Texas

July 29

Cordell, OK to Wheeler, TX: 86 miles

Our cue sheet was short, indicating we would be on the same road (route 152) for a 78 mile stretch. We left the town as the sun was rising. The Oklahoma landscape was really breathtaking, especially at sunrise with red and pink tints in the sky and clouds scattering the sunlight. 

We were on a country road with no houses or gas stations for miles - so when we spotted a small green building labelled "Cafe" at mile 20 we all agreed to stop for a break. We ended up eating a second breakfast there. I got a biscuit sandwich with sausage and egg and a side of hash browns. It was delicious.

As we approached our lunch spot around mile 40, it started to rain. We had no roof above our heads so we quickly devoured some snacks and continued riding. A 16 mile stretch of gravel road followed. Being both drenched and numb from the vibrations for such a long period of time was an unpleasant experience, but conversation with Margoux and Lucas, my riding buddies that day, took my mind off my miserable state and made time go by faster. When we finally got to paved road, I felt like I was riding on butter. We stopped at the second gas station we encountered during the entire ride just around the corner and stopped for a break. A man in a pickup truck pulled over to us in the parking lot to ask what we were doing and gave us a donation. Inside the gas station, a couple of guys told us that we were brave and crazy for riding on the road we were on. One burly guy commented that he feared even driving on it. They were right - there were several trucks driving by at high speeds with no regard for our placement on the road, limiting our space to the narrow shoulder. Each time a truck passed, a tidal wave of water from the street would engulf us. Passing a speed limit sign that read 75 mph made it all the more unsettling.

Entering Texas! (The accuracy of the subtitle is questionable)

We made it through and arrived in the small town of Wheeler, TX. We stopped at a consignment shop in the town center to look for prom dresses, since we have a Bike and Build prom next weekend. I immediately spotted a blue sequined one that I found appropriately absurd and flashy for the occasion. Upon arriving at the church, I met Larry, a member of the church who was the epitome of a cowboy with a cowboy hat, mustache, an ornate belt buckle, and cowboy boots. He taught us how to lasso using a stationary plastic bull he brought from home. 

I got the lasso around the bull's horns on my third try but demonstrated that was just pure luck after missing on the next 10 tries. For dinner, we had a delicious beef brisket, potato salad, cole slaw, and cherry pie.

July 30

Wheeler, TX to Amarillo, TX: 98 miles

The day started out unconventionally. There was lightening and rain outside and the weather report indicated that the storm would remain within a 50 mile radius for most of the day. So, the leaders made the decision to shuttle us to the lunch spot 40 miles away, where we began our ride. The roads were unpaved and bumpy and the bland Texas landscape did not offer much to look at. There were not any town centers or attractions along the way, just oil factories and grain elevators. We encountered 2 gas stations along our entire ride, stopping at one for an extended period of time to fuel up and enjoy each other's company since riding along a 75 mph highway with a narrow shoulder does not offer much of an opportunity to chat. One positive aspect of the ride was that it was very flat. In fact, it was so flat that we would be fixated on a grain elevator in the distance for miles. To keep ourselves entertained on our ride, we started a game that involved guessing how many miles away we were from a grain elevator - a game through which I learned that I have a poor concept of how far a mile is. Several cargo trains passed during our ride, which provided some variation in the dull surroundings and were fun to race. We successfully prompted one of the conductors to blow the whistle for us. 

We passed a really strange ranch where two Pygmy horse trotted in unison. 

We arrived at the Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Amarillo, where we would be spending the next two nights. A limo service shuttled us to The Big Texan, a touristy restaurant in Amarillo that is famous for its 72 oz. steak challenge: one person must consume a 72 oz steak, a 2 lb. baked potato, a shrimp cocktail, and salad within one hour. 

Our limo:

As we were seated, I glanced over at the platform and saw a 250 lb man throwing up in a trash can. That was when I knew we were in a classy joint. Katie Lee, half his size, was the only person in out group determined enough to enroll in this challenge. We cheered her on throughout the hour and she put in a solid effort, eating 52 oz of her steak (more than the other two guys competing!). 

