Hills and Duct Tape

In Oklahoma now.  Crossed the Red River.  But not without great stories.  Yesterday consisted of 71 miles. Hills.  Thousands of hills.  Newspaper reporters.  Cops.  Dogs attacking my borrowed tent. Duct tape.  More duct tape.  Lots OF duct tape.  After 123 miles in 93 degree heat I have arrived in Hugo, OK to ride the Oklahoma Free Wheel week long RAGBRAI like state ride.  Thus far I've got the most ghetto tent with the most duct tape and had the most questions as to why I want to ride to Iowa.  I have already washed my clothes in the sink and for all of you wondering, I have showered twice.

Today I was chased by a dog while I was pedaling uphill.  Small cute dog but very vicious.  Hope the dog trend does not continue.


This southern drawl is way too much for me to handle!

Updated by Kelly, Hailee's sister, via cell phone.
 

From backpacks to backbags!

Thank you south wind!  Please stay with me for the next 3 weeks.

Beginning another adventure

Tomorrow, if the rain holds, I'm embarking on my most challenging adventure yet to date.  Not jumping a bus to Mexico or a boat to Columbia.  Pedaling a bike, north to Iowa actually!

A push mentally and maybe a little physically.  Maybe a more than a little. 50 or 70 miles on a bike for 3 weeks.  Through the Texas heat.  Through tornado alley in Oklahoma.  After the Oklahoma Free Wheel, I'll spend a week alone in Missouri.  Then the home stretch from border to border in Iowa.

Getting to this point...whoa.  THANK YOU JORGE AND HECTOR at REI.  I've spent well over 20 hours in their shop with them.  Learning.  Tweaking. And putting together my bike.  You two are bike geniuses!

Have a tent.  But I'll make it a goal to sleep inside.  Humans are kind!  Excited to see what happens.  Not sure if my family was ready for this, again.  They've sent me off with a phone that has 'road side assistance.' 

PS.........Thanks fam for the support.  Mary too.....loved seeing your face again, finally!!  And Lauren, congrats on graduating from high school, excited to see what you make happen.  Quinn---Happy Birthday to you a few days late!

Feelin' the love....wiiings!

Red Bull is in my blood.  No wait, it is my blood.  HA!  Been done working for them since last June, but still feeling the family love.  The Wiiings Team...Liz and Michelle, in Dallas just hooked me up with some Energy Shots for my bike trip back to Iowa!  Couldn't be more pumped up, maybe it's because I just had my first Red Bull Cola in a year or maybe because I'm looking at A LOT of E-Shots......or maybe its just because they were COOL!

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Water bottle Americanisms

Since being back, my eyes have opened to many of things that Americans do, consume, yell, text or say.  A sad, reality that hits me via my family, and their friends, every day here in Dallas, is watching the consumption of plastic water bottles.  Mission:  to have at least one of them convert to a reusable-environmentally friendly stainless steel water bottle.

Klean Kanteen

It's important to use reusable bottles.......because Americans alone buy over 29.8 billion, that's right, BILLION, bottles of water each year.  8 out of 10 goes into landfills.  Think back to high school science when your teacher told you about how long it takes for plastic to disintegrate in the earth.......yeah that's right, NEVER.

Do your part people.  Please.  I'm working on my family!!!