Oklahoma Freewheel Day 5 – Thomas to (I forgot where I am)
Today was the best day of riding we’ve had so far! It was great! Our mileage today was only 54, but there was pretty nice scenary, decent roads, and winds that didn’t become a factor even though they were against us most of the day.
Got fog?
The day started out foggy! It was so bad that I forced myself to dawdle a little bit until it lifted, then we hit it again for a couple of miles when we were about 10 miles from Thomas. After it cleared, the temperatures remained mild all day, making it a perfect day for riding across Oklahoma!
I caught up with Drew about 20 miles out, and we rode together the rest of the day. Our riding skills are compatable and he’s great company. When the roads cooperated today, we worked together in a two-person pace-line that ate up the miles.
Drew pumping a low tire.
As we crossed the Canton Lake Dam, some young men fishing from the dam caught our attention, so we stopped. They were fishing for “hybrid bass”, which are a cross between a stripped bass and a sand bass. They were using little perch as bait, with a huge sinker that would allow them to cast beyond the spillway into the current coming through the dam’s gates. When they caught one, they had to drag it across the spillway, then lift it approximately 30 feet up the face of the dam to the road’s surface. If the fish was large enough, they had to manage to get it into a “basket” lowered on a rope so it could be raised without breaking their line and losing it. It was pretty entertaining, and we saw them catch three. One was about a 10 lb. fish that had to be raised in the basket.
Getting a fishing lesson
That's a keeper!
We also learned that one of the fishermen would be attending Northwestern Oklahoma University on a baseball scholarship next fall. Good luck to him!
After crossing the dam, we cycled around the lake for a while, enjoying the “scenic tour” that our bike route provided us. It was a nice diversion that made for an interesting day.
Wildflowers near the lake
As we neared town, we could see a series of buttes off to our left. We had been told that they were about 11 miles off course. It would have been nice to have ridden over for a closer look, but my legs are beginning to feel the effects of about 370 miles that have already been ridden this week, and I was afraid of what another 22 today might feel like.
As we entered town, we asked a lady on the street where we should eat. She pointed us across the corner to “The Feedlot”, where we enjoyed a bountiful buffet, complete with peach cobbler and ice cream for dessert.
Later in the day, I went back to my bicycle and found it laying on the ground. I presume somebody had knocked it down trying to hang their towel behind it. What really aggravated me, though, was the condition of my helmet. I hope one of the bike shops traveling with us have some for sale!
Aaarg!
God bless….
TW
Tags: bicycle, Fitness, Oklahoma Freewheel, vacation
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June 11, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Sounds like fun…I have been itching to do something like this but haven’t had time. Have fun and be safe.
June 12, 2009 at 4:04 am
“I forgot where I am.” I love it. Life is good if you don’t even have to know where you are. Just ride and figure out what to eat.