Pappy Smith's Adventure Continues

Day 33 of my journey riding,  Started out this morning about 9am. Got a late start this morning. Headed out around 15 miles in came across a museum.  Rode a total of 30 miles today.  Looking to do 40 tomorrow!  Will be crossing into Texas about 20 miles in. Allergies really bothering me! Keeping my daughter Jennifer in my prayers! Hope you feel better soon! Love you  Good night God Bless 

Today I took the day off! After yesterday I was exhausted and my allergies kicked in. Felt like crap all day. Slept most of the day . Took some medicine started to feel better by the end of the day. Still have my cough at the end of the day. Today was looking pretty bad all day. Got some rain and wind Heading out tomorrow looking to do 30 miles to get to Sayre City Park to camp. Starting to get harder to find places to camp. Good night God Bless

Day 32 of my journey riding, The morning started very nice. Got up packed up and went to breakfast. Got on the road around 8:15. When I headed ou g this morning only looking to do about 45 miles! But with no wind I kept on riding. Called a head to make sure they had a camp site at the KOA. So headed towards Elk City/Clinton KOA. I came across a young man from Japan. He had headed out from Santa Monica and going to New York. He is a student in Japan and came here to meet different people. Riding across America was his way to do that! When he gets to New York he will fly back to Japan to continue school. At this time it was really getting hot! I had about 8 more miles to go and I was exhausted!  It was like hitting a brick wall. With all the rolling hills and the hot temp took a toll on me. I pulled out a energy bar and some goo for a snack rested a few minutes then finished my day . A total of 58 miles! About 55 miles left  to Texas. Took tomorrow off. Will continue on Mond

Day 31 of my journey riding, Today start very overcast I thought it would rain any time! Not as humid this morning so good day to ride.  As the day went on the wind picked up. Ride only 30 miles today. Alot of up hill with the wind wore me out. The wind is supposed to be light tomorrow.  Hoping to do 40-45 miles. A couple I f interesting picture today alon g my route! I really appreciate the small town and how they honor the Veterans from there! Crossing the Chisholm Trail was cool also! Looking forward to getting into Texas! Oklahoma weather is hard to figure out! Helped an older couple put up a couple of tents this evening.  The wind storm yesterday collapsed there poles on the tent they had so they had to buy 2 new ones to make up for the 1 big one they had. Another guy is moving all there stuff for them. Clouding up so will see what the weather brings tonight. Good night God Bless

Day 30 of my journey riding, Got up this morning and Charles made waffles and bacon for breakfast! I helped Charles and Eli back up some more books and moved his TV and CD player from one stand to another. We left for the bike shop around 10am. Got my bike loaded it and on the road around 11am. The wind was out of the south 20-30 miles per hr. The wind made for a tough day of riding! Only rode about 24 miles today. Late start and the wind. Looking for a good ride tomorrow.  Wind should be out of the south tomorrow around 15mph. Great to be back at it. Good night God Bless

My day started waking g up at my daughter Jennifers and her making  me a power drink and coffee. My brother Dan stopped by and dropped of my mail that has been collecting for 3 weeks. Went thru my mail then Hen dropped me off at the airport! My visit was short but very energizing! Congratulations to my granddaughter Taylor for graduating from Berea high school! I am very proud of you! What a long day of flying from Cleveland to Huston to Dallas then to Oklahoma City! The flight from Huston to Dallas I was sitting next to a 5 yr old boy who just happened to start throwing up on the plane desent into Dallas. His parent where on the opposite side of the plan 1 in front and 1 behind him! So I called the flight attendant to bring a bag and some napkins and helped him out till we landed. The hard part was he did not understand English.  Got a taxi to the warm shower host Charles house. Worked with him on boxing up some books. They are working on packing there house to move soon. It's be

Got up early this morning to fly home for my granddaughters graduation! My warm shower host Charles got up and drove me to the airport!  Thank you Charles. Had a chance to hang out with my grandson Dakota till his sister got home. This might have been a short trip but we'll spent with family! Always sad to leave but the Journey has to continue!  I truly do miss not riding every day. I will get back to Oklahoma City late tomorrow so will continue with my journey Thursday late day after I get my bike out of the shop! To my daughter Jennifer love you and thank you! To Dakota my grandson I will always be the grandfather of the D-Man! Taylor you have that special something that makes me proud to call you my granddaughter! Love you all with all my heart! Good night God Bless

