Day 24: Saturday July 12, 2014

I woke up at 4:45 before my alarm which was set for 5:00. I guess I was anxious to get home and be with my family. After my quiet time I got in the shower loaded the bike and I was on the road west bound on interstate 80. The last leg of my trip. It was a pleasant 64 degrees when I left and did not rise above 72 until I got to Sparks NV, where I stopped for gas and a leg stretch. It was a relaxing ride from Winnemucca into Sparks with very few travelers on the road this early on a Saturday. Once I left Nevada and started climbing into the Sierra's it was such a reprieve from the less than picturesque desert. The air was fresh with pine and the view was what I am familiar with, mountains, trees and rock formations. It was so nice to be back in California and Lincoln was only a breath away. I stopped for a couple kodak moments along the way including the city limit sign for Lincoln. I text Myrna to let her know I was close and when I rounded the corner of our cul-de-sac, Myrna, Courtney and Winston were waiting for me. It is great to be home, but I truly loved everything about this ride, the people, the places and even the things that happened. America is beautiful, go out there and discover her!! I rode 291 miles today for a total of 6587. Dave sent me a text and said he arrived safely in San Diego and he rode 337 miles today for a total of 6676.

 

 

 

 

Vista point that is Donner Lake

 

Train tunnel in the side of the mountain

 

 

Emigrant Gap

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So good to see and kiss my wife after almost a month away!

 

 

 

 

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Day 23: Friday July 11, 2014

The alarm went off at 5:00 and Dave and I got our bikes packed and had our morning prayer then hugged and said goodbye! After 3+ weeks of living together, riding 5900 miles thru 9 states, surviving storms and wildlife it was hard to say goodbye to my best friend. However we did and rode off in opposite ways. Dave continued south on 15 toward Las Vegas and I headed west on interstate 80 toward Winnemucca. We wanted to get out early and off the road early because of the anticipated heat. Leaving Salt Lake City we had overcast skies and while I was riding past the Great Salt Lake I had a light sprinkling of rain. I rode under cloud cover for the first 230 miles then the sun came out in Elko and the temps increased to 90+. We gained another hour as we entered the Pacific Time Zone. I had a few traffic delays while work was being done on the 80 and arrived in Winnemucca around noon. I spoke with Dave and he got into North Vegas around the same time and he had cloud cover until about 90 miles from Vegas. I was feeling good and wanted to ride to Reno for the night but I couldn't change my reservations without penalty so I opted to stay in Winnemucca. It was fine, I was able to was the Montana and Idaho bugs off the bike and relax and do some reading. Todays ride was pretty boring as there isn't much to look at in the desert, but I did manage to take a few pictures along the way. I rode 388 miles and Dave rode 431 for a total of 6296 and 6339 respectively.

 

Saying farewell

The desert at sunrise

 

 

 

My lonely highway

 

Beginnings of the salt flats

 

 

 

More lonliness

 

 

 

This was at a rest area

 

You could walk right out onto the salt flats but then your shoes need to be washed off. I didn't walk out

Evidently the land speed testing is done out near this mountain

Kinda looks lunar to me

 

Nice ghetto welcome to Nevada.

 

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Day 22: Thursday July 10, 2014

After a good nights rest we got off to an early start this morning because of the anticipated heat in Idaho and Utah. We filled our gas tanks, checked the tire pressure and we headed south on interstate 15. After yesterday's encounter with the deer and angels, it took me several miles before I settled into the ride. I was on a heightened alert looking at every shrub and rock waiting for it to jump out onto the highway. But I prayed and released it all to God and I fell into the ride and enjoyed my surroundings. Dave and I said goodbye to Montana as we rode into Idaho. The temperature dropped to 61 degrees in the mountains but soon started to warm up as we approached Idaho Falls where we stopped for an early lunch (late breakfast).

Montana

 

Montana prairie

 

 

Interstate 15

 

Montana farm land

 

 

Twin Peaks

 

The temperature gradually started raising as we left Idaho and rode into Utah. We stopped for gas at a little town and I thought I would try out the cool vest that I picked up at Wing Ding. I soaked the vest in water wrung it out and put it on over my t-shirt and then put on my riding jacket. The air that vents thru my jacket created a cooling with the wet vest. As the temperature rose to 91 degrees I was quite comfortable. In fact when we arrived in Salt Lake City for the night the vest still had moisture in it. Tomorrow will be a test for the vest as I will be riding across Utah into Nevada as Dave and I say goodbye and go our seperate ways. Dave will be heading south to San Diego where he will meet Laura, put his bike on his trailer and ultimately head back home to Texas. Today we rode 379 miles for a total of 5908.

 

 

Beautiful skies and farm

 

 

 

Cool vest

Cool vest

Dave and I walked to dinner at The Gateway which is an outdoor retail, residential and restaurant mall that the city was developed around. The area at one time used to be the train depot and the original depot has been restored and is now used for special events. We were able to walk thru the depot to get to the mall.

A couple of the stained glass windows

The original ticket window

 

 

 

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