Spring Fling Thing 2000 Ride Report
This is Moni Neville's account of a group that rode self-contained from Oklahoma City to Lake Murray for the
2000 annual OBS Spring Fling Thing overnight ride/campout.
On Thursday, the 6th of April 2000, David Krawczyk, Jerry and Moni Neville left from the Neville home at 7:15 AM
to ride to the Spring Fling Thing (from north west Oklahoma City to Lake Murray south of Ardmore Oklahoma). As
soon as we hit Meridian [Avenue] and rode south, I thought we would be in trouble. There was a STRONG headwind.
Dave still needed some cash, so he rode by his bank at 122nd and May [Avenue], but Jerry gave him one of the two-way
radios first. We kept going east, and at some point started wondering if he was lost again. He should have been
able to catch us before we hit Sooner Road we thought. But... alas, we heard him over the radio just prior to going
south on Sooner.
At Sooner and Wilshire, we met Dannie Lamb and continued our ride south. At the restaurant at I- 40 and Sooner,
neither of the other two were present, so we went inside to eat breakfast - the second one for some of us. Before
long, we saw Mike McKee outside, and then Andy Baker joined the group.
We headed out around 10:25 AM. Our route to Lake Murray consisted of riding south on Sooner till it ran into highway
77 and then stay on it till we got south of Ardmore and change over to 77S.
This was one of the NEETEST views showing itself in my rear view mirror. Two bikes with packs and three bikes pulling
B.O.B. trailers following me! In Noble, at our second stop, Mike decided he needed some headset adjustment, and
we found the tools we needed at the fire station. Two adjustable wrenches (one off one of the fire trucks) and
lots of advice, and help and we got back on the route.
In Lexington, I asked at a convenience store for a place to eat lunch, and one of the restaurants mentioned was
the "Broken Spoke". I never managed to remember the name of the other one at all, since I figured, this
is an omen, and we should eat there. The food was really GREAT! This place gets two thumbs up from all of us :)
Riding out of Paoli, David got a flat (the only one on the whole trip), but did not make himself understood to
Mike, as Mike thought... "He was OK". However, since he did flat, and did not show up, Jerry rode back
and reported via the radio about the situation. Meanwhile, we had a relaxing break.
Upon arriving in Paul's Valley, we flagged down a sheriff's car, and got directions to the police department (this
is where we found out about the camping area) and a grocery store.
We arrived at the city lake, set up camp, cooked and ate before it got dark. Must mention here, I neglected to
check out my back packer's stove, and it would NOT work. However, I managed to talk the camping area manager in
to letting me cook on her stove. Thank you Jim Foreman for calling her and alerting her of our arrival. We heard
about the fact she was looking for us when we were at the police station.
Andy, Dave and I joined a circle around a campfire and had a nice visit with fellow campers before joining the
rest of the group for some shuteye.
Today's mileage was 81.9 miles for me, Dave's was a bit longer, Dannie's a bit shorter, and Andy and Mike rode
about 20 mile less.
April 7
The next morning we headed to Neta's for breakfast (another great place).
We continued on highway 77 towards the Arbuckle Mountains. In Wynnewood, we stopped at a Dollar General to buy
a flag for Andy's BOB, and got sent to another store. Andy, Dannie, Dave and I all bought flags and put them on
the BOBs and panniers. Unfortunately the guys wanted to go uphill prior to eating lunch, so we just had a snack
stop in Davis. Most of the guys seemed in a big hurry to climb The Mountain, but Andy and I managed a nice stop
on the I-35 bridge, where we waved at cars and trucks and even got the big ones (trucks) to honk. What a hoot!
But we finally do decided to start trudging up the mountain too. About half way up, Dave started hollering over
the radio, and kept asking me questions. What did he think I wanted to do???? I was climbing a mountain! I finally
had to turn the "darn" thing off!
Once at the top, we had a nice rest while the tailwind that started around Wynnewood increased to a GALE wind :)
We headed on to Springer, but there was NO place to eat :( so, on we rode. As we approached Ardmore, I could feel
myself get bad and then worse. Jerry gave me some Gu. It helped, but I felt AWFUL! I pulled in at "Ryans"
where the guys seemed to take a rest, parked my bike and went inside and collapsed. Just trying to keep from puking
and passing out, I finally saw the guys come in and Dannie got me some cold water. Later, I heard that Mike told
a waitress: "Yes she is fine, she is just pouting!" He is one funny guy!
In Ardmore after we ate and I got to feeling better, we hunted for a bike store to replace the mirror that had
Dannie stepped on in camp that morning. We had splinted it at breakfast, but the warmth seemed to make the electrical
tape too soft. No luck with a shop, and forward it was to the lake.
Once there, we found Jim and Penny Speck and Jim Nelson. We paid for camping, and then I walked right into the
lake. It was rather cold, but the coldest was after getting out and the wind hitting me. After Andy asked if I
was cold, I sat on his lap and cooled him off too before hitting a warm shower.
