Day 15
83 miles, (That’s eighty three miles of grim)
So we crossed the Nevada – Utah border at about 0720 this morning. We cycled to the border from Baker about 8 miles back (see yesterday’s episode).
Right from the off today was hard. The wind oh Lordy the wind. Howling gales blew straight at us. Huge long straight roads that never seemed to end, hills that were gradual but seemingly endless and all the time, headwind. By 1100 I really felt low, it was like we just couldn’t progress. I suspect I could trademark some of the new swear words I used. This went on and on until we finally got to the top of a big climb. Once we hit the superbly named Wah Wah summit we escaped the full head on wind.
Just after Wah Wah summit and about 6 hours into our riding day I flagged down a biker (of the Harley persuasion), I asked him to take one of my business cards to a motel in Milford and to ask them to reserve a room for tonight. There was zero mobile signal so I was unable to do this myself. The biker kindly agreed and wished us luck.
We continued over another very challenging climb to Frisco Summit here we met Corporal Vincent from the Sheriffs Dept. We chatted for a while and I asked him to kindly re-confirm our intent to stay at the motel when he headed back to town. We then set off on the 14 mile descent into Milford arriving about 13 hours after we left Baker.
I have walked 2000 miles from Amsterdam to Barcelona, run 2 marathons and done many other physically demanding challenges. I can however say with confidence that this was the single most gruelling day I have ever experienced. The killer factor was the soul sapping, glee consuming, Harry Potter-Dementor like grimness of the wind.
We have now eaten (3800 calories used today) and freshened up in the Oak Tree Motel and are heading to bed. Sleep will come easy tonight.
