Day 9: Battle Mountain, NV to Elko, NV

Day 9: 11 June 2007

Battle Mountain, NV (4507 ft) to Elko, NV (5060 ft). 
72 Miles.

Blog Address:
http://bikeboyglovach.blogspot.com
 
Friends – feel free to encourage or make fun of me on this blog which my friend Mardo is keeping up for me (thanks Mardo!).  I mean, why slam me and keep it just between us?

Videos on the WWW
http://public.box.net//greg98266
Friends – access this link to view some videos I am making with my digital camera.  Not advised while riding, but, at least I have a helmet on…..
 
Specific Videos:
Day 4 – Robert, Greg, and Me on the American River Trail
Day 5 – Greg Riding in the Sierras
Day 5 – Snow in Truckee, CA
Day 6 – Greg Riding on Bike Path Near Squaw Valley, CA
Day 7 – Riding a Bike on I-80 East

Day’s Theme:
Continue west.  Prepare for Salt Lake City.

Weather/Terrain:
Another perfect riding day – borderline second layer in the AM, and sunny with moderate breezes all day.  A moderate climb today from milers 25 to 40.  Then, a nice downhill and flat ride into Elko.  Elko is a bust city compared to the last few in Nevada…,. 

How I feel:
Good, and confident.  I did get my 3rd flat today, and decided I had it with the piece of sh&# Specialized Armadillo Tire, so, I changed my rear tire out.  Yeah – those are really great tires!  Not.  Actually, I caught a nasty cut in that tire 10 miles into this trip on Day 1, and, I think that tire is shot.  My rear wheel has also been out of true a few times in that last few days – nothing like adding some “resistance” to a 3840 mile bike ride!! 

Notable Events:
Thank you all for your encouragement and e-mails – I appreciate them and they help me keep peddling….
Now, Tuesday and Wednesday are very aggressive mileage days, and we lose an hour entering Utah, so, please don’t worry if I don’t e-mail you for a couple days – I will catch up….

Pictures:
What’s Happening:



Some “free range” cattle in this picture, along a rare stream in the desert. 






Erin and Arlene at Mile 22. 
 
The grey van in the background was staffed by Tom – it is one of the 2 SAG Wagons.






Each day the desert gets a little greener.  This grass, believe it or not.






Rolling hills of desert vegetation.
 
Pretty in it’s own way.
 
Looks like another planet……..






In all our days in Nevada, we have done some climbing, but also seem to be riding between many small, but steep mountain ranges






At Mile 49, we entered the town of Carlin.  The last few towns we went through all put their initial in the hills.
 
You’ll see some trees in this picture – first trees we have seen for days!






This is Carlin Canyon.  This was a 6 mile road which ran near the I-80 Interstate but had no auto traffic and ran along t his river which carved this canyon.






I just rode up this road through the canyon.






Further up the road in Carlin Casnyon..






This is a cattle grate.
 
Since Nevada has a lot of “free range” cattle/livestock, they also have hundreds of miles of barbwire fences that lead to the road.  In the road, there are these steel gates called “cattle grates” – these things are put in the roads to prevent the cattle from crossing the road – apparently, their little hooves slip in and they freak-out.
 
Why did the cattle cross the road?
 
Because there was no cattle grate!






Leaving Carlin Canyon and continuing on I-80, there is still some spectacular scenery.