Trans America Trail - 2008

 

Day 5 – first day on the trail out from Bartlesville, Oklahoma to Alva, Oklahoma.

 

Miles: 169 (road distance as per GPS)

 

Hotel: Super 8, Bartlesville, OK to America’s Inn, Alva, OK

 

Maps:
Oklahoma Complete – KML (Google Earth)

Oklahoma/New Mexico – Part 1 – GPX

Oklahoma/New Mexico – Part 2 – GPX

Oklahoma/New Mexico – Part 1 – KML (Google Earth)

Oklahoma/New Mexico – Part 2 – KML (Google Earth)

 

 

Commentary:

 

First day on the trail! It got off to a great start as I cruised straight past the very first left turn. Not a good start. Anyway, figured out what I was doing wrong and started to read the maps properly. They are quite easy once you get used to it, the biggest problem was reaching in between the GPS mount and the brake cable and headlight shroud to spin the reset meter. Just took a bit of practise though (and thin gloves)

 

The weather was pretty poor again; cold (about 40-50 F) and misty. This is the start of the dirt (for me anyway):

 

 

There were loads of ‘nodding donkeys’ pumping out the oil:

 

 

Came across a bridge earlier on in the trail, not sure what the river was but the bridge was stable enough.

 

 

 The area I was going through was typical farming; a farmstead here and there and loads of equipment lying around and not too many people!

I arrived at a river that had risen slightly…

 

               

 

No way across that one then!

I took a detour and had to take some more throughout the day. Apparently OK had a load of rain the previous days and most of the land was flooded.

In the pic below I had taken a detour up a tar road and was trying to get back on the trail.

 

       

 

A mud-fest.

Quite disappointing really but there was no getting through it. In places the bike would just go in. I suppose the problem was the ‘death-wing’ non-grip, super-slip tyres, a 180kg top-heavy bike and no desire to twist a knee on the first day.

 

       

 

A lot of fields in OK were underwater. I reckon they would have had some serious problems as the crops all looked flooded out.

I was hoping that tomorrow would be better…

 

Journal Quote:

 

First day done with not so good results. Oklahoma is underwater. Everything is flooded. When I left the hotel I missed the first turn. Not good. But the GPS is awesome. This trip would be risky without it. It is so much easier with the GPS. Bike is ok but the rear compression damping is on the max and I can’t reach the rear spring collar. The bike felt bad on the dirt, it’s way too heavy. I’ve been dumping stuff all the time. Today it was the sleeping bag, ground roll and fender bag. Got the wife to book me a hotel in Moab and got me the number of Arrowhead motor sports. Booked some off-road tyres to be changed for the other half of the trail. Had the worst lunch ever at ‘Taco Mayo’ and had dinner at the golden arches – not bad actually.

Backside still sore but days are shorter on the road now. Weather was crap today. Fine mist / rain and cold. But I think its going to warm up. Sun is shining now so hope it’ll dry out for tomorrow. Hotel is not good but bike is outside window so I can see it. Went to Wal-mart in Alva to buy a US cell phone. Local calls to aunt and Bob are too expensive on UK phone. Will text Jono the number. Don’t want to know how much UK phone bill will be this month! Miss wife like hell.