We camped at a state park near Edmond last nite right next to a big lake. Our tents were the wettest they have ever been. It was a cool nite and sleeping was great but taking down that wet tent about did in my fingers. They were cold for the first hour of riding. In fact, my whole body was cold. All my cold weather gear is buried in the van but I will be pulling out a few things thus weekend. Alison was kind enough to let me stash all my cold gear in her bike bag that never comes out except on layover days. That cold front really cooled things off. Only 50 degrees when we left camp. Once the sun came up, it warmed up nicely. Probably the mid to upper 70’s. Really pleasant from 9:00 on.
I was the first one out of camp and Francis and his three buddies met me just as I made the turn into town. So I latched on to them for the next 25 miles and got through all the hairy navigating with those who have a Garmin (GPS). I rode the last half by myself.
We went though Yukon today, home of Garth Brooks. There was a major road named after him but I didn’t get any pictures. Too much traffic and four lanes. No easy way to do it so you’ll just have to believe me.
Yesterday, I had a big truck, small semi, run me off the road. Boy did I let out a few expletives but he couldn’t hear me. It was a two lane road with no shoulder and on a somewhat wide curve. I had no where to go but off onto the grass. What made me mad was he never slowed down a bit, the oncoming car didn’t slow down either and neither one of them moved over AND they could have done both. Boy was I ticked and it really got my adrenalin going. I’m just glad there wasn’t a deep ditch or who knows where I would have ended up. Scary!
So in general, I have to say OK drivers are the most impatient so far. Many don’t slow down, some don’t move over, lots of them step on the gas just as they get beside you (whew, I’m not impressed) and the thing that irritates me the most are the ones who honk right as they get on your tail. Geez, impatient dorks. We are over as far as we can go. Really gripes my hide when they do that. So riding here in OK is a little stressful compared to IL and MO.
I’m getting all this off my chest today since I have no pictures to show. The OK highway department does a terrible job patching roads. Most patches seem to be at the bottom of hills or just as you start up a hill. That’s not their fault but the way they patch it is atrocious. It looks like they dump a pile of asphalt in a hole and leave it. There are two and three inch high blobs of asphalt that in no way whatsoever was smoothed out to gradually match the road. It is dangerous and super rough. And sometimes makes no sense in what they did. Imagine an elliptical patch of asphalt. Now take out a 5th or 6th of it on one side and leave a 2-3 high blob all around the outside edges, including in the middle where some was taken out. How do you navigate something like that? Not to mention it beats your butt to death. It just makes it hard to enjoy a nice cruise when there is so much to watch out for.
Ok, I’m off my soap box for now. I really am having fun. This was our 7th riding day in a row so maybe I’m a little tired. We ride a short day tomorrow and then get a rest day. I’m ready.
One other thing today, I got hit by a small rock flung by a big truck. Hit me right in the leg and, of course, I had to stop and put a bandaid on to stop the bleeding. No biggy, but it did sting for a minute. Will have a bruise, I’m sure. Just glad it didn’t hit me in the face.
Camping at a KOA about 20 miles past El Reno in the boonies tonite. Best showers we’ve had on the whole trip.
64.0 miles today. 4807.7 total
BikerAl Across America 2018 