Ft Smith

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DAY 16

Boy, did we skate today?

ROUTE: McAlaster OK to Fort Smith AR	DISTANCE: 108 Miles	WINDS: In our face all but about 15 miles...10 MPH
WEATHER: Severe overcast at departure 70 degrees...one short rain shower before first SAG, warm and humid in the afternoon.	TERRAIN: Gently rolling to flat	TOTAL CLIMBING: 1900 feet

DAILY DOINGS: Tough day yesterday...so we got up late this morning and didn't load until about 8:00. The skies were looking very threatening but we were not deterred...off we rode with visions of a day off after riding the 108 to Ft Smith. As we departed McAlaster, the skies didn't really get any better but we only got one short shower about 20 miles into the day. After that, it just got humid and the wind kept blowing in our face all day. If we'd been 60 miles north of here we'd really gotten hammered. There was a line of severe weather that stayed to our north all day until we finished today. When we went to dinner it finally hit Ft Smith with a bang. We had to run to the motel from the restaurant across the street in a hail storm...hey, I didn't know it was hailing until I got into the parking lot when little marble size pellets (actually, they may have been grapefruit size) started bouncing off my head...ouch! Glad we are in the motel and off the road...skated again.

Our route took us out of McAlester on highway 270 then between the Jack Fork Mountains to our south and the Sansbois Mountains to our north as we rode to Poteau OK. But even though we could see mountains all day, the terrain was really gentle where we were riding. We only climbed about 1900 feet today and nothing was over 100 feet at a time. This part of Oklahoma has pretty good roads too. Most of the day we had a nice smooth shoulder to ride on and the traffic was generally light during the times we were on shoulderless two lane. For one short stretch we were on quiet Oklahoma backroads...I love roads with no lines.

Even with the tough winds, everyone got in by 5:00...a rather long day from a mere 108 miles. Jim and I (we found him after his abduction abandoned in a small field near Poteau) finished maintenance late due to having to do everyone tonight so we could have a little time off tomorrow. We had to replace several chains and tires to prepare for the last assault on the Atlantic. All our broken wheels should be taken care of by evening. Doug's came in today so we got him all squared away. Stan's and Jeff's should be here tomorrow and Andy is getting a new one from the bike shop. We've been pretty tough on wheels this trip. Come Thursday when we pull out, we should be all back up and running.

Tomorrow we rest! Yea!!!! I know everyone is looking forward to having some time off the bike...we've been pushing the pace for 16 days now...it's time for a break. I know the staff is ready for a change of pace. We say hello to 6 new riders (See Meet The Riders) tomorrow so we will be busy, but it will be a change of pace and we can sleep in until 8:00...yippee! I won't do a journal entry for tomorrow so check back in on Wednesday evening for the next update. It should be a good day into Conway and we hope the weather keeps being in our favor...we like dry and light winds are pretty good too. See you then.

DAILY DISCERNING DIALOGUE:

DAILY DUH:

DAILY DIGITAL DELIGHTS
After riding in the shower this morning, Tom said he really liked the "Mud wrap" he got from the spray off Scott's tires. Some people pay big bucks for a treatment like that at high priced spas. Then he had a great idea...add a leaf of spinach and he's instantly upgraded to an "herbal mud wrap."	I was riding with Jim in the van this morning. I turned my back for just a short minute and all of a sudden he was abducted by two characters named Mem and Bilia. I now have an opening for a mechanic. The last words I heard him say was..."See ya."
I couldn't figure why no one turned right here...hmmmm.	Johannes poses by the 2nd wonder of Oklahoma...the *Leaning Pay Phone of Poteau*. "This was the real reason I left Norway to come to America," He said. "I read about it as a child and have dreamed of this moment all my life." It's a real "must see" if you are ever in these parts.