farmhouse. There were not very many signs of existence in the last 20 miles or so, lots of churches at intersections, but not many houses on the roads were took.





We were needing water and something to eat and made to this little place, TNT BBQ, I think. It was fabulous and I ate way too much. The proprietor had an amusing shirt.










Finally crossed the Red River which forms a section of the border between Texas and Oklahoma





The rest of these are from Oklahoma headed into Idabel.











If you zoom into this one, there is a skull in the trunk
















We were happy to arrive. So far the plan has been to leave at 7 am to get as much riding in early as we can. Now we have a day off to check everything out before starting OK Freewheel 2022.

Willie


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## HobbesOnTour (7 Jun 2022)

cwskas said:


> Finally crossed the Red River which forms a section of the border between Texas and Oklahoma



Is that your first time crossing the state line using pedal power? 

Loving this! Keep it up and enjoy!


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## cwskas (7 Jun 2022)

OK Freewheel intro


HobbesOnTour said:


> Is that your first time crossing the state line using pedal power?
> 
> Loving this! Keep it up and enjoy!



Yes, it was. It felt good.


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## HobbesOnTour (7 Jun 2022)

cwskas said:


> It felt good



The master of understatement!!
You crossed out of TEXAS!! There's nothing small about Texas!! 

Well done, Willie!


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## cwskas (11 Jun 2022)

A quick summary of the journey so far. To get to Idabel, I rode just over 300 miles and spent two nights in the hammock and one in the tent. The fourth was in a hotel due to severe weather.

Average day was to get up at 615am and meet the other two at their hotel around 7am.

David and Mark keep a very steady pace, uphill or down and are very organized. I will discover that I have to get up 30-45 minutes earlier and still am the last one ready to go.

Every night I adjust my packing and think that I have it much better . . . only to prove myself wrong before the next morning.

I am not complaining, I just totally underestimated the need to know what you need, leave anything you can do without and have the most significant items ready for easy access. For example, sunscreen was never easy for me to find.

The actual cycling has exceeded my expectations.

Willie


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## HobbesOnTour (12 Jun 2022)

cwskas said:


> A quick summary of the journey so far


Any chance of putting up a map for those of us that are geographically and navigationally challenged? **
(Yes! I'm fully aware that I have just nominated myself for hypocrite of the year )

I've taken the liberty .....
https://www.nodroptours.com/the-tour



cwskas said:


> Every night I adjust my packing and think that I have it much better . . . only to prove myself wrong before the next morning.


You'll get there! It's good to have a puzzle to solve as you ride along


cwskas said:


> have the most significant items ready for easy access.


This! Absolutely this! 
Of course the most significant items can change from person to person and trip to trip. And even within a trip.


cwskas said:


> The actual cycling has exceeded my expectations.


Fabulous!!! 

That's what it's all about!! 

Thank you for sharing and looking forward to reading the rest of it.


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

*Day 6 - OK Freewheel Day 0
Saturday, June 4*
Idabel, Oklahoma
27 miles, 1h57m moving, 13.9 mph, 680’ elevation gain, 329 total miles

Day 0 is the day most participants arrive and there was a short ride setup which I don’t think many did.

I spent most of Saturday cleaning the trike, checking cables, adjusting shifters & brakes. I also made an attempt to tweak the alignment of the front wheels, the trike tends to drift slightly to the right even on a seemingly level surface.

I considered taking a rest day for my legs, but decided I needed to keep them moving and I wanted to see some of the local scenery, so off I went about 5pm. I decided to try and complete this at a fairly brisk pace since it was short and relatively flat, but not to push too hard.

I was so glad I did. Not too many cars and not many riders. The road surface was good, but not much shoulder. All in all very similar to my home roads, but different scenery! I love to ride on roads I haven’t ridden before.

No scenery pictures today, but here are some from Idabel High School where we are all staging for the start tomorrow morning. The G markings are for the folks taking the gravel route. <-- not the route I am taking. 

I did not get a firm figure on how many were signed up to participate in this event. The answer was always 3-4 hundred. Some only rode on one or two days, but it seemed to me that was a fairly accurate accounting of how many people passed me each day! 






















And a map


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

*Day 7 - OK Freewheel Day 1
Sunday, June 5*
Idabel, Oklahoma to the Texas side of the Red River and then to Broken Bow, Oklahoma
48 miles, 4h27m moving, 10.8 mph, 1014’ elevation gain, 377 total miles

I got up at 430 am to get packed, had a nice breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage prepared by volunteers. Finished my packing and we were on the road by about 630 am. I am still the last one ready to go each day. Luis, a friend of David and Mark from San Antonio is now in the group. David calls him ‘the jack-rabbit’ because he rides faster.

The route crossed the Red River into Texas for the first rest stop. This was a retrace of our route inbound on Friday, but the same route can look different going the other direction and I was really excited to start this part of the journey. All of the pictures are from Oklahoma.











These mimosa trees were very ubiquitous everywhere we went (is that redundant, I think that might be redundant). They smelled really good and were very pretty.





A very cool little building I suspect was a family store at some time. It was in reasonable condition, but didn't seem to be in use now. I wanted to go back and take a picture of this yesterday coming in, but didn't since it was near the finish and I was ready to finish the day and I knew I would pass this way again today.





The river was really flowing due to the big storms that had been passing through north Texas the last few days. I took a lot of pictures and some video of the river with my GoPro but haven't even reviewed them yet. I took almost 700 pictures over the 12 days with my phone!  I will have to post an addendum at the end with some video and other pictures I suppose.






