What a coincidence!

Hot sun.  Pouring rain.  Hills.  Headwinds.  Some tailwinds for a change!  Fast smooth pavement.  Bumpy cracked gravelly rutted pavement.  Dead smelly armadillos.  Overwhelmingly respectful drivers.  Lush greenery (a local said they get their droughts and brushfires, too).  Kind people.  Another 75 miles in Oklahoma.

This looks like a pile of Lincoln-style fence rails.

Oklahoma red soil.

Kelly, Leisa, Michelle and Adrienne took the day off to celebrate Leisa’s birthday. They passed us, stopped us, and we took photos.  For all four women, helping asylum applicants to navigate the legal system is a no-brainer.  We hope they had fun in Arcadia (at the lake?) despite the rain that soon came.

A few minutes later, Chris passed us and stopped us.  Foolish Jeffrey got so wrapped up in talking to Chris that he forgot to take Chris’s photo.  We offer this substitute.

Chris was born in New England, grew up out West, and is a recreational cyclist and an oil industry professional.  He nailed the refugee issue when he said that leaders everywhere look out for themselves and ordinary people, who’d rather stay home and live their lives, pay the price.  He finds American political logic as confusing as we do; he says the oil industry has made record profits under the Obama administration, yet many people in the industry hate Obama.  Chris gave Jeffrey a business card and offered any help we might need.

Another common roadside flower we can’t identify.

The Round Barn of Arcadia, Oklahoma.

The flour mill in the “Yukon Czech Capital of Oklahoma”—whatever that means.

We spotted our first oil derrick, at Wiley Post Airport, Oklahoma City.  Post was the first pilot to fly solo around the globe.

Oklahoma City and environs have fast, crowded, shoulderless roads and limited sidewalks.  The occasional area like this was a relief.  We saw vast tracts of new-looking cookie-cutter 1-story sprawling brick houses.  We avoided the downtown.

We paused a bit to enjoy a cool breeze and the sound of water at Lake Overholster Park, by the Oklahoma City reservoir.

In El Reno, we met Lonnie & Sue, on their way home to West Virginia after attending the Mexico wedding of a student they sponsored at Bob Jones University.  In his youth, Lonnie was part of the first Airborne (U.S. Army parachutist) demonstration team established in Germany.  He told Jeffrey how he was selected to perform with the unit and of the support he got from the team commander.  Jeffrey told Lonnie why we are biking through Oklahoma.  Lonnie is very supportive and sent us on our way with prayers for us and for tailwinds.

Reva and Krista welcomed us at the motel with a cookie (eaten, not shown) and a “Thank You” bag of treats (shown above right).  Krista asked for Ride stories and details.  When Jeffrey talked about refugees, Reba recommended that we see “Humans of New York” on the Web; perhaps that would be the answer of art and reality to those who have a distorted, negative view of asylum seekers in this country.

We traveled, we saw, we talked, we listened.  And as on every day, a thousand people or more (that’d be less than two per minute while we’re on the road) saw a Ride for Human Rights sign on the Sprint 26, some taking photos from their cars or lingering behind or alongside to get a good look. Even if they don’t learn what it’s all about, we hope seeing “Human Rights” on a memorable platform will get them thinking.  Our experience suggests that when people think about human rights, they come to see things from the Human Rights First point of view.