I left Eureka around 6.45. Because the town is high up in the lee of a mountain the sun rises later here. A brief but brisk downhill through the nip of dawn chill brought me onto an upland plateau. I crossed this landscape for about 30 miles. It was beautiful up here, bleak and cool in the early morning sunshine. I cycled towards a set Hills of distinction and character which defined the western edge of this plateau. Beyond it lay the Sevier desert of Western Utah.
Cycling in the shadow of hills to the east the air was beautifully cool. I was making a good pace and getting some nice photos of the area. It was so quiet here under blue skiesAccording to the map I passed through a settlement called Jerich but I have no recollection of passing through any settlement on the plateau after leaving Eureka.
I passsed through the hills of the western edge of these uplands and descended onto the open, scrubby plains of the Sevier Desert. The approach of a gang of 18-20 bikers unsettled initally but, as they passed, the thumbs up from a load of the lads had me waving back. Two miles outside the small settlement of Lyndberg the rear tyre went flat. Then the hand pump broke. I wlaked the two miles towards some farmhouses where I changed the tyre, replacing it with one I'd bought in Steamboat in Colorado. I got the tyre inflated at a nearby farm. It was here I also noticed that a screw supporting the rear pannier rack had snapped but I couldn't put in a replacement as I was unable to extract the broken piece. I patched it up as best I could. There were still 15 miles to Delta and what was supposed to be an easy short day was rapidly turning into a bit of a disaster.
I went for another 5 miles into a hot rising headwind, conscious of the damaged rear rack when, all of a sudden the fron tyre went flat. A thin sliver of steel wire had sliced through the rubber. By now I'm in the middle of nowhere in the desert and no hand pump. I decide I'd better hitch to Delta. The first vehicle to approach in my direction was a pick up truck so I put out the hand and, thankfully, the truck stopped. The driver, called james, said he figured what was wrong as soon as he saw me and said with the heat as high as it was I didn't want to see me stuck out here.
James brought me to Delta and a shop where I could get a new pump and extra tubes. He drove me around town, pointing out Diners, shops and motels, and dropped me off at the motel I decided to stay at. He made sure I got sorted before heading off. I was very grateful to him for his act of kindness.
I'm staying a day here in delta to rest and get the bike sorted before heading out across the Sevier desert. I'm told there is nothing between here and Ely in Nevada save for a petrol station on the Nevada border 90 miles away. Its 153 miles to Ely so I want to be rested for that trek.
I eat in a local diner this evening and I'm so hungry I end up ordering two dinners, to the amusement of the servin staff, particularly as I must look very gaunt compared to those well-fed locals. This diner has a lot of the local characters so its entertaining watching them and listening to them talk. One conversation ran as follows.
'Hey Brad, whats up?
'Nothin much in this heat. I've stayed in the shade for the last 4 days.' 'Heck, I'll do somethin next week'
Hows the chevy? I haven't seen ya drivin it lately?
'Naw I need to fix it. suppose I'll work on it before winter closes in.........'
The two lads get up and shuffle slowly towards the exit and the coversation drifts away.
With eyebrows raised and a half smile I get up and shuffle slowly back to the motel. Suppose I'll get back on the road in the next few days. Until then I think I'll stay in the shade. I sleep well tonight.
Cycling in the shadow of hills to the east the air was beautifully cool. I was making a good pace and getting some nice photos of the area. It was so quiet here under blue skiesAccording to the map I passed through a settlement called Jerich but I have no recollection of passing through any settlement on the plateau after leaving Eureka.
I passsed through the hills of the western edge of these uplands and descended onto the open, scrubby plains of the Sevier Desert. The approach of a gang of 18-20 bikers unsettled initally but, as they passed, the thumbs up from a load of the lads had me waving back. Two miles outside the small settlement of Lyndberg the rear tyre went flat. Then the hand pump broke. I wlaked the two miles towards some farmhouses where I changed the tyre, replacing it with one I'd bought in Steamboat in Colorado. I got the tyre inflated at a nearby farm. It was here I also noticed that a screw supporting the rear pannier rack had snapped but I couldn't put in a replacement as I was unable to extract the broken piece. I patched it up as best I could. There were still 15 miles to Delta and what was supposed to be an easy short day was rapidly turning into a bit of a disaster.
I went for another 5 miles into a hot rising headwind, conscious of the damaged rear rack when, all of a sudden the fron tyre went flat. A thin sliver of steel wire had sliced through the rubber. By now I'm in the middle of nowhere in the desert and no hand pump. I decide I'd better hitch to Delta. The first vehicle to approach in my direction was a pick up truck so I put out the hand and, thankfully, the truck stopped. The driver, called james, said he figured what was wrong as soon as he saw me and said with the heat as high as it was I didn't want to see me stuck out here.
James brought me to Delta and a shop where I could get a new pump and extra tubes. He drove me around town, pointing out Diners, shops and motels, and dropped me off at the motel I decided to stay at. He made sure I got sorted before heading off. I was very grateful to him for his act of kindness.
I'm staying a day here in delta to rest and get the bike sorted before heading out across the Sevier desert. I'm told there is nothing between here and Ely in Nevada save for a petrol station on the Nevada border 90 miles away. Its 153 miles to Ely so I want to be rested for that trek.
I eat in a local diner this evening and I'm so hungry I end up ordering two dinners, to the amusement of the servin staff, particularly as I must look very gaunt compared to those well-fed locals. This diner has a lot of the local characters so its entertaining watching them and listening to them talk. One conversation ran as follows.
'Hey Brad, whats up?
'Nothin much in this heat. I've stayed in the shade for the last 4 days.' 'Heck, I'll do somethin next week'
Hows the chevy? I haven't seen ya drivin it lately?
'Naw I need to fix it. suppose I'll work on it before winter closes in.........'
The two lads get up and shuffle slowly towards the exit and the coversation drifts away.
With eyebrows raised and a half smile I get up and shuffle slowly back to the motel. Suppose I'll get back on the road in the next few days. Until then I think I'll stay in the shade. I sleep well tonight.
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