Day 6: Sparks to Lovelock

Time Zone : Pacific (GMT -8)
Todays Distance: 91 miles
Cycling time: 6hrs 45 mins

Today’s cumulative ascent: 1702 ft

Average Heart rate: 101 bpm

Distance so far: 420 miles

Ascent so far: 21,553 ft.

Todays profile:

Todays Route:

Dedication: Today is for my LC students as they face into the first Maths paper. Hope it went well, lads.

Had a good solid breakfast this morning of porridge, bacon , egg and toast. Tasted just like home. All luggage loaded at 7.15 and we pushed off from the Quality Inn in Sparks and quickly slipped down onto the hard shoulder of Interstate-80. Todays navigation was a simple affair - get onto I-80, stay on it for 75 miles and then take the exit for Lovelock and you can't miss the hotel. There are so few roads around that the Interstate is the only way to get across Nevada. Within 5 miles we were slipping out into the desert and it would stay with us for the rest of the day. At first we had the Truckee River next to us on the right hand side and the railway. Rolling hills of 1000 feet or so with no vegetation but harsh scrub later changed into more rugged ones. The hard shoulder was safe enough but the rumble strips grooved into the surface was a little uncomfortable. Not as much debris (bits of tyres, timber etc ) as we had last Monday. We settled into a rhythm ( Steve from Australia, Suresh from Trinidad and self) and I kept an eye on proceedings in my rear-view mirror.

We seem to have found a kinship and an agreed no-rush approach to this adventure. Ocassionaly others joined and left us, either going on or dropping back. Temperature was at a pleasant 15 degrees and almost no wind ... that itself is a plus. The early hilly part was something like a very dehydrated Conemara as you go out by Maam Cross and down by the Maam Turks. Gradually we moved away from the hills and the vastness of the desert spread out before us. It was enormous and we were only experiencing a narrow strip of it. It spread as far as the eye could see in all directions for the duration of the cycle. All of Nevada is desert except Reno, Las Vegas, Carson City and a few small towns like Lovelock etc. We couldn't have stayed anywhere else before Lovelock. At times one couldn't but notice the few signposts around. Some familiar ones and again that number 32 kept cropping up. At one stage I counted the carriages on a Union Pacific train that was passing us... 64 in all and only one engine at the front. I found all of the scenery spectacular. Even those Americans who are in on the adventure aspect of this cycle were amazed at the expanse and expressing how fortunate we are to be here. There were vast flats of sand on both sides with clumps of tumbleweed which must have extremely deep roots. On occasions we could see small twisters (si-ghaoth) spiralling sand up into the warm sky. The road was as straight as an arrow and disappearing in the far distance. Imagine looking down a long straight level road as far as Bansha; a slight turn and then all the way down to Cahir; another slight turn and you can see all the way to Clonmel and so on till you come to Waterford. The surface of the road was shimmering in the heat... now at 25 degrees and you could see the yellow tops of cyclists way ahead reflecting on the ground. No exits or sliproads to either side. We had the first SAG at 32 miles and the next one at the next exit at 68 miles. At one stage I spotted a sign referring to three of our next four overnight stops. It shows how few towns are along this road.

At mile 55 we had the Nightengale Hot Springs just on our right-hand side with the steam from the springs quite obvious. It was also being piped into a plant in what seemed to be some industrial process. I didn't find out ... must ask tomorrow.

The sand was hard and firm and when I suggested that we take a short-cut and cut the others off at the pass, I got no takers. No confidence in my brilliant navigation skills !

This is Forty Mile Desert I learned from a plaque at the second SAG stop and it was the most dreaded part of the Emigrant Trail westwards in the period 1840 to 1870 because of the absence of water and the extreme heat. they travelled mostly at night and then continued the Truckee River trail or the Carson River trail. How they did it amazes me. To move those wagons and oxen that distance even on I-80 would be some achievement. And then to think that they still had to negotiate Donner Pass. Those who made it deserved the better life they had in California; if they struck gold they deserved every bit of it. When I go home I must read a bit about the trek west. I think I'll appreciate the background.

We started the day in a calm; any wind that came was in our favour except for one period around the 40 mile mark when it was coming in from our left. When it favoured we tipped merrily along at almost 20 mph.

Going through the desert today I couldn't but recall the song that Father Ted and Father Dougall sang in the Craggy Island Song Contest "I went through the desert on a horse with no name". Here am I going through the desert on a bike with no name. So I must give it one. Any suggestions. See below.

After 75 miles we came off I-80 but travelled beside it for another 12 to enter Main Street Lovelock where they have a tourist attraction of inscribing the name of your loved one on a lock; locking it on an iron bar in the town and throwing the key away to indicate that that you are locked to that person. I didn't go looking for the place, I must admit. In truth the name arose from the fact that the town was founded by a Samuel Lovelock from Swansea.

Our group of three arrived at the motel at 3pm. It wasn't hard to find and I reside in Room 102.

Last night we had dinner in a casino; tonight we reside and eat in a casino...Sturgeons Inn.

Another great day in this adventure; an adventure that will benefit those kids in Providence.

It was a day that had it all .... desert, hot springs, twisters, vast landscape and good companions. Sure, what else would anyone ask for?

Competition: Suggest an appropriate name for my bike. Post your suggestions in the comments box and I'll send a postcard from Colorado to the winner. Judging panel is our international group of riders. Canvassing will not necessarily disqualify especially if it is accompanied with a fat brown envelope.

Overheard today: "What was your max(speed) today?"

My reaction: Sorry, not interested. No thank you. But I took 73 photos.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.

P.S.1 There may be no internet coverage in the next few stops. We are out in the sticks. But hold tight; the daily reports will stack up and be published in due course after Cork is bet.

P.S.2 A photo that Eddie Fitzgerald will appreciate.