Rising with the Sun is such a glorious thing we take for granted when so insulated by our comfortable homes. My eyes opened to fields of desert sage and a curtain of glowing bronze mountains. I enjoy a simple breakfast in bed with a view, then do some yoga for the long ride ahead...I completely ignore the clock but I estimate I was on the road by 6:30am to try and cross Death Valley before the height of the heat in the afternoon...
The ride through the simple towns of the high valley 395 cuts through with the Sierras guiding me on my right side was a
t
hrough back to the pioneer days. The turn off to Death valley was so unassuming that I almost over shot it...I was half expecting warning signs, skull and cross bones, etc...nothing.
The cool mountain air quickly evaporated as the sun rose, with the anticipations of the future heat, I loaded up on water. Crossing the desert was as expected, lots of desolate straightaways punctuated by twisty sections of elevation gains and losses. There were remnants of car fires on the uphill sections from overheated attempts at crossing the desert. The scorching wind was like opening a hot convection oven and gave no relief for my sweat drenched riding gear no matter how fast I pushed my trusty steed...
I stopped at the ranger station for a pass and some tourist attractions, though I had little intentions on stopping for sight seeing. I decided on a straight shot through the depths of the valley and quickly to a highway that would give me excape from the heat. I passed though an anomoly of a rain squal, where most of the rain evaporated before hitting the ground, yet it just seemed to increase the heat not help to cool anything. It wasn't until I cros
sed the valley and was on the highway to Las Vegas that the heat caught up with me and I stopped at "Nevada Joe's Area 51 gas station, convient store and bar and grill" for some ice and AC. "How bout that Heat!" I then made the mistake of having a snack and I passed out for an hour in the cool air and cheap naugahyde lounge chair.
I collected some local stickers for my pannier collage and hit the road running to make up some time. I had intentions on stopping in Las Vegas for a re-gear/supply stop, yet I just wanted to get away from the irritating heat, so I pushed on and made it to the NE Utah border just in time to set up camp off some logging road with a great view. The light rain and thunderstorms in the area gave no relief from the heat and I could barely sleep due to waking up ga
sping for air and fanning my sweat...nevertheless, it was a fulfilling day of survival and views.
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