The Tour Of The Wichita's

The weather prediction for the Saturday the ride was being held was 100 degrees, and with the humidity, the "real feel" temp was guaranteed to be higher than that. Still, this is a ride that I've been wanting to do for a while now, and always, the heat this time of year has scared me off. This year, it's gonna be different, I tell myself this every year. This year, however, it WAS different, because I actually went, determined to have a good time, and take in the sights. I registered for a shorter ride than normal, thinking I would finish before the heat became too bad. What I didn't figure on was my camera holding me hostage at so many of the scenic and historical places along the way. It was 99 degrees at noon when I rolled in at the finish. But, well worth it. This ride encompasses both a loop through Fort Sill and a ride through the scenic part of the Wichita Mountains Nature Preserve, as well as a loop through the wonderful little community of Medicine Park.

Arriving there early at 7:15am (the ride starts at 8) allowed me to check in at the registration booth, pick up my packet, and gab with some of my bicycling friends that are always at these kind of events. I saw several on this ride. I also got a few early snap shots of a restored frontier fort

The outside of the museum where the ride was held....

As well as the crowd at the start. They said they had over 1000 entrants, but I think maybe only about 300 showed up....I think the heat scared the rest away.

First ahead of me......

And then behind.....

Our escorts.... The officers on the bicycles were to lead us out, and they did, but were soon overun by the thundering herd of road bikes. They put forth a valiant effort however!

Still, it was nice to see that the City of Lawton, Oklahoma maintained a bicycle patrol of uniformed officers. Shawnee did at one time have some, but when our Chief Of Police retired to Florida, his ideas were soon trashed. Maybe someday, they'll be back. Anyway, with police escort, and bells and whistles......we were OFF! Heading for the main gate of Fort Sill, an artillary training facility for the U.S. Army. Going into the fort and around the airfield and heading west, we were still trying to get a little riding room before getting stretched out a bit. I did manage to get a couple of quick shots inside this part of the base however.

Soon, we were out of the base proper, and into the training areas, which were much more rural. Rolling hills, and glass smooth roads and NO traffic were the order of the day.

The first rest stop had not only enthusiastic workers, but also kept to the theme of the ride..

There was much beauty to be seen, even on the more secluded areas of the base.

Soon, however, we passed out of the military base, at least for now, as we'd be going back through some more of it later. Then we entered into the Wichita Mountains Nature Preserve. The traffic there was not too terrible either.

After our little zip through the Preserve, it was downhill (some of it was),  and into the quaint little town of Medicine Park, OK. Medicine Park got it's unusual name from it's location on both banks of Medicine Creek, called the cobblestone village because of the architecture of the buildings there, like this old station....

A lot of the buildings in town were built like this using the native rock and set in an unusual pattern to create a "cobblestone" effect. The real gem of the community however, is the stream that bisects the town....  The Riverwalk.....

It was obvious there, who had the camera, and who had the food! The town is just below the dam that backs up Lake Lawtonka, and the river stairsteps it's way through town in a series of little falls.

There was also some unusual yard art......

Leaving Medicine Park, we crawled our way out of town up the hill to the top of the dam, and then travessed a most delightful winding lakeshore road for a couple of miles, with tight winding curves, and fast straights, bounded on both sides by lake, or trees, it was a wonderful ride on a bicycle.

Mt. Scott from across the lake...

After I left the lake behind, I headed back east through the country roads and then turned back south, only to face some of the toughest hills on the route, as well as a stiff south wind that had picked up while I was noticing other things. I certainly couldn't help but take notice of the wind now, however, as it hit me right in the face. Hot and strong, trying to blow me back to the bottom of the hills. Entering the base again, this time at the north entrance, we entered into a different part of the base, much hillier and quieter than the south part. Soon, however, we were back into the base proper, and this time the ride took us past the old original army post from the late 1800's. The Army preserves this as a museum, and is well worth seeing. Time was moving on,  however, and the heat was building, so as much as I would have liked to spend more time there, I took in only a couple of  areas.

This was one of the old barracks buildings, and below, the "Quadrangle", or parade grounds, around which the fort was built.

I did take the time to go through the old Guard House. Most of the old buildings had at least one restored room or two like this in them, and growing up on a number of military bases as a child, I would have liked to spend more time browsing, but there was still more ride to do to finish before I was "roast bicyclist".

The guard House.....

The Sergeant of the Guards office. Please excuse the ghostly finger image at the top left, apparently one of the ghosts there must have not wanted me to photograph the area and got his finger in the way. (I know it couldn't have been mine.....I don't do those kind of things...)

The bunk area .....

Looking the other way, back toward the Sergeants office, notice the "water cooler" in the corner.

Alas, it's time to move on, but first, part of the outdoor display of some of the old artillery pieces on display.

Leaving here, it was back through the main part of the base, and out the south gate, where they checked my I.D. ..... surprising, because they didn't check any going in. You can get in.....but you can't get out! . Fortunately, mine was in order, so I was allowed to get back to finish the ride, change clothes at the museum, and head downtown Lawton for a much deserved lunch at the Golden Corral. I wolfed down lots of cold fruit, salad, and ice cream, but managed to sneak in a little hot food too. One of my most dreaded rides turned into one of my more favored rides, and, if I can get up enough tolerance to handle the heat next year, I may do it again. By the way, just as a historical note here, and one I never knew, Geronimo, a leader of the Apache nation (not a chief, but a very strong leader) is buried here at Fort Sill. See what you can learn on bicycle rides!