Day 10: Elko to Wendover.

Time Zone : Pacific(GMT -8)
Todays Distance: 107 miles (1st Century)
Cycling time: 6hrs 59 mins
Average Speed: 15.3 mph

Today’s cumulative ascent: 3828 ft

Average Heart rate: 97 bpm

Distance so far: 726 miles

Ascent so far: 31,098 ft. (Everest is 29,035 feet)

Dedication: Today is for my LC Gaeilge students in the Abbey who sit the second paper today. This special century day is to wish you all the best.

Today is the first century (a cycle in excess of 100 miles) of this adventure and is a landmark for any cyclist. I have many of them under my belt but still each one is special and cherished. There will be 9 of them on this trip. About 3 of the group were facing into their first century. Thus, an early start was called for and breakfast was served in the Red Lion Casino at 5 a.m. and loading immediately afterwards outside the hotel. The early morning sky was threatening with heavy black clouds. Everyone placed rain-gear in the Drop Box that could be collected at SAG if required. Better to sure than sorry. We were told that a front was moving in from the north that would influence the weather for the day.
A slight wind was blowing at this stage and it strengthened as the day went on… and in our favour too.

Behind those clouds was brilliant sunshine and blue skies. Sometimes we were in the cool shadow and then we had the benefit of the sunshine for periods. Temperature was around 15 degrees for the early morning but there was a need for the wind-breaker. I removed it for 2 short periods during the cycle. Again the Three Musketeers set off as a team and we had our strategy worked out for the century. Regular breaks (every 20 miles), a steady pace of 14 mph on the flat and Suresh and myself taking turns at the front. This was a gentleman’s paceline – no staring at the wheel in front at the expense of the scenery. We kept to the strategy closely enough and adapted it to the atmospheric circumstances. During the day we picked up one or two others who bought into our philosophy.
Navigation was straightforward enough - 7 miles on Business-80 East, then on to the I-80 for 100 miles and come off in Wendover beside the motel….. not rocket science. We were still moving up towards the source of the Humboldt River and I noticed a change in the vegetation … more and more rough grass growing among the sage-bush. A number of green fields reclaimed from the desert appeared and at one stage marsh-land and standing water was to be seen. We were near to the source. A farm of land surrounded by desert on our right was being heavily irrigated with mobile booms moving across the various fields
All along the highway we noted the signposts with the distance to Wendover first appearing over 100 but steadily dropping.At one stage we spotted a sign for Beverly Hills. Had we taken a serious wrong turn somewhere?
First SAG was after 40 miles at a rest area on a summit by the Star Valley Exit. Everything was progressing favourably and the tail-wind picking up. From the summit we dropped and got a glimpse of the long road ahead stretching for miles in the shape of a sickle.

Here on the higher ground there were stunted pine trees growing and I surmised that we were moving into semi-desert. I was being a bit previous as the desert landscape returned with a vengeance. The stretch of road ahead measured 8 miles (I checked) to the turn. At least we had free-fall down from Star Valley for miles before the flat part but the wind scooped us along. Then a 6-mile climb through a canyon with the pine trees again appearing on the higher ground. For part of this I cycled standing out of the saddle to give the butt a break on the steeper bits. SAG was at the top (70 miles) at Pequop Summit (Elev 6967 feet ...a little higher than Shillong). From the SAG we were in to construction and were directed to descend on the cordoned-off fast lane for a few miles. The descent lasted for ages and even on the flat we careered along at 24 mph on the big ring with little or no effort. John and Amy had joined us at Pequop and even while moving merrily along tried to take in the magnitude of our surroundings, now back to the ubiquitous sage-bush.photo expanse John and I wondered at the vast expanse on either side (and he has travelled and cycled extensively around the States). What or who was out there ? See Heard Today. I thought I had a pretty clear concept of ‘a large tract of land’ and ‘big’ and ‘extensive’ but this has left me baffled and redefining my terms of reference.

And for four days now we have been looking at these stretches of desert extending to the horizon and probably beyond. Amazing and incredible. For this last section of the century (37 miles) it was all wind-assisted and/or downhill. No effort was needed except for steering clear of the occasional bits of debris on the shoulder. One piece of blowing tumbleweed attacked my rear-wheel but came off second-best. At this stage we tracked along in the mid-20’s mph and made the odd stop for a few photos. It was easy for the others (who had been taking photos)to catch up with me …..just a few turns of the pedals and wheeeeeee.
There were whoops from each of us as the cyclocomputers showed the 100 miles appearing in the distance window. Just before Wendover there was a slight hill we had to crest (like the hill up by the graveyard in Tipperary). I wanted to test the strength of the wind so I stopped pedalling and let the forces of nature take over. The wind kept me going up at 12 mph (20 kph).photo salt
Coming over the crest of that hill just short of Wendover was something else. It stopped me in my tracks in spite of the wind. The vast white Salt Lake desert lay before me in all its splendour…. As far as the eye could see. (We’ll see a lot of it tomorrow). When the others came over the crest the effect was the same. Stunned. Flabbergasted. We went for the cameras immediately and attempted to stand somehow steady for the click. We just had to remain there for a while. And in the distance the parallel lines of I-80 and railway going across the salt flats. Wow.
Finally when we tore ourselves away from the spectacle there was just a mile or so to the motel.,.. but what a mile. The strong wind was swirling around and coming at us from the left. It got so viscious that we had to dismount after being almost thrown into the margin. Scary. One rider in an earlier group had been knocked over and received 13 stitches in her chin.
Our motel tonight is a casino again (Wendover is the last town in Nevada before Utah) and inside it’s like a wonderland maze with bright flashy lights and mirrors. Easier to navigate on the road
At this stage we are in Mountain Time Zone and we have lost an hour. Not having put my watch on, I missed Route Rap this evening at 6pm (5pm Nevada Time). Luckily I spotted my mistake before dinner in the rainforest Buffet in the casino.
Another great day of cycling but then of course, everything was in our favour. To morrow is another century, in another state and a new time-zone. No wonder I looking to getting up in the morning already.
Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.

Heard Today: “ Life on Mars ? That's not the question. Question is 'Is there life out there?'