There were a lot of small creeks and river beds to cross this week. This is a pretty good example. I always knew 2 things when we came upon a significant downhill run - there would be some body of water at the bottom and after you crossed that, it was time to pay the piper on the ensuing climb. I know that is obvious, but repetition really implants it in you memory. 





A prime example of the so many roads we enjoyed with this type view, each having it's own character and charm. You might think that with 3-400 riders on the same route it would be awfully crowded. But the majority of the time I might only see a couple of riders and it was very peaceful almost all of the trip. More on that later, I don't want to distract from the scenery.





Serious weather was threatening on arrival in Broken Bow. I got the hammock set up and spent 2 hours in the hammock under a tarp while it rained buckets full with lots of thunder and lightening. I stayed dry and even enjoyed a nap. It was almost like being under a tin roof with the rain falling.





This will date me . . .






Gratuitous photo . . . just to show my big smile and it is only day 1.


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

*Day 8 - OK Freewheel Day 2
Monday, June 6*
Broken Bow, Oklahoma to Mena, Arkansas
70 miles, 7h26m moving, 9.5 mph, 3929’ elevation gain, 447 total miles

This was a day I had been quite anxious about, several long climbs and the longest day on the schedule. I also expected it to be perhaps the most beautiful overall, so that helped. I knew I could handle the distance, but it was forecast to be mostly clear all day and quite hot. They had an extra rest stop setup for today because there were not many places to stop and get water or nourishment except at the rest stops.

The first section was essentially a 17+ mile climb to a pass in the *Ouachita National Forest* with a net gain of about 600'. Nothing like the Andes, but a formidable expectation for me and my trike. The beauty of the tall pines on either side of the road was inspiring. We started early enough (602 am) with rain threatening that there were few riders ahead of us. I dared not stop for a picture on this section, there were logging trucks and other traffic which kept me focused on the task at hand.

This photo was taken as I started down the far side of the pass and is pretty representative of the scenery for the first half of the day.





There was a store at an intersection just before we headed toward Arkansas that was recommended for a lunch stop. I took advantage of it!

It was only 19 miles into the day, but 3 hours of riding already. The place was pretty interesting. There were two women working the cash registers, multiple items already cooked and in the display case to choose from as well as items you could have cooked as you waited. You got your own drinks and they didn't ring you up until you were ready to leave. You would tell them what you had and they would ring it up. Seemed to be quite trusting to me, but it did keep things moving smoothly.

I did not take this photo, I scavenged it from another site. That is my trike with the yellow bag on the rack and the orange straps.





The scenery began to get more varied as we headed east & then northeast toward Mena. And traffic was lighter, so more convenient to get photos.

If you are not familiar with the '*Code Talkers*' it is worth looking them up. A very interesting story and an important part of US military success in World War 1 & 2. There were a number of bridges and highways dedicated to code talkers.





This was the main fork of the Mountain Fork River which feeds *Broken Bow Lake*. It and the other tributaries were always muddy.










I always find old, apparently abandoned structures interesting and wonder about the history of that place. And look at the antenna in the back. This was near the previous picture of the river.





The section from here into Arkansas was mostly unsettled it seemed from the road. It was very nice riding, though I had again started a slow climb with some really steep sections into Arkansas, about 24 miles and 450' net gain. Upon arrival at the city park in Mena, I just sat in the shade on my trike for about 20 minutes to rest before setting up the hammock.










This was sufficient motivation to tackle the final 6 miles.






My maximum speed today was 42 mph and when I got to the top of one of those long climbs, I didn't turn a crank, I just let it roll.


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

*Day 9 - OK Freewheel Day 3
Tuesday, June 7*
Mena, Arkansas to Poteau, Oklahoma
64 miles, 6h12m moving, 10.3 mph, 2127’ elevation gain, 511 total miles

I think this was the only morning that I was ready before the others.





We were on the road today by 620 am and had a short descent north out of Mena and then turned west through two ridges for what promised to be a very scenic ride. It was humid and fog hung over the road in places and obscured the tops of the ridges in others.

After turning east we had about 13 miles and almost 800’ of elevation gain. The slope was often so gradual, I would find myself wondering if I left a brake engaged after stopping for the last picture, nope.

But a beautiful environment for a ride. This was the start of the gradual downhill which dominated most of the rest of the day. The white cloud is actually fog obscuring a portion of the ridge which will be to our left for the next 15+ miles. Most of the pictures from today are from this first part of the day.










This young lady (I think I heard her tell someone she was in her 80s, but my hearing is not so good) is from the Little Rock, Arkansas area and she passed me a lot on this trip. She is a very strong rider up the hills, but I think I would take a shorter break at the rest stops. We were often on the last stretch of the ride together by the end of the day. Just one of the inspiring riders I met on Freewheel.





The picture I took of the train right after she took off again.





You can't see it, but there is a small creek between the train and the road, I could often hear it as I rode. In places it was large enough to have a small bridge or low water crossing, in others just a trickle.

Mark zipping along while I snap a shot of the northern ridge.





And back in OK.





Not long after the train, it started to sprinkle occasionally, not enough to warrant the rain jacket. But it wasn't long and we were pulled over and suiting up. For the next several hours we rode in mostly moderate rain.

The most observant may have noticed that I do not have fenders on my trike. 🏆 for those who did.