Later Esther got there and brought me my allergy medicine I had forgotten to pick up from the drugstore. We visited
with Jim and Arletta [Webster] ( way too many Jim's here, even though Jim Foreman did not come) and took refuge
from the wind in the Speck's travel trailer.
Laurie and Jim Allshouse and Joe and Margaret DiMonico joined us before the whole gang left for supper in Ardmore.
April 8
The wind howled all night, but we were cozy in our ravine. Cooled off considerably too. There was the "nice"
alarm, in form of a truck without a muffler, at the shower/restroom building. I thought, "We need to find
some sugar". I put on knickers, rainpants, 2 long sleeve shirts and rainjacket before venturing outside. YEEHAAAAWWWW
what a wind... but in reality this was kind of sad. Here all these cyclists met to ride and it was this windy.
No way would I ride unless the wind died, or it got warmer. Maybe later... I was still recovering from "hitting
the wall" yesterday. After I ate cereal, Andy, Laurie and Jim joined Jerry and me. They were planning to ride.
Laurie shared cobbler for breakfast, and all coffee drinkers went to Penny's RV to get a hot cup ;) Jim Nelson
told of the wind slapping his tent in to his face all night long. Too bad, he thought it was too steep to get down
here into the ravine for camping. Our panniers got attacked by some critters last night, but they just don't do
Ortlieb buckles and zippers yet.
David, Jim Nelson, Jerry and I checked out the floating cabins. There we found a spot out of the wind, and in the
sunshine. Almost warm here. We finally ventured back up to the campground and found a LOT of cyclists ready to
go. Brave souls. Even Esther came out, but NOT in riding gear. Suzanne, was on the back of the tandem, and swapped
long-finger gloves against cycling gloves with Jerry. The King family rode up on their tandem pulling the kiddie
tandem pull-along. BRRRR now I was really cold. They were all in shorts and jerseys and T-shirts. Suzanne swiped
the kids and bundled them in to a pickup.
They were really going to ride... Jerry filmed the start. Jim, David Jerry and I ended up going to the museum in
Ardmore (in Jim's van) and then we went to Gene Autry to the airport for the official lunch stop. The riders got
filmed riding in -- the local TV station happened to be there :) They even came inside, and Joe ended up the spokes
person for OBS and eventually we heard he was on the local news for about 10 seconds :)
Jim made a GREAT tour guide all around the lake.
Later -- while Andy was in the shower -- Dave and I moved his home! Way off! Then we found Joe walking off some
stiffness, and told him all about it. We all watched Andy climb back into the ravine, and find his tent missing.
What a hoot. So much laughter... and poor Joe got accused of being a part of this.
Later we hung around till it was time for the campfire and Food! This year, since it was so cool, it was at the
cabins, and Suzanne and Gary hosted it. The whole gang moved, and we did our best to put on a real feast. WOW,
what a laden table! Then sitting around the fire, we told "Jim Forman" stories.
Some of the guys hung around the cabin's TV to catch the local news, but it got preempted with GOLF!
Upon returning to our noble abodes, Jerry, Dave and I plotted a late night "raccoon attack". And sure
enough, they did (attack I mean).
April 9
I saw Andy when I crawled out of the tent, and he told me about his tent getting attacked last night. Sure was
hard not to laugh and give it away.
Today was supposed to be a ride to breakfast, but since the temps just did not cooperate, we all drove to breakfast
and the gang had their ride afterwards. Jerry, Dave and I packed up however, and headed back north.
Sure seemed weird -- here we were, rode 138 miles one way, to be at the Spring Fling Thing, and we never rode with
the group! From the original 6 riders, only Dannie and Andy rode on Saturday and Sunday.
Anyway, the ride north was not as eventful, and done by only the three riders with panniers. The BOB people all
got rides home in vehicles.
This time, I ate a sandwich before tackling the HILL, and afterwards we ate at a Subway with a group of motor cyclists
from Kansas. They sure enjoy the outdoors too, and all waved later when they passed us.
In Paul's Valley, we stopped at the grocery store and bought deli food and marshmallows before going to the campground.
Here we joined a different group around a fire, and roasted the marshmallows.
Today, our average was 14.9 and even so, it seemed like we got there so much faster though the riding time was
only 17 minutes faster.
April 10
I thought, David was getting a smidgen better about packing up in the morning. Today, I was giving him a D, that
is up from an F minus, but it was still rather a LONG process. Breakfast was at Neta's again, and the journey north
continued.
The rest of the ride was rather uneventful, and we even got to OKC and home before the rush hour started.
I rode a total of 279 miles. The ride back was easier/faster, since we had tail wind all the way.
One of the nicest things about getting home from a tour is HOME! A long shower, in ones own bathroom, and I was
totally revived. Now, I just got to get the rest of the gear stored away, but not too far, since I heard a rumor
of the possibility of a ride with the other bike club I belong to.
Moni --
Oklahoma Bicycle Society:
Spring Fling 2000
created by John Wente
last modified:
February 18, 2007
URL: http://www.OklahomaBicycleSociety.com