Oklahoma FreeWheel, 2002
Day 7 - Ponca City to South Haven
Saturday morning - Time to head for the finish of FreeWheel '02.
Bruce and David share a "goodbye" coffee toast before we start out.
We catch a glimpse of Tom and Sylvia's "camp site" last night. That's Tom's support wagon in the foreground. The building is Bruce's "toy box" mentioned in the previous page. The tent is Tom & Sly's. Bruce and Raylene's estate, while a palace by any US standards, does not have bedrooms for all of us Road House members. Tom and Sly opted to "camp" in Bruce and Raylene's "toy box" for the night.
Raylene and Sylvia pose for a "mug shot" preparing coffee and other "wake-up" drinks for us before we head out.
The Leroy estate is about 5 miles East of Ponca City and we are heading West today. The "Cornerstone" restaurant is our first stop for breakfast as we enter Ponca.
Yea, there COUNTRY out here - Americans and proud of it.
Orders placed at the "Cornerstone". We're just waiting to carbo-load.
Breakfast over - we're on our way to Blackwell and stop at a familiar rest stop. Meet Denis - a Saint on every FreeWheel. He volunteers and provides rest stop services along the way, every day of every FreeWheel ride. Add to that the fact that, as a cyclist himself, he always knows WHERE we need him the most and WHAT we need the most! .... See the next picture.
This is Denis' rig. Look closely. First - it's all on wheels and connected. On long days, Denis can set up where we need him the most, before the first riders arrive, stay until the last rider leaves, then move further along on our route and do it again for us a second time the same day. Now the contents - cookies and fruit in the boxes at the end of the trailer; jugs of cold water - enough to use here and take some with you. Port-a-potties. (a modest cyclist's dream come true.) Behind the POP's you can see a freezer. It's filled with ice to keep the water cool. You can't see it in the picture but there's an APU keeping the freezer running. Like I said, everything a cyclist could wish for on those long - hot stretches if the ride.
Despite all of this, the best part of stopping at Denis' stops is the conversations with Denis while you are here. I think Jackie has nominated Denis for "FreeWheel Sainthood" .... whenever it is established. Personally, I think Denis and Libby are the most deserving of this honor.
A break in Blackwell, a right turn in Braman, over I-35 and it's the Kansas/Oklahoma border before noon. Contrary to what the picture might lead you to believe, Jackie was not drafting behind Tom's support bus at any time during this or any other day of FreeWheel, 2002.
Although Jackie beat us all to the border, he and Tom waited until we could get this group shot; left to right, Dean, David, Tom, Tom (guess which is which), Jackie (below), Sylvia (above Jackie) and Barry.
While it didn't start in Texas this year, Jackie did make the full ride from Snyder to South Haven under the power of nothing but his two legs again. Congrats, Jackie.
Meet Royce Salter - Libby's "other (better????) half. For more years than any of us wish to count, Libby has provided us cyclists with some of the best cycling excursions we could ask for. They have always been more than anyone could do working 9-5. Thank you Libby, for your extra effort over the years, and thank you, Royce, for your support of Libby. This is a rare shot of Royce trying to capture Libby's image basking in the "glory" of the end of another successful FreeWheel tour.
A little time for a chat with fellow cyclist and high school classmate, Jerry Neville and his wife, Moni, before we head for home.
Max is ready for the trek home (thanks to Bruce and Raylene for all of their help; taking me to the airport before FreeWheel begins, housing Max and trailer for a week, hosting us Friday night and bringing Max to the finish for us, today!) It's Dean, David and me (in picture) from here to Dallas but we will do a little "stop over" in Tulsa to get Jackie home.
Jackie grabs this picture of Dean, David and me right after dinner in Tulsa before we say our goodbyes. Another FreeWheel in the books.