Noisy sleep spot last night. didn’t sleep well got up b4 6:00 & drove N on I-35. Drove by motor speedway that was getting passed being plugged by fans. Lots of RVs on grounds, motel parking lots full nearby. Not for me.

Found Murray Lake SP in OK. Inside van working when Andy Harris knocks on door. he is my contact for my ride. A bunch of riders will be gathering to preride the Extera race course and others just to ride. I rode w/ 5 people. Andy in  emails said that this would be the best riding in OK. Andy & Desiree co chair the Extera race. Their local club built the trails.

Spring hasn’t arrived here yet as trees are not leafed out and dogwoods are blooming again for me after LA. Temp hit 84 w/ a good wind & clear skies.

Did well w/ land for hand built trails. Sandstone & sandy tread w/ some clay mixed in. Found several rock gardens and challenging climbs. They made the trail pass between tight trees several times: they went looking for them. 17.61 miles & 1510’vert on land that was almost flat. Enjoying 5.5″ of travel. Al other riders were on full suspension.

Quick ride & dispersal. I took a shower in XG, they went to Andy’s family restaurant: 2 frogs.

Met Thomas @ shower who told me of a big race tomorrow where I will be in AR. He said I might be able to get in on 60 mile ride if I got there by 8:00 AM. I made Hugo, OK and crashed. Thomas did some long distance trips like me and we shared a few ride stories.

Second battery provides additional power to really light up the main light inside. The solar collector is collecting energy.

Tired tonight.

T-storm over night @ mall parking lot caught my bikes uncovered, however I woke  to start of storm & covered before big rain. Got windy also. In Am blue sky but winds w/ gusts to 32mph, average winds 18mph. Plan is to drive out to Mule Shoe later in day hopefully after winds died down. 32 mph gusts driving a kleenex box on wheels in big city traffic. Oh Boy.

Left mid afternoon. Found Mule Shoe. $5.00 to get in included primitive campsite. Beautiful day, winds dying down.

Found site where I pulled the van in under a tree for shade.

Headed out on ride. A little ways in I felt & saw a stick stuck into front tire that stayed w/ the wheel during it’s revolution. Darn. Meant a thorn stuck in tire. Rode to park entrance & replaced the tube. Discovered that the valve stem separated from tube and couldn’t pump up tube high enough to find thorn hole so tube was replaced. Lots of mesquite trees.

Nice clear evening. Enjoyed again the quiet of paid for or at least legal sleep place.

Woke up tossing & turning to feel my earring caught in the sheet.

Drove back into Sportsmobile for hopeful arrival of solar panel. I pulled in @ 10:06. The UPS truck pulled in @ 10:10 and the panel was on board. And the guys turned to. factory battery is OK and remains in van. I only bought 1 deep cycle battery. I now have 200 amps of power and a solar panel capable of an average of 4 amps per hour charge.

Checked spring tension on old eggbeaters and they are better than rebuilt newer ones. Have RA from Crank bros, need to find UPS shipping and then figure out where they will be sent to.

Registered for Fruita festival. Looked @ map, Fruita is all the way across CO to the West end of NM. More back track driving.

Off to Georgetown rec center for free shower and then drive to Ardmore, OK for tomorrow’s ride. Great shower.

Back on I-35 and traffic. Drove to Burleson, TX for night. Found buisness parking lot for night.

Tomorrow is Oklahoma.

last night before bed I stepped outside my van w/ intent of going to a mall entrance to see if any signs were posted prohibiting overnight parking. And I almost stepped into the path of a security vehicle. Security man said go ahead and stay as he was leaving soon and nobody would be around afterwards so stay. Cool permission granted w/o concern of being rousted.

Drove back to Sportsmobile and waited for solar panel arrival. Susan called manufacture and learned panel wasn’t shipped until Mon and ecd now is Friday. Oh well.

Met owner of Sportsmobile. He and his dad started it 40 years ago. They were the first to convert VW vans into campers! Check out Sportsmobile’s website for used vans. They have a Sprinter like mine w/ their conversion.

Drove to Walnut Creek park and rode what I could put together. At first the trails were marked but then the carsonite markers were removed and I wandered. Hand built trails, some old jeep roads. Some on hard packed clay. Mostly flat, had fun carving turns. Lots of riders coming & going while i was there.

Needed a shower. remembered that bicyclesportshop had a locker room w/ shower. Drove back into downtown to shop. Walked in and looked for a big cheese but didn’t find one so I walked straight to locker room and showered and left store.

Drove back to REI mall parking lot for another stay. Blue bird day, temp in upper 70s w/low humidity but parking spot was still in sun. Walked around mall parking lot looking @ stores. Checked out Whole Foods grocery store. Wow. I’d go bankrupt from all the wonderful food choices.

Fixed dinner and started computer work when a security man called me out. Not same guy from last night. He asked how long I was going to stay and I told him about last night. This guy called his boss and I knew the answer was no. The security man showed me where his land quit and the other started and said that the next property does not have security patrol. So I will move over there shortly.

Another ride in Austin tomorrow, new place to sleep and shower.

Might not make Fruita festival.

Found a mesquite tree that has greater than 1′ long thorns. Somepalces they were backed up w/ a prickly pear cactus. Poison ivy leaves are somtimes lobed loke a sasafras mitten leaf. Stay on the maintained trails.

Turner’s demo bile person emailed me asking for ride ideas around Philly / Baltimore DC areas. City rides for high population density. Sales.