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Slideshow
Slideshow
A
slideshow
of photos of my desert crossing through Nevada -- including Las Vegas -- to Barstow, California, can be found at
https://photos.app.goo.gl/AqiBqGmE3968KTXXA
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Missive No. 4: Desert Crossing
Missive No. 4: Desert Crossing
Apologies in advance, this will be a short missive. Right now I'm in Barstow, CA, where my Internet connection is weak and keeps dropping.
In brief, I spent a week crossing the Mojave Desert. On my very first day in Nevada I understood that this was not a place for camping -- at least not in June. It was too hot, and water for camping would be problematic. I quickly decided that i needed to be indoors at night in cheap motels where it would be cool and I had water. I also abandoned my original plan to travel US 66, aka the mother road. Although a historic route, it is also a lonely one with few real towns along its path. And so, I crossed Nevada on the modern highway, I-15. WoodsWoman and I traveled the shoulder, which is legal in western states. (If you're curious what this is like, see this short video that I shot along the way.) I had never been in Las Vegas, but I-15 goes right through it. And so, I decided to spend a day. No, I did not spend my day in a casino, but I did get a ride in a gondola. If you don't believe me, just look at the photos :) .
The most difficult part came after Las Vegas in the middle of the desert. I carried much more water than usual and drank all of it by the end of each day. Yesterday -- 115 km (72 miles) from Baker to Barstow -- was the hardest. A strong wind blew directly in my face the whole way. I barely maintained a speed of 10 km/hr (6 miles/hour). I cranked the pedals a full ten hours and arrived only just before sunset. I was so exhausted that I decided to rest two days in Barstow.
What comes next? The day after tomorrow I will turn north and begin riding through the Sierras. Unfortunately, Tioga Pass at Yosemite National Park is still closed due to snow. If the pass has not been cleared by the time I get there, I likely will declare that this has already been a good summer trip and will begin looking for an Amtrak station. Time will show. I have my fingers crossed.
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Извиняюсь заранее, что это будет только короткое послание. В данный момент я нахожусь в городе Барстов, штат Калифорния, где подключение к Интернету слабый и часто пропадает.
Вкратце, я провела неделю в пустыне, переехав пустыню Могаве. В первый же день в штате Неваде, я поняла, что здесь не место для кемпинга, Слишком уж жарко и тоже мало воды. Решила, что надо ночевать в дешёвых мотелях где прохладно и где вода обеспечена. Я тоже бросила первоначальный план ехать по знаменитой дороге US 68 ("дорога матушка"). Это дорога, хотя историческая, брошенная и почти без населённых пунктов по пути. Итак, я переехала штат Неваду по современной дороге I-15. Мы с ЛесНицей ездили по обочине, что позволено в западных штатах. (Если хочешь видеть как это выглядит, вот короткое видео я сняла по пути.) Так как I-15 проходит через город Лас Вегас, где я раньше не бывала, я решила провести там день. Нет, я не ходила в Казино, но зато плыла в лодке типа "гондолы." Если не веришь, смотри на фотографии :) .
Самое трудное было после Лас Вегас, в середине пустыни. Я носила с собой куда больше воды, чем обычно, и всё выпивала к концу каждого дня. Вчерашний день -- 115 км из Бейкера в Барстов -- оказался самым тяжёлым, Сильный ветер дул в лицо весь путь. Я еле держала скорость 10 кв/час. Я крутила педали 10 часов и доехала только незадолго до заката. Я так устала, что решила отдыхать два дня в Барстове.
А что дальше? Послезавтра я начну путь на север по хребту гор Сьерра-Невады и Каскадов, но перевал Тиога в Национальном парке Йосемити ещё перекрыт снегом, Если перевал не очищен к времени моего приезда, я скорее всего объявлю, что поход завершён и что пора найти путь к железнодорожному вокзалу Амтрак. Время покажет. Держу кулачки.
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Daily Log
Daily Log
Friday, June 2, 2023 -- 8498 km cum - 72 km/day
Saturday, June 3, 2023 -- 8584 km cum - 86 km/day
I am done with "canyonlands" and the first part of this summer's adventure. Zion turned out to be an over-loved, overcrowded Disney version of a national park, but its striking beauty still merited an almost three-day stay.
On Friday I rode to St. George and a backyard camping WS night with Judith and her nearly eight-year-old son Felix. Judith is German but lived/worked in both Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan. She is a violinist and both an LGBT and bicycle activist. Not surprisingly, we had a lively, engaging evening as Felix hovered nearby in a pair of wings.
On Saturday I crossed into Nevada on a hot, hilly day. I'm at a small AirBnB for two nights and spent today on laundry and my third missive. I see many motels and AirBnBs in my future for the coming week. I'm in the desert now, and the temperature today in St George was upper 30s C. The last thing I need is heat exhaustion.
