Day 17 Tulsa, Ok - Joplin, MO

Day 17 Tulsa, Oklahoma - Joplin, Missouri
Miles 104
How many "Stand back" yelled from the front car as they shoot a drone shot - 7 times

oday, Neil and the camera crew drove out to Southern Hills Golf course and Neil was able to share some with the 15 men that gathered there. Again, I'm not sure if this is a weekly thing or if its's something special that Neil did since he's in town. After the breakfast Bible Study, Neal met us and the rest of the crew at a Wal-Mart parking lot just 20 minutes north o fTulsa. Instead of pulling into Walmart, we unloaded the bicycles at the Whataburger parking lot. Glenn parked kinda "crazy" as he's driving this big long long van, so the manager came out and mentioned Glenn was in the handicap parking. So, Glenn pulled out his handicap card. True Glenn.

It was a pretty straight shot on the 4 lane highway. Most of the truckers were kind to the cyclists. As we turned the corner in Chelsea, Oklahoma, Neil noticed a young man with a 9 or 10 year old boy with their fishing pole. Neil engaged a conversation with them and found out that Nathan had some trouble with the law and that he was going to Celebrate Recovery and was really doing good. HE and his son were going to walk about 1 mile down the road to their favorite fishing hole which is an old rustic out steel Route 66 bridge that is no longer in use. Neil asked if Glenn and I could take them out to the fishing hole and take some pictures. It was our pleasure to do that. I radio back to the cyclists that they should veer off about 100 yards and see this spot. Beautiful.

We continued biking (oops, cycling) along the small 4 land road, when I suggested we stop at the Hi-Way Cafe in Vinita, Ok. I read the reviews on Yelp and one comment was "don't let the outside appearance discourage you". Here we had several conversations. I think there were two sets of conversations here.

All the while I had been texting Virginia and her sister Evie to see where they were going. Virginia decided to drive 4 hours down from Hesston KS and meet us and spend one night in Joplin, MO with the #CC2C.

We connected in Miami, OK just before we got to the Braums. And Vela connected with her friend, Jody, who is from the Dallas area and was traveling through. As we rode into Miami, we were looking for a place to use the restroom. And the camera people were looking for a placel to have a great shot for the 3 bicyclists to "roll into town". They got their shot, then we followed Virginia to Braum and had a scoop of ice cream.

Oh, yea, just before Baums we stopped so the 2 cyclists fromDallas could load up their bikes and head on into town and catch a plane plane back to DFW

Im glad I connected up with Virginia. I then went straight to the hotel room with her and Evie. The rest of the team traveled on Historic Route 66 until they got caught up in a rain storm. I couldn't check into my room since Jeff was not around, but we got Evie and Virginia checked in.

Once we got up to her room, we waited for everyone else to arrive. I tried to get on the internet but couldn't. It wasn't too long until the whole gang arrived. They we cold and wet.

Today is Virginia's birthday. We went to Outback Steak House to make it a special one. It was fun to catch up. Thankfully we didn't need to "catch up too much". I had just seen her at Mom and Dad's 70th anniversary party just 3 weeks earlier. And it was another late night. It was after 10pm when we dropped Evie and Virginia off. Glenn and I needed to run to Walmart to get a few things and to fill up with gas.

We didn't get back to the hotel room until after midnight. And I didn't even try to get on the internet. We had a2 room suite. We pulled stuff off and took up to our room. Glenn took the big black box and put it inside for the night.

Again, another late night. But I'm thankful for the many conversations (even one in the city park in Miami, OK while we connected with Virginia. I'm thankful for the group of friends that drove to see us (Jody, Virginia and Evie and then a group of Tomba's friend that met them at the hotel here for a few minutes). And I'm thankful for the rain and the protection from the rain and elementsRead more