Day 6 & 7 Winnemucca to Battle Mountain to Elko

Winnemucca turned out to be a bit of a metropolis in this part of the of the world. Host of the Superior Livestock Auction, where farmers come from around Winnemucca to buy and sell their steer, cattle, bulls and cows. A lot of trucks and cowboys and a good occasion for the local hotels to increase hotel prices. We found a decent one which looked like it came from the same mold as most other motels in the States. Two floors and outside gangway a small reception and a very small pool always facing the most busy road.

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It is hot in Nevada right now and the wise men would get out of the motel early and ride some miles before noon till 4 pm where it gets really hot. But we had worked late Wednesday and we had found a bicycle shop which was supposed to open at 10 am. The owner had decided to go on a cruise in Alaska, so the store was closed and we considered our options, of which on was taking the train back and forth to Elko to buy some tubes and another was to order via Amazon for a hotel’s address. Eventueally we left Winnemucca after noon and had a dehydrating ride up to Battle Mountain. Battle Mountain is named after confration(s?) between settlers and native Americans of Shoshone and Paiute tribes who were here in the mid 19 th century whent the immigrants started to come to the area in larger numbers. Now the two most important things happening in the area are casinos and minining. The land is dry and there is no agriculture. It is remarkable to pass the many prisons. State prisons and federal prisons and county prisons. When you enter a prison area you are warned not to pick up hitchhikers. I tried to find some statistics for Nevada specifically but it was hard to find something which summarizes the different levels of jurisdiction. You get the impression that Nevada is a good desolate area to send a lot of federal criminals.

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With no options to buy anything for a bicycle in Battle Mountain we got up early and had a beautiful ride to Elko, where we found two bicycle stores and emptied their stock for anything that would fit our bicycles. We were at the hotel mid afternoon with just enough time to buy supplies for Friday’s ride and get a haircut. Troels looks good, your reporter on the other hand got his wish to have a real “Crewcut”. Machine all over and very few milimeters. I will enjoy the reduced weight and the fresh feeling around my upper head – photographs will come after a few days of growth. While Troels had his cut, I went to see a ranch shop. I bet that a local guy in his truck can buy 90% of his supplies in such a store. I spoke to Verna who was excited to show the saddle department, the fishing department, the clothing department and the rest of the shop. I also spoke with Lee, who had moved from the marine base in Fort Pemberton in California to work in Elko. He was managing the gun department. I tried to be curios and neutral about gun laws and did not get myself into trouble though mentioning that there are less liberal gun laws in other countries. I was taught that only the good people do not carry guns, so therefore Lee’s advice was that also the good guys should buy one of his guns, some of which by the untrained visitor were the size of bazookas. In Nevada you have to live in the State to buy a gun and the store is supposed to (and does) a background check on people who want to buy a gun.

Outside of Elko we met a trace of my favorite Donner party, mentioned in my Lake Tahoe Post. One of the reasons why the Donner party came so late to the Sierra Nevadas was that they met the guy who had “invented” the Hastings Cutoff. As an alternative to the California Trail (the more beaten track), Hastings had found a shorter route. It might have been shorter, but from the book, mentioned earlier, I remember some ridiculous scenes of dead ends and having to take the wagons apart and carrying them over difficult terrain.

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(It was attempt to draw a blue arrow on the right map)

Inside Elko we met our first other adventure cyclists. A group of five Irish lads had taken 50 days to come from Boston to Elko and they were headed for San Francisco. Very fun finally to speak to some freewheeling soulmates and hear about their experiences.

Reflections after the first week

We are now well under way and though we would have liked to do Winnemucca-Elko in one day we do not feel under pressure yet. We were calculating a day of rest per week but we agree that we do not need the rest and there is not yet that much to stop and see. We are more excited to see what lies behind the next curve of the road or behing the next summit. So from the body-bike-“can do” perspective we are confident. The wind direction has been mostly westerly which has supported our progress. The number of flat tires and the time it takes to get in and out of towns and especially cities has made it more difficult than expected. Troels has proven to be a great travel companion. Serious when we need that and full of fun when we need to cheer up. A lot of talks about life back home and a lot of stupid talk about the people we meet and the things we see. I am ready to take another week. Tomorrow we will see if we can make it up to a town called Jackpot – probably another casino town with some cheap hotels with a brown carpet in the lobby. Jackpot could then be our last stay in Nevada, so we can roll into Idaho.