I sleep in today. I'm very tempted to stop here for the day and climb Mount Wheeler to see its small glacier and ancient bristlecone pine forest. After looking at the route through Nevada I decide to push on. There's a lot of mountains cutting across route 50. I'm surprised just how mountainous Nevada actually is. I've always pictured Nevada as a flat, desert state. I was wrong. There's some tough days ahead.
I'm on the road for 10.30am. Whenever I've heard about Nevada I associate it with all the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas and Reno. So, following Route 50 (America's 'loneliest' road) I really feel as though I'm entering Nevada through its backdoor. I've also entered Pacific time.
Straight away the road climbs into the hills for about 20 miles to Sacramento pass where a sharp descent leads the road into the next valley. This sets the pattern of the days to come. Its going to be a repetitive cycle of mountain climbs, descents and long hauls across flat-bottomed basins.
The road to Ely, 63 miles away takes me around to the other side of Mount Wheeler into a basin called Spring valley. I see a large dust devil down in the bottom of the valley 5-6 miles away. Whipping up dust into a high funnel shape it moves slowly along the valley floor and keeps going for a good number of minutes before disappearing.
The road descends to cross the valley towards the next range of hills. Down in the valley I meet a cyclist doing a 600 mile trek around Nevada. He's from the area and says he hopes to go coast to coast next year. He tells me there a tavern a couple of miles ahead where I can stop for a rest. As we talk a thundestorm open up over the hills and begins to move out over the valley. We part, hastily, and push on towards that tavern, not wanting to be caught out in this storm.
When I reach the tavern I see a load of bikes lined up outside. Inside is a gang of cyclists. They're part of a group of 32 cycling from Florida to San Francisco for a charity called bike and build. They crowd around me to find out how I've dropped into their midst. Likewise I'm curious to find out where they've come from. As 7 or 8 of the group gather around I feel slightly uncomfortable. I'm now so used to being alone for most or all of the day. It turns out the group are heading along the same route as myself so I may have company over the next while. After 20 minutes most of the group head on. The thunderstorm brought some heavy rain but it appeared to have moved on. I stay on for another 10 minutes chatting to the 2 remaining lads before I hit the road again. It was close to 4pm and, with another 28 miles up to Ely, I wanted to get a move on.
Outside, I looked back across the valley towards Mount Wheeler where the thunderstorm seemed to be raging. I was glad I decided not to stay and climb that mountain. As I climbed in to these hills the rain came falling again. At the high point, Connors pass,the rain is absolutely lashing down. It could easily pass for the Dingle Peninsula today. I get soaked on the descent. However the last 20 miles were easy, enjoyable in the cool as the road worked it way through a valley up to the town of Ely.
I'm on the road for 10.30am. Whenever I've heard about Nevada I associate it with all the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas and Reno. So, following Route 50 (America's 'loneliest' road) I really feel as though I'm entering Nevada through its backdoor. I've also entered Pacific time.
Straight away the road climbs into the hills for about 20 miles to Sacramento pass where a sharp descent leads the road into the next valley. This sets the pattern of the days to come. Its going to be a repetitive cycle of mountain climbs, descents and long hauls across flat-bottomed basins.
The road to Ely, 63 miles away takes me around to the other side of Mount Wheeler into a basin called Spring valley. I see a large dust devil down in the bottom of the valley 5-6 miles away. Whipping up dust into a high funnel shape it moves slowly along the valley floor and keeps going for a good number of minutes before disappearing.
The road descends to cross the valley towards the next range of hills. Down in the valley I meet a cyclist doing a 600 mile trek around Nevada. He's from the area and says he hopes to go coast to coast next year. He tells me there a tavern a couple of miles ahead where I can stop for a rest. As we talk a thundestorm open up over the hills and begins to move out over the valley. We part, hastily, and push on towards that tavern, not wanting to be caught out in this storm.
When I reach the tavern I see a load of bikes lined up outside. Inside is a gang of cyclists. They're part of a group of 32 cycling from Florida to San Francisco for a charity called bike and build. They crowd around me to find out how I've dropped into their midst. Likewise I'm curious to find out where they've come from. As 7 or 8 of the group gather around I feel slightly uncomfortable. I'm now so used to being alone for most or all of the day. It turns out the group are heading along the same route as myself so I may have company over the next while. After 20 minutes most of the group head on. The thunderstorm brought some heavy rain but it appeared to have moved on. I stay on for another 10 minutes chatting to the 2 remaining lads before I hit the road again. It was close to 4pm and, with another 28 miles up to Ely, I wanted to get a move on.
Outside, I looked back across the valley towards Mount Wheeler where the thunderstorm seemed to be raging. I was glad I decided not to stay and climb that mountain. As I climbed in to these hills the rain came falling again. At the high point, Connors pass,the rain is absolutely lashing down. It could easily pass for the Dingle Peninsula today. I get soaked on the descent. However the last 20 miles were easy, enjoyable in the cool as the road worked it way through a valley up to the town of Ely.
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