On this day, I could not figure out how to get my hood to stay over my helmet, it kept blowing off, so eventually I just quit trying. There was enough water coming down and on the road that my rear wheel acted like a waterwheel and dumped a steady stream right down the back of my jersey. We stopped at the next gas station/convenience store that came along and this is how I looked. I know, I am smiling, and I was loving the ride even though I was making mental notes about how to make the next rain 'opportunity' a bit different.





Just after the rain started, a rider had passed me and said, "Willie, your back wheel looks to be badly out of alignment" or something like that. I stopped and looked at it and didn't notice anything in my brief inspection. I mentioned it to David and he watched from behind and said it seemed OK to him. And we pressed on. More on that later.

Not long after the convenience store stop, the route took a short detour in the town of Heavener, OK. There is a park there called *Heavener Runestone Park*. I am going to make another post about this detour below so I can add a few more photos.

The last rest stop was in Heavener (pronounced hiv-ner) after the park and then a rolling county road on to Poteau (pronounced Po toe). This is a picture a few miles outside of Poteau of *Cavanal Hill*, a geological attraction of the area.


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

*Heavener Runestone Park*

I had decided to try and make good time to the next destination since it was raining anyway. Mark & David were not far behind me. When I got to Heavener I headed straight through the first traffic light because I knew that the highway I was on went to Poteau. Then I noticed that others were turning right at the light, so I turned around and saw Mark & David. Since they turned right at the light, I returned and turned to follow their lead. It was raining pretty heavy at this time and I was not inclined to consult the map on my phone.

This new road was quite busy and at one point we pulled into a driveway to allow traffic to pass. With the next break in traffic, David followed by Mark went a short distance and turned a sharp left. I had to delay a bit for another vehicle and followed. From an almost dead stop I was now starting up a 12.5 grade climb.

I gave it all I had and realized I was not going to make it. I found myself stopped and my brake locks would not hold while I got off the trike. I decided I would milk the brakes to slowly back up and across the road so I could head back down. Seemed simple enough.

When I got perpendicular to the road, the trike fell over on its side. Realizing that anyone who made the same turn would have very little time before reaching me, I quickly tried to right the trike without success. The road was slick, the wheels were wanting to take the path of gravity and I was scrambling.

After a few more tries, I managed to move the trike to the other side of the road with the rear wheel over the edge and managed to get it upright. I climbed on breathing the heaviest I have so far on the trip and slowly headed down the hill, knowing I would have a sharp right turn at the end.

I retraced our route and then into downtown Heavener where I found an awning to park under while I consulted the route on my phone and planned how I would rejoin. The downtown was really interesting with little shops and IMO would have made an excellent route. Earlier in the week the owner of No Drop Tours had joked that they had someone on staff who searched out the steepest hills so they could be incorporated into the route. Maybe he wasn't joking.

Here is a zoom into the map showing where I made my u-turn at the bottom center. It doesn't look like much right now. It must have been fatigue. "Yeah, that's the ticket, fatigue." Saturday Night Live fans of a certain age may recognize that reference.






Anyway it was easy enough to rejoin the route and head on into Poteau.

It would have been really interesting to see the Runestone, but the internet had a picture of it. I will definitely visit the park when I am in the area in a car.







So, when I got to Poteau, I checked with the bicycle shop that was providing support maintenance to riders. They found a broken spoke and they did not have any spokes to fix it. They said there was a good bike shop right next to where we would be camping in Tahlequah in two days and I should call tomorrow and see if they could fix it when we got there. They zip tied the spoke to an adjacent one and advised that I should be fine riding the next two days if I would get all of the weight of the back of the trike. I was carrying 45+ pounds in my panniers and on the rack.

Trevor gave me permission to put my gear on the luggage trailer for the remainder of the ride.

It is possible that is where I broke the spoke, but I think it must have been on one of the major potholes that I failed to miss earlier in the trip.


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

It is 2 o'clock in the morning here and I am going to wait till tomorrow to finish the other posts. I think if I keep working tonight, I will not do a very good job.

Willie


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

*Day 10 - OK Freewheel Day 4
Wednesday, June 8*
Poteau, Oklahoma to Vian, Oklahoma
57 miles, 5h24m moving, 10.5 mph, 1660’ elevation gain, 568 total miles

No rain during the night last night and I slept quite well in my hammock. But when we awoke, there was a large area of weather to the northwest that would be passing through sometime today, so we were on the road by 540 am today. We figured we might as well get in as much riding as possible before the rain. There were quite a few who thought likewise because the breakfast location was pretty busy and the first rest stop had more cycles than any other rest stop during the week.

It was a beautiful, cool morning on rural roads and lots of riders in view at times on long stretches of road. I took quite a few pictures, so this will be in at least 2 parts. I also felt like superman today, since (due to the broken spoke) I had shed at least 45 pounds off the rear of the trike.

There are two women with carbon fiber trikes with form fitted seats & 700cc rear tire made by Bacchetta. I spoke with one of them yesterday and she said they were looking for the fastest trikes they could find. All week I tried to get a picture of them from the front. I would see them coming in the rear view mirror and by the time I would get my phone out this is typical of what I would get, and this is zoomed in quite a bit.





At the first rest stop we were notified of the first detour of the day due to flooding of low water crossings. Look at my happy trike on the right, carrying it's usual weight.





I had seen this fellow's jersey earlier in the day and tried to get a photo. He was just leaving the rest stop so I ran him down and got him to pose for me. I love it! The back . . .




and for the rear view mirror . . .





The detour took us on a small county road with the occasional spectators.





