An Awesome Ride in Arkansas

Day 18
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Queen Wilhelmena Lodge, AK to Arkadelphia, AK
100 miles
4,000 feet of climbing

After yesterday's knee-busting ride up and over the Talimena Parkway, I was delighted to find that my legs still worked when I started pedaling today's route.  Actually, I felt sort of invincible today after accomplishing yesterday's challenging ride . . . and at my age, which is four years older than the last time I did it.  : )  I only had to tell my legs to "shut up" a couple of times.  Today's route started with a handful of climbs (10 miles or so worth) before we enjoyed a screaming fast 3-mile descent into the town of Mena. From there, our route took us on quiet back roads through rural Arkansas, as we passed through the small towns of Nunley, Board Camp, Ouachita, and Big Fork (population 181).  Big Fork actually has a mall (pictured below), which was adjacent to the empty lot where we had our first rest stop of the day.  After mile 50, we rolled through some bigger, more populated areas.  After our lunch stop at mile 78, the remainder of our route went through the DeGray Lake Resort State Park - beautiful tree-lined roads with very little automobile traffic.  It was a fun "active recovery" day.  Now I will practice some "inactive recovery" as I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. 

Elevation profile of today's ride - although there was 4,000 feet of climbing, it felt flat after yesterday's ride!

Breakfast in the parking lot of the Queen Wilhelmina Lodge.  The PAC Tour crew treated us to made-to-order omelets!

The Big Fork Mall.  (I am not kidding.)

Rolling on the roads of Montgomery County, Arkansas.

Art & Tim riding in DeGray State Resort State Park

A peaceful and beautiful ride through the State Park.

 

Art

Art crossing over DeGray Lake

Bob E. and his helmet hair.  It only takes 100 miles to get it to look this perfect!

Riding the Talimena Parkway - A "Granny Gear" Kind of Day

Day 17
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
McAlester, OK to Queen Wilhelmena Lodge, AK
98 miles
7,500 feet of climbing

Today was a big day on the bike; we rode the Talimena Parkway - a national scenic byway shared by southeastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas.  It winds 54 miles in the Ouachita National Forest along the highest peaks of the Winding Stair Mountains.  Translation: a very hilly ride with gorgeous scenery. We didn't get to the Talimena Parkway until mile 59 of today's route, and we had a bit of gentle climbing before we got there - 2,500 feet worth.  But it was a good way to get our legs warmed up for the sufferfest that was awaiting us.  I ended up with a flat tire about two miles before the second rest stop at mile 51, but I was able to change it quickly with the assistance of fellow rider (and fellow attorney) Bob E., who even carried my punctured tube to the rest stop for me because I had no place to stuff it.  Once we made the turn onto the Talimena Parkway, the steep climbing began immediately.  There were many vista points along the way to pull off and take pictures (and rest).  We crossed into Arkansas at mile 93.  Our lodging for the night is the amazing Queen Wilhelmena Lodge - a resort hotel known as the "Castle in the Sky."  After dinner, we walked around the grounds to enjoy the views.  Although it was a challenging day due to all the steep climbs, it was one of the best days on this tour, so far.  Beautiful weather, magnificent scenery (tough climbs) and good folks with whom to share it - it just doesn't get any better than that! 

Elevation profile of today's ride

Rest stop fare - yum!

The Talimena Parkway - get your climbing legs ready!

Talimena Art

Me at Lenox Vista

Up and over one of the climbs

Hello, Arkansas!

My great bike did a great job climbing for me today.

Me & Art at a lookout at the Queen Wilhelmena Lodge

Art & Tim looking way too serious in comfy rocking chairs on the porch of the Queen Wilhelmena Lodge. 

Our map of progress - moving right along!

Sugar Addiction and Other Random Thoughts

Day 16
Monday, September 28, 2015
Purcell, OK to McAlester, OK
114 miles
4,163 feet of climbing

One thought that occurred to me as we were was riding out of Purcell this morning, fighting all the Monday morning traffic is . . . all those poor folks are driving to work, and I get to ride my bike all day!  It sort of puts things into perspective.  It was another lovely day in the saddle - sunny and warm as we rode up and over another bunch of Oklahoma hills.  I got chased by a couple of OK dogs today, but both seemed more interested in barking and chasing than biting.  I think I've been eating way too many cookies lately.  My body seems to be in a constant state of sugar intoxication. Sure, the sugar high, along with all the endorphins,not to mention the Advil masking all my aches and pains, makes me a very happy camper, but I probably should dial it back a bit before hyperglycemia sets in.  The PAC Tour crew hosted an ice cream social for us tonight.  Oh, good - more sugar!  I don't care - it was delicious.  Be that as it may, I am having the time of my life riding my bike with my BFF Arthur and this exceptional group of people.  Tomorrow, another adventure!

