Osage Prairie Trail -- Tulsa, Oklahoma

Obviously we had a warm fall in 2016.  Because of that, we decided to go ride our bikes in a new state on our day off after Thanksgiving.  Our Black Friday deal was on Fresh Air! We wanted to check off Oklahoma on our quest to ride our bikes in all 50 states so we looked and found a rail trail that started in the north in Skiatook and traveled south to the northern edge of Tulsa, called the Osage Prairie Trail (Link).

At the trailhead where we parked and began our ride.

Found the Trail Sign!

Cool play on a Rail Road sign!
(Also, assuredly NOT Osage County, Kansas, to be sure.  ~~H)

Long Flat sections you often find on Rail Trails
(But at least it's paved ~~H)

Small town of Sperry that we passed through.

Proof we made it down to Tulsa!

This was a very flat trail with lots of asphalt which sometimes can be rougher than a gravel trail.   There were some older sections of this trail near Tulsa that could use some work.  Another thing you discover when you ride rail trails into bigger cities like Tulsa, the tracks generally went through some of the lower income parts of town and there were parts that we didn't feel real comfortable in.   All in all, though, a very easy 30 mile ride that I would do again...S

A short video of our ride: 

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Blue River Rail Trail - Marysville, Kansas

On a forecast Indian Summer day in November, my Sweetie and I decided to go ride a rail trail in north central Kansas and southern Nebraska that we had heard about, the Blue River Rail Trail (Link). We got up early and drove north to Marysville, KS.  We decided awhile back it's best to eat before we ride so we don't end up Hangry! on the ride. I mapped out several choices. Once we got there we decided upon burgers at Hardee's.  I believe it was a little before noon when we arrived north of town to the nice trailhead.  We unloaded our bikes and headed north!

Looks like we were excited to get started!

A nice description of the trail

Neat covered bridge just a short walk up the trail from the trailhead

Likely a beautiful Tree Tunnel during other parts of the year

Being a rail trail, you pass through some remnants of ghost towns along the trail

Neat stone wall lining the wall of the trail

Artwork?!? along the trail  ('Mater..... dat you?)

A full elevator along the trail.  It was late harvest season!
(Oketo, KS, we think, according to the map. There was no sign near the trail identifying it)

Trail became the Chief Standing Bear Trail (Link) as we crossed into Nebraska!

Dork Alert!

My sweetie making a political statement right before the election!
(Would I do such a thing? ~~H)

Rut Roh, missed it by 4 days!

Our northernmost point where we decided to turn around and head back south

There was quite a breeze from the south on our ride back.  My sweetie struggled with it a bit, hence my unusual position of being so far out front.  Played a part in her decision to get a lighter bike not long after this ride.

(Encouraging me to "just keep pedaling"!  ~~H)

Overall we enjoyed this nice example of a rail trail.  Its gravel surface was much smoother than other gravel trails we have ridden. I would recommend this trail to others, with the understanding that wind can be an issue on its many flat open stretches....S

Here is a Video of our Ride!

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