We made it to Branson and our second rest day. 90+ miles and I now realize that the Ozarks are going to present their own set of challenges with one roller after another - all pretty short but many reaching 15%+ grade.
As usual, we started last but rode fairly hard and got to lunch a bit early. Post lunch the two J's took the effort up a notch as we attacked one roller after another. The Ozarks really are beautiful, especially after several long days in the Oklahoma panhandle. I think we arrived at 1:30, at least a couple of hours ahead of the rest of the group, but luckily the rooms were ready for us. After several business trips, reaching Branson felt like a homecoming of sorts. We rode straight in on highway 76 which is the strip with most of the theaters on it, and it was fun to see everything again from a bike saddle.
Tomorrow's a day off, but I actually have a presentation to make to Dan Lennon and the Branson CVB from 9:00-12:00 tomorrow. I'm encouraging everyone to take in the Presley Family show tomorrow night, as it's a quintessential Branson show and the Presleys - led by Steve, one of my favorite clients here - are a great group of people. That said, I'll have to give it a miss as I want to watch Andy play soccer against arch-rival trinity University tomorrow at 8:00 PM.
Time to walk around Branson Landing and play tourist for an hour before dinner.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Day 25
111 miles from Bartlesville, OK to Neosha, Missouri.
First - a report from last night in Bartlesville, home of Frank Lloyd Wright's "skyscraper" - built in 1956, just like me. We took the elevator up to the 17th floor bar and I had a glass of real wine - it was a truly amazing experience! Dinner was pretty ordinary, but fun.
We were off by 7:45 in the morning, our usual little trio plus Karl - there to ensure we went fast enough. By the first van stop we had passes our other groups (not that this is a race!) and Bill had joined us. We took the speed up a bit more and headed in to a fantastic lunch (Prosciutto and Insalade Caprese - it made my top 3) at mile 65. Post lunch, the Missouri state line beckoned and we hit it a bit harder. I swear, the minute we crossed that line the grass got greener, the trees got greener and live people started popping up all over the place. Overall, I think we agreed that Oklahoma wasn't as tough as we expected, though that one killer day into the wind certainly left a lasting impact. Overall, the roads were fantastic - good surfaces and very few cars. We just has one busy stretch and Brian and Diana, on a string of unfortunate luck, were almost run off the road on it and had to jump into the van again for a while. Hopefully they have now appeased the gods and can get back to riding every day.
Everyone seems to be living proof of the old axiom "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger", and 111 mile rides like today seem to be handled with increasing ease by everyone in the group. William, who probably put in the least amount of training time, is proving to be an incredibly resilient rider, while Dana and Britt just steadily work through the day and show up happy at the other end.
By the way, given how bad my photography is, you should consider checking out Dana and Britt's blog at http://habegger.tumbir.com.
First - a report from last night in Bartlesville, home of Frank Lloyd Wright's "skyscraper" - built in 1956, just like me. We took the elevator up to the 17th floor bar and I had a glass of real wine - it was a truly amazing experience! Dinner was pretty ordinary, but fun.
We were off by 7:45 in the morning, our usual little trio plus Karl - there to ensure we went fast enough. By the first van stop we had passes our other groups (not that this is a race!) and Bill had joined us. We took the speed up a bit more and headed in to a fantastic lunch (Prosciutto and Insalade Caprese - it made my top 3) at mile 65. Post lunch, the Missouri state line beckoned and we hit it a bit harder. I swear, the minute we crossed that line the grass got greener, the trees got greener and live people started popping up all over the place. Overall, I think we agreed that Oklahoma wasn't as tough as we expected, though that one killer day into the wind certainly left a lasting impact. Overall, the roads were fantastic - good surfaces and very few cars. We just has one busy stretch and Brian and Diana, on a string of unfortunate luck, were almost run off the road on it and had to jump into the van again for a while. Hopefully they have now appeased the gods and can get back to riding every day.
