The next day I got an early start, and continued through the desert, making my way towards Eureka. Along the way, I was playing leap frog with a group of guys cycling for PushAmerica. They all had fancy bikes and matching uniforms. They also had vans following them, carrying their gear, water, and snacks. I tried not to make comments about how spoiled they were ;) I finally made it to Eureka, and due to the number of people staying in the campgrounds, I had to get a hotel room. I got everything set up, and then headed to the Pony Express Deli which was suggested to me by a member back in Austin. I was definitely not disappointed, and even visited again for breakfast the next morning.
The next day I biked for 65 miles without services, which got a little hot and tiring! Finally rolling into Ely, I found a city park and collapsed under a tree to escape from the heat. After a few minutes, I was approached by a man and his friendly dog, who informed me of a cheaper campground outside of town. He even gave me a lift since it was way off my path.
The campground was nice and quiet, and I settled in for a much needed sleep.
The riding continued the next day, and I made it to Baker.
Nevada wasn't my favorite, but it was definitely an adventure!
Monday, June 29, 2015
First Desert Experience- Welcome to Nevada
I took a rest day in Carson City, enjoying a lot of food and sleep.
The next day I started towards Fallon, NV. It was an easy ride, and didn't take me too long! I took a break there, waiting out the heat, and then continued down the road. Maximus informed me that he had a flat tire, and it took me a while to get all the gear off, repair the dang thing, and then put everything back together again. By this point it was starting to get dark, so I made my way to a small recreational area at the bottom of a large sand dune! It was gorgeous. Despite the noise of four wheelers and loud country music from other campers, it was a peaceful experience.
The next day I continued through the desert on the "Loneliest Road in America," AKA Highway 50. I stopped at Middlegate (Population 17) for a snack and to refill my water bottles, and then continued down the lonely road. It was starting to get hot, and the scenery became very repetitive. I finally came across a small restaurant/RV park called cold springs where I decided to stop for a bite to eat. The friendly waitress (nicknamed Chatty Kathy) informed me that there wasn't another stop for 50 miles, and since it was so late in the day, I should probably stay there. They had showers, water, and WiFi, so I couldn't say no!
The next day I made my way to Austin, NV. I noticed that there was a small LDS church house, so I decided to call up the branch president and figure out what time church was the next day. He informed me about the meetings, and then also gave me the number of a couple who lived in Austin who might let me stay with them. I called them up, and they offered their trailer for me to stay in! After sleeping in my tent for multiple nights, it felt like a mansion.
The next day I attended church with the small branch, and then enjoyed a Sunday of rest.
The next day I started towards Fallon, NV. It was an easy ride, and didn't take me too long! I took a break there, waiting out the heat, and then continued down the road. Maximus informed me that he had a flat tire, and it took me a while to get all the gear off, repair the dang thing, and then put everything back together again. By this point it was starting to get dark, so I made my way to a small recreational area at the bottom of a large sand dune! It was gorgeous. Despite the noise of four wheelers and loud country music from other campers, it was a peaceful experience.
The next day I continued through the desert on the "Loneliest Road in America," AKA Highway 50. I stopped at Middlegate (Population 17) for a snack and to refill my water bottles, and then continued down the lonely road. It was starting to get hot, and the scenery became very repetitive. I finally came across a small restaurant/RV park called cold springs where I decided to stop for a bite to eat. The friendly waitress (nicknamed Chatty Kathy) informed me that there wasn't another stop for 50 miles, and since it was so late in the day, I should probably stay there. They had showers, water, and WiFi, so I couldn't say no!
The next day I made my way to Austin, NV. I noticed that there was a small LDS church house, so I decided to call up the branch president and figure out what time church was the next day. He informed me about the meetings, and then also gave me the number of a couple who lived in Austin who might let me stay with them. I called them up, and they offered their trailer for me to stay in! After sleeping in my tent for multiple nights, it felt like a mansion.
The next day I attended church with the small branch, and then enjoyed a Sunday of rest.
