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Day 7
Yeah, I ride and we have a headwind!

ROUTE: Lovelock to Winnemucca NV DISTANCE: 73 miles WINDS: N to NNW 5-10  Headwind most of the day.  Finally a bit of a tail late in the afternoon.
WEATHER: Sunny, mild.  Upper 70s at destination. TERRAIN: Rolling to higher than when we began TOTAL CLIMBING: 1520 feet

DAILY DOINGS: Today we set our sights on Winnemucca a mere 72 miles north eastward and home of the largest brothel east of Reno (Not sure if it's still here though.  Barb wouldn't let me go see). 

I was looking forward to riding all day and wanted a hard workout.  I got word there may be construction near town so I planned on riding hard to take a look at it and divert the riders around it...if they would pay attention to the arrows I painted.  As it turned out, I got a great hard workout riding with Steve, a strong triathlete, and there was no construction...it was a straight shot to the motel.

We departed the motel several minutes after everyone else had left.  We set a brisk pace in spite of a pesky headwind that annoyed us for most of the morning...so much for a warm up.  What happened to that great tailwind they had yesterday that made everyone zoom past me sitting in the van all day?  Oh well, I had figured out early that today may hurt a bit if we pressed the pace...and we did.

Our ride started out on lonely county roads that rose several hundred feet before we entered the interstate at mile 25.  The route took us along the Humboldt River and through several mountain ranges.  This route was used by westward travelers in the 1800s on their way to the west coast.  The river valley is the only green we saw all day as the rising mountain slopes were covered with dry, brown sage brush.  I'm not sure of the date, but at about mile 129 on I-80, the river was dammed to make the Rye Patch Reservoir.  Nearby is a small town of Mill City where supposedly the largest tungsten mine in the world is located.  This area is rich with mining activity...doesn't seem to be much else out here except Mormon Crickets and lizards.  Speaking of the crickets, they were everywhere!  At one point, we crossed under the freeway in a tight tunnel.  There were so many crickets crawling around that the road surface seemed to be creeping sideways as we rode through.  There were thousands of them as you can see (above right).  As we exited the tunnel, they were still all over the road for several miles...I hadn't noticed them before the tunnel...must have been their westward boundary.  Anyway, I understand they were called "Mormon Crickets" because they plagued the Mormons when they traveled through these parts.  Legend has it that Seagulls flew in and saved the Mormons from a swarm that blackened the sky...thus, the seagull is the state bird of Nevada.  And here I thought it was the buzzard...I've seen lots of them circling overhead as we ride through.

OK, enough of that...before the first SAG the rising terrain and the winds, 16-19 MPH was a chore, but I learned quickly riding behind Steve that he was a locomotive...just sit in and ride the train...well, I helped a little as the photo left shows I pulled sometimes too.  We made our way to the front of the group by mile 10 and pressed hard off an on until the second SAG where we stopped for about 45 minutes and had lunch while waiting for the van to get there.  I needed to pick up some spray paint in case there was construction, so we had to wait for the van plus we had stretched the support anyway.  As it worked out, Steve and I were out front, but there was a peloton of about 20 riders that rode all day together.  I'm not to keen on that, but they were being careful.  I just don't want someone to go down and take out half the riders with them...could make this a small ride with just one slip up. 

Everyone got in fairly early in spite of the winds.  There's just not too much to do out there but ride to the next town.  We even got to the motel before the rooms were ready so most rode on downtown to check out the excitement.  We missed the Basque Parade as it took place at about 11:00.  If Steve and I had known that, we may have pressed on instead of waiting at the second SAG...I think we could have made it...just whip Steve to ride harder and hang on.

It was nice to have an early get in today...gave me a chance to catch my breath before dinner and maintenance.  We had a Mexican buffet from the motel that should get us to Battle Mountain tomorrow without a problem.  Speaking of tomorrow, I've got to go to bed now so I can get up and do just that.  See you then.

DAILY DISCERNING DIALOGUE:

This may be a DUH too, but I already have two.  Seems Alan was using the outside facilities to relieve himself when he noticed a desert lizard lying upside down that seemed to be dead by the bush he was using.  Oh, I think I'll pee on that dead lizard.  Oops!!!  It wasn't dead!  Not sure who was scared the most...the lizard when water started falling on his belly as he was just basking in the desert sun...or Alan when the lizard flipped over and darted between his feet during its escape.

"When the new people come in, do you give them an orientation?"
"Yes."
"Do you have the table leg demo ready?"  Referring to my table leg bop on the noggin just before orientation in SF.

 

 DAILY DUH: Today's honor goes to Larry F.  This morning he told me that his tire was pretty low on air when he woke up.  He said he had pumped it back up and asked if I thought it would be OK to ride.  "Well, you've probably got a problem," I said.  Then he told me that he thought the problem was just his valve stem being a little bent and he was going to try it.  "OK," I said, "but you may not get too far."  Larry left the motel with fresh air in his tire, but it all leaked out by mile 5.  Hmmmmm, wonder if he thought his tube would heal itself if he waited long enough.  Lessons learned on the road are invaluable. 

Steve had another AH HA moment last night at dinner.  I asked how many people had flats during the day on the interstate.  Then I asked how many had more than one.  Then, how many had more than 2.  Everyone put down their hand, but I had heard that Steve had 3, but didn't think one of them should count since it was a faulty stem problem.  I pointed out that he had to answer 3 qualifying questions.
1.  Was he on the road when all the air escaped from his tube?  "Yes," He said.
2  Did you take the tire off and replace the tube?  "Yes," was the reply.
3.  Did you pump it back up?  "Yes," Again was the reply.
Sorry Steve, sounds like you had 3 to me. 

DAILY DIGITAL DELIGHTS

Last night I painted directional arrows to the first turn out of town.  I made sure Gordon recognized what they looked like since he hadn't seen one since we left San Francisco.

 

Coming into Lovelock the riders passed a rare Nike Tree in spring bloom.  Looks like the new styles will be exciting this year.  Never pick a shoe before its time.

There you have it...Today I came to a "Fork In The Road" and I took it.

Steve and I didn't make it in time to see the  Basque Festival Parade, but we found one of the floats.  We invited her to ride with us to New Hampshire but she thought her "1 horsepower" vehicle wouldn't withstand the trip.

My view when I open the luggage van just before I get covered up with luggage.

Something to be proud of...I told the riders not to have all their fun tonight in Winnemucca...because they are going to BM tomorrow.

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