Not all were interested in us.





I was moving at a pretty good clip and passed this next shot and just couldn't let it go, so I doubled back.





And not long after that, a climb rewarded us with this view.





A few more miles and David & Mark passed their 600 mile mark and I took a picture of them and Luis using David's phone. He took the following of me about to mount back up. Notice the brown spot on my sleeve from the rain the day before coming off the front tire. I just rinsed it out and wore it again today since it was likely we would ride in the rain again today.





This was a group of riders that passed me while I was stopped taking photos.





continued in the next post.


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

*Day 10 - OK Freewheel Day 4 *(continued)

These day lilies were prominent on most of the roads and this is my favorite shot I got of them.





I saw this variety of flowers and when I stopped was pleased to see they offered a well framed photo of the clouds that kept us cool all morning.





And a mimosa tree display right beside the road.





As mentioned before, there was weather approaching from the northwest. We pulled over at a small gas station and store to take a break and consider our options. The blue dot is where the cell towers think we are. It seemed to me that we could get a bit further down the road, but the others thought it best to wait. They were right, before long it was pouring outside with lightening & thunder which lasted for quite a while. I was reviewing photos, so didn't pay attention to the time.





It got quiet outside, but was still raining of varying intensity and we decided to press on.
we rode pretty hard aided by a slope down to a bridge across the river shown above and then as we neared the top of the following climb, David took a right to join a steeper climb. It was a very pretty detour even in the rain with a view of the next valley and then we starting winding down a steep hill and into a parking lot. David had a destination in mind.





What better way to wait out the rain than eating some tasty BBQ. The whole time we were there it rained, a steady rain, but not too hard. We all got our rain gear on and gathered in the entry to review the radar and it began to rain the hard. We ended up waiting for 45 minutes or so as wave after wave of the storms passed, all the time checking our location on the radar and trying to plan a time to sprint the last 13-14 miles to Vian where we would stay tonight.





There was no shelter for my trike so it just weathered the storm under a large tree.





The bus you see in the above picture is from a bicycle club (I think) in Tulsa. Some of their riders were inside enjoying beverages of various sorts and their bikes are secured on the top of the bus. Their own SAG retreat. Finally the worst of the weather seemed to pass with just moderate to heavy rain still falling and we decided to make a run for it. I finished the last stretch in just over an hour, sometimes through water crossing the road.






They were expecting the majority of us to camp, but since it was raining and forecast to do so all night, they opened the gym and one of the school buildings to accommodate riders. Some set up their tents under the awnings of the school. We and several of the other riders went to a nearby church that opened it's doors to accommodate riders.

It was a great day even if we couldn't see much of the last stretch. A picture David took of me before the rain.


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

*Day 11 - OK Freewheel Day 5
Thursday, June 9*
Vian, Oklahoma to Tahlequah, Oklahoma
58 miles, 5h23m moving, 10.8 mph, 2578’ elevation gain, 626 total miles

NO rain today! Humid in the morning with a beautiful fog which created a lot of picture opportunities, so probably another multi-post day. 

The Vian volunteers provided a very nice croissant, egg & bacon breakfast on the school grounds.





After we were out of town, the day started with a 2 mile 2% steady climb followed by a rolling 10 miles down to the far side of the Illinois river valley. I rarely turned a pedal. The fog created some really nice views. I could not resist myself.

The road crossed the river in two places. These images were from the first crossing.










If you look at the tree in the lower right corner, you can tell the river is over it's banks.





I rode a bit further and when I realized there was a second bridge, I crossed, parked the trike and walked up the shoulder on the far side to try and get some good photos of riders. Here are some I liked best.














David & Mark





It would have been so cool if a train had passed while I was there, but I wasn't willing to wait.





And probably my favorite.





continued in the next post.


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

*Day 11 - OK Freewheel Day 5 *(continued)

Today was such a pretty day and the scenery was fantastic as we rode through valleys and peaks with fantastic views.




















This was just before a steep twisting descent into a valley and up the other side. I took some really cool video during the first part of this descent and quickly stashed my phone in my jersey and hung on. No pedaling after I took the above photo and a max speed on this descent of 36 mph.

It is a screenshot from the video right after I passed a warning sign for cars to slow down.





The uphill part was steep enough that reality set in quickly and I just reminded myself that without climbs there would be no descents.

One of the great joys of my trike is acceleration on the downhill. I think it is because I weigh more (personally and in combination with my cycle) than the average cyclist. I suspect it also has to do with the fact that I am riding on 3 sets of bearings instead of two. It is common for riders to pass me going up hill and I have to either brake frequently or pass them going down. Who wants to brake?!!

One of my devices reported my maximum speed today was 126 mph!  That device depends on signals from cell towers. The one which reads my speed from the sensor on a wheel reported a much more likely 41 mph.

Back to scenery. You can tell there is dew on the ground in the first picture of this building.










Soon we were at the top looking across to the other side of Greenleaf Lake, home to a State Park. I am pretty sure it was this long descent which earned me the 41 mph. Those are clouds above the ridges in the distance, not snow caps. Temperatures this week have been in the 60-85 degree range.





The bridge across the lake is just around the corner.










continued in one more post


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

*Day 11 - OK Freewheel Day 5 *(continued)

Just a few more pictures from today.

SAG support was fantastic all week. I was fortunate to not have any flats on this trip or any other complications except the broken spoke.

I think I had mentioned the mechanics from a bike shop which were on the road each day. A great group of guys.





