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