May 8: From CR-10 to the junction with Rt-6. Total mileage was 10 miles in 45 min of cycling.

Not much to report today. This was really an off day, though I did have the opp to go back to where I ended yesterday and finish that damn ride. We were near totally rained out today. Was raining when we got up, and it rained until about 1 PM this afternoon. The mts were hidden in clouds and it was just a wet, wet day. Felt sore today from all the bike pushing and dragging, but otherwise not too bad for such a long effort yesterday. 

Laid in bed working on the route for the better part of the morning, kind of coming up with a contingency plan in case the higher routes are all gummed up like the one yesterday. And now with almost an all day rain, I’m a bit worried even the low altitude stuff is going to be a mess. We watched some movies, then the Cavs game, and then with it drizzling here in Ely again, the ladies took me back to where I ended yesterday so I could get that thing out of the way. The 10-mile drive on the dirt/gravel road was a bit worrisome, in that there were several really muddy, slick areas that I kind of held my breath on as we drove to yesterday’s end point. 

Vic did a great job driving the van out to the start. But I have to say that I will not have them drive on anything that wet again. Just too risky getting that van mired in a mess out there. So I’m really going to have to do a reset on checking out this route and the road conditions because I was counting on the van to be able to drive some of the flat roads in the basin to give me support. This is a super tricky area out here for support, and I’m so thankful that Vic is here to help Judy out in all phases of the trip. I’d have to say this is the toughest area yet from the support side of things what with the weather, the desolation, and the logistics we’ve been dealing with.

So I got through most of this 10-mile stretch pretty unscathed by all the mud…until about the last 2 miles and then I hit this tacky shit that just sent mud, gravel and sand everywhere. Luckily I’d worn these garbage cycling stuff for just the occasion. But I mean I had sand and mud just raining down on my head when I could see the van just down the road. It’s like getting dumped on from a rainstorm when you’re a block from home on your bike. Dumped the junky clothing in a plastic bag, and then we headed back into Ely to hit a car wash for the van and my bike. 

Found one, where I inserted my ONLY 8 quarters and got nothing! I was going ballistic, and Judy had to give me a talking to so I wouldn’t get the hammer out of my tool box and bust the face plate out of that freaking machine. Then we tried the bill changer machine which kept spitting my bills back out, to which I gave it a  very loving couple of fist punches. So Vic had to go across the street to a quick stop store and haggle for change with some mangy dude who was sleeping at the counter.  This place is like the land that time forgot! 

Back here at the motel and it’s beer thirty. Until tomorrow…..Pete