Everyone seems to be living proof of the old axiom "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger", and 111 mile rides like today seem to be handled with increasing ease by everyone in the group. William, who probably put in the least amount of training time, is proving to be an incredibly resilient rider, while Dana and Britt just steadily work through the day and show up happy at the other end.
By the way, given how bad my photography is, you should consider checking out Dana and Britt's blog at http://habegger.tumbir.com.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Day 24
Ponca City to Bartlesville Oklahoma. A 71 mile ride, unless you go off-track and end up riding 82 miles. But what idiot on a cross-country ride would add extra miles unnecessarily? Unfortunately, you know the answer to this question. Oh well, it was a nice day and we had a great ride anyway.
Intrepid guide, mechanic, incredibly strong rider and all-round good guy Karl joined our usual trio and we rode to lunch at a fast but enjoyable pace. After a great lunch in the sun, we set off again and managed to blow through not one, but three turns we could've/should've taken. The problem was that Jeff immediately took up the speed and the four of us were enjoying the pace too much - both Karl and I totally missed the turns somehow.
Bartlesville is actually a pretty nice little town, featuring a Frank Lloyd Wright "skyscraper" that we'll go and see on our way to dinner. Dinner promises to be a step up - we're going to "Two Sisters" - so I'm cautiously optimistic. I might even get a decent glass of wine.
Tomorrow it's back to the longer rides - 111 miles from Bartlesville to Neosha, Missouri. Another new state! I actually looked at a map of the country and suddenly realized how far east we are. I've completely lost track of how many miles we've placed behind us, but at Day 24 we're a bit more than halfway there!
Intrepid guide, mechanic, incredibly strong rider and all-round good guy Karl joined our usual trio and we rode to lunch at a fast but enjoyable pace. After a great lunch in the sun, we set off again and managed to blow through not one, but three turns we could've/should've taken. The problem was that Jeff immediately took up the speed and the four of us were enjoying the pace too much - both Karl and I totally missed the turns somehow.
Bartlesville is actually a pretty nice little town, featuring a Frank Lloyd Wright "skyscraper" that we'll go and see on our way to dinner. Dinner promises to be a step up - we're going to "Two Sisters" - so I'm cautiously optimistic. I might even get a decent glass of wine.
Tomorrow it's back to the longer rides - 111 miles from Bartlesville to Neosha, Missouri. Another new state! I actually looked at a map of the country and suddenly realized how far east we are. I've completely lost track of how many miles we've placed behind us, but at Day 24 we're a bit more than halfway there!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Day 23
A short and sweet 71 mile ride to Ponca City, which raises a couple of questions:
1) When did 71 miles become a short ride?
2) Who would name a town Ponca City?
I couldn't tell you a single feature of today's trip, other than the refinery outside Ponca City, whose smell definitely got my attention. We did face our first dirt road and managed to get through it without any casualties. I rode with the J's and, while the pace was quick, we stayed away from our flat out rush speed and had a nice casual day on the saddle. We rode fast enough to beat the lunch set-up, so headed over to a Dairy Queen for my first ever DQ meal - then over to the van for lunch #2.
We're off to Ponca City's best restaurant. It's called the Rusty Barrel and they weren't sure if they were going to open this evening, so it should be interesting. Another 71 miler tomorrow, then back to the 100/day pace we know and love so much.
1) When did 71 miles become a short ride?
2) Who would name a town Ponca City?
I couldn't tell you a single feature of today's trip, other than the refinery outside Ponca City, whose smell definitely got my attention. We did face our first dirt road and managed to get through it without any casualties. I rode with the J's and, while the pace was quick, we stayed away from our flat out rush speed and had a nice casual day on the saddle. We rode fast enough to beat the lunch set-up, so headed over to a Dairy Queen for my first ever DQ meal - then over to the van for lunch #2.