And here is a SAG driver helping with a flat. Thank you to all of the support staff and volunteers. 





I didn't need to stop, but couldn't resist stopping at this gas station. There used to be Sinclair stations all over the country, but they are rare now.





And a few other photos which didn't fit above.




















Today was only 58 miles, but I was more exhausted than I was on the long second day. I thought at first it might be just cumulative effects, but then I realized the issue. It was so cool all morning and I was enraptured and busy taking photos that I had not stayed on my schedule. 'Drink and eat a snack before you think you need it.' 'Stay ahead of the curve.' I think I had not had anything to drink or eat all morning. The rest of the day, I drank a lot, but was always exhausted. Note to self . . .


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## bluenotebob (20 Jun 2022)

I'm really enjoying your travelogue, Willie - and some great photos ! 

Keep it coming ! 

I guess you'll be in Muskogee soon - don't forget to mention Merle Haggard ..


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

bluenotebob said:


> I guess you'll be in Muskogee soon - don't forget to mention Merle Haggard ..



I am glad you are enjoying it. We turned did not make it to Muskogee, but were close.


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

*Day 12 - OK Freewheel Day 6
Friday, June 10*
Tahlequah, Oklahoma to Grove, Oklahoma
69 miles, 6h53m moving, 10 mph, 3244’ elevation gain, 695 total miles

Tahlequah is the capital of the Cherokee Nation and a very interesting town. If I had been on my own, I would have taken a rest day there for sure. Check out the link above for more information.

I did not get any pictures in the town. As soon as I arrived, I took my rear wheel off and got it to Paceline cycling which was right next to where we were camping in the town square. I had called the day before and told them I was coming. They were very busy with other cyclists from Freewheel and I hoped they would be able to get to me.

I set my hammock and rested in the shade. In about an hour I got a call to come get the repaired wheel. The mechanic told me it didn't just have a broken spoke, 'it was really messed up'. He figured I must have been riding on it. I confirmed his suspicions. $25 for fixed spoke and realigned wheel was a great deal in my book.

I got the wheel on and took a spin around the square to make sure all seemed in order. Satisfied, I went back to my hammock in the shade.

There was weather again threatening and the forecast was an 80% chance of thunderstorms between 1 am and 1 pm tomorrow, some severe. About that time, I got a call from David and the place where they were staying the night had room for me and I decided that sounded like a great idea. I packed the hammock up and started up the street a few blocks to their location just as it started raining, not a storm, just steady rain.

There was no place to put my trike inside, and the historic building which appeared to be under renovation was packed with sleeping bags and such. I found my spot and settled in.

When I awoke the next morning at 5am, it was thundering & lightening and heavy rain out the windows. I checked the weather on my phone and it appeared there would be cycles of this all day and the best bet was to get ready and make a run for it when there were periods of little to no rain in between the lines of thunderstorms.

We went and got breakfast at the next short break and then headed out about 8 am. Tahlequah is a larger town than where we have typically stayed but it was a very pleasant route from downtown out into the countryside.

My day started as it often did. I had stopped for my first set of photos just over the crest of a small hill. I looked back and here come the carbon trikes! Finally I should be able to get a picture of them from the front. Nah!






Today had a lot of rolling hills like this.





Somewhere early in the day, David hit his 800 mile mark (I think) and I took this picture for him.





As pretty as the scenery was, the people I met were probably the most interesting part of the trip.

This is 83 year old Errol Heath from Pawhuska, Oklahoma, catching up to me as he always did some time during the day. I first visited with him in Poteau while we were waiting for the sun to go down and head to our tents. He loves riding his bike but explained that he has a partially blocked carotid artery and his cardiologist keeps making him stop riding. But, he said, "sooner or later I just start riding again, I miss it."

He talked his family into letting him make this trip and his brother-in-law, Marty, agreed to make the trip and support him. Marty helps Errol, if needed, get his gear at the end of the day, setup the tent, etc and then they visit until time for bed. Marty sleeps in his truck and Errol in his tent. In the morning Marty & Errol get the gear in the truck, Errol heads out and Marty drives on to the next stop. He rode every mile of the route and was a very strong rider.





This rider, was waiting on his father when I stopped to take his picture. He made the ride with is dog in this trailer. At rest stops the dog would get out, take a leash and get a little water, snack and walk a bit. When it was time to go, the leash came off and he hopped into the trailer.





A few scenery pictures















Today we had a major detour that was a surprise even for the planners. I arrived at the top of that long stretch in the first photo, which went for much further than you can see, and there was a large cluster of riders waiting and a patrol car. At first I thought perhaps someone was hurt, but then realized they must be waiting on instructions.

The earliest riders had discovered this flooded road.





We were all waiting on the Oklahoma Highway Patrol to scout out and advise of the best alternative. So before long, there was a long line of cyclists that thinned out as we continued to the detour. I did not take this picture, but you can see me 2nd from the left.





continued in the next post


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

*Day 12 - OK Freewheel Day 6* (continued)

Realizing this was the next to last day, I decided to concentrate a bit on getting more photos of riders from the front.










This rider is from Colorado and she often passed me heading up hills.
















But there was plenty of scenery to keep my attention.

























continued in another post


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

*Day 12 - OK Freewheel Day 6* (continued)

This stretch of rode was so pretty I think all of these photos are within a few miles of each other. I know the first 5 are.
























After crossing that swollen creek we had a climb up to this view of Lake Eucha and the Spavinaw Hills State Game Refuge spread out before us. This picture was taken from a much needed rest stop.




