Nervous Bike Riders Conquer Peak Challenge

June 13, 1980

By Rob Kerby

Locust Grove - "This is perfectly glorious," said Tulsa school counselor Mary Christiensen, clutching her handlebars Thursday.

Nervously she eyed the biggest challenge yet on the Free Wheel '80 bike ride across Oklahoma.

Norwood Mountain.

It was over the hills and through the woods Thursday as Free Wheelers arrived at the fifth overnight stop - Locust Grove.

They passed over some of the toughest terrain northeastern Oklahoma offers.

One of the friendliest welcomes, however, awaited as Locust Grove put riders up in private homes, church buses took them to nearby Spring Creek and Boy Scouts helped tired riders put up their tents.

The much-awaited focus of the day was Norwood Mountain.

After a euphoric two-mile downhill run to Fort Gibson dam, Mrs. Christiensen loitered on the causeway.

"Oh, death, where is thy sting?" she muttered, laughing good-naturedly.

A procrastinating crowd of bicyclers grew on the dam. Bartlesville father and son Joe Williams and John, 12, pointed out carp feeding by the floodgates.

Merle Eichenfeld, 58, of Sand Springs, wondered if the striped bass were biting. Bob Rose, 32, of Shawnee, counted turtles aloud.

"Well," pondered Hans Christiensen.

Everyone knew what was on his mind. No one spoke.

"Are we ready to go?" he asked.

Up and off they went.

"This is nothing," scoffed Eichenfeld, in mid-hill.

About that time, Bob and Mary came to huffing stops two-thirds of the way up.

Jim Nelson, 42, of Amarillo, shot past, behind the Williamses.

Mary announced she was "inspecting the terrain."

"This is so beautiful. It would be a shame to miss it," she said.

Sherry Postier, 19, pedaled past walker Rick Mattioni.

Ominously, a buzzard circled overhead. Upward pedaled Bob England, 42, of Tulsa, who recently lost 20 pounds through cycling and diet.

"What do I think of the scenery? What scenery?"

Walking came Dianna Childress, 22, who has made the entire trip in a bikini.

"That wasn't bad," decided Mary moments later inside Norwood Bait and Tackle Store at the crest.

She munched on a chocolate chip cookie. Shop owner Francie Fite and friends had "baked our hearts out all night" in preparation for riders. "

That darn mountain was incredible," declared Henry Wallace, 53, of Bartlesville. "But we were mentally prepared."

His son, Paul, 14, rolled his eyes.

On through scenic, twisting, turning country the ride progressed to Hulbert, where the Lions Club was giving away iced tea.

By the side of the road outside of Hulbert, bicyclist George Berry, 64, rested. He's making Free Wheel on a three-speed bike he has ridden since 1950.

On down the road Rick McUsic, 17, rode the first tailwind of the week into Locust Grove. He told of making "a wrong turn" Wednesday and ending up many miles from Muskogee at his home in Tulsa.

"I got to sleep in my bed," he noted. His mother delivered him to the Muskogee cam grounds at dawn.

There Bacone College continued open-arms hospitality toward Free Wheelers. The cafeteria served an early breakfast and bade riders farewell.

Wednesday evening riders were treated by the college to discounts on a nearby water slide and golf range.

At Lost City Thursday, Mary Christensien took a ride on into Locust Grove on a sag wagon.

In Locust Grove awaited chamber of commerce president Bob Buck, chamber members, and the Locust Grove Breakers CB Club serving spaghetti in the school cafeteria.

Will the Christensiens ride any more? "No," said Hans.

"He's said that every day," noted Mary.

"I'm going to melt my bike soen," said Hans.

"Missing those miles Sunday during that awful thunderstorm kind of took the challenge out of this," Mary noted.

"But there's always next year," Hans moaned.

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