Day Nine

YIPEE...8+ miles of downhill!!

4 tunnels thru the mtn but we get to take the scenic route

Adella & Nancy enjoying Carlin Canyon

Kiwi Rick, Adella & Nancy getting ready to illegally cross I-80

Original 1860 Pony Express cabin reconstructed in Elko

Hey let's bring casinos to Massachusetts!

Best sign of the trip so far!

Doctor doctor tell me the news.

Like most recreational bicyclists, when I ride longer distances I break the ride into manageable pieces so today’s 70+ mile ride with two SAG stops was really like three rides for me. The night before each ride we have a “route rap” when the staff gives us cue sheets with all the distances, turns, and any other pertinent info so we know what to expect (like where the big climbs are!). This staff has many years of combined experience bringing groups across this route so their daily guidance is invaluable.

Perfect weather leaving Battle Mountain with a nice 20+ mile flat ride along a quiet frontage road…seriously I don’t think one vehicle went by us the entire time. A few miles onto I-80 and into the first SAG at a scenic rest stop along the California Trail that the western settlers took. They measured their progress in weeks so our progress on the bikes over paved roads is amazing in comparison even though we usually measure our progress against modern vehicles.

Phase two started with an 8+ mile climb to Emigrant Pass but it had a couple flat spots and it never got to the crushing point so the 8+ mile ear-popping downhill on the other side was a real treat. A few more miles and we’ve got almost 50 miles done for the day at the next SAG in Carlin.

Feelin’ real good about phase three because they told us that we could expect a beautiful ride on an abandoned road through Carlin Canyon. As usual, they were right and then it was back on I-80 for an 11 mile flash to Elko. I was flying solo on my aerobars a good part of the way and noticed a group trying to catch me so I decided to see if I could beat them to the exit. I knew who was in the chasing group so it was really fun watching the miles click by. With about 3 straight miles to go and thinking I could hold them off I noticed an emergency vehicle ahead and hoped that it didn’t involve any of our guys. Sure enough the big boys where hammering this section too and a group of three somehow touched wheels and poor Ken, an excellent rider from SC, went down hard. He was taken to the hospital with some pretty ugly road rash and I just learned that he has a broken collar bone and pelvis so he won’t be back. I’m sure we’ll get a well-deserved lecture about drafting tonight at route rap.

Obviously the last few miles to the hotel (nice place!) were pretty somber (with no drafting!!) but we did squeeze in a Dairy Queen stop and managed to beat the 25 third graders to the window (only 2 more days of school!).

Except for Ken’s nasty accident a phenomenal day but we’re all nervous about the next two 100+ mile days and the snow capped mountain range to the east.

Happy Flag Day!

Today’s ratings:

Scenery: 8 (especially Carlin Canyon)

Road conditions: 8

Grunt factor: 8