Betty McDaniel at the Queen Restaurant in Fairview, OK.

Cows on the front porch of an abandoned farm house near Enid, OK.

An anti litter sign in Oklahoma.

Started from: Fairview, OK
Ended at: Enid, OK
Distance traveled today: 63 km (39.1 mi)
Average speed: 19.5 km/h (12.1 mph)
Elapsed Time: 4.56.53 (hh.mm)
Max speed: 39.3 km/h (24.4 mph)
Staying at: Stratford House Inn, Enid, OK [tel. 580-242-6100 Rm 111]

Distance traveled so far: 584.4 km (363.2 mi)

Last Modified on 9/25/2000 at 3:24:17

Day's Narrative: I went across the street to the Queens Restaurant for breakfast this morning and met Betty McDaniel, the daughter of the owner. Her mother has owned the restaurant for 20 years and she enjoys living in a small town like Fairview.

The wind was blowing hard already at dawn this morning, but the first nine miles was riding to the North, with the wind. The 30 or so miles east with cross winds was slow, but not as bad as I had expected. I got to Enid just before noon and met Connie at the motel as she got back from cruising the nearby mall.

[Note added Later: When I arrived and looked at the day's weather I discovered the wind never got above 24 mph. So I still don't know what it's like to ride in 30 mph cross winds.]

About a year ago I was buying some things at an electric supply place and discovered they had electrical safety sunglasses. I bought a pair and tried them while bicycling. They worked very well, mainly because they completely covered my eyes, especially on the sides. Today those glasses were really a help in the wind because they kept the wind and blowing dust from my eyes--much better than ordinary sunglasses.

It seems like sooner or later in every trip I start to wonder "What am I doing here? Why am I doing this crazy bicycle ride?" Usually I end up deciding that I can't quit now without losing face, so I have to keep going on. In a little while it passes, and I'm again interested in the ride and all that happens with it. Apparently this happens to other distance bicyclers too, or so I've read.

Tonight a front will be coming through and the wind is expected to shift to the North. Since we need to go about 100 miles South at some point, I will ride due South on US 81 tomorrow. This afternoon Connie and I drove about 10 miles down US 81 and it appears that there is a paved shoulder on that road, probably for the entire 80 miles or so to El Reno and Interstate 40. That's reasonably important since there's a lot of traffic on the road.

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