Tour de Trees 2005

OBS style
 October 2005

Here's a Link to an article that was on the front page of The Indian Journal
newspaper in Eufaula about an annual bicycle tour that the Oklahoma Bicycle Society holds every year.

                                                                                                           By Laurie Allshouse

     It is with great anticipation each year that we look forward to the annual OBS fall ride of Tour de Trees at Lake Eufaula.  What surprises will the weather have for us this year?  Who will make the long drive and show up to ride with us?  Will there be enough food at the pot luck?  Will it be all desserts?
     2005 will be remembered for the BEST weather EVER!  Who would dare ask for NO WIND in October?    The skies were partly cloudy with bright sunshine that warmed our chilled bodies but welcoming clouds arrived in time to cool us off again.  Trees were starting to turn although peak fall foliage viewing was still at least two weeks away.
     Moni Neville rode her bike from Tulsa on Thursday.  Jerry brought their gear down so she wasn’t hampered by her normally heavily loaded touring bike.  Friday, Moni, Jerry and Mel Norton rode to Checotah for lunch and discovered a great place to have Sunday breakfast, Our Place Cafe.  A new route was born.
     Eighty-six riders departed Saturday morning for a loop through Porum Landing and over Eufaula Lake Dam before descending on Jamie’s Drive Inn at Enterprise for enough food to fuel us back to Dogwood Drive in the State Park.  Jamie was prepared for us this year with an organized system to get us fed in record time.  She even took time to take our picture in front of her café.  Jim and I were presented with complimentary, stunning pink tie-dyed t-shirts to remember our visit.
      Eufaula’s town newspaper the Indian Journal featured a story on the front page about our group coming to the area to ride on the weekend of their first Chili Cook-Off.  After eating at Jamie’s, I don’t think anyone had room to do any sampling of chili.
    We even had people drive out to partake in the famous OBS pot luck dinner Saturday night who weren’t able to make the day’s ride.  Alan Green, Trudy Morgan and John Wente were some of the welcome faces at our famous feed.
   As nice as Saturday was, Sunday was the exact opposite.  Nine hardy riders (David Kincannon, Johnnie Lerma, Wilton Berry, Bill Venable, Chad Burns, Mel Norton, Robert Hamilton, Moni and Jerry Neville) weathered the cold, north wind for the ride to Checotah.  Those of us with less gumption and more brains decided to ride in a nice warm vehicle to breakfast before the car trip home.  However, we missed the howling tailwind ride back to camp enjoyed by our resilient friends.
    

 

Here is only part of the 2005 Tour de Trees  cyclists in front of our lunch stop in Enterprise, Oklahoma.

 

 

Jim and Laurie receiving complimentary, distinctive t-shirts from Jamie.


Thank you so much for the shirts and the Great food, we will be back.

 

 

Click thumbnail for larger view of photo. Captions below

Jan has a good start on the weekend. Look at the wine glass in her chair.

Standing around the coffee pot, eating breakfast.

Maurice is talking to Debbie and Diana as they are warming by the fire.

A closeup of Diana. See Jim in the eye glass lenses.

The OBS 2006 President Wilton Berry. I hope he stops before hitting me.

Everyone is ready to hit the road.

Terry

C store at Porum Landing.

The three amigos - Liz, Jan and Lynn

Maurice and Bill.

Mr. John, here is a pic of pure stamina in motion.

Left to Right: David Kincannon, John Rogers, Tammy Reid, Roy Shiro. Behind Tammy in the orange jersey is Bill Venable.

Rolf, aka Butterman, is riding by the dam.

Craig & Debbie She thought she was going to die before they reached the top of the dam.

This guy is going to be a safety man. Notice the lawn chair and the bike? That chair could bend the rim on the bike, if it falls just right.

Jamie put out a sign for all of us cyclists on Tour de Trees.

Looks like Bruce is praying for food.

Wilton and Kurt having lunch with Clarence.

Jim, Dixie, Donnie and Amy

I heard something about snorting cherries at this table.

Diana, Johnnie, Craig and Laurie

Jamie and her young waitresses.

Craig, Debbie, John and Laurie, trying out her new camping wine glass.

John and Laurie sitting by the fire as dinner cooks.

Jerry is shortening the tree limb by burning it in the middle, pretty quick he will have 2 limbs for the fire.

Miss Trudy, in the levi jacket, came to visit with us.

This looks like the same bottle that was left over at Fall Fling. It never is empty.

John's better half, Jan

Mike is always ahead of me in the food line.

The World Famous OBS Potluck dinner.

Moni is a social butterfly.

She is still socializing.

Johnnie is talking to Tom.

Mike is trying to out draw me.

Cindy & Alan getting a refreshment from their cooler.

Cindy is talking with her finger. I guess the light makes Alan's face look red. What is he guilty of?

Mr. John. He is better now that Jan is close. She is trying to feed him with a spoon.

Diana, Jim, Arletta and Rolf

I tried to get a picture of David and Johnnie. David was TOO fast though.

Mel and Moni

Only nine riders were brave enough to ride to breakfast on a cold, blustery Sunday morning.

Jerry is geared up for the race back to camp.

 

 

Here is a link to some pictures that were donated by Craig and Debbie Whitacre.

 

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Click thumbnail for larger view of photo. Captions below

 

 

Here is a link to some pictures that were donated by Craig and Debbie Whitacre.
 

 

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