Camping on Rock

Day 51 - Ranch in Wah-Wah Valley, UT - Majors Junction, NV 95 miles, 2 burgers, 19 waves, NEW STATE Nevada, Totals: 5257kms, 112 burgers, 85 waves, 16 states NEW TOP SPEED: 54.4MPH Alex, 86KPH Me.

We left the ranch by eight this morning, having dried out as much of our kit as possible after the attack of the sprinklers. We cycled 7 miles uphill in the first hour, then 20 miles downhill the second hour. The up and downs look severe from a distance, yet they are really gradual - the only thing severe is the distance - the average valley is 30 miles, 10 up 10 down and 10 in between.

We made good time, partly because there was no reason to stop - we still had 57 miles to go before we could get more water and food. After several ups and downs we were flying along, slightly downhill with the wind behind us, when we met John, the first person we have met while we were cycling with the wind. It was good to meet him - his blog is: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/7076

We had lunch in baker at the end of the 84 mile stretch with no services having set our watches back another hour - we are now 8 hours ahead of England. After lunch we set out on a 63 mile stretch of nothing, taking minimal food and water because we thought we could get some at Major's Junction where our maps said there was a campsite and a bar. We cruised the first bit, with the wind helping us along - so much so in fact that down our last hill of the day we both set new top speeds, Alex sneaking out of my slipstream to set an even higher one.

But, at the bottom of the hill, we turned left straight in to the full force of the wind and struggled for an hour against the wind, going 5 miles. Luckily we didn't continue south for long, but we worn out from that stretch (and the other 80 miles that day) so we got into the only place in Majors Junction at 8.30 New time - sun had gone down. The good news was the had water and beer, the bad news was no food.

Tomorrow we will go to Ely early on, and then probably another 30 miles, taking a relative rest day - much needed with this offensive wind. Both of us are craving a car trip uphill and against the wind as well as a nice bowl of crunchy nut clusters and strawberry's for breakfast.

After beer in Major's Junction, finding a place to sleep was much easier - it was all gravel, but we were so tired we didn't care and set the tent up on the only concrete available - lying in it really quickly because it was windy and we couldn't put pegs in. In the confusion of setting up, Alex got his bungy cord wrapped around the inside of the cassette so we will have to take that off in the morning.