The Eucha dam




There were many flowers and some spectators as we rode through the wildlife refuge, and maybe 2 cars per hour of riding.









I got a really cool video of a butterfly on a thistle, but I need to get it on you tube first.

The last stretch was on a 2 lane highway with little shoulder and it seemed everyone was headed for a weekend at the lake. Almost all of the drivers, even the commercial ones, were very considerate, but it was quite the contrast to the rest of the day.


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

*Day 13 - OK Freewheel Day 7
Saturday, June 11*
Grove, Oklahoma to Galena, Kansas
47 miles, 4h27m moving, 10.6 mph, 2467’ elevation gain, 742 total miles

We were able to get on the road by 545 am today. Here are the three San Antonio area amigos preparing for a shorter and rain free day.




And a picture of David and Mark headed off into the sunrise of our last day of OK Freewheel 2022.





And my obligatory 'almost got them from the front' shot of the carbon trike sprinters.




I tried to catch up to them in case they had to stop at the stop sign coming up in a few miles, but finally gave up at this point. That is not them in the shot, they had just cleared the hill.





Quite an eye-catching house.




And the mostly flat terrain that dominated the first part of the ride.




Soon we were back in lush surroundings.




















For a significant portion of today were were riding roads that straddle the line between Oklahoma & Missouri. I never saw a sign declaring who was responsible for the road or which state we were in at the time. You can see on the map to follow what I mean. I suppose I could have looked for a piece of mail in one of those mailboxes.

Continued in the next post.


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

*Day 13 - OK Freewheel Day 7* (continued)

There was a real sense of a destination today. I knew the day was shorter and I rode fairly hard. I didn't know for sure what time the bus left which would take us back to Idabel, but I knew I didn't want to miss it. I did have a few pictures I wanted to make sure I got though.










After entering Kansas, there was one rest stop and about 6 miles to go.





One of the first buildings (a mortuary) we encountered entering Galena. It made me wonder if that influenced the route planning. 





And soon the finish line.




David and Luis arrive together. Mark must have been in front of me.





Finish line photos

Errol





Luis, David, Mark, Me





The tree I spent the next 20 minutes laying under, what a view.





and today's map


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## HobbesOnTour (20 Jun 2022)

Great write up Willie!!

Couple of questions...
It looks like some folk are traveling light and you mentioned a luggage van. Do riders have the option of having their gear transported if they want?
If so why didn't you avail of the service on your first longish adventure?

And where, oh where does one find these breakfast angels??


cwskas said:


> had a nice breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage prepared by volunteers.





cwskas said:


> The Vian volunteers provided a very nice croissant, egg & bacon breakfast on the school grounds.






cwskas said:


> All week I tried to get a picture of them from the front.


Willie, that's being a Dirty Old Man!! 




cwskas said:


> since it was raining and forecast to do so all night, they opened the gym and one of the school buildings to accommodate riders.





cwskas said:


> We and several of the other riders went to a nearby church that opened it's doors to accommodate riders.


For all the commentary on this side of the pond about "Murica" it's easy to forget that there is an innate sense of hospitality in most of them



cwskas said:


> I am smiling, and I was loving the ride


😍


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## cwskas (20 Jun 2022)

So that's my story and I am sticking to it. What a great 13 days it was. This was actually the first multi-day ride I had taken. The first 8 days, I carried all my own gear, too much of it to be sure, but that will help me plan next time.

I heard many comments along the line of "I can't believe I made it!" or "I am so glad that is over." But as I lay under the tree, I found myself thinking how great an experience it was. I didn't do it to prove anything to myself, just to have the wonderful experience.

It definitely has me thinking about my next trip.

I plan to post some more random photos and videos has I have a chance to go through the GoPro stuff and will post a more compete evaluation of the trip at a later date.

Thanks for reading.


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## cwskas (21 Jun 2022)

HobbesOnTour said:


> It looks like some folk are traveling light and you mentioned a luggage van. Do riders have the option of having their gear transported if they want?
> If so why didn't you avail of the service on your first longish adventure?



Yes, OK Freewheel is designed to be a fully supported trip. They had a U-Haul truck and riders are responsible to deliver their bags to the truck every morning by a designated time, I don't recall the time. The truck arrives at the destination and dumps all the bags at a collection point and when you arrive, you find your bags and continue to your overnight location nearby.

I decided to do the full trip self-supported because I wanted to learn to do that. It was a deliberate decision on my part and in that since a test of 'my ability to succeed'. Even though I thinned my gear several times it still was way more than I needed and I know that now.

I did not carry any prepared food or cooking gear other than protein rich snacks on the trip.

I admit it was very nice to just drop my bags off at the truck and head out with only rain gear and my usual array of snacks, spare parts, etc. I am glad that my spoke failure necessitated that for the last 4 days. I got to experience both. I can certainly see myself doing a supported ride in the future . . . but it definitely made me want to do the next ride more on my own or with a very small group and more spontaneous on where and when to stop.


At registration, riders had the option of purchasing a 'Breakfast pass' for some reasonable amount, I can't recall that price, but it was a no-brainer for me.

There were also options to have 'premium camping' for a price. No Drop Tours would have your tent already setup and your bags outside the door waiting on you. Regular camping was provided in the same general location, but a ride was on their own to find a spot and setup camp.

Mid-day meals were the riders responsibility and for me were typically from a convenience store or other enroute location of my choice.

