More Do Wacka Do Wacka Do Wacka Do

I'm not sure how many Do Wacka Do races I have done. I know I missed the one where the course was moved due to flooding, but I think I have made all of the others. This race is usually held on the first Saturday in September, usually on Labor Day weekend. Yes. it's in western Oklahoma, and yes, it can be hot. This year were were lucky to have much cooler temps, with low 60s to start the race and highs only in the mid 80s. I opted for the 25K, although I was on the fence--thinking of giving the 50K a go.

I slept in my comfy back seat of my truck, and woke up in plenty of time to get dressed, lube, slather, and get to the start line. But I spent too much time socializing, and like  frequently do, forgot to pin my number on, and ended up starting 10 minutes late. My friend Misty also was slow getting around, and we started off together. 

A mile into this 16 mile loop, and we're treated to a splendid view to the west of a red rock cliff. It begs for us to come explore, and were it not for the race at hand and the possibility of rattlesnakes galore, I would make an adventure of it.

The course is dirt roads all the way. All intersections are well marked, and I think it should be impossible for anyone to get lost, although sometimes it happens.

Second manned aid station just ahead. Way UP ahead. Two aid stations on the loop are atop monstrous climbs. That's like something I might do.

Some years, there is no water on the course. This year, enough rainfall had filled the two ponds on the course. And there were a few muddy sections which had sticky clay-like mud caked up on our shoes. Finding the perfect mud-scraping rock was a challenge because many times what LOOKED like a rock was really a mud clog in disguise! We soaked our feet and washed our shoes in the run off from the second pond.

In places it seems like the road climbs right up into the sky.

Each incline that looks like it's straight up basically was. Of course, I love it. 

Misty stops to breathe near the top of a 150' climb.

Some years I've seen tarantulas, some years there's been snakes. This year, only the pinacate beetle showed up on the trail. These guys secrete a foul odor, and if squirted on you, it's worse than being sprayed by a skunk.

Grab a burrito and then scream down the hill!! We kept a good pace but slowed down a little in the final 4 miles.

We finished just under 5 hours, but remember we started 10 minutes late? Yeah, I forgot about that. So it was a 5:05ish. They had an enclosed trailer with benches and a huge water-cooler fan blowing which really cooled you down. I didn't stay here long though because the smell of grilled hamburgers and my thirst for a cold beer was just too strong.

The wonderful trophies--no I didn't get one. I was DFL again for the third straight year.

But I AM gonna get a DFL sticker for my truck.

We did receive a well stocked goodie bag--which included the shirt pictured above, several ink pens and coupons, and a BEER COOZIE!! The medal was great too.

RD Joel Everett and his band of volunteers do a great job with this race. They also organized a gravel grinder bike ride this year in conjunction with the race. And there are miles and miles of grave roads out here to explore. Next year maybe I'll bring the bike.