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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