Welcome to Black Rock

This morning I awoke 5 minutes before my alarm, packed up, and rolled out well before daybreak. Stopping for cheap coffee to warm myself up, I managed to pump out over 120 miles today arriving at Burning Man late in the evening. During the hottest hours, I napped and swam in Pyramid Lake. I also stopped for an Indian taco and bought food in Empire to last the rest of the week. Although short on water, I'm confident I can bum some off at some point. Upon my arrival at the gates, I was greeted like a celebrity. Apparently I was the first (and only?) SF-based cyclist to arrive this year.

I can't believe I missed salads

Today's highlight was Carson Pass. After a veggieburger lunch (with a tasty house salad) at Kirkwood, I climbed the final stretch to over 8500 feet. Cruising into Nevada, I stopped for a (gasp!) soft drink at the state's oldest bar in Genoa. After chatting it up with some bikers (Harley heads) and the local tractor salesman, I continued through Carson City and crashed in a dry riverbed at Dayton State Park.

El Dorado

After a late start, I managed to climb over 3000 feet today. The ride along CA-88 was beautiful through El Dorado National Forest. On several occaisions I spotted SPI signage but no evidence of clearcutting.

I spent the night off of Cat Creek Road. After watching the sun set over the Sierras, I hanged my food bag from a tree and called it an early night. About an hour into my slumber a huge bug on my face awoke me and I decided a tent would be necessary for a good night's sleep.

My first Murphy!

The ride up to Cameron Park was very enjoyable thanks to the American River Bike Path. I did encounter a few problems with my bike however when the trailer tube had to be patched and a link removed from my chain after it snapped. A quick dip in Lake Folsom washed away any woes.

While sipping on a cold beverage a few blocks from buddy J's house, I had the opportunity to reflect on my mission. This life of bike touring no doubt requires an ajustment period and soon I hope to be able to focus more on the petition.

Later on, J took me on a tour of the local Air Park - a community with hangers instead of garages, streets as wide as runways, and traffic signs that are knee-height. A delicious homecooked meal by the parents and a comfy night's sleep in a Murphy bed capped this relaxing day.