Sorry I'm so late chiming in on Saturday's love fest!

My riding partner and I met up at Fort Gibson to do "Flower Power" (near Muskogee... yeah, I know.. "I'm an Okie from Muskogee"...THAT Muskogee from the song - LOL). We started off intending to do the 65 miler, but had our fill of fun with the 50 b/c of the wind and sheer amount of hills in this "challenging" ride.

Here's the ride report I sent a friend who didn't make it to the event:

"Cruel and unusual punishment at this year's Flower Power. Course started out doing the prior course backwards. First real hill came in about at mile 7: avg 8% for at least a mile. The hills didn't stop until about 5miles from the finish.
And I'm not talking little hills like Avery Drive...there were a LOT that were 8-9-10%. The last year I did this ride about 1/2 was fairly flat and fast, and the last half was hills-O-plenty (incl that "respectible hill" I told you about). Since we started out the route backwards, we got to FLY down it this time. That whole hilly first section was wrought with surprising ribbons of gravel in the worst spots. Talk about butt-pucker time....one was in a curve at the bottom of a hill. One gal who'd just flown by me didn't play that corner safely and flew right off the road into trees and brush! Thankfully and miraculously, she was ok and able to continue.

Anyway, just when you think the hills can't go on, we ran onto an 18% sob. Guys without the proper gearing (or legs?) had to dismount and walk - then watch ME mash past them. LOL!
But wait...you don't think after that it's get worse, right? WRONG! We hit one a few miles later that went up to 20%! no joke. I'm somewhat surprised no one flipped over backwards. Ha ha

Hill after hill, this was a very challenging ride. I never walked. :-) It feels soo gratifying to have passed so many fit-looking men walking hills. And really, I don't remember getting passed by many. "

I'll come back and post a picture of the elevation. Crazy hills!
My Sexy Beast and I did great though... no quams about my compact and 11-28 setup. After this ride, I don't think there's anything I can't climb (around here). I love my new bike!!!