Evening meals were normally provided by some community group as a fundraiser for a very reasonable price. There would be other vendors available with home made ice cream (one I often searched out) or other food truck options for dinner. Only a few times did I not eat the community provided meal.


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## cwskas (21 Jun 2022)

HobbesOnTour said:


> Willie, that's being a Dirty Old Man!!



You got the 'Old Man' part right! I had plenty of opportunity to see the riders from the front during stops and in the evenings. I wanted to get a picture of the riders on their trikes from the front. And I realize you are being sarcastic.


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## cwskas (21 Jun 2022)

HobbesOnTour said:


> For all the commentary on this side of the pond about "Murica" it's easy to forget that there is an innate sense of hospitality in most of them



The Oklahoma host towns and volunteers were without fail exceptional in their kindness and hospitality. It was inspiring and greatly appreciated by me and I think the vast majority of the other riders.

I think this was the 43rd OK Freewheel and they use a different route across the state each year. The promoters clearly are great at cooperating with the host cities to showcase their town and area.

I have driven many miles in Oklahoma over the years and even camped in numerous locations, but I discovered so much history and geography.

I mentioned to one rider that the main wish I had was that there was more time to spend in the host cities. Being relatively slow, I was arriving mid to late afternoon and by the time I was setup for the night and had gotten something to eat, it was time for sleep.


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## HobbesOnTour (23 Jun 2022)

cwskas said:


> The first 8 days, I carried all my own gear, too much of it to be sure, but that will help me plan ne


You don't have to ..... But it may be helpful to others to mention what was too much? What will be left at home next time? 




cwskas said:


> I heard many comments along the line of "I can't believe I made it!" or "I am so glad that is over." But as I lay under the tree, I found myself thinking how great an experience it was. I didn't do it to prove anything to myself, just to have the wonderful experience.


That gives me a warm, fuzzy glow just reading it 



cwskas said:


> It definitely has me thinking about my next trip


Careful now!! It's addictive this bike touring thing




cwskas said:


> Thanks for reading.


Thanks for writing! 




cwskas said:


> I am glad that my spoke failure necessitated that for the last 4 days. I got to experience both.


Isn't that the thing? - There's a positive somewhere in every little disaster.

By the by, you might want to look up "Fibre Fix" - it's a Kevlar temporary spoke that can be fitted on the road and packs really small and light. It works! I can vouch for it (But you need three of the things to replace three spokes!)




cwskas said:


> No Drop Tours would have your tent already setup and your bags outside the door waiting on you.


As a matter of interest do you know if many people utilised that service? 
And did everyone camp or was hotel/motel/inn options available?

It just goes to show that there are all different types of bike touring! 

On a different note did everyone do the full route or did some join "late" and depart before the finish?



cwskas said:


> the main wish I had was that there was more time to spend in the host cities. Being relatively slow, I was arriving mid to late afternoon and by the time I was setup for the night and had gotten something to eat, it was time for sleep.



I was thinking of that myself recently. With very few exceptions I passed a night in a US town getting practically no exposure to it. A combination of longer days, pedestrian unfriendly urban areas, cheaper accommodation on the edge of town and few landmarks to draw the eye and inspire a wander. 
I was in Uvalde, the scene of that horrific school shooting. I have no recollection or "feel" for the town.

As a concept, an annual (and different) route across the State is a great idea. There's potentially 43 different routes across the State (OK maybe the ones from 40 years ago need to be checked first) for potential bike tourists to choose. A standalone project this year but an addition to an ever growing list of routes. 
Do the host cities/towns try to develop this with any permanent facilities for cyclists?
Oklahoma is probably too far, logistically, for you but does Texas do anything similar? 

There's a template in there somewhere for promoting cycling wherever cycling needs to be promoted. 

Well done, Willie. Thank you for sharing and I'm looking forward to the next one!


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## cwskas (26 Jun 2022)

HobbesOnTour said:


> You don't have to ..... But it may be helpful to others to mention what was too much? What will be left at home next time?



Next trip, I will trim or in some cases eliminate the following:

1. fewer spare parts and tools - bulky things. One of the underseat small bags was jammed full of this gear and I think I only opened it a couple of times on the whole trip while looking for something else.

2. fewer changes of clothes. I only ended up using about 1/2 of what I carried.

3. fewer snacks . . . at home I have items that I habitually carry for the daily ride, 2 or three protein/energy bar type items. I think I carried with me a whole box worth and brought home over half of them. I could easily get them on the road, a bit more expensive, but not that much.

4. I would figure out a more efficient way to handle meds/toiletries/etc. I carried too many things that I never used. A clear example is carrying 2 of the same sunscreen containers. I could have purchased another in almost any town if I had needed to do so.

5. I carried a lot of cables, a large rechargeable battery, etc for recharging gear if I didnt have access to electricity. Rarely used a lot of it. I do consider this necessary (I dont like using disposable batteries) but can streamline what I carry I think.

I also will work on more efficient use of items which would serve more than one purpose, such as a cable with different ends perhaps. And on this trip, I did not carry any stove or cooking kit. I didnt need it this time really, but would need it on a longer, self-supported trip.

Before another longer trip, I intend to make more 2-3 day trips from home to practice and refine my skills, needs & preferences.


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## cwskas (26 Jun 2022)

HobbesOnTour said:


> By the by, you might want to look up "Fibre Fix" - it's a Kevlar temporary spoke that can be fitted on the road and packs really small and light. It works! I can vouch for it (But you need three of the things to replace three spokes!)



