Quick Update

Ah, the joys of technology. I've been having some slight difficulties (probably the user's fault...) with, well, a lot of things. Have some rides to post, though. Hoping to have them up very soon.
Happy Riding!

Big Loop

Destination: Ada

All in all, this loop is pretty cool. It goes through some small towns, where there is really nothing, yet they still have a cop (Bradley and Roff). Mostly all two-lane hwy with a speed limit of 65. This route has some nice sweeper curves. From Elgin back to Elgin, it runs about 240ish miles.

I drove through Fletcher, Cyril, got onto HWY 19. This brought me through Cement and some awesome scenery with sweepers. Hwy 19 goes right down to Ada. Easy to remember. From Ada, I took Hwy1 (goes down to Sulpher through Roff). Roff.What kind of name is that? Well, I guess it's better than Chitwood... From Sulpher I just stayed on Hwy 7 until Duncan, than took 81 up to Rush Springs back over to Elgin. No refueling worries, there are plenty of gas stations. Roads are okay, and currently undergoing construction

Paul's Valley was established in 1857. Paul picked a nice valley.

   

Ada has some really nice undercover black chargers. Good to know. In Ada, I met up with some riders. We rode down to the springs in Sulphur. The spring water tastes,well, a little like sulphur.

I got off to a late start for the Ada meet-up due to a "You're not possibly thinking of riding out there alone" discussion, so I wasn't able to take pictures. Therefore, I had an excuse for a small picture-taking road trip...

More pictures can be found on the Facebook album.

It's not Sin City, it's Cox City

Destination: Cox City

So, while I was studying (okay, maybe procrastinating) I came across a road that looked like it had *awesomeness* potential on GoogleMaps. So, of course, I had to check it out. It's boiling hot out, and I laced up my boots grabbed my mp3 player and hit the road.

Route:  Elgin, Sterling, Rush Springs. Drive through Rush Springs on Hwy 17 (aka Cox City Road- original eh?) out to Cox City, Marlow, and finally Lawton. All in all about a 100 mile trip.

First things first. Since Cox city isn't Sin City, It's best to get gas in a town where they actually have a gas station (in this case Elgin).

The ride out to Rush Springs through Sterling is pretty nice. Hill country with a couple of sweeper curves. Note that the speed limit through Sterling is like 20mph (also note that the cop out there is...um...nicely put very active). Rush Springs is well-known in the area for it's annual Watermelon Festival which is coming up in the next week or two.

Just stay on the main road through Rush Springs and eventually you'll wind up in Cox City. It's a two lane rural road with, believe it or not, curves. Now, before you get excited, Cox City road is in oil country (who would have thought) and the road is horrible.

However, after the farm scenery outside of Rush Springs, the scenery changes and you can see oil pumps, curves, trees, and hills. Pretty Nice. Half way through the curves, you'll see:

This sign is something I never thought I'd see in Oklahoma, but there it is. The roads are extremely bumpy. Taking the curves at speed limit is impossible (on a bike). It's a nice cruise, though. I knew that on the map after the last curve turning south Cox City should be right there. After a couple of miles, I began to wonder if I'd passed it. I mean, I did blink a couple of times. Until I saw this:

That's right- it's Cox City. Good thing I didn't blink at that moment. The road's name changes into 13 mile Rd. Once again, very original. This road, however, is smooth and an easy ride.

After a while, you'll find yourself at the Hwy 29 intersection (turn right, west, to head to Marlow). Okay, some important things to know for this hwy. County Sheriff is omnipresent. Also, drivers (including many 18-wheelers) are speeding idiots. After passing through Bray I found myself with a line of trucks and 18wheelers riding my ass (speed limit's 65). Note,also, that there is no shoulder on this road. There seems to be a junk car transport facility on the left at some point. Watch out for the loaded 18-wheelers that pull out of there. Yeah, this is where my ride gets good. One of these loaded trucks pulled out infront of me. It had about 9 crushed cars on it. At first, only little metal dust flew off in my direction. But, as the truck started reaching 65-70 mph more shit flew off. Great. No shoulder and a line of tail gaters on a two lane hwy with no shoulder.

