We Did the Tulsa Tough Townie Ride!

A couple Sundays ago, Joss, my dad and I did the Tulsa Tough Townie Ride! Thankfully, the rain held off Sunday afternoon. We’d done the ride many years before – Joss was in a trailer — but hadn’t done it since. I’d been hesitant because I remembered the route going through some streets downtown — but what I hadn’t remembered is that police were blocking almost every intersection as the riders went through. Since Joss had done Bike Club this past year, I figured we would be ready to ride in either case, but this was a very nice surprise. So if you’re on the fence about doing the Townie Ride, that may be helpful information to know!

All in all, it was a wonderful time. Kids and adults of all ages were riding, including some pretty small kids on their own tiny bicycles! They all did great! Much of the ride was on trails, and there was a midway rest stop at Maple Park. Joss’s new Bike Club bike was still a bit big for him, but I’m sure it will be perfect by next year, so we should be all ready to go.

This is going to be a short post, but I just wanted to put it on the record that the ride felt nice and safe, and while there were a couple of hills, they weren’t steep. There’s a bike valet by the start/finish line, so if you want to watch the bike races before or after your ride, just leave it there and pick it up when you need it. It’s well staffed by volunteers and closed off so feels plenty secure. We didn’t do much race watching this time because Joss was ready to go home, but I do love watching the races (when it’s not too uncomfortably hot!).

One of the best parts of the ride was taking off down the Tulsa Tough race route (although we got to ride past the Cry Baby Hill turnoff, whew!). Everyone along the route was cheering and offering encouragement, especially to the kids, so it was a very positive environment.

If you choose to do the Townie Ride next year, I’d recommend checking your bikes beforehand to make sure the kids are comfortable. (We didn’t really do this!) Also, make sure your group has sunscreen and plenty of water. We did take an extra stop at the top of one of the downtown hills for a quick water break.