Back to Fast Charlie and the Moonbeam Rider

You won't find any pictures of Blueberry on today's post since I'm feeling a tad bit guilty; I dreamt of another bike. A sexy chopper to be exact.

Okay, I really need to watch that movie before I mention it again.Yes, I went back to where the beginning of the movie was filmed, Faxon. I don't always drive to Faxon....But, when I do... Okay enough play on those Most Interesting Man of the World memes. A couple of uncertain left and right turns got me out to the old school. Uncertain, only because I didn't know where I wanted to go. My navigation instinct is still in fine form. Woman's intuition, right? The school was up and running in 1902 and just recently closed. Okay, 1995 may not be as recent as I keep thinking it is. The old school bell can be found in front of the post office in Faxon (so I've heard). I have yet to find the post office. Next time.

On the way back to the highway, we pass this old couple sitting out in their yard enjoying the sunshine of an 80-degree December day. They waved kindly to two unknown bikers passing through their tiny little town on gravely road. Must say it was friendlier than when I cruised through Cooperton.

Growing up out in the country, cars you didn't know just didn't happen to drive by. It was either one of the very few neighbors or someone utterly lost. So, I usually expect a Cooperton welcome when I ride to small towns since I grew up suspicious of unknown vehicles drifting down the road (unless they waved, of course). But all that is changing now that suburbia is taking over my lovely idealistic country picture where you know your neighbors. May not like 'em  an' they may not like you, but toleration is do-able and expected. And, when your house is on fire, they still feel obligated to stop and help.

People want to move to the "country" but still have their neighborhoods (safety in numbers, I guess), yet they don't want to have neighbors. They don't want to wave, they don't want to look you in the eyes, they don't want to acknowledge you. No siree, Bob!  They just want to drive past you (ignoring you while you're waving nicely) and move your mailbox. But, enough about mailboxes. Thank God! You say. Where and what is your point? You wonder. Well, it got lost trying to find my mailbox!

So thank you, Faxon couple, for the nice wave and no dirty look.

From movie-famous Faxon, we rode to Chatty.Not as famous, but just as nice. The town looks to be ready for Christmas. Love small-towns which take pride in their town. Strolled  through the little park before getting back on the bikes to ride to Cache.

So riding back to Cache, I noticed this truck sitting in a field with the driver-side door open and the driver just chilling in his seat. What in the world? I thought. As I zoomed by a little more, I noticed he had his shotgun set up on a table. Does he seriously call that hunting? Sitting in his truck waiting for a deer to come eat corn while playing on his phone? Yes, it's amazing what one sees when one's not paying attention to the road.

Ended a lovely day in Medicine Park. The food and service at the Old Plantation were awful! However, the "river-walk" was lit up really nice, worth the evening drive to stroll along the creek.

Medicine Park, OK

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!!

September!

So, it's the loveliest day in September, and I had to get away from my evil homework. I rode through the refuge to enjoy the strong smell of burnt cedar and out to Cache. The Wichita Mtn Wildlife Refuge is under construction (at least the roads are) so the speed limit is 35. And, there are like a million extra stop signs (okay,okay only 4).

 

My dorky self.

Cache

So after all this time, and the countless times I've ridden through Cache, I don't think I've ever posted anything about Cache. So here we are. Cache is located about 12 miles west of Lawton. It's one of my many regular detours. Gotta head home, yet don't really want to? No problem. Swing through Cache and the Refuge on the way home. Not enough? Then there's Mt. Scott and Medicine Park...oh the detouring options!

So there's this place in Cache that's been around forever called the Trading Post. When I stopped the dude (owner) wasn't there, hence it wasn't open. He was off chasing cows (I hope that's not like "chasing the dragon"...), but if there's a small green truck out front, then it's open. Small town hours, eh? I have fond memories of running through the trading post back in the day with my cousins when they visited from Germany. The owner was a big history book. So, if you see that truck, it's worth the stop. He owns the former homes of Quanah Parker and Frank James (Jesse James' brother). One used to be able to arrange for a tour, but I'm not sure if that still goes.

Star House. Pic not mine. Click link below.

Quanah's Star House was moved after Fort Sill almost destroyed it (haha, so I guess it's not a new past time). So, Eagle Park used to be a park, but it closed over 25 years ago. For more info click here.

Pic not mine. Click the link below.

This home is now in Eagle Park also. For more info about Frank James click here.

Also, there's was small Mexican restaurant in Cache on Main St. The building of which has this pretty cool mural on it. I think both mural and restaurant are long gone now (2013).

More pictures are on WGR's Facebook page.
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!!

April 2011

So in my book it doesn't get much better than going for a ride and a hike on the same day. It's pretty awesome living a few minutes from the Wichita Mountains. Although, it usually means that I take more detours than necessary. I'm all about the detours.

Awesome thing about taking a bike is that parking usually isn't a problem...usually. I have managed to receive a parking notice. Go me.

So yesterday's ride went to the Wichita Mtns Wildlife Refuge (yet again) and out to Eagle Mtn. Running on slacker time almost got me into trouble. Blueberry needed gas, and I, thinking I was good on time, mozied on down to the gas station. It wasn't until I was getting close to the HWY 49 turnoff that I realized the group was meeting at 10:00AM. My clock read 9:46. So much for getting gas. I prayed it'd get me out there and back to a gas station.

Speeding on the Refuge is a no-go (not that I would ever speed...). Get on the refuge and a deer runs out in front of me. Looked out for its friends, but it seemed to travel alone. Passed a snake on the road by Mt. Scott. I didn't see what it was since I was running out of time. Passing an F-150 law enforcement truck reminded me to watch my itching throttle hand. Good thing too, because further down the road was another law enforcement vehicle parked with a radar. I probably shouldn't have laughed and said "hahaha, not today, boy" because karma is a bitch. I get to the meeting location shortly after 10:00. Not too shabby. I pulled into the Visitor Center (not going "too fast" in my opinion. I mean, home stretch deserves a coasting). I walk into the Visitor Center and nicely say "Good Mornin'" to the lady at the desk only to be told to watch my speed when coming into the Visitor Center. Seriously? I certainly went no faster than the dude behind me.

The hike was a blast. Hiked up Eagle Mtn out to Pennington Mine and back through the Narrows. The group learned a good rule of thumb: don't follow Dani. Those that didn't see the easy way and followed me weren't exactly fond of me, but they now have that rule of thumb memorized.

The Narrows

After a 6 mile hike and forgetting my fuel condition, I was brought back to reality. Yes, it happens occasionally. Blueberry and I were able to coast into a gas station miles after gas light started going off.