It felt like almost all downhill from Pyramid Lake to the Reno metro area, but that's impossible unless M. C. Escher designed this corner of the universe, since the Truckee River runs into the lake. Drinking a Guinness at Bully's in Sparks and have a 2/3 pound Hall of Fame cheeseburger on order. Now to fill you in on what happened since my last update.
Met Kim and Lynn at a pullout after the 61 mile marker. They gave me some cold beer, and a ride almost to mp 18. Then I stopped for an Indian taco, $6 and coffee, $1. Coffee not very good, and there's not much to the tacos, but I like the frybread. Then stopped at the Nixon Store at about mp 15 and paid $10 for a lake camping permit.
The headwind to the lake smelled like shit, and the first beach looked like it. Met Wolfgang at Popcorn Rock Beach, where I had camped in 2006, and he brought me to Crosby's bar at the marina in Sutcliffe.
Guesstimating 13 miles from the Man to Gerlach, I made 76 miles to mp 8 of highway 446 by midnight of day 1 of my return trip. 42 miles of that was gifted.
The dried sagebrush of the Pyramid Lake area, when burned, gives off an aroma that smells to me like apricots.
Another bicyclist, apparently from the Burn, has passed me twice so far. I waved, but apparently he has no interest in stopping to chat.
The first milepost on 445 is 32, and turning onto that road changed the partial tailwind to a partial tailwind, which could account for my progress. The Pyramid Lake store is not far past mp 31. Beer bought there can be consumed on the picnic table outside, and you can fill your water bags from the sink if you buy something.
The burger was good. My first real meal in over a week.
last updated 2009-09-08 11:16:09. served from tektonic.jcomeau.com