Last night just after I crawled into bed i heard car tires crunching gravel & lights in my rear view mirrors. I laid there still listening to prepare for possible response. No voices, car door slammed a few times and then a structure door closed. I looked out to see a shiny black car tucked in between me and the building. I saw no building lights possibly because of building structure. No bother during night.
Hot night, woke early and drove up to Bootleg. Fixed bfast in parking lot. No RV crowd today. Cool day. Left before 8:00 pedaled up Girl Scout again. I intended to do a Caldera loop by picking this trail that I thought met a verbal description. Trail never broke to North like the map said it should have. Darn trail turned out to be the back side of Mother trail that I rode on yesterday. OK, up to ridge and down to where I turned around yesterday to finish the loop out. Rode more of places I walked. Still, exposure to potential fall on jagged rocks gave me the grip and I walked. Finally an easy trail down POW on slight down grade on tread of crushed rock w/ shallow turns, kind of fun brainless trail that relieves mental fatigue of concentration and managing fear on the tough stuff. But that is my story. Yesterday @ AMC I watched a video showing various downhill rides and those guys were flat out fast. Apt description of my riding style is, “controlled”.
Just a few riders out. Took another park shower.
Michael, the beer man from Saturday night, mentioned several times that Boulder Boats, across the street where he works, had dashboard bobble upper body hula girls. I gave the thought of an addition to accompany the mtn biker bobble head. I drove to the shop in a geodesic dome, visited w/ Michael, and bought a doll for the dash. I also straightened out credit to him for discovering my loose crank. He reminds me of Jeff Hart, a PT in Spokane who previously repaired my body. Jeff just cuts his hair shot, Michael shaves.
Plan is to ride @ Cottonwood which is like west Las Vegas. GPSd King Bikes and met Ray, the owner, (Michael’s recommendation as he used to work there). No map of trails but steered my to Blue Diamond further out. I missed the turn and climbed up to summit of Spring Mountain. Turned around and made turn into small town butted up against BLM land. I noticed horse like droppings in yards where they should not have been. Blue Diamond is in the Burro & horse management area and they are allowed to range free. I bought diesel @ town’s small store and asked about any burros. She told me they come around whenever they feel like it. She has a fence around her yard keeping them out. A guy playing video gambling told me the street several were on. One is a young born. I found street and saw 2 adults & a young one. The mother was donkey kicking but not connecting on an overly amorous male. I got my pictures & saw rejection.
Cottonwood is all out in desert. I decided I have enjoyed the desert to fulfillment for time being and will move North to Mammoth in CA. And the desert drive was underway. Visualize greenless landscape: no h2o & rocky soil, not even grazing cows. Sharp peaked mountains on either side of road. Stopped @ a buffalo jerky store and bought a package for $10.00. Ate about 1/2 and am still typing.
Plan was to drive till 7:00 and duck off on a side road thru desert for night. Passed 7:00. Drove into Goldfield, a played out but not completely dead gold mining town. Abandoned vestiges of passed success littered the town among inhabited buildings at various stages of their lifecycle. I found the ball field and concluded that it would suit for the night. Darn, dreaded No Overnight Parking sign. Drove to another spot and ate cold leftovers.
New plan is to drive into Tonapah for a business parking lot. Just outside of Goldfield I spied a cattle guard thru fence and a good gravel road leading away. I drove back aways and that is where I am spending the night. 5450′, in 50s, and slackening wind on a bulldozed flat spot well off highway. Not in Tonapah but out in sticks, Nevada desert sticks that is. Its starting to rain
Sat as i drove theu Las Vegas i watched planes like 737s queue up for landing right behind each other, they were landing maybe 2 minutes behind each other. Today i watched a similar leaving. I witnessed the popular times and then traffic waned. Drinking lots of liquids but little comes out. Hot & dry.
Tomorrow os California. I wonder how I will be greeted @ border? A dust bowler? Tom Joad?
Rick, I did not see a road runner @ Bootleg.
Off to bed and a good sleep unless it rains.