Elevation profile of today's ride - up and down rollers all day.

  

Super Tom & his Trek

A "good morning" from a beautiful creature

This is Oklahoma

"Hear the sound of the men workin' on the chain gang . . ."

Memorial park - where we had our second rest stop

Ribbony road

Oklahoma selfie

Art, me and Robert K.

The Dips of Oklahoma

Day 15
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Weatherford, OK to Purcell, OK
112 miles
4,600 feet of climbing

Today was a spectacular day of riding the rollers of rural Oklahoma - big, huge dips in the road.  (Let me make something perfectly clear - when I say "dips in the road," I'm referring to the profile of the road, not us cyclists.)  We had picture perfect weather all day long - sunny, warm (but not too warm), and fairly calm winds.  We spent most of the day on quiet back roads with very little traffic.  It was a very peaceful and pleasant ride - the type of ride that allows you the solitude necessary to contemplate life and/or solve all of the world's problems.  It was a moderately challenging day due to the amount of climbing.  There were no mountain climbs, but the "up and down" of the rollers made it seem as if you were climbing the same 50 feet over and over again.  When we arrived in Purcell and finished with the business of washing our bikes and ourselves, a bunch of us had a nice dinner at a local Mexican restaurant just a couple of blocks from our motel.  We then went in search of ice cream, and found some at a little gas station down the road.  I was still stuffed from dinner, but succumbed to peer pressure and my unrelenting sweet tooth.  As I look back on the day and previous days of riding, I find it amazing how quickly this tour is flying by.  Every day is an adventure, and it is absolutely true that time flies when you're having fun!

Elevation profile of today's ride (dippity do-dah)

A sunrise ride out of Weatherford

Art

Art & Tim

Peter

Shots from the road

 

An old windmill (center)

Mike and Nancy Myers of Missouri (PAC Tour folks from rides past) drove to Purcell to meet our group and ride with us tomorrow.  It's so great to see them!

 

A Rainy Welcome from Oklahoma

Day 14
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Shamrock, TX to Weatherford, OK
105 miles
2,726 feet of climbing

Well, our luck for dodging the rain ran out on us as we left Shamrock this morning (apropos, I suppose).  Today's riding conditions were the polar opposite of yesterday's optimal conditions. We rode in a steady rain - complete with a stiff headwind - for the first 56 miles of today's ride.  Fortunately, I had my very fashionable rain gear, which helped to keep me (and my shoes) dry.  Fortunately, the temperature was in the 60s, so the chill factor was minimal.  But it was sort of a slow, unpleasant slog as we made our way east.  We unceremoniously crossed over into Oklahoma at mile 15 (I say unceremoniously, because there was no "Welcome to Oklahoma" sign or any other indication of crossing state lines, save for the notation on our route sheet).  Once the rain let up, at about the mid-point of today's route, we had blue skies and sunshine for the rest of the ride.  The headwind persisted, but at a lesser velocity than it was during the rainy morning.  Despite the rain, it was a great day on the bike.  We again rode most of our route on historical (and bumpy) Route 66, and got to visit two Route 66 museums.  The PAC Tour crew took great care of us, even improvising an extra rest stop in the morning and providing hot cocoa for those who were chilly.  Today was the official "half way" point of our journey across the country, so, the crew provided a 'half point" celebration  at our lunch stop.  By the time we arrived at our hotel in Weatherford, we were warm and dry, but our bikes were quite dirty.  We had to spend some time cleaning our bikes of all the dirt and grit that accumulates during a rainy ride.  The forecast looks good for tomorrow's ride to Purcell, OK.  But when you're riding your bike across the country, every day is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get.     

Elevation profile of today's ride

Texas-shaped waffles for breakfast!

Storm clouds hovered over us this morning as we rode out of Shamrock

Art & Robert K. having a good time, despite the rain.

Crewmember John L. added much needed flash and color to today's dreary conditions.

Clearing skies in the distance - just took a while to get there.

Art over my shoulder - me donning my vogue helmet cover.  It is all the rage.

Downtown Elk City, Oklahoma: the Route 66 theme continues.

Art & Brian - the rain finally stopped!

Me & Art - at our lunch stop (that's my great bike in the background).

Lunch! We celebrated the half-way point of our journey.

Weather conditions - much improved!

 

Art & me

Crewmember Rebecca (Lon & Susan's daughter)

The Oklahoma Route 66 museum in Clinton, Oklahoma

Half way there!