Day 11
3 State Ride

RIDE OVERVIEW:  Boy, yesterday's early finish really gave us a much needed recovery afternoon.  The riders enjoyed the time to clean bikes and go tour the town and after the rain all day yesterday, cleaning bikes was a top priority.  It's about time to get some easy riding so our legs can thaw out.  We've had some really unusual weather, but we ride in what we get.  Sometimes we cross with no rain and mild temperatures all the way...other years, we have a few days of dodging weather.  It comes with the territory...each day has it's challenges, each day has it's rewards.  The group has endured some pretty tough days so far, but they have persevered and are stronger physically and emotionally for doing it.  The group is coming together as a family also.  Funny how common challenges make the group jell.  This is a good group, they get along really well.

We got an early start this morning and loaded the luggage at 6:00...way before the sun decided to even think about rising since we are now in the central time zone.  I guess we could have slept in this morning, but breakfast was scheduled at 6:00 to beat the usual heat we encounter this time of year and the place wants to get us in before their locals flood the place.  Everyone loaded and then walked with their bikes in the dark to breakfast at Hodie's BBQ about a quarter mile from the motel...sounds like a hot spot doesn't it?  Hodies is a neat place with lots of plaques on the walls about fishing...wonder if we could give them some cycling plaques?  Even though we ascended on them with 31 people, they served the group fairly quickly.  No one was really in any hurry to get going as we had to wait till it got light anyway.

I love the departure from Dalhart and from Liberal.  Seems it's so pleasant with the only sounds being Meadowlarks singing in the fields and train whistles in the distance.  You can let your mind contemplate the peaceful landscape only to be interrupted by the occasional passing of a semi on it's way to the feed lot.  I could get use to this.

Our weather forecast, the terrain, and the easy navigation (only one road all the way to the motel)  was favorable for a fast day so a group decided to try for a sub-4 hour century.  They were going to roll through the first 7 miles and then put the hammer down for the next 100.  I think it started out with Shane, David R, Rob, Jud, Steve, and Ken...all strong riders and all ready to put some hurtin' on hwy 54.  As it turned out, 54 won.  They knew they were in trouble after the first 17 miles and they had shelled all but 2 riders and they were behind the time requirement.  The winds never materialized and they went out a bit fast...with the tired legs from the past couple days of headwinds, they just couldn't hold the pace required.  Out here, when you get a 4 hour century things have to fall into place.  It almost has to sneak up on you and then you go for it...you can't force it or just pick your time.  If the conditions aren't right, like they weren't this morning, you'll just kill yourself for nothing.

I was able to ride after lunch so Rob and Jud waited on me to get ready...off we went at a pace that should have been reserved for after a warm up...not so.  I could see why everyone got shelled earlier in the morning as the three of us zoomed down the road right out of the blocks in excess of 27 MPH.  Luckily we came to our senses in about 15 miles and backed it off a bit before rolling into Hooker OK...one of my favorite towns.  I enjoy playing with the guys but am finding at my age I have to pick my spots.  I don't seem to be able to ride all day at the pace they like to ride, but I can still hang with them for about 50 miles.  That's when I can use the excuse that I have to work or something...works every time.

Today was our first 3 state ride...Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.  We rode out Hwy 54 East this morning through the Oklahoma Panhandle into SW Kansas.  The Panhandle is known as "No Man's Land."  This area was owned by Spain in 1541, Mexico in 1821, Texas 1836, USA in 1850, Oklahoma Territory in 1890, Beaver County Oklahoma Territory in 1900, and Oklahoma 1907.  The area's economy is definitely based on agriculture and petroleum products.  In fairly recent years, pig farmers have moved into the Guyman OK area and have pretty much taken over.  While all we've seen all day have been large fields (mostly wheat or pasture land) and a few oil rigs, the ever present aroma of feed lots and the pig farms remind us of how people make a living out here.

Hwy 54 is supposedly the busiest 2 lane Hwy in the country as it connects Wichita KS to El Paso TX; however, since it has wide shoulders, traffic is really not a factor to the riders.  Most of the traffic consists of semis hauling cattle to the feed lots but almost all the traffic gave the riders a wide berth and almost without exception drivers were very courteous to us.  There's just not much out here except the town's grain elevator every 10 miles just like clock work and 22 telephone poles per mile to count to pass the time.

One highlight of the day was passing through Hooker OK.  Some may find the name a bit risqué, but this small, friendly town of 1500 residents uses its unusual name to draw tourists (and most of our cyclists) to its chamber of commerce to buy "horny toad" souvenirs and t-shirts with catchy sayings like "Hooker Street Walkers" or "Once a Hooker, Always a Hooker."  Another one I liked was, "Hooker...a location, not a vocation."  They even have a street walkers festival...I only saw 1 street though.  The town was named after a man's nickname..."Hooker."  According to the book, "Lost Trails of the Cimarron" by Harry E. Christman, the town was named after John (Hooker) Threlkeld who some say was named after the Civil War general Hooker, but other accounts report that he was nicknamed "Hooker" because he was the best cattle hooker around (a term to describe someone who roped cattle during branding time).  What ever the source of the nickname, the Horny Toads of Hooker OK are a neat bunch...nothing like the name of the town suggests.

It did turn out to be a restful day, everyone was in by 2:00 in plenty of time to check out the "Land of OZ" attraction...yep, this is where Dorothy and Toto lived.  Tomorrow we get the flock into Dodge.  The weather is forecast to be on the favorable side...we'll take it.  Tune in again then and see if we decide to ride or sleep in and do all the touristy things in Liberal.