Day 15 - ending near Buffalo, OK - Diversion into Kansas

August 28, 2016

Day 15 - ending near Buffalo, OK

Posted via email Mon Aug 29 15:06:01 2016 PDT

Last night in the motel office, I'd asked if the check-out time was 11:00am. The woman said no, just whenever you get around. With that in mind, I hadn't set any alarm, and woke up at 7:35am.

After putting on clean clothes, I walked over to the Ranch House across the highway for breakfast. I had a fun conversation with an older fellow. He's currently a barber, though he's had lots of other jobs. I happened upon his shop later in the day, as I was leaving town.

With the bike packed, I ate the six remaining mini-donuts leftover from last night. Walked back to the Ranch House for a Mountain Dew to-go (a red one - I didn't know they came in colors now!). Turned in my room key, and headed out at 11:02am.

Went through town to the park at the southeast side of Ashland, to write yesterday's report. Lots of churches in Ashland, each with just a few cars in front. I found an AC outlet at the park, and started writing the report as I drank the Mountain Dew. I started hearing thunder when I was almost done, at 1:50pm. Radar showed rain to the south. Better get ready for that. All set now, at 2:45pm.

Doby Springs Park and Campground, west of Buffalo, Oklahoma, was my destination - just 28 miles south. First, back west through Ashland, to the road south. Passed by the Clark County Courthouse. What an interesting map they have carved into a wall!

At 3:01pm, I was at Road 19 (River Road), looking south. It didn't look good. Definitely raining ahead. For once, my rain preparations might pay off. I was at the end of pavement at 3:09pm, so sat there to get my rubber boots on. At 3:20pm, I put on the rain jacket, since I was actually starting to get wet.

Lightning was ahead, and that concerned me a little. Enough so, that at one point, I parked the bike and stood in a ditch. I took this opportunity to phone my wife. I had the phone in a plastic bag, and at first she couldn't hear me very well. Opening up the bottom of the bag helped, and since the opening was pointed down, rain stayed off the phone.

There was a little break in the rain at 4:10pm, then more rain. The dirt road was muddy now, but passable. At 5:06pm, I crossed over the first of three bridges ahead. This spot was very pretty. Because of the rain, pictures of that will have to wait until I get back home, and off-load them from my waterproof camera. Came to the third bridge at 5:15pm. That one is over the Cimarron River. The river is not wide with water at the moment, but more a sandy channel. There are fence-like structures along the banks to try to contain it when it's wild.

A little later, over a curved bridge, and I was in Oklahoma - at 5:40pm. And the road became pavement! All right! But the pavement didn't last. Then, at 6:35pm, I came to a detour sign: "Road Closed 2 Miles Ahead, Local Traffic Only". The detour was to the west. My map indicated that road went miles before a road back south. And the road east looked truly like a dirt (mud now) road. I decided to take my chances with the closed road, and proceeded straight south.

Even this road was getting muddy - to the point I was doing some walking. I was beginning to wonder if I could do this for another seven miles. Might be camping at the side of this closed road tonight. Then ahead, I came to a triangle-shaped area where the road takes a ninety-degree turn back south. This will work. So, at 7:15pm, 4.75 miles into Oklahoma, I parked the bike and worked quickly at getting the tent up in the rain. As I did that, an older fellow drove by in a pickup. I thought surely he'd stop, but he just waved as he drove past.

There was a rainbow just before sunset. I tried using my waterproof camera for a picture of that, but found its lens fogged over. So I found my spare camera and took a few pictures with it. I did venture a few shots with the smartphone, but was taking a risk there.

Inside the tent I changed into dry clothes. The wind picked up, and I had to hold my hand against the southeast corner of the tent. I can't do this all night! I found a short length of cord I had packed, and made a guyline for that corner. That worked better than I thought it would.

At 10:10pm, I decided to try sleeping with my clothes on. At 11:40pm, I changed my mind, and rolled out the sleeping bag.

Rain, rain, go away!

Jeff

Spent: $12.75 plus $3 (breakfast) + $2 (Mountain Dew) = $17.95.

Day 15 - Ashland, KS to Buffalo, OK

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+ plus signs indicate pictures added after returning home from the trip +