The map below is only an approximate route.  You can see maps of the daily routes at the Freewheel website.

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Route Breakdown

Day 0: Frederick to Red River and back. 36 miles.

Day 1: Frederick to Elgin. 75 miles.  There is a 6 mile option to ride the 1,000 foot climb to the top of Mount Scott (elevation 2,464)

Day 2: Elgin to Anadarko. 61 miles.

Day 3: Anadarko to Watonga. 72 miles. There will be a century option for this day.

Day 4: Watonga to Guthrie. 71 miles.

Day 5: Guthrie to Drumright. 55 miles.  Speedwheel will happen in Drumright this year.

Day 6: Drumright to Ponca City. 79 miles.

Day 7: Ponca City to South Haven, KS. 36 miles.

There are a couple of important announcements.  First, accident insurance will be available for the first time. Secondly, and maybe more important, the shower truck will be setup on Saturday.

The full week cost will be $175 for adults, $100 for children (6-18).   Registration will be available within two weeks.

Full details available at the Freewheel website.

OBC is partnering with the town of Jones, in eastern Oklahoma county to put on the First-Ever Hogback Attack Bike Ride in October, 2012. Jones Mayor, Ray Poland, offered to act as liaison between OBC and surrounding jurisdictions and the Jones Board of Trustees passed, by unanimous vote, a resolution to support the event in any way they could.

The ride will be held in conjunction with the Jones Old Timers Celebration held the first Saturday each October that does not conflict with the OU vs. Texas football game. This year that will be Saturday, October 13th since the game is scheduled for the 6th.The ride will offer three routes – A 24 mile fairly flat beginners route, 48 miles of challenging hills, and a very challenging 64 mile course. The 48 and 64 mile routes will take riders through Luther, Harrah, Choctaw, and Spencer before returning to the Start/Finish at the high school in Jones. The area has long been popular with cyclists for the low traffic, good roads, scenic views, and challenging hills.

The partnership between OBC and the town of Jones is seen as another step in the process of improving relationships between cyclists and the citizens of eastern Oklahoma county.

via Oklahoma Bicycling Coalition – Town of Jones Votes Unanimously to Support First-Ever OBC Hogback Attack Bike Ride.

This is really good news and demonstrates the improving situation in the area as both motorists and cyclists learn how to co-exist in some of the best riding country in central Oklahoma.   The full article about the ride gives some background on the Jones’ history with the cycling community and is well worth a read to see how cycling organizations can really make a difference for both cyclists and motorists alike.

The University of Central Oklahoma invites its students, faculty, staff and alumni to compete in the Tour de Central bicycle relay race at 3 p.m., Nov. 2.

As part of Central’s Passport to France semester of activities, the race will simulate the Tour de France, the annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries.

The teams will compete in divisions – students, faculty, staff and alumni –to win the coveted yellow jerseys, or “maillots jaune.”

“The Tour de France is one of the most exciting features of modern French culture, for the audience as well as the participants,” said Susan Spencer, Ph.D., English professor at Central and Passport UCO coordinator.

“The Tour de Central is a chance to connect with that uniquely French tradition on our own campus.”

The Tour de Central staging area, where the teams of four will start, finish and exchange riders, will be located just north of Broncho Lake on Central’s campus.

One “cycliste,”or rider, from each team will circle the Business and Communications buildings before returning to the exchange area to hand off the race to the next teammate. Each rider will race on a bike provided by the university from Central’s free bicycle rental program, Bum-a-Bike.

Initiated in 2004, the Passport UCO program selects a country or region to celebrate during the fall semester.

Registration costs $5 per rider, or $20 per team.

For registration information and a listing of other Passport to France events, visit www.uco.edu/passport.

via UCO News: UCO To Host ‘Tour de Central’ Bike Race As Part of ‘Passport To France’ Activities.

The Board of the annual cross-state bicycle tour, Oklahoma FreeWheel, is proud to announce that Joy Hancock has been appointed Director, starting October 2011.

Joy, 31, brings a history of event and volunteer management and is an avid cyclist, having competed in a number of triathlon and cycling events, including FreeWheel in 2008 and 2009. Her involvement in Freewheel has gone beyond just riding – she has also given talks at FreeWheel seminars on how to train for this cross-state bicycle tour.

Hancock, reflecting upon the new position, said ‘I’m delighted to be the new Director of FreeWheel. I hope to build on the great organization that former director Ellen Proctor has helped establish, and work to make FreeWheel the best event that it can be, both for the communities we visit and for the participants.”

Additionally, Ellen Proctor, Lee Griffin, Laurie Daugherty, and Amy Shackelford will join Tom Brown, Ross Snider, and Barbara and Don Pike on the FreeWheel Board of Directors. This group of dedicated volunteers hopes to continue to improve on the great success of this ride, as they give hundreds of hours of time to helping FreeWheel be the best it can be.

FreeWheel, the nation’s second longest-running cross-state tour, traverses a different area of the state each year. It generally follows a south to north route to take advantage of the prevailing winds, and is not a race. The ride is limited to 1000 participants, who stay in host communities along the route. Part of the entry fee goes back to the communities which host the riders.

2012 will mark the 34th edition of Oklahoma’s premier bicycle touring event.

via Oklahoma FreeWheel Cross State Bicycle Tour.

The Tour de Cure will happen on June 23rd, 2012. Routes for the next tour are still being determined, however they will include 10 mile routes through metric centuries.  However, this is a perfect time to sign up and start raising funds.  If you sign up and donate at least $15 dollars to your self before the end of October you will get a free “in training” t-shirt!  Sign up by clicking here today!

I tweeted about this during the last OBS meeting, but the OBS is putting together a great bicycle oriented fundraiser for the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.  On November 13th, cyclists will be given seven locations and seven items to pick up.  At each pick up, riders will be given a playing card.  Best poker hand at the end of the ride gets the grand prize.  All riders are welcome, just bring a bike and a bag.  You can get full details here.

In April, walking across a room was challenging for Robin Tilly, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2009.

During the weekend, Tilly, 54, joined 567 cyclists in the 26th annual Bike MS: The Mother Road Ride — a trip along Route 66 from Tulsa to Oklahoma City to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Oklahoma.

“It was wonderful this year,” she said. “It’s a very loving, supporting community.”

via Cyclists ride along Route 66 in Oklahoma to raise money for multiple sclerosis | NewsOK.com.

I will be out there this year attempting my first century in many, many years. I would love to meet any readers who are also joining. So if you pass a slow-moving bearded guy on a pretty blue bike, be sure to say hi.

The route for the 32nd Oklahoma Freewheel has been announced and will go through the East Central part of the state this year, which will mean some longer legs but probably a few less hills than last year.  The itinerary is as follows:

• Day 0, 6/11 – 40 Miles, Durant to Red River and back
• Day 1, 6/12 – 66 Miles, Durant to Coalgate
• Day 2, 6/13 – 60 Miles, Colgate to Wewoka
• Day 3, 6/14 – 75 miles, Wewoka to Checotah
• Day 4, 6/15 – 74 miles, Checotah to Bristow
• Day 5, 6/16 – 85 miles, Bristow to Pawnee
• Day 6, 6/17 – 52 miles, Pawnee to Tonkawa
• Day 7, 6/18 – 40 miles, Tonkawa to Caldwell, KS

The cost for this year’s ride has not yet been announced, but will be available in mid-February when early registration begins.

Personally, I can’t wait.  My plan for this year is to attempt to ride it self-contained.  Anyone else planning on taking the ride?

Note: Please note that the map above doesn’t represent the exact riding route, but just the stops the trip will take.