Yesterday I rode from Sand Springs to Perry. I didn't leave until about 1 PM due to my awesome tulsa hangover, but that also means I didn't go very far. Riding sucked. I hate the flatnessof it, but around me it was farms, nature, and beauty. 6 PM rolled around and, as usual,the dimming sun brought up my energy and spirits. This part of the country is the first time I see so little civilization that I get lonely. I met some really cool people at Simple Simon'sPizza about 30 miles before Perry. That picked upmy spirits, I thought more positive thingsas I headed west.
I rolled around the town, eventually I strung upmy hammock in a cute little park. Cops rolled bybut never bothered me. Joggers trotted around me, always friendly and trusting. I called anex-coworker/way chill runner friend and caught up for a bit. It reminded me of life's problems I no longer have to deal with. Her problems were practicalstruggling young person problems. Commuting, saving money for car inspection, working several jobs and still trying to enjoy life and compete in races, dealing with roomates, things of that nature. All I had was constant new places and faces. There are fleeting moments when it gets me down, but they pass quick. Unfortunately, Oklahoma has become a long, arduous, windy, treacherous place.
I started napping in my hammock when I saw thunder in front of me. I was facing west, I hoped the winds would take it north or northeast, but over a few hours it just kept getting bigger. When the drizzle became torrential downpours and the thunder got closer I rode my aluminum bike to a motel I saw. The clerk offered 30 dollars.Remembering the thunder tornado that almostkilled me in may and after seeing so many tornados on the news I took the 30 dollar loss and stayed in a bed for the first time in many many days. I watched TV, slept in a mattress, took a hot shower, it felt amazing. I even had privacy. It's been awhile since i had privacy.
Checkout was 11, so i slept as long as possible, catching up on countless nights of two hour naps in the park. Stupidly, I hit the road at 11 AM with nothing but the water in my two water bottles. The highway took me north from Perry. Riding north was easyas pie. I blew through miles effortlessly. Every damn day I ride into the wind, this felt good. Ten miles later the highway turned left. The Oklahoma wind was harsh. The sun was hot, the temperature was above 100, just like every day for the past few weeks, and the wind was at its strongest. The wind was slowing me down to 8 to 10 mph. The scary part was I couldn't find a single house or human being to ask for water. I rationed my water the best I could, then went thirsty, pedaling hard, for about 2 more hours in the hot oklahoma sun. Finally I saw a tiny pond in a farm. The fence was broken at one point,so I rode in and took a risk. Still water has bacteria, sometimes that makes you sick, but it was that or die, so I gulped it down. Several miles later I saw a sign. It said Cimarron Angus half mile. I followed a dirt gravel road four miles to a large house. I knocked, and a young woman opened up. She refilled my bottles and gave me a gatorade. It barely lasted me until I came to the next "town." This town was a gas station and a cafe. The waitress at that cafe was really cool, and eventually I met some cool people. An old man put me in the newspaper and another man helped pay for my food. I waited until about 4:30, it was still wicked hot. Still over ahundred. I was shown a nice blacktop road, it was about 20 miles to Enid, Oklahoma. Once again, no people, no chance for water, but I was making better time because the wind died slightly. A mild change in wind was enough to change my average speed from 10 mph to 14 mph. Still very slow, and the flatness bored me into noticing all my aches and pains. I got to Enid pretty soon, rode around this big little town and stopped in a supermarket. By the time I finished shopping and taking a long break I realized it was 6:30 PM, I had only gone 55miles, I had heat exhaustion, and it was 102 degrees outside.
People kept stopping and asking me friendly questions about my bicycle, and eventually one man came back a second time. he offered to put my bike in the back of his pickup truck and offer me a bed. i accepted, of course, and he's turning out to be a really cool guy. He was in the army for eleven years, loves meeting all kinds of people, loves paying for my meals, loves having open conversations about sensitive issues like politics and religion. I'm staying in his daughter's room while she's away. He says Enid, Oklahoma is the last of civilization before Iget to the true emptiness of America. The flatness bores me, the wind slows me, the tornadoes can killme and so can the heat. For my own safety I've been taking it low mileage here in the southern midwest, but the forecast says 105-110 for a week and it's deserted in tornado alley. Verizon wireless has zero to one bars here in oklahoma, so in emergencies i'll just be dead. After Enid I will head straight north to Kansas, wind at my back. I wanna go to Colorado and climb independence pass. 37 mile climb, 37 degree incline the whole way. It's between Twin Peaks and Aspen. My friend Drew just said she'll returnto Boulder next week, I'm excited to get out of Oklahoma. Eastern Oklahoma was awesome, but I will let the wind help me ride north to Kansas. Until next time, ta ta.
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