2003 Okie Rumbles

Okie Rumble VIIa, April 2003

En Route



1. Pushups on train platform, Harrisburg, PA.
2. Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park, Chicago, IL.
3. Buckingham Fountain, Chicago.

   

4. Sears Tower and other downtown buildings, Chicago.
5. View from bottom of Sears Tower.
6. The barriers are to protect this tower from attack, especially after the war begins in Iraq.
7. More Sears Tower anti-attack measures.
8. Observation deck ticket.
9. Looking down from Sears Tower observation deck.
10. Southeast along Lake Michigan towards Indiana (the route ridden below).
11. Looking south from Chicago (inland).
12. Looking north from Chicago, towards Wisconsin.
13. Local southeast view.
14. Interior of observation deck.
15. That's me, with Lake Michigan in the background. No high-amplitude throws here.
16. Elevator to observation deck.
17. Back on the ground, birds seen from Historic Route 66.
18. Heading south of Chicago along the lake.
19. Basketball game, south Chicago (1) | (2).
20. Residual snow along the lake.
21. Lake Michigan and downtown Chicago.
22. Between Chicago and Joliet, IL.
23. State Capitol, Springfield, IL (1) | (2).
24. Sunset, south of Springfield (1) | (2).

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25. St. Louis, MO.
26. Mississippi River and St. Louis, MO.
27. Greenery in Arkansas.

    

28. US 80, east of Dallas, TX. Wrestled in nearby Arlington.
29. Rainbow over Dallas, TX.
30. Mineola, TX (1). | (2) | welcome (3)

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31. Leaving Fort Worth, TX area for Oklahoma City.
32. Denton, TX.
33. Heading north out of Denton, city gives way to prairie again.
34. Hill northeast of Denton, TX.
35. Scenic rolling hill country.
36. Lake in north Texas.

    

37. Approaching Texas-Oklahoma state line, making great time.
38. Looking back at the state line from the Oklahoma side of the border.
39. The actual Welcome to Oklahoma sign, around a half mile from the actual state line.
40. Fobb, OK.
41. South of the Arbuckles.
42. Near Sulphur, OK.
43. Cylindrical water tower characteristic of the area, near Sulphur, OK.
44. Arbuckle Mountains, seen from a few miles away.
45. Paul's Valley, OK.
46. Trees growing in the direction of the substantial prevailing winds.
47. Slaughterville, OK. Strong winds from here to just south of the Oklahoma City center.
48. Just south of Oklahoma City, OK, skyline occasionally in view.

    

49. Oklahoma City line.
50. Oklahoma City memorial; messages left by visitors; in 1995, the walls became impromptu memorials, much like in New York City in September 2001.
51. Oklahoma City memorial: south-looking view; one side is 9:01 AM, a minute before the bombing, and 9:03 is just afterwards.
52. memorials to each person killed; damage on side of building; damaged foundation with memorial plaques.
53. Nichols Hills, north of Oklahoma City.
54. northern Oklahoma City at night after first match.
55. Head to Habana Inn to check in.
56. Pool at Habana Inn.

    

57. Habana Inn welcomes us over Easter weekend.
58. View of pool from inside Gushers Restaurant.
59. Mark, Marlowe and Alex say "Hi!" in the hospitality room.

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60. Wrestled down and photographed!...
61. Cracking up was perhaps not the desired result.

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62. Ryan and Marlowe checking out the Habana Inn's nightlife.
63. 39th Street near hotel; Paco's on the right is a Mexican restaurant which provides a tasty alternative to Gushers.
64. Easter decorations in Gushers, Monday night (1) | (2).
65. Hospitality room closed, Monday night.
66. Dick the Muffler King? on 39th Street.

    

67. Penn Av. church at 14th St., 6:09 AM.
68. Oklahoma City skyline at dawn.
69. Statue in downtown Oklahoma City.

    

70. Pittsburgh, PA.

Okie Rumble VIIb, October 2003

En Route



• Hudson River Valley, NY.
• Along Lake Michigan, Chicago, IL.
• At the beach, Lake Michigan (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) | (7) (5 and 7 are panoramic images; may need to scroll right to view entire image).
• Lake Shore Drive (1) | (2).
• Navy Pier.

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• On the train; you'd think that they go to different trashcan receptacles?       Guess again.

