Cross Country Chase Daily Update: 9/18/22

After traversing yesterday’s 299 miles that comprised Stage 2, riders got an extra hour’s sleep today with a later departure time starting at 8:00 a.m. for Stage 3’s 262-mile day. And Chasers were happy to welcome fellow riders Pat Patterson (#13) and Bill Gallo (#65) back as they rejoined the competition.

The day’s first checkpoint was set up at Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios in downtown Tulsa, only 25 miles from the morning start in Claremore, Oklahoma. While the day’s quiz was administered, riders enjoyed coffee and doughnuts provided by the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and browsed the gift shop which offered many unique, fun and funky items. This is another spot well worth a visit as you’re riding through Oklahoma’s Route 66.

Another 75 miles brought riders to Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum located in the tiny rural town of Warwick, Oklahoma. Hundreds of other riders and other visitors joined Chase participants for lunch hosted by the museum. Housed in the former Seaba Filling Station, the building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and now holds over 65 antique motorcycles, along with all kinds of motorcycle memorabilia.

About 160 miles later, Chase riders arrived at the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, Oklahoma, where the city provided a delicious dinner, accompanied by a DJ spinning tunes for the crowd. The museum is part of a complex that also includes a National Transportation Museum, an Old Town Museum, Farm and Ranch Museum, Blacksmith Museum, and a number of outdoor displays in an old-time town-like setting.

Most of the day’s route took riders along Historic Route 66, through hundreds of miles of rolling farmlands, with scenery that soothed the soul. But those Oklahoma roads were a challenge; they are old and not well maintained, causing various problems with the old iron. More flat tires, electrical problems, and other issues were caused by the irregular road surfaces (not to mention temperatures in the upper 90s), resulting in 12 bikes on the trailer. Still, 59 riders finished Stage 3 with full miles.

The top points earners in Classes 1 and 2 maintained their positions for the fourth day (including the prologue): Dave Currier (#64) in Class 1, and Richard Campbell (#96) for Class 2. However, we saw a new points leader with Roger Green (#37) taking the lead in Class 3.

Stage 4 leaves from Elk City and takes riders to lunch at the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, finishing the 266-mile day at the Historic Train Depot in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Can the top points riders maintain their leads? Watch for tomorrow’s scores and find out!