Day 8: Austin to Spencer hot spring

May 6, 2010

Today will be a short easy day, so I slept until 8:15. I'm told it got down to 20F overnight in Austin. I left the motel at 11 after stops at the cafe, grocery store, etc. One important task was to buy a 1-gallon water jug. Today I leave Austin with 2.4 gallons of water which needs to last until the end of tomorrow.

I'm on my own now. Bil will stay in the motel, waiting for his wife to pick him up on Friday night.

The climb to Austin summit is only 1000 feet but the 115-pound bike was noticeably slower than usual.

Looking back on Austin during the climb to Austin summit.

I was close to snow on north facing slopes.

Climbing to Bob Scott summit, where I crest the Toiyabe range.

After Austin summit is a 600 foot descent followed by a 400 foot climb to 7267-foot Bob Scott summit. There is no summit sign, but there is a very nice Forest Service campground at Bob Scott summit. It's the only campground along the desolate section of US 50. I had a long stop there, but it was cold and windy even when sitting in the sun. Today is much cooler than yesterday. High temperature in the 50's, windy all day long.

Today's destination is Spencer hot spring on the east side of the Toiyabe range. To get there I turned south for 0.3 mile on Nevada 376.

Then I turned east onto a gravel road across the basin. 7 miles of gravel to the hot spring.

7 miles of gravel roads to Spencer hot spring.

I arrived early in the afternoon and set up my tent 100 feet away from the main hot pool, on the downwind side of a dune that I hoped would block the cold wind and blowing sand. The elevation is 5600 feet. It will get very cold tonight, especially if it stays windy. But there is no highway noise and I have an unobstructed view of the Toiyabe range. The next pictures were taken in the morning when the sun angle was best.

One of two stock tanks at Spencer hot spring. Desirable because they can be drained and cleaned.

Goldfish live in the outflow of the hot spring.

The temperature was already below freezing before I went to bed. If I get too cold during the night I have the option to jump into the hot water...

At night it finally sinks in that I'm a solo bike tourist now. That's fine because I prefer solo touring. My heavy recumbent is slower on the climbs than most upright bikes, which makes it hard to keep pace with others. I like the freedom to stop as often as I like to take pictures or rest. Partners usually prefer to pedal more and gawk less. I'm not an early riser and I don't like having to keep track of partners (or burdening them to keep track of me). I take far more pictures when I tour alone, and am more immersed in the here and now. With a group, thoughts about the group inevitably distract the mind.

Distance: 22.4 mi. (36 km) 8 miles on gravel

Climbing: 1634 ft. (495 m)

Average Speed: 8.0 mph (13 km/h)

Maximum Speed: 36 mph (58 km/h)

Today's ride: 22 miles (35 km)
Total: 393 miles (632 km)

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Charmaine RuppoltI'm like you in that I like to stop and take pictures along a ride, and not hold anyone up. It's nice to take your time. :)
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