As more crap started coming off the semi, I looked for a window in traffic so I could pass. I found it, with some cars heading my way on the horizon.

End of Story: I now have a $350 ticket.

Good to know: after that last little hill, the highway has a shoulder.

More pictures from this ride can be found in Wandering of a Girl Ryder's Facebook album.

It's Cookietown, Jake. Not Chinatown...

Destination Cookietown

July 23, 2010

So, the first ride to be documented is to a small "town" called Cookietown, Oklahoma (just south of Lawton, OK). Population: 5. Okay, maybe not five, but pretty damn close. The sign alone is worth the drive.

If you're looking for cookies while in Cookietown, best pack your own. I know! What a disappointment. For an update click here.

So, the riding possibilities are relatively endless from here, but since Oklahoma 5A runs right into Cookietown it's a pleasing option. Taking 5A east and turning North onto 5 (it's an L-shaped highway I guess) will take one into a small town called Walters.  The roads are pretty smooth. But, also kind of dull (aka straight).

Walters' main street is known as Broadway. It's a little off Broadway if you ask me. This small community is exactly what comes to mind when one thinks of  idyllic small-town America. A coffee shop, The Silver Spoon (open Monday- Friday), a gym, library, Chamber of Commerce, gazebo, court house, and many other charming things can be found here. The streets running East to West through Walters are named after States. So, I've now been to Texas, Colorado, and Nevada. And, all in a day!

My ride ended abruptly in Lawton, when I found a small kitten abandoned under a pay phone at a gas station. I tried convincing the firefighters that showed up that they needed a new, cute mascot. I suck at sweet-talking. She rode home (a hot 25mile-ish trip) crammed in my small backpack. I've named her Sprocket.

Pictures from this ride can be found on Wanderings of a Girl Ryder's Facebook album!

This blog is brought to you by the lovely (biased opinion, we know) Stone Turtle – Lodging, a small family owned and operated hotel / lodging business near Lawton, Oklahoma, Fort Sill,  the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Meers and Medicine Park. Yeah, that’s right we’re a small lodging business close to all the awesomeness Oklahoma has to offer!!

The Beginnings of a Blog

Hi! And, Welcome!

First off, I'd like to introduce myself. The name's Dani. I'm a college student at a university no one has heard of in Oklahoma, USA. This is my first blog ever. Yeah, I know, what kind of 20 year-old am I? I'll tell ya, one that has no technology savvy. I do, however, usually manage to find the power button.

Anyways, I have two...um...addictions. I'm a coffee addict. And, motorcycles are my obsession.

Motorcycles + Coffee = Bliss

^that right there is as good as my math gets.

When I was 13, I saw two idiots doing wheelies down a main road in town. I bought my first bike magazine that day. Took me a year of convincing my mother daily that I wouldn't kill myself on a motorcycle. On my 14th birthday, I found a motorcycle helmet sitting on the table. After a year of searching for a bike, one that was in my price class (cheap), I found my bike; it was a 1998 Yamaha fzr600. I was so excited!

Unfortunately the bike wasn't as excited about me. I spent 2 years fighting with it (with my budget) trying to get it running. '07 was my year,though, and that's when my riding career started.

The yami was...a...um...problem child, a pain in the ass, a piece of...sh...work (to say the least), but that's a story for another time. I bought a 2007 cbr600rr July 1, 2009. And in that year, I've put 18,000 miles on it. My cbr goes by the name Blueberry because every good vehicle needs a name.We've had some amazing times. I've found over my riding time, that you can find the neatest roads, towns, and places when you get off the "cruise" in town, and just ride. I've also found that most people don't know of the awesomeness we have in the area. I've taken it upon myself to find out by putting down the map and getting wonderfully lost by wandering.

I'm finally coming to the point of my blogging: to record the rides and maybe inspire others, when in the area, to ride some of these neat routes (okay, okay maybe I just needed something to justify my gas-guzzling hobby...). Or, maybe even inspire other dedicated riders to do the same.

So, follow Blueberry and me on our adventures as we wander!