Well today started out with my warm shower host picking me up at te Hotel this morning and taking me to a bike shop for some minor repair work on my bike! Dropped off my bike and headed to Charles place. Helped him fix some fence in his backyard. Charles took  myself and Lou to lunch for helping with the fence! Relaxed the rest of the day then Charles and Eli made spaghetti and meat balls for dinner with a salad and garlic bread. For dessert we had ice cream. After dinner Charles was doing a short group bike ride in Oklahoma City so I went to hang out in downtown. What a great evening to hang out in downtown. All I can say is I have stayed with some great warm shower host!! Should be back at his house around 9pm for a goodnight sleep! Good night God Bless

Day 29 of my journey riding, Today started off great!  A little cool this morning. As the day went on the temp and humidity went up! Planned on riding 38 miles today. Came across a couple of old building on my ride.  Came across a Motorcycle Museum.  Stopped and took a few pictures. Then came across this old gas station. If you read about this station you will be surprised that it was just not a filling station. There is also a round barn that is very old. The inside is very cool but did not get any pictures. The big bottle is at Pops in Arcadia Oklahoma they have hundreds of different flavors there! Pretty much up to this point was good then things started going bad. I noticed my back tire starting to wobble while riding.  Stopped looking at my tire looked as if the tube was bulging out. So 12 miles from destination I was hoping I could make it but I got a flat tire. While changing the tire I found that my tire it self was worn out!  Th

Day 28 of my journey riding, Don and Kathy were great host!! Had coffee and muffins ready when I got up! We loaded up my bike and Don drove me over to Rt 66. Said my goodbye and Thanked him again and on my way. What a great day to ride! Was only planning on riding 42 miles hopi g for the warm shower host to call but they did not. Rode another 10 miles to Chandler Oklahoma to a campground. Ran inot a couple from St Louis riding east. The wife just retired so the had someone drive them to Amarillo TX to start there ride back to St Louis. Also stopped to help a guy from Spain fix his bike. The back rim was messed up and missing a few spokes and other one very loose. He was able to ride slow and get to the next town and someone was able to get him a rim! He ended up staying at the same campground I am at. Bought him a beer and he went to do laundy! I showered and sitting at the pavilion a group was having dinner and gave me some grilled chicken and corn on the cob wit

Day 27 of my journey riding, Started out later this morning. Talked with Doyle Warm Shower Host about his camper and he was checking out m uh bike seat. Headed out and got off Rt 66 because of the traffic.  Got on St route 266 what a mistake that was!  They were doing a lot of construction an DC had to r u de in alot I c mud. My bike an DC I were bo ty h covered in mud. Got down the road they had the road down to 2 lanes and no shoulder to ride on. Had to cross over a bridge with traffic going 55 mph trying to figure out how to get across without getting hit. Stood for about a half hour waiting for an opening none came. Saw a semi leaving the gravel pit there and he asked if I had trouble.  I told him trying to get across the bridge but the traffic was to fast. He told me next opening to pull out and he would pull out behind me to slow traffic.  He did that and I got across the bridge safely. The route my iPhone had me on took me down a bike path. Riding the path I got chased b

Day 26 of my journey riding, Started out as a nice cool morning.  Rode about a mile and a half before breakfast. Ate breakfast headed out on RT 66. About 6 miles into my ride what comes out of the woods but a Bob Cat. It is around 30 yards from me and it stops in the road looking at me. I tried to turn my go pro on but it took off before I could!  This truly was aN exciting morning ride! Warm Shower host Doyle got a hold of me and I am staying with him for the night in Claremore OK. Another Warm Shower Host got back with me later and she will come by to say Hi. She is from Seven Hills Ohio.  She has cousins from Olmsted Falls where I grew up. I do not know them nut I'm sure some of the Spanulos might. There last name is Shin graduated in 76 I think she said. Small world. So we go Downtown Tulsa to see the Artcars They had there. Then we go to where they are having a community dinner which I did not know it was for the homeless.! This was such a eye open