While looking up the above, I found this info and thought I would share it.

https://www.instructables.com/Emergency-Bicycle-Spoke-Repair-Kit/

I also ordered one FIBERFIX Emergency Spoke Replacement Kit from Amazon.


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## Ming the Merciless (26 Jun 2022)

Well done, and sounds like a wonderful first long tour


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## cwskas (26 Jun 2022)

HobbesOnTour said:


> As a matter of interest do you know if many people utilised that service?
> And did everyone camp or was hotel/motel/inn options available?



For some reason I am not getting the quoted section which I posted when I try to Quote so here is what prompted the above question.

"No Drop Tours would have your tent already setup and your bags outside the door waiting on you."

I am not sure how many, but there were a lot, I would estimate over 100 for sure. Other than this 'Premium camping' option, everyone was basically on their own as to how they handled overnights. I would guess that about half as many riders setup their own tents as the premium folks. There were also a large group of riders who slept on the floor inside of some community provided area - a gym or schoolroom or church. On at least one night there were quite a few setup under a large covered concrete slab like might be used for a dance or a concert.

I would not be surprised to find that some stayed in hotels, but did not personally speak with anyone who did that.

There were also 15-20 riders who had family (presumably) members driving a motorhome or similar. And they would stay in that. I did not personally speak to anyone who did this, but did see them each night setup in a parking lot when we arrived.

As part of the support, No Drop Tours provided a large U-Haul truck which transported baggage to the next destination -- in the rider info described as no more than 2 large duffle bags weighing 40 pounds each. No additional cost for this, but each rider was responsible for having their bags at the truck by a certain time and for picking them up at a common drop off point at the destination. There was no accounting for luggage by the tour operator, simply transportation. They did provide nice sturdy bag tags.

That is what I did after breaking the spoke, even after getting the wheel fixed.


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## cwskas (26 Jun 2022)

HobbesOnTour said:


> On a different note did everyone do the full route or did some join "late" and depart before the finish?



When registering, riders could choose to ride only certain days. I would assume that there might have been people who lived in one of the host towns, who rode only on that particular day, but I didn't not speak with anyone that fit that description.

A friend told me the other day that the 96 year old gentlemen I spoke of rode each day, but not the full route each day. Not to his detriment, I just wanted to clarify that, so I asked.


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## Ming the Merciless (26 Jun 2022)

If I’m still riding my bike at 96 I’ll be delighted, let alone able to ride some of a tour every day.


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## cwskas (26 Jun 2022)

HobbesOnTour said:


> As a concept, an annual (and different) route across the State is a great idea. There's potentially 43 different routes across the State (OK maybe the ones from 40 years ago need to be checked first) for potential bike tourists to choose. A standalone project this year but an addition to an ever growing list of routes.



Agreed. This was started to promote cycling and tourism in the smaller towns of Oklahoma. I was very impressed with the concept and the execution and it certainly made me feel quite comfortable with the idea of building my own tour in the future, using previous towns and routes as reference. I do not think there is a complete list of the routes online anywhere, but I have found some of them and they have a map of all of the towns used so far and which years they were visited.



HobbesOnTour said:


> Do the host cities/towns try to develop this with any permanent facilities for cyclists?
> Oklahoma is probably too far, logistically, for you but does Texas do anything similar?



I did not notice any designated facilities for cyclist, but a general welcoming attitude and willingness to do whatever it took to accommodate this particular tour.

Texas, IMO, is so large and as a state not that prepared for cyclists. It has many State Parks that are very well equipped and relatively inexpensive, but I am unaware of specific, regular tours or routes other than the ACA southern tier route and the ACA Hill Country loop.

There are numerous organizations that are working to improve on this and many of the small towns which I have passed through traveling by car have designated free or inexpensive spots for motor homes and travel trailers.

There are a lot of 1 day organized rides around the state that occur yearly as fundraisers, but only a few which are multiple day rides.


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## HobbesOnTour (27 Jun 2022)

cwskas said:


> fewer changes of clothes. I only ended up using about 1/2 of what I carried.


I recall you taking a motel room a couple of nights in poor weather so remember that when that isn't an option that being able to get into some dry clothes after setting up a tent in the rain (and probably mud) is a gift from the Touring Gods! 
Of course it means getting into the wet clothes again the next morning - a gift from the Touring Gremlins

How many t-shirts from sandwich places did you carry? 



cwskas said:


> many of the small towns which I have passed through traveling by car have designated free or inexpensive spots for motor homes and travel trailers.


There are a lot of those in Spain too - and most are not tent friendly - in fact, tents are often prohibited.

Given the different to route every year, the option to carry baggage, the accommodation options (I'm surprised at the quantity of Premium Campers!!) and the flexibility of only doing a part of the route I can see huge potential for that concept to be copied but also a reason for the same people to return again and again.

Thanks for the detailed answers.


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## cwskas (28 Jun 2022)

HobbesOnTour said:


> I recall you taking a motel room a couple of nights in poor weather so remember that when that isn't an option that being able to get into some dry clothes after setting up a tent in the rain (and probably mud) is a gift from the Touring Gods!
> Of course it means getting into the wet clothes again the next morning - a gift from the Touring Gremlins



Good point! Two mornings, I started in wet clothes because it was raining or rain was imminent and it made sense to me. 



HobbesOnTour said:


> How many t-shirts from sandwich places did you carry?



i considered it, but resisted. I did eat at Schmaltz for lunch today with a grandson! Soooo good!


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