As told by a Bartlesville Pedaler… (not me)
Ten Pedalers rode the Oologah Lake Drive-n-Ride on Saturday. Those riding included Dan S., Keith, Raymond, Neal, Sean, Alan, Dale, Norman H., Bill, and Kevin. We started at 9 a.m. from the Fire Station south of Oologah; the NWS indicates the starting conditions were 46F with a NE wind of 7 mph, and the ending conditions were 64F and calm winds.
Here are some of the highlights:
After waiting on a train for about 5 minutes, we rode east on Hwy 88. We were then immediately passed by 20 or more cars that were also waiting on the train. Dan and Keith broke away to a quick lead. Kevin caught up to tell them about the first turn.
A chocolate lab chased us for about a mile at 15 mph on NS415 Rd. A very persistent dog. Keith assured us it is not uncommon for Norman "Big Dog" to have this effect on members of the canine species. Note: The dog was gaining on us at 15 mph.
My shortcut into Foyil involved a sidewalk and negotiating 1 to 3 steps by cutting throught the school grounds. Dan still does not believe I pre-drove this part of the route.
Highlights in Foyil were the Andy Payne statue and Bunion Derby marker as well as riding on the original Portland cement section of Old Route 66.
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| Andy Payne Statue |
By chance we met and spoke to the mother of a fellow Pedaler at the Fiddle Museum and Totem Pole Gift Shop east of Foyil.
Keith almost got left behind at the Gift Shop. He was busy talking to the ladies there about the history of Rogers County. Also, he had to figure out how to make the Indian drum he purchased fit inside his jersey! Keith has been practicing and believes he will be ready for a drum solo before our next Saturday ride :-)
On Hwy 28 to Chelsea, Dale and a couple of others broke away from us stragglers. It always makes it easier to catch folks when they aren't quite sure where the next turn is!
The main group picked a spot on Wiganon Rd just west of NS 413 Rd to shed some clothes and eat snacks. Raymond and Neal toured the NW side of Oologah Lake, put in two extra miles and found an alternate route. All this and they rejoined the route still ahead of the rest of us.
Six of us decided to forego the C-Store in Talala and we forged ahead to Oologah to finish the ride with 56 miles. The adventure riders, however, fueled up in Talala to ensure a successful tour of Goose Island and 10 additional miles. The adventure riders can fill you in on that part.
Eight of us ate at Catfish Country after the ride, but not all at the same time. If you've never been there they make a killer peanut butter fudge pie.
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| Dan, Norman, Keith, Sean |
Goose Island - Adventure
Big Dog, Gravel Man, Sean, and Keith went to check out "Mother Goose". Kevin had told us the road was bad - what he did not tell us was the road to the island was all down hill. There was some mud that Gravel Man decided to go through instead of around it. Sean did great so he is now a member of the Adventure Club.
While going to the Island we got to witness a large fire set by a few teenagers - not sure what they were doing and we were a little afraid to ask. We did have Big Dog, but he was not at 100 percent, and all his friends were at the top of the hill waiting on us. That's right 3 big dogs at the top of the hill we had to climb just waiting on us.
