Back in the OK

Since leaving, wonderful, beautiful Florida, where my last run ended with me soaked in sweat, and returning to the cold, extremely hilly (by comparison) Oklahoma, I have been surprisingly fortunate to have good, sunny weather in the 40's and 50's to bike and run in. Though I am remembering why I disliked training here so much back in August. It wasn't just the searing, oppressive heat of three consecutive weeks of 100 plus degree days that stretched all the way into September. It was more the lack of good, safe places to ride. Now don't get me wrong, there are some decent places around, even in the Moore/Norman area, but they just don't compare to anywhere else in the nation I've been. Among my travels, I've found bike lanes and wide shoulders to ride on in even the most unsuspecting of areas. And almost always there will be good riding and bike paths galore next to a big University. Unfortunately, that is not the case here. Most of the bike routes seem to take one down the busiest, most dangerous, roughest road around. That is, until you try to take another road without a bike route sign. Though, despite all this, far enough away from the cities, there are a few roads that are quite good for low traffic and even have decent pavement, as long as you can handle the hills and the long, scary ride to get out there. Maybe I've just gotten soft from all that easy, breezy Florida riding?