Lonely Roads, Take Me Home

Ernest Hemingway said (and I paraphrase) that it is by riding a bicycle you learn a country best, not because you are moving slower than you would in a car, but because you feel the country...and by feel I believe he is refering to pain. Nevada and Utah are riddled with mountain ranges, each one having to be crossed by us on our journey back east, and each one leaving its imprint in our memories (specifically our muscle memory). Nevada could be incredibly beautiful, but also incredibly boring. In between each of these ranges that had to be crossesd are valleys 20 miles wide which also would have to be crossed. Now you might think that after climbing up a mountain pass and flying on the downhill, a 20 mile crossing of a valley would be no problem right? Wrong. Because at the end of the 20 miles crossing is another mountain pass that has to be climbed, looming ahead. Boredom also plays a roll. You can see your destination at the end of the valley, whether it be another mountain pass or a city, but despite your efforts, it never seems to get any closer. It is only by putting your head down for one or two hours, and then lifting it that any difference seems to have been made in the distance traveled.

You would think after reading the above paragraph that this bike trip has been miserable, but far from it. Nevada served us with some of the most beautiful country anyone could desire and the people there were great. We followed Route 50 through practically the entire state. It is aptly named "The Loneliest Road in America." Stretches of 60, 70, and 80 miles with nothing...nothing but the sagebrush (which provided an interesting smell as you passed it). We often would ride at intervals of 100 yards or even more apart, as getting lost would take incredible talent. Minus the passing of our tires on the pavement and the occasional deep breath, cough, or swig of water, the land was silent. At times it could be eerie, but it could also be peaceful. The unusual weather that had hit us in California continued bringing cool weather to a part of our ride that we thought would be the hottest stretch.

Camping in Nevada was no problem. We made use of any location that was fairly protected from view of the road. Once we did stay in an official campsite at Middlegate Station. Middlegate was the epitomy of a western saloon/RV heaven. Free camping out back and good food inside. Located literally in the middle of nowhere, it was an oasis. The rest of our time in Nevada was spent camping on the side of the the road. On Memorial Day we had an easy day in which we did 47 miles, then got a motel in Ely where we washed our clothes our clothes in the sink and then dried them with a blow drier.

Now we're in Escalante, Utah, waiting for some of this 100 degree heat to subside before we push on another 25 miles to Boulder. Utah has brought more mountains to climb, but also some incredible scenery. Unlike Nevada, where valleys break up the mountains, in Utah you're continuously in the mountains, canyons and hills. It has brought the toughest climbs of our journey as of yet, but it is our favorite state so far.