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

View Larger Map

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.

Mr. Hartman doesn’t have insurance so his co-workers have setup a collection fund at Coppermark Bank to help defray the medical costs.  You can leave donations at any local Coppermark Bank location.

Click on the image below to see the full story:

So tomorrow, January 18th, this site will join larger organizations such as Mozilla, WordPress and Wikipedia in a general internet blackout.  I strongly suggest that you contact your Senator and express displeasure at this heavy-handed approach to IP protections.  For some general background on the bill, please check out the video below:

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.

Diana Winslow, Downtown Examiner writer’s bike is MIA from near Lake Hefner as of Thursday January 05-2012.

AKA “Chick on a Bike”, the writer’s very distinctive beaten red Nishiki 3 speed is a racing style bike, with a Selle Royale seat, various lights, bell and book rack on the back.

The bike has been serviced by both Al’s Bicycles and by Schlegel Bicycles and bears marks of both.

When taken, the bike had a blue crate strapped to the back with bungees and the helmet and doglead red cable with a combination lock.

via Downown Examiner’s bike taken in Northwest OKC – Oklahoma City Oklahoma City | Examiner.com.

Below is a picture of the bicycle in question:

If you have any information regarding this bicycle, you are asked to contact the Hefner office of the Oklahoma City Police Department at (405) 297 1150 and talk to Officer 984, Sgt. Duroy.

This site remains the project that I never seem to have enough time for and yet the project I don’t want to set aside.  Over the last couple of months I’ve been missing this site more and more and trying to find the time to write.

Then, at the beginning of the year, one of my favorite bike blogs (especially from a photography point of view), EcoVelo shut down.  I decided I didn’t want OKC Bicyclist to vanish from sight without a strong push to keep the site going and to grow it into the real local cycling news site I’ve always wanted it to be.

So, I’m going to make a real push to keep this site updated the local general cycling news that I’ve always tried to keep in place.  I’m also going to expand the site to cover product reviews and also the sport side of both road and mountain biking.  I’m also going to try to put together a truly comprehensive cycling event calendar.

Additionally, the site will be going through a general redesign of which this current design is a temporary stage.

All of this is going to take some but for those few readers who are still around, I hope you won’t forget about this site.  Also, if any one has any news or story ideas, please contact us at info [at] okcbicyclist.com.

by Mr. T in DC

Bike sharing programs are the rage around the world and across the nation (the photo above is of the DC bike share program, Capital Bikeshare).  Oklahoma City first announced the program back in August and additional details were announced yesterday at the Oklahoma City Council meeting.  According to NewsOK, the program has been given an official name of “Spokies” and will consist of 95 bicycles (up from 90) placed at six stations in the downtown Oklahoma City area.  The money for the bikes and stations is coming from a federal grant.

While the locations haven’t been fixed, NewsOK is giving some initial indications of how the stations will be scattered:

The kiosks will have locking bike stands attached. The locations aren’t firm, but the idea is to have them within easy cycling of the Oklahoma City National Memorial, Bricktown, Midtown, Chesapeake Energy Arena and the adjacent Cox Convention Center, Deep Deuce, City Hall and the Civic Center Music Hall.

via Oklahoma City to launch shared-bike program downtown | NewsOK.com.

I’m still particularly pleased to see that the primary purpose of the program is to provide transportation instead of pure recreation which has been my criticism of Tulsa’s program, The Tulsa Townies.

A bicyclist seriously injured in a hit-and-run collision Saturday has died.

Mowery Funeral Home identified the victim as Bobby Richardson, 51, of Owasso.

A motorist found Richardson in the roadway on 101st East Avenue near 12th Street at about 8:30 p.m., officers at the scene said.

via Bicyclist injured in hit-and-run Saturday dies | Tulsa World.

The cyclist was found by a passing motorist but was unable to describe the car that hit the cyclist.  A silver sedan was seen in the area around the time of the crash, but police are not sure the vehicle was involved in the crash.

Anyone with any information is being asked to contact Tulsa Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS (2677) or to leave a tip online at http://tulsaworld.com/crimestoppers .

Between the forests and country homes of eastern Oklahoma County, the spandex and carbon fiber associated with cycling are an increasingly common sight.

“Any evening after five 5 o’clock, you’re going to find some bikers coming through here,” Jones Mayor Ray Poland said.

A resident of Jones for more than 30 years and mayor since 2009, Poland said the number of bicyclists peaked two years ago and hasn’t shrunk.

Speed limits are high, but traffic is light and road conditions are good east of Interstate 35, said Roger Welch, president of the Oklahoma Bicycle Society, the biggest cycling club in the Oklahoma City area. The eastern hills appeal to experienced road bikers looking for a more challenging terrain than the wind-swept blacktops around Yukon or the busy trails in Oklahoma City.

“You can only ride them (the trails) so many times, and you’re looking for some variety,” Welch said.

via Eastern Oklahoma County is viewed as prime cycling destination | NewsOK.com.