We're off to Ponca City's best restaurant. It's called the Rusty Barrel and they weren't sure if they were going to open this evening, so it should be interesting. Another 71 miler tomorrow, then back to the 100/day pace we know and love so much.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Day 22
What a difference a day makes!
111 miles from Guymon to Enid Oklahoma, but a very enjoyable ride it was. As opposed to the main roads filled with trucks, barren landscape and strong headwinds of yesterday, we spent the day on back roads with very little wind to speak of. In addition, we all quietly decided to ride together today. While it may have been a bit slower going than usual, it really was a lot of fun to keep the group together. Poor William flatted three times and now has the trip record with seven to date.
For the first time, my legs actually felt really stiff when I woke up this morning, so a more casual pace was just what the doctor ordered. The landscape remained flat, but there was just a lot more to see. The weather threatened early, but started to cooperate more as the day wore on. Dinner was at the "Rib Crib" across the street. Any hopes of a glass of wine were shattered early when we were informed that, on Sundays, Oklahoma law prohibits the sale of any alcohol other than 3.2% beer (ie. Bud). You can't have one decent beer or a glass of wine, but you can drink all the Bud or Miller you want! To make matters worse, I'm missing a friend's birthday party (Happy Birthday Mike!) where my favorite dish (tahdiq) will be consumed with many glasses of great wine. Ah well, who said life had to be fair.
Unfortunately, Brian (one of yesterday's casualties) continued to feel awful, and he and Diana ended up hiring a taxi to take them to Enid. A day riding in the support van would not have helped Brian in the slightest. Hopefully they can both rejoin us in the morning.
After three consecutive 100+ mile days, tomorrow is a relatively short 70 mile run, so we're actually going to sleep in a bit and leave around 8:30.
111 miles from Guymon to Enid Oklahoma, but a very enjoyable ride it was. As opposed to the main roads filled with trucks, barren landscape and strong headwinds of yesterday, we spent the day on back roads with very little wind to speak of. In addition, we all quietly decided to ride together today. While it may have been a bit slower going than usual, it really was a lot of fun to keep the group together. Poor William flatted three times and now has the trip record with seven to date.
For the first time, my legs actually felt really stiff when I woke up this morning, so a more casual pace was just what the doctor ordered. The landscape remained flat, but there was just a lot more to see. The weather threatened early, but started to cooperate more as the day wore on. Dinner was at the "Rib Crib" across the street. Any hopes of a glass of wine were shattered early when we were informed that, on Sundays, Oklahoma law prohibits the sale of any alcohol other than 3.2% beer (ie. Bud). You can't have one decent beer or a glass of wine, but you can drink all the Bud or Miller you want! To make matters worse, I'm missing a friend's birthday party (Happy Birthday Mike!) where my favorite dish (tahdiq) will be consumed with many glasses of great wine. Ah well, who said life had to be fair.
Unfortunately, Brian (one of yesterday's casualties) continued to feel awful, and he and Diana ended up hiring a taxi to take them to Enid. A day riding in the support van would not have helped Brian in the slightest. Hopefully they can both rejoin us in the morning.
After three consecutive 100+ mile days, tomorrow is a relatively short 70 mile run, so we're actually going to sleep in a bit and leave around 8:30.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Day 21
Well, that really sucked! It was a long, long ride from Guymon to Woodward Oklahoma. 126 miles and almost every one of them was straight into the wind. It was absolutely relentless and, for most of us, much tougher than our earlier 140 miles over the mountains. The problem with riding into the wind is that you have to pedal every single inch of it - there are absolutely no easy miles to be had. This was definitely my hardest ride so far.
As a result, four of our group had to get off their bikes and into the van today. Jeff and I buddied up pretty early and paced each other most of the way (thanks Jeff - absolutely couldn't have done it without you!). The only problem with this arrangement was that Jeff had a hole in the back of his shorts and I spent roughly half the ride mesmerized by his butt. Joseph hung back and had a slower pre-lunch ride, but then exploded and (at least in a relative sense) flew through the post lunch ride and finished long before Jeff and I.
