May 10-12

It's fair to say that my political leanings are not in sync with the majority of voters in Oklahoma. The Sooner State is considered to be conservative. I'm not. It also has a troubling history in regard to how it has treated Blacks and Native Americans — although not inconsistent with our country as a whole.

So when I started crossing the state on my bicycle, I was carrying some prejudices about what kind of people and conditions I could expect to encounter. In the four days I've been here, I haven't engaged anyone about their political views  — and I don't intend to. Almost all my conversations have been about safe topics like the weather and my bike trip.

What has impressed me is how well-maintained the infrastructure of the state appears to be. Yes, I've seen only a small corridor, from Elk City to Weatherford to Oklahoma City to Edmond to my current overnight town of Stroud. Tomorrow, I'll see Tulsa and then Vinita to complete my Sooner sampler. But so far I have been impressed by how clean and nicely surfaced the streets and roads have been everywhere. Several cities and towns I rode through had amenities such as public waterparks, public golf courses, public mini-golf courses, lush and nicely groomed city parks, tree-lined streets and downtown business districts that show signs of getting attention instead of suffering neglect.

I'm also now in a land of vegetation and population. As breathtaking as the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico were, I feel at home amid the greenery and the farms and the people. More than once I've gotten a nose full of the aroma of manure — either from a freshly spread crop field or (a bit more sour) from a feed lot — and one of my dad's favorite sayings from his farming days has played over in my head: "Ahh, smells like money!"

It's also comforting to see towns with convenience stores dotted about every 20 miles or so along the route.  I no longer have to deal with the anxiety of riding all day from Point A to Point B with little or nothing in between. The weather has been hot and humid, so my cycling clothes are soaked with sweat soon after I get on the road in the morning. But, again, with the ability to make regular stops, I've been able to keep hydrated and fed throughout each day. I've also enjoyed chatting with more people at these stops — either with the workers at the stores or the customers who want to know where I'm coming from and where I'm going.

I've also come across some surprises that have infused my days with fun.

Like, when I pulled off the road to take a break and realized I was suddenly at the gates to Graceland! (It wasn't how I remembered it from a previous visit to Memphis.)

Oklahoma City

After spending several weeks in mostly rural or sparsely populated areas, I looked forward to experiencing a little bit of Oklahoma City, or OKC. I splurged on a hotel in the Bricktown part of the city — the place where the city's sports museums, minor-league baseball stadium, National Basketball Association arena, nightlife, bars, restaurants and high-rise hotels are located. The minor-league team — the Oklahoma City Dodgers — is the AAA affiliate of my Los Angeles Dodgers. Just by luck I found out that the hotel was located right next to Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, and I could get a room that overlooked the stadium. The Dodgers were on the road, so I wasn't able to watch a game, but seeing that diamond and grass field every time I looked out my window was quite a treat.

I also took advantage of the surroundings and went out for dinner at one of the local eateries, the Bourban Street Cafe, which was just a couple blocks from my hotel. I ordered a dinner-size spinach salad and an entree of macaroni and cheese with alligator meat and Andouille sausage. It may have been the healthiest meal I've had in a couple of weeks.

I walked around the Bricktown area a bit and noticed that Oklahomans go out of their way to recognize their own who have made it big. There were streets named for Major League Baseball players Mickey Mantle, Johnny Bench and Joe Carter; for performers The Flaming Lips, Kings of Leon and (Queen of Rockabilly) Wanda Jackson; and there were statues of Mantle and Jim Thorpe and busts of baseball Hall of Famer Carl Hubbell, longtime New York Yankee Bobby Murcer and other notable athletes. 

The other highlight of being in Oklahoma occurred today, May 12. I had totally forgotten about the Pops store, near the tiny town of Arcadia. As I rounded a bend, suddenly there it was. There was no mistaking the iconic pop bottle sculpture and distinctive building. This was not your run-of-the-mill convenience store.

When I stepped inside, the little lady running the store spotted me.

"Did you pedal your way here?" she asked. 

"I sure did!"

"I passed you on my way here this morning, while you were climbing up a hill. I could see your flashing lights a long ways off. You've got a good set-up there."

(She's the third person on this trip who has commented on my high-visibility on the road. Good to know!)

The multicolored pop bottles that line the shelves along the windows to Pops are an artwork in themselves. I wanted to stay there all day and fill up on all the different soft drinks.

I had to settle for just two bottles of pop — a Filbert's lemonade and a Dad's blue cream soda. And what else goes with such iconic fare if not a chocolate Moon Pie?

The last surprise of the day was one I pulled on my sisters. As I've mentioned, my hometown area, known as the Quad Cities, includes the city of Davenport, Iowa, where my sister Rita lives nearby.

So when I got to Davenport (Oklahoma), I texted Rita and my sister Lois:

"I'm in Davenport! Where is everybody?"

Rita: What?

Rita: Your Garmin [tracker] shows you outside of Oklahoma City.

Rita: Stop messing with me! Are you in Davenport, OK?

Lois: Yes, he's in Davenport! Oklahoma!

Rita: You little shit!

Hee-hee!

Contact me: Thoughts or comments? Email me at richardridesusa@gmail.com.

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