Fair weather makes for a happy cyclist!!
Our ride today was short, about 41 miles from Guymon, Oklahoma, to Liberal, Kansas. Normally there are 2 start times for the group – the “stop and smell the roses” gang at 7, and the “hurry up and get there” gang at 7:30. Today however, the entire group left at 9am for the relatively quick run up to Liberal.
As luck would have it, about 2 miles after leaving the hotel, I hit a hole in the road and got a pinch flat on the front tire. Fortunately the front tire is the easiest to change, so I was able to get rolling again in short order. The only issue is I’d replaced the innertube with a tube I’d patched. And I learned a few miles further down the road the patch wasn’t holding. CRAP. So I pulled off again, and luckily one of the SAG vehicles happened to be close behind, pulled over, and helped swap the innertube. Back on the road once again.
At this point I’m beginning to think that a 40 mile ride – which, under normal, non-flat conditions – would take about 2-3 hours, is going to be an all-day thing. But the weather was very nice and I had to keep in mind how far we have ridden and what we’d accomplished thus far. All is good.
The first (actually the only) SAG stop today was in the thriving metropolis of Hooker, Oklahoma, right next to the Chamber of Commerce office. A very sweet, 92 year old lady was running the office, and was a delight to talk with for a few minutes.
The remainder of the ride to Liberal was uneventful. I arrived early in the afternoon, visited Dorothy’s house, met some fellow riders at an ice cream shop, and made our way to the hotel. A shower, a bit of rest, (and some ibuprofen), and we’re good to go for another day.
Tomorrow’s destination: Dodge City!
CYCLING AT A HIGHER LEVEL 
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