Round is a shape

It’s time for me to get back into cycling shape. I know, round is a shape, but that that’s not the shape I want.

My cross-the-state ride, Oklahoma Freewheel, is only three months away, so it’s high time I started riding more. The weather seems to be more cooperative this year (so far). Here it is February, and it was 74 degrees yesterday afternoon!

I went for a little ride after work yesterday. It was just a short ten mile run up the highway and back, but I did have the bike loaded as for a tour. Going into the north wind was tough and I managed only about 7 miles an hour on the way out. I also had a chance to get acquainted with a couple of young pit bulls running loose near a small house by the side of the road. They barged out to meet me with their war faces on, but when I stopped the bike and spoke to them they just looked confused, and stood around waiting to see what I would do next. Each time I started away they would begin barking and running after me, so I just decided to walk the bike until they got bored. Within 50 yards they gave up and went back to the shack.
The ride back was quick. With the wind to my back I was easily able to do twenty mph even fully loaded. Overall, it was a nice little ride.

Speaking of fully loaded, I weighed my bike when I got home. With all the panniers and accessories straped, bolted, and velcroed to the bike it weighed in at a hefty 72 pounds. That’s about 40 pounds of gear. Hopefully I can whittle that down a little before I begin the longer rides.

Texas to Kansas Again!

It’s time to start thinking about this year’s Oklahoma Freewheel Cross State Bicycle Tour. The host cities for the route have been announced, the web site is being updated regularly with good information, and the forum is buzzing already.

When I rode the Freewheel in 2006, the route was in the eastern part of the state, which has lots of hills (we call them mountains) and beautiful trees. In 2007 our route cut through the center of the state for about half the distance, then tapered off to the northeast. This year’s route will begin in southcentral Oklahoma, and then angle sharply to the west, and them back north. The topography of the western half of the state varies greatly, from hills and trees and rocky mountains, to flat plains, buttes and arroyos. One almost constant feature is the wind, usually from the southwest. We who live here learn to think of the wind as a “training aide”.

My friend Glenn and I plan to do this year’s Freewheel self-contained, that is with panniers fully loaded with all we need for the complete ride. I’ve been out for a couple quick rides this year with full panniers, and I’ve quickly learned that it requires a different riding style and a less competetive mindset. When riding fully loaded, also known as “touring”, the goal shifts from the destination to the ride itself. I’m looking forward to increasingly long training rides this spring.

In past years we drove to the start location. This year we’ll be riding from our own doorsteps to the start point, riding the week-long tour with about 800 other folks, and then riding our bikes back home. All in all, about an 11-day trip.

The week’s itinerary:

Thursday, June 4, Altus to across the Red River & back
Friday, June 5, Altus to Wichita Mt Wildlife Refuge
Saturday, June 6, Wichita Mt Wildlife Refuge to Duncan
Sunday, June 7, Duncan to Anadarko
Monday, June 8, Anadarko to Cordell
Tuesday, June 9, Cordell to Cheyenne
Wednesday, June 10, Cheyenne to Thomas
Thursday, June 11, Thomas to Fairview
Friday, June 12, Fairview to Alva
Saturday, June 13, Alva to Kiowa, KS (bus back to Duncan)
Sunday, June 14, Duncan to Wichita Mt Wildlife Refuge
Monday, June 15, Wichita Mt Wildlife Refuge to Altus