May 28, 2005
Day 11: Mono Lake to Boundary Peak
Last night I shared a campsite in Lee Vining with Biff, a guy cycling up to Oregon and Washington. We are both the same age and he hadn't cycle toured since his twenties, so he asked me to share a pointer or two. What's the greatest gem of wisdom I can offer after all these years?? Well, you'll get there when you get there.
I had the pleasure of a lazy morning, a hot shower, and clean laundry. I chatted with the owners about Yosemite regulations. Seems that the owner of the Tioga Lodge can keep the highway open up to the Tioga Pass entrance with just a blade on his truck - even in a snowy year, but the park can't open the road on their side with a large crew and all the latest equipment. Having Tioga Pass open is crucial to Lee Vining's economy. I'm sure they will be taking a big hit this year.
JoAnn had all my stuff waiting for me at the post office - even though it was Saturday and she wasn't normally open. Thanks! I may have lost some weight already, but I more than replaced it with all the added gear. I bought some groceries and had my chocolate milk and bananas on the bench in front of the store. A number of folks coming in and out made comments like, "You sure are saving on gas money!" I just smiled and nodded.
I headed east, taking the dirt road along Mono Lake. Big mistake! Deep sand! The views were simply incredible, but it was killer riding.
When I got back to the highway, I knew that it would be slow going. There's a steady, steep climb that seems much flatter to the eye. It's not. Plus I had a headwind. The forest helped to shield me from the wind, but there were big open stretches where there had been prescribed burns. When I got to the top the wind was really howling. The downhill was tough because of strong gusts. Somewhere coming down I picked up a big nail through the sidewall of my back tire. Great! The next place with a decent bike tire is probably Utah, but at least I have a sidewall kit.
The White Mountains on the Nevada border are usually dry, but this year they had a lot of snow. I always love the view through the notch. From the crest, it was another fast zoom down to Benson. Had to use the brakes again - damn! At the Benson Cafe I had a big, chocolate milkshake. At first the locals there viewed me as a rather odd bird, but when we started talking about caring for elderly parents and the simple things in life, we found we had much in common. I got back on my bike again to ride to the border. The turn onto Highway 6 now meant that I had a strong tailwind. It's a steady climb, but the wind balanced out the incline. I crossed into Nevada at twilight with Boundary Peak looming overhead. I found a little dirt road that led into the sagebrush, tossed my sleeping bag onto my tarp, and slept under a glorious, star-filled sky.
Today's ride: 56 miles (90 km)
Total: 522 miles (840 km)
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