Opposite of Katie was an Australian man who was also with a large party. They were an Australian tour group traveling across the country by bus from California to New York. After dinner, we joined the Australians in the bar for a fun night of socializing and dancing. The night concluded with an impromptu group hang out in this abandoned VW bus outside of our host site:

July 31

We had a very productive build day. We worked on the Amarillo Habitat for Humanity's 100th house. The house started off as a platform and by the end of the day, we installed all the framing in the house. Wall building and raising is one of my favorite steps in the house building process because we get to build such an integral structure as a wall and clearly see the progress we made by the end. 

We built all of this in one day. How cool is that.

August 1

Amarillo, TX to Friona, TX: 72 miles

The weather was perfect, the roads paved, and the terrain flat - all the best riding conditions we could ask for were fulfilled. Again, the ride through the panhandle of Texas was not aesthetically pleasing or interesting. The main attractions were more meat packing factories and grain elevators. We stopped for lunch outside of a farmer's house. The farmer was a kind old man named Fred who chatted with us and allowed us to use his bathroom. Along our route, we passed through Hereford, the "beef capital of the world." We arrived in Friona in the early afternoon. Friona is known to be the "cheeseburger capital of Texas." Before arriving at the host, we stopped at a diner called Tasty Cream to try their burgers and shakes. 

The host provided us with a great chicken casserole. Afterwards, groups of us were paired with members of the church who were willing to open their homes to us for the night. I and 5 other girls were taken to a family's home who had three young girls: a 4 year old named Ivy, a 7 year old names Aubrey, and a 10 year old named Emma. The family was extremely kind and welcoming. We played with the girls, their two kittens (one which I had to save from a tree), and their two dogs all evening. They even had a trampoline that we enjoyed jumping on just as much if not more than the 4 year old. They provided us all with beds and I had the best sleep I had in a long time.

I slept in Ivy's room:

Oklahoma

July 23

Joplin, MO to Vinita, OK: 61 miles 

Today was "ride date" day: we randomly picked a person to ride with out of a hat. I had a ride date with Nick. We had route meeting outside at 6:30 AM and the temperature was already in the 80s. you could feel the thick humidity immediately after leaving the air conditioned building. I was drenched in sweat by mile 2. At mile 4, we entered Kansas and were welcomed into the state by a large hill. I thought Kansas was flat - I don't know what to believe anymore.

At mile 14, we entered Oklahoma!

For lunch, a group of us went on a triple date to the Green Country Cafe, a diner that we found around mile 43. We decided we needed an air conditioned restaurant to cool down instead of doing the usual, eating lunch from the van.  

We arrived at the host with hopes of using the pool that we were told was a short walk away. As we put our bikes away, the temperature suddenly dropped and the winds started to pick up. A woman at the church warned us that a storm was traveling quickly from Kansas and that a trip to a pool may not be wise. We decided to stay and cooled off by lying on the pavement and letting the wind blow across our bodies. The clouds above us were traveling fast. I watched as one grey cloud moved directly over us, pouring rain. We took advantage of the rain by running around in it, jumping in puddles, and taking gutter showers. Several other ride groups were still on their rides and had to seek shelter due to a tornado warning. The host provided us with a great meal with hotdogs, hamburgers, and different salads.

July 24

Vinita, OK to Tulsa, OK: 64.7 miles

Volunteers at our overnight host prepared a great breakfast spread with egg casseroles and fruit. We met outside for route meeting at 6:20 AM. The air was much less humid than the previous day. We were destined for Tulsa, 64.7 miles away. We have been cherishing these "short" days following three high mileage days through the rolling hills of Missouri. I rode with Jess, Benson, Lucas, Dan T., and Hetong. The ride continued along Route 66. I really enjoy riding on this historic road because there are several cool gift shops, Route 66 murals, and other small attractions.

Around mile 56, we stopped at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium because we were offered a free showing at the planetarium after members from our group shared our story with the production manager there. The production manager, Colleen, had a very warm and friendly personality and was excited about our cause. The planetarium show was an interesting and informative documentary about constellations and Mayan civilization. Unfortunately, this exciting opportunity to learn more about these subjects turned into an opportunity to catch up on sleep, the soft leather chairs and cool air providing a level of relaxation I had not attained for weeks.

