Day 6: Reno to Lovelock NV -- Flat and fast 80 on I80

93.8 miles; 437 total miles; tot time 5:34; max speed: 32.5 max speed. 16.8 avg speed Weather: cool and sunny in the morning warming to 70’s in the afternoon with some clouds. Variable light winds from SW to SE. Pictures are here.

Route sheets for today were very simple. Get on I80 and stay there for about 80 miles; then hop on a frontage road for the last 12 into town. Our instructions from Michele were to avoid pace lines until we knew how we each rode on this stuff and to watch out for a big berm grate at 22 miles ‘cause a rider in a pace line did not see it in time a few years ago ending his ride with a life flight helicopter ride back to Reno General.

With the 16 mile climbing jaunt up into the Sierra Nevada range on I80 two days ago still fresh in my mind and a lot of talk about rumble strips this and rumble strips that rattling around in my brain I was feeling a bit grumbley about 80 miles of this stuff today. Michele did her best to allay my concerns over oatmeal and pancakes this morning but I remained the skeptic. No motels on alternate routes she said. Most of the rumble strips don’t go across the berms she said. Lots of folks have done this and actually liked it she said. You’ll soon get used to the noise from those 3 trailer Fed Ex trucks rumbling past you, she said.

So this morning we rolled right out into Reno traffic following the big green I80 entrance signs up the on ramp and there we were with traffic buzzing off our left shoulder, rumble strips to our right and a thin white line of paint separating us from cars and trucks and buses whizzing 3 feet to our left. You got to be kidding me, I thought – 5 hours of THIS??? But as our group of 8 or so clicked along, the berm got wider, the rumble strips moved to our left, the traffic got less, the road got smoother and our senses got acclimated to the noise. And pretty soon we began to roll along at 25 mph as the traffic wind tunnel effect grabbed us and pulled us along.

Brad and I soon synched our pace and began taking turns leading each other. This was FUN!! Smooth pavement, wind at your back, confident in the wheel ahead of you FUN. We were cranked it up to 30 or more at times and even the grades did not slow us to under 20. About 25 miles in, just when you are thinking that this could last all day, and how will I feel after 80 miles of this, and should we even bother to stop at the first SAG stop and all sorts of other random thoughts I heard that psssst sound every cyclist dreads. Brad’s rear wheel was going flat. I had now been part of 3 flats in 3 days. I would soon go from being whispered about to gaining a reputation to becoming and urban legend. Ride with Chris and you WILL flat.

Brad got it fixed in a hurry – he’s had considerable practice the past couple of days – and we were off once again. We soon arrived at the rest stop where I spotted a Wal*Mart across the way. My very trusty camera seemed to be slowing down, chewing up batteries, flashing when it ought not to and I was getting mildly panicky at the thought of traveling without one, so I rode over and looked at what they had, including several discounted demo models. Soon I was on my way, new camera in hand snapping pictures again. Much better!

I have been so impressed with the AbB staff. They are competent and always in good humor. Even when having to transport gimpy-shouldered Rick 50 miles one way to the Sacramento airport twice between 8pm and 4am the other night because of a missed flight. Even when they have to haul my (Dave’s really) bicycle hard shell 1200 miles because I could not figure out how to get UPS or FedEx to pick it up on a weekend. They are regimented when they need to be (like making sure I know that 20 minutes after load for luggage is unacceptable and will never happen again – right??? ). And they are enthusiastic even though several have done this little trip 10 times or more.

Last night Jim, Hans and I spoke at length with Sean, the trip wrench. He’s a 25 year old recent UofCA poly sci grad who loves bike racing, is an exceptional mechanic (watched him change a frozen bottom bracket in no time) and responds to every request with “No problem” while doing what is needed. Sean recognizes that he is in a unique, unattached place perhaps for the last time and so will be leaving the tour in Kansas to use his already purchased around the world airline ticket to travel for 3 months to Europe, Africa, South America, India and Australia.

Tomorrow's ride is pretty flat again and in the 60's long.

The Nevada desert calls as we roll up off the desert floor and continue through the Nevada Badlands. We will ride through quaint old western towns with a lot of history. Just imagine as you roll through Winnemmucca, where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid robbed their first bank and began a crime spree that made them legends, you are riding through history.

Should be a day for some recovery before we hit a couple of back to back centuries into Salt Lake City.