Because of all our casualties, we had pizza and beer in the hotel, though some of us still managed to make it to "K-Bobs" for a second dinner before retiring for the evening. Hopefully, a good nights sleep will allow everyone to answer the bell in the morning, as we're facing a 112 mile ride (also into the wind) tomorrow!
I'm sure there are a lot of good things to be said about Oklahoma, I just can't think of any right now.
As a result, four of our group had to get off their bikes and into the van today. Jeff and I buddied up pretty early and paced each other most of the way (thanks Jeff - absolutely couldn't have done it without you!). The only problem with this arrangement was that Jeff had a hole in the back of his shorts and I spent roughly half the ride mesmerized by his butt. Joseph hung back and had a slower pre-lunch ride, but then exploded and (at least in a relative sense) flew through the post lunch ride and finished long before Jeff and I.
Because of all our casualties, we had pizza and beer in the hotel, though some of us still managed to make it to "K-Bobs" for a second dinner before retiring for the evening. Hopefully, a good nights sleep will allow everyone to answer the bell in the morning, as we're facing a 112 mile ride (also into the wind) tomorrow!
I'm sure there are a lot of good things to be said about Oklahoma, I just can't think of any right now.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Day 20
106 miles, from Clayton, NM to Guymon, Oklahoma.
It's very flat. We rode very fast.
We flew, averaging 23 mph over the first 50 and a bit less overall. We actually did our century in 4:28 and certainly could have gone faster if we didn't have tomorrow's 125 mile ride waiting in the wings. I have absolutely nothing to say about the countryside, as the occasional silos were our highlights for the day. For a whole bunch of reasons, it was great to get to our hotel early - the main one being that we dodged the strongest afternoon winds. We started with very little wind and our three man paceline became four with the reintroduction of Bill to our little group. Post lunch (at about 9:30 in the morning as we left at 6:45 or so), the wind shifted and increased, so we moved into echelon formation (for the non-cyclists, that means that each rider stays to the side of the one in front, with their wheel overlapping so as to duck as much wind as possible). With very little traffic we were able to occupy most of our lane as we sped along the road.
For anyone into calories, I thought I'd take a look at how many I've been consuming on these rides - since I would swear I haven't lost any weight yet. Our 140 miler topped the charts at 8500 calories or so and other days have been pretty regularly 7000 plus. Not sure how accurate this is, but it gives you a sense of how much food I'm stuffing into my face each day. Our motto is simple: If it moves, eat it.
Speaking of which, it's time for dinner at one of Guymon's finest establishments. Until tomorrow.
It's very flat. We rode very fast.
We flew, averaging 23 mph over the first 50 and a bit less overall. We actually did our century in 4:28 and certainly could have gone faster if we didn't have tomorrow's 125 mile ride waiting in the wings. I have absolutely nothing to say about the countryside, as the occasional silos were our highlights for the day. For a whole bunch of reasons, it was great to get to our hotel early - the main one being that we dodged the strongest afternoon winds. We started with very little wind and our three man paceline became four with the reintroduction of Bill to our little group. Post lunch (at about 9:30 in the morning as we left at 6:45 or so), the wind shifted and increased, so we moved into echelon formation (for the non-cyclists, that means that each rider stays to the side of the one in front, with their wheel overlapping so as to duck as much wind as possible). With very little traffic we were able to occupy most of our lane as we sped along the road.
For anyone into calories, I thought I'd take a look at how many I've been consuming on these rides - since I would swear I haven't lost any weight yet. Our 140 miler topped the charts at 8500 calories or so and other days have been pretty regularly 7000 plus. Not sure how accurate this is, but it gives you a sense of how much food I'm stuffing into my face each day. Our motto is simple: If it moves, eat it.
Speaking of which, it's time for dinner at one of Guymon's finest establishments. Until tomorrow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)