We got back on our bikes with a few miles left to go. Making our way along a bike trail, we could see the city skyline in the distance. 

Around 4 PM, my group arrived at our host site, Powerhouse - a very nice community center affiliated with the First Presbyterian Church a block away. Members of the church prepared us a delicious dinner with pulled pork, beans, potato salad, and cole slaw. The dinner was preceded by an appetizer spread with some of the most delicious sausages and bologna (which one member of the church jokingly dubbed "Oklahoma tenderloin," I have ever had. It was impossible to walk away from it. I enjoyed chatting with the church members, especially one man who told me about several cycling trips he has done overseas. In the evening, many of us explored the downtown area and saw live music.

July 25

We spent the day working with the Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Tulsa. Our job for the day was to chip off lead paint on an old house, so that it could be repainted the following day. The house was inhabited by a disabled man and his family who make an annual household income of about $24,000. Because the paint contained lead, we were required to wear hazmat suits and masks. The temperature was rising to the mid 90's, so covering our bodies in unbreathable material was not exactly desirable. On the bright side, we looked pretty great wearing them.

July 26

Tulsa, OK to Chandler, OK: 69.71 miles

We left Tulsa headed for the small town of Chandler, OK. About 38 miles into the ride, we reached our lunch spot which was conveniently located at our halfway mark across the country! As my ride group rolled in, we were bombarded by water balloons and the sound of "Livin' on a prayer" by Bon Jovi blasting through the speakers. Unfortunately for those groups who had reached lunch up to an hour before us, this was their twentieth time hearing the song. 

The spot was at Bristow Lake, which was a great swim spot. The hosts that night provided us with a great pulled pork meal with salad. Lucky for us, a rodeo was taking place in town just a half mile away. Many of the locals sported cowboy boots and cowboy hats, which made our group look out of place with our track shorts, flip flops, and well defined tan lines. We got to see several traditional rodeo events including bucking horse riding, lassoing calves and cows, bull riding, and barrel racing, during which one man hilariously got sandwiched in between two hay barrels and subsequently got plowed as other men kept on rolling them. 

July 27

Chandler, OK to Yukon, OK: 63 miles

En route to Yukon, we stopped for lunch at a place called Pops which is famous for having 500 types of sodas, including some very strange flavors like sweet corn, teriyaki, and pickle. I opted for a honey cream soda and a pineapple, coconut, and nutmeg soda.

My selections:

Not my selection:

Writing this post several days later, I can't remember what the ride was like but one thing that was memorable was the host. 

Three miles out from the host site, we spotted signs that said "Bike and Build" and directed us with an arrow. We passed about 8 more of these signs guiding us to the host. Upon arriving, we were greeted by a friendly woman who offered us an ice cold towel that she pulled out of an ice bucket. Placing a cold towel on my face was unbelievably refreshing after a day spent in the Oklahoma heat. 

This pampering was followed by snacks AND chocolate milk! As if all of this wasn't already over the top, the hosts had called a local bike shop and brought in two bike mechanics to fix and tune up our bikes. In the downtime before dinner, we went swimming in a private pool that a family close to the church offered to let us use. For dinner, they prepared steaks for everyone. Every year, the church hosts an ice cream social for the community based around Bike and Build. There were about 100 people gathered in one of the church's halls. People from the community brought homemade ice cream - I sampled many of the flavors, my favorite being the banana chocolate chip. I was on dinner crew that week so my crew had to give our usual presentation about Bike and Build to the audience. The volunteers, the church members from the community, and the pastor (who was an avid cyclist) were some of the nicest people we had met. 

July 28

Yukon, OK to Cordell, OK: 84.5 miles

The ride was very scenic through the plains of Oklahoma and my group stopped a few times to take some fun hay pictures.

The lunch spot was one of our best - it was located at Salyer Lake, where we were given permission to use the water slide that was stationed at one end of lake. It was a blast. 

We continued to our destination of Cordell, using the water tower in the distance as a reference point for miles to judge our proximity to the town. The town had an attractive town hall, but only a handful of stores and not much to explore. We had a nice healthy dinner with marinated chicken breast, green beans, and salad.