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  Arlington, TX - Oklahoma City, OK Ride

  

• Leaving Arlington and Ft. Worth, TX for Oklahoma: sunrise in hazy sky. Looking the other way. Similar departure time and faster riding time than the April ride.
• Denton, TX. Like before, have a good tailwind.
• Pilot Point, TX. Making great time, stop at the Dairy Queen for a "Beltbuster Half Pound Burger Combo" (the cups say "That's What I Like About Texas" -- try getting a half-pound burger in the Northeast!)
• Madill, OK. About 123.2 miles from Arlington, TX.
• Keep Our Land Grand (as in the musical Oklahoma!. Between Madill and Ardmore, OK (detouring to go directly over the Arbuckle Mtns. this time).
• Ardmore, OK (1) | (2).
• Some small rolling hills north of Ardmore, OK, but no mountains yet.
• Welcome-home sign for marines returning from Iraq; north of Ardmore, OK.

  

• Old and new bridge on US 77; still no mountains.
• Approaching Springer [not Jerry ;-) ], OK. I know from before that Davis is past the mountains, so it looks like this will be a very small mountain range indeed.
• Springer, OK (1) | (2). Quiet, small, almost deserted town.
• Leaving Springer, OK, looks like the road will have to detour around a ridge. So is this the beginning of the elusive Arbuckles?
• Another view of area, getting into oil well country.
• Part of local bike club's 35-mile route.
• Going around the ridge (panoramic image; may need to scroll right to view entire image).
• Past the ridge, get into a nice, partially forested area with a slight incline, but still no sign of mountains (1) | (2).
• Prickly-pear cacti on a sedimentary rock formation, at an angle characteristic of the Ardmores.
• Foothill Road, not that any foothills or mountains are visible here. Sign underneath says "Open Range, Watch for Cattle"; don't see any of those here either.
• A little more than ten minutes later, I look back and wow, great view; didn't know I was up this high. Welcome to the Arbuckles.
• The sign noting the distinctive angle of rock formations in the Arbuckle Mountains. The sign says "Tombstone Topography - Follow these thin beds to the east & see the strike of the bed; the dip (tilt) is to the south at about 60 degrees. The Brown Zone, named for the Myrtle Brown lease in the Healdton Arbuckle Field, is the lower 500 feet of this unit. This is a major oil producing interval in Southern Oklahoma. These rocks are found at a depth of below 22,000 feet at Ardmore." (but they come to the surface here).
• View of this "tombstone topography".
• After a little more climbing, I see the same mountain with the radio towers which I saw in April, but this time going right by it. Since that's the highest mountain in the area, and Davis is not far away, I figure the mountains will soon end apruptly and give way to the plain beyond. | Stiched panoramic image showing gradual descent from hilltop.
• The plain is visible here on the horizon; the mountain in the foreground is the side of the highest peak. That's one small mountain range.
• "Turner Falls Park Welcomes You", reads the sign in the distance; the plain gets closer but so do some more mountains, making for a great view. (panoramic image; may need to scroll right to view entire image).
• Descending out of the Arbuckles with a hairpin turn coming up -- now this looks like a mountain range. Shortly thereafter, the terrain abruptly turns into a flat plain approaching Davis.
• Paul's Valley, OK. (another panoramic image; may need to scroll right to view entire image). The traffic light is not steady red but flashing.

  

• On Shields Av. (US 77) overpass with the Oklahoma City skyline in the background, somewhat different perspective from the pictures taken here on previous trips. Better view of skyline here and here.
• Oklahoma State and City flags flanking the U.S. flag, at the Oklahoma City National Memorial.
• Stop at the usual library to check my e-mail before heading to the hotel to check in.
• That's referring to the familiar Braum's, as the hotel comes into view.
• The Habana Inn looks like it's under construction; time for a self photo showing the torn up roadway.
• The Habana Inn has not put up its welcome sign for the Okie Rumblers yet (it's only Wednesday afternoon).
• Check in, and check out one of the mat rooms, which is cleared of furniture but has no mats yet.

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  Okie Rumble Friday

• Hotel went smoke-free as of September 1.
• Pool horseplay on Friday.

  

• On the mats: Nick vs. Rob (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) | (7) | (8) | (9) | (10) | Ed joins in too (11) | Ed joins in too (12) | Nick vs. Rob (13)

  

• Ed vs. Mark, no flash used (1) | (2) | (3) | Sharper image with flash (4) | Ed goes for a brutal cradle (5) | (6) | (7) | (8) | (9)

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  Saturday

• The Okie wouldn't be complete without a match with Ken or a match in the corridor:
  Mat (yes, his name has only one T) attacks (1) | Nick reversal (2) | Mat and Nick sparring (3) | Nice biceps, Mat, and nice bruise too (4).

