Day 18 - ending at Medford, OK - Diversion into Kansas

August 31, 2016

Day 18 - ending at Medford, OK

Posted via email Thu Sep 1 06:38:02 2016 PDT

With the help of a cup of coffee from Love's Country Store across the street, I was awake enough after 2:15am to work on the report. The bike was ready to go and I was out-the-door at 6:15am. I rode west a few blocks, enough to see that Cookie's Bowl & Cafe wasn't open yet, so turned around and stopped at Love's. I ate a breakfast sandwich outside, and had packs of cookies for later. The cashier had found me a better deal on the cookies than I had initially selected.

I left there at 6:35am, with flashers on, heading east on US-64. Very nice shoulder here, and a very level road. I stopped long enough at one spot to check out a nice pocket level I saw on the ground at the side of the road. I would have kept it, but there was some damage to it from its fall.

At 7:00am it was bright enough to turn the flashers off. I was excited to be getting such an early start (for me). One more night off my planned route, and I'll be back with my initial plan, and only a day behind schedule. So today's destination is Medford, where I see there is a motel.

Moving right along, I entered Alfalfa County at 7:18am. The potential for rain is still present, but for now, it's just overcast. At 7:47am, the great shoulder I'd been riding on disappeared. Later it was back. Here, then gone, was how it was all day, though there was more "with" than "without" shoulder.

At 8:10am, I was in Ingersoll, and stopped to eat some cookies. A short ways farther brought me to the intersection for the road south to Cherokee. Straight east became OK-11, the way I was going.

The Great Salt Plains Lake was ahead. I had planned to camp there, but now would just be riding past it on its north side. At 9:35am I was happy to see a turn-off to see part of it. Not the main lake, but an area that did have sand, water, and birds. I enjoyed hiking part of the Sandpiper Trail. I received waves from the highway mowing crew when I was back at the highway at 10:01am.

There was a spot ahead I was also looking forward to seeing - an artesian well. You would need to know where this is ahead of time, since there's no sign. I arrived there at 10:35am, and began taking pictures. I took this opportunity to return a missed phone call to my friend Jim, back in Morton, and let him hear the water splashing in the pool. The water is drinkable, and I had a few bottlefuls. Two older gentlemen stopped by to fill up their water bottles. They were on their way to a funeral. One of them was familiar with a kick-back bike. They left and others showed up. These folks had wagons of jugs for water. More interesting conversations. I let them get their water, and took off at 11:23am.

I crossed into Grant County at 11:53am, and a short time later, was recording the noon mileage: 31.8 miles. Then I ate lunch - peanuts, cookies, and artesian water. Back on the road at 12:25pm, with 19.8 miles to go.

I fought against some sleepiness, and a little wind from the northeast in the afternoon, but arrived awake enough in Medford at 3:08pm. Found the motel a block south of the main intersection. The motel owner takes in and cares for abused cats. Some were in the office, enjoying a better life. The owner set me up in room 7. She has decorated each room in a different animal theme. Room 7 is 'horses'.

Weather radar indicated rain here and there all around Oklahoma, but I'd once again lucked out. I took a shower, put on clean clothes, then walked back north to the restaurant on the highway. Smrcka's Dairy Snack is cluttered with decor, to say the least. A woman just leaving as I arrived switched the dining room TV to the news. Then I was by myself (except for the TV). Standard fare for me, plus a root beer float. Very good.

On my walk back to the motel, I stopped by the Venture grocery store for sardines, then toured downtown. Medford is the county seat, and the court house is across the street from the motel. And so are their tornado shelters. Lots of folks/kids out and about. A pleasant evening.

Back in my room, I kept falling asleep with the smartphone in my hand. A cup of coffee from the room's Keurig maker wasn't helping. Went back outside to wake up. Two men staying at the motel invited me to join them for conversation. They're pipeline workers, and are looking forward to going home for the upcoming three-day weekend. We talked about pipelines, bicycling, and families. Then, just before I left, with a hand on my shoulder, a prayer was said for my safety. A blessed way to end my day!

Jeff

Spent: $1.30 (coffee) + $4.40 (breakfast items, ice) + $43 plus $5 (motel) + $13.16 plus $2 (supper) + $2.39 (sardines) = $71.25.

Day 18 - Alva, OK to Medford, OK

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