okiesurveyor

I was in the market for a new high volume multi-use tire for my adventure singlespeed bike. After much research and scouring through countless reviews, I arrived at the Wilderness Trail Bikes (WTB) Venture series (700x50) pictured below. They have the tread pattern I was looking for, which is kind of smoother rolling down the center with a relatively small "chevron" tread pattern and larger, wider spaced knobs along the edge for cornering on loose gravel. The tires mounted tubeless very easily. and held air quite well (at first).  For the maiden ride I  inflated them to 26 psi and they felt amazing. Like riding on firm pillows. Very supple with a lot  of grip. I didn't get into any mud but I really don't ride much in mud so I wasn't concerned about wet conditions. Big loose gravel was not a problem and they were smooth rolling on hard packed surfaces. I REALLY liked the ride from these tires. I couldn't wait to see how they held up to harsh Oklahoma "B...

Starting in 2019 a couple of gravel bike enthusiasts embarked on creating a 3-race gravel series on the back roads of Logan County. The roads around Logan County, Kingfisher County and Lincoln County are famous for many of the Land Run 100 stories that have become legendary in the gravel riding/racing world. The 3 races would each be 100k in length and progress in intensity at each race. When I saw this race series being promoted, I knew I had to be in it. To win? Most definitely not. But that is the great thing about gravel racing. Not everyone is in it to win. Sometimes the competition is in your head, with yourself. If I could finish all 3, I would consider it a success. Not to mention a great raining tool for the 2020 Land Run 100. All three races began in downtown historic Guthrie (my unofficially adopted hometown) Not because I live just a few miles south of there but because all of the gravel riding and training I do is within 25-50 miles of Guthrie. Historically some the be...

OK, it's really just about bikes, but that title really grabs you, huh? I can't believe its been almost 3 years since I wrote anything here. I apologize to both of my followers. I kind of got in a "funk" and started a couple of new hobbies and bought a new horse. I usually write about surveying or guns or something I might find interesting that day. Since I last wrote I started gravel biking. I have been a cyclist since the 80's (mountain bikes). Last October, me and one of my riding buddies, bought gravel bikes and started training for the Land Run 100 . FARMbike Gravel bikes are, generally speaking, off-road-road bikes. More accurately, they are on-road-mountain bikes. Either way they are fun and fast. Gravel bikes don't have suspension, except what you might get from the tires. The tires are larger and more forgiving that road bike tires and smaller and less forgiving than mountain bike tires, My bike is a Salsa Vaya purchased from District Bicy...

Well, in this case, Guthrie Bike Night  (GBN) is a gathering of like minded gravel cyclists who roam the backroads of Logan County around Guthrie, OK once a week Unless the weather is being stubborn (common in Oklahoma) they meet every Thursday evening at 6:30 pm at Hoboken Coffee Roasters  and ride mostly rolling hills of mixed gravel, pavement and red dirt roads covering about 15-18 miles. The bike riding is only part of the "what". The social aspect is a bigger part. We can all go on longer rides on the weekend to see how far or how fast we can ride, but this is different. After the ride is wrapped up, most everyone will hang around for beers (and sometimes a little food) and just talk. Talk about cycling, politics, music, just about anything. One time I heard someone talking about surveying (Maybe that was me). Real talking and socializing, not fake talking and socializing through social media. Don't get me wrong, the riding is what ties it all together, but you get s...