  

• The pool and courtyard as seen from Gushers (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5)
• Scottie on the mat in the club (1) | (2). No reservations needed here; just c'mon over and wrestle!
• View of the pool from the second floor.
• Hanging out in the corridor by the pool.

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  The Pro Show, Saturday

  

• (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) | (7) | (8) | (9) | (10) | (11)

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• (12) | (13) | (14) | (15) | (16) | (17) | (18) | (19) | (20) | (21) | (22) | (23) | (24) | (25) | (26) | (27) | (28) | (29) | (30) | (31) | (32) | (33)

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• (34) | (35) | (36) | (37) | (38) | (39) | (40) | (41) | (42) | (43) | (44) | (45) | (46) | (47) | (48)

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• (49) | (50) | animated GIF (51) | (52) | (53) | (54) | (55) | (56) | (57)

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• (58) | (59) | (60) | (61) | (62) | (63) | (64) | (65) | (66) | (67) | (68) | (69) | (70)

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• (71) | (72) | (73) | (74) | (75) | (76) | (77) | (78)

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• (79) | (80) | (81) | (82) | (83) | (84) | (85) | (86) | (87) | (88) | (89) | (90) | (91) | (92) | (93) | (94) | (94 with special effects) | (95) | (96) | (97) | (98) | (99) | (100) | (101) | (102) | (103) | (104)

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• (105) | (106) | (107) | (108) | (109) | (110) | (111) | (112) | (113) | (114) | (115)

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• (116) | (117) | (118) | (119) | (120) | (121) | (122)

  

• (123) | (124) | (125) | (126) | (127) | (128) | (129)

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• (130) | (131) | (132) | (133) | (134) | (135) | (136) | (137) | (138) | (139) | (140) | (141) | (142) | (143) | (144) | (145) | (146) | (147) | (148)

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• (149) | (150) | (151) | (152) | (153) | (154) | (155) | (156) | (157) | (158)

  

• Pro show over; wrestlers roll up mat and take it away.

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• Nick and Bill.
• Bill showing his biceps and bruise.
• Steve's biceps.
• Marlowe's out like a light.
• Nick's bruised right pec.
• Waking up from all the activity (note left eye).
• Now you're going to get it ;-).

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  OK, back to the mats

  

• Reid vs. Damon (1) | (2) | (3) | (4)
• Chad vs. Reid (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) | (7) | (8)
• Ed vs. Chad (1) | (2) | (3)
• Ed vs. Reid.

  

• Mark vs. Chad (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) | (7) | (8)

  

• Ed vs. Peter from Greece (1) | (2) | (3)

  

• Peter vs. Rob (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) | (7) | (8) | (9) | (10) | (11)

  

• Ed vs. Rob (1) | (2) | (3)

  

• Ed vs. Scottie (1) | (2)
• Peter vs. Scottie (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6)

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  Sunday

  

• At the Copa (1) | (2) | (3)
• Wrestler contact area in hospitality room.
• Steve at the pool (1).
• Steve bridging at the pool (2).
• Saying goodbyes in front of Rm. 172.
• Vic at the pool.
• Freddie from Frankfurt at the pool.
• Rob at the pool.
• Poolside antique 78 RPM phonograph (1) | (2).
• Kris taking a break.

  

• Leaving the Habana Inn, Monday morning.
• Oklahoma City Memorial at dawn, actual appearance (F2.0, 1/4 sec, ISO 200).
• Oklahoma City Memorial at dawn, same place and time, lightened by long exposure (F2.8, 3.2 sec, ISO 200).
• Downtown Oklahoma City at dawn, near memorial.
• Church, Downtown Oklahoma City, near memorial.
• Downtown OKC and train station at dawn (actual appearance), F2.8, 1/6 sec, ISO 100.
• Downtown OKC and train station at dawn (lightened via software),
• Old Santa Fe station, Oklahoma City.
• Amtrak Platform, Oklahoma City. The State Capitol is visible to the center right.
• Bricktown clock.

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• Lock in the Mohawk Canal, New York State (1) | (2).
• Mountain to the south of Mohawk Canal, near the lock (1) | (2).
• Upstate New York street scene.
• Clark and Brown building, along Route 5.
• N.Y. Route 5 in the country.

Previous Okie Rumble pages:
2000 | 2001 | 2002

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Page created:   November 30, 2004
Last modified:  December  2, 2004