On the way I got my third flat of this trip, time in the front wheel that I discovered was **entirely** flat after I had spent a half hour at a CV just before crossing into Nevada. I had just finished a fast and furious descent, and I know that tire was fine when I arrived at the CV. My fear is that the flat was intentional on the part of someone who is anti-trans. It's Pride Month, and I am displaying a small trans flag. I think someone may have decided "to teach me a lesson." by letting the air out of the tire when I wasn't looking. I did find/patch the smallest of slow leaks, but there is no way it could explain a tire that was suddenly and completely flat.
Monday, June 5, 2023 -- 8636 km/cum - 52 km/day
A short 32.5 mile day by design so that I can spend the night in a "Psycho-class" motel in Moapa as I "glamp" my way across the desert. Days will be short, and I will be doing motels until the desert is behind me. That said, today's ride on the I-15 shoulder was surprisingly easy despite a good climb at the start out of Mesquite. I accept the gift of a tailwind.
Administrative matters: I replaced my chain during my off-day in Mesquite.
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 -- 8703 km cum - 67 km/day
This was a hot, long, and brutal day, the type that makes me wonder I do this. The reason? CONSTRUCTION!
It started at about the halfway point where jersey barriers closed the left lane and moved traffic to the shoulder, **my** shoulder. I had to push WoodsWoman over two miles through gravel at the side of the highway.
That behind me, I cycled on for another five or so miles only to have the same type of construction zone again. This time I had to push through three miles of gravel. I got off I-15 at the Rt. 93 exit to take a break and find an alternate route.
And so, I thought all would be well. I was only twelve or thirteen miles from my motel for the night. Wrong!! About three or four miles in, the road was closed due to . . . CONSTRUCTION!! Google Maps sent me on to a circuitous detour on dirt roads that resembled the desert tracks I remember from the Ustyurt Plateau in Kazakhstan. After pushing WoodsWoman up and down several of these rocky, sandy tracks, I decided to ignore Google. I could see a truck park of some kind in the distance with the freeway behind it. I bushwhacked my way there and, thank goodness, found a paved road.
I am chilling tonight at a Motel 6 next to the Vegas Speedway. Today clinches it. Tomorrow I'll move to a nicer hotel on the Vegas strip. Only two days into Nevada, I've already earned a day off.
Wednesday, June 7, 2023 -- 8730 km cum - 27 km/day
A super-short day to the Hilton Virgin Curio Hotel just off "the strip" in downtown Las Vegas. I had never intended or wanted to come here, but here I am. Rather than preconceived notions, I will be able to say I have personal knowledge of Vegas.
The morning ride in through North Las Vegas was easy but depressing. It reminded me of down-and-out parts of Baltimore, a far cry from "the strip." The homeless problem seems deep here.
Anecdote: I was early, and no room was available yet. I asked about checking WoodsWoman, but the bell-captain would not let me roll her personally to the storage room. Based on experience, I was not going to put her in anyone's hands but my own. And so, I rolled her with me to a coffee shop in the lobby complex. I was sitting with my coffee and croissant when I was approached by Scott. He turned out to be from hotel security. The security staff had seen WoodsWoman through their cameras and were not happy. I explained the situation to Scott, who seemed satisfied. He came back a few minutes later and, apologizing, said his supervisor insisted that I leave. Scott, who was as apologetic as can be, went with me back to the check-in desk, where I was told that a room was ready. Based on this experience, I would have to say that bicycle tourism is not at the top of the list of tourist priorities in Las Vegas.
Friday, June 9, 2023 -- 8802 km cum - 72 km/day
I'm on the road again as I make my way west. Much of today's ride can be characterized as "get out of Vegas." A good part of the ride's start involved going half to three quarters of the way around the airport. I now know where Xi works when she's home in Vegas.
The ride once I was out of Vegas had some climbing but was not difficult. Plus, the heat has moderated some. I was back on I-13 for the last twelve miles.
Tonight I'm at a casino resort hotel in Primm where, alas, not all is proper. The "resort" has seen better days. The carpet is dirty, and there were no towels in the bathroom. Shades of "The Shining"?
Saturday, June 10, 2023 -- 8884 km cum - 82 km/day
A long, slow climb out of Primm was followed at the end by a delightful 17-mile descent to Baker, CA, in the middle of the Mohave Desert. I lost close to 1000m (3000 ft) in that descent. Delightful as it was, I know I'll have to recover much of that altitude tomorrow.
I'm staying at a small house that is an AirBnB. Thank goodness. The only other choice would have been wild camping without water.
I'm in California for only the second time in my life! The first and, until now, the only other time was in 1986 for meetings at Lockheed in Sunnyvale before the launch of Hubble.
Sunday, June 11, 2023 -- 9002 km cum - 118 km/day
[Writing on Monday, June 12]
The ride from Baker to Barstow was long and grueling. "Brutal" may be the better adjective. It wasn't the heat or hills. Rather, it was the wind, which was strong, at times gusty, and unrelentingly straight on into my face. My average speed for the ride was scarcely 10 km/hour. It was 6:30p.m. by the time I reached the Route 66 Motel on Main Street in Historic Downtown Barstow.
I'm taking two rest days here. I need them after yesterday's ordeal. At least the Mojave Desert is behind me now. I have crossed it.
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