Carson's Pass- The Real Deal
The next day I continued up the mountain, working towards conquering Carson's pass. The climb was intense, and the resources were few and very far between. Despite the difficulty of the climb, the views were breathtaking! My map indicated that there was a small ski resort near the top of the mountain called Kirkwood. It showed that there was a store, restaurant, and multiple hotels and camping options. Halfway to Kirkwood, I ran out of water. It was terrifying, knowing that I was in the middle of nowhere with no resources and no way to contact my family. I continued down the road, praying for a solution. A few miles down the road, a sign for "Tragedy Springs" caught my attention. I decided to bike the extra mile of course to see if there was any water. It was a beautiful area with picnic tables, and a gushing spring of clear, (hopefully) clean water! After taking a break and refilling my bottles, and was back on the road. I finally made it to Kirkwood around 8, and everything was boarded up. Not a single person in the whole dang town! I guess it wasn't skiing season...
Now I had to figure out where I was going to sleep, and I was almost out of water as well. I continued up the steep mountain, and finally made it to a campground near Capple's Lake. The next morning I woke up early, broke down camp, and continued up the mountain. I finally made it over the pass!
I began the downhill decent, and soon realized that my breaks were shot! Not a good thing to realize when you're flying down a mountain. I finally brought my bike to a stop, and walked it down the roads that were too steep for my breaks. It was definitely a little frustrating! I made it to Carson City, Nevada a little sunburned and very tired. I was definitely excited to meet up with my family again.
Now I had to figure out where I was going to sleep, and I was almost out of water as well. I continued up the steep mountain, and finally made it to a campground near Capple's Lake. The next morning I woke up early, broke down camp, and continued up the mountain. I finally made it over the pass!
I began the downhill decent, and soon realized that my breaks were shot! Not a good thing to realize when you're flying down a mountain. I finally brought my bike to a stop, and walked it down the roads that were too steep for my breaks. It was definitely a little frustrating! I made it to Carson City, Nevada a little sunburned and very tired. I was definitely excited to meet up with my family again.
Losing the family-Indian Grinding Rock
After the beautiful California Countryside, I began to realize that this wouldn't be an easy ride. After reaching Fiddletown, it became clear to me that my first mountain was definitely going to be an eye-opening experience!
(picture of Fiddletown)
Everyone had told me that riding over Carson's pass was insane, and I soon began to see the reasoning. It was definitely a climb!
The family and I had planned on meeting up and the Indian Grinding Rock state park to camp for the evening. I left most of my gear in the van, since we would be meeting up later. I didn't have any cell phone service up there, so I'm glad we had a plan.
I passed through the cute little town of Volcano, and finally made it to the meeting place, or so I thought. It was about 7:30pm, and the visitors center was locked up and not a single car was parked in the parking lot. Confused, I sat there for a while, hoping to see my family's van pull in. I didn't see any signs indicating that there was a camp ground, so I waited by the visitor's center. It started raining, and I began to contemplate the possibility of not being able to get a hold of my family. I wouldn't have been so worried had I not left most of my gear, including my tent, in the family vehicle.
I parked my bike next to the road so that if my family drove by, they would know I was there. Then I started exploring the vacant area, trying to make a game plan for the night, in case I really did have to stay there. I found a few tepees on the grounds that seemed to be keeping the rain out, so I thought if worst came to worst, I would have a dry place to stay.
I said a little prayer, hoping that my mom wasn't totally freaking out that she couldn't find me. I got the impression that I should make a short jog around the grounds. It didn't make sense, seeing as it was raining and getting dark, but I decided to follow the prompting anyways. Exhausted from the 40 mile ride, mostly uphill, my legs weren't totally keen to the idea, but we jogged around the State park, hoping to find something that indicated where my family was.
After about 30 minutes, I heard talking coming from the woods. I followed the voices, and stumbled into the campground, and was reunited with my family. Apparently, I had to keep biking down the main road to find the campground. (California needs to learn how to make signs!)
(picture of Fiddletown)
Everyone had told me that riding over Carson's pass was insane, and I soon began to see the reasoning. It was definitely a climb!
The family and I had planned on meeting up and the Indian Grinding Rock state park to camp for the evening. I left most of my gear in the van, since we would be meeting up later. I didn't have any cell phone service up there, so I'm glad we had a plan.
I passed through the cute little town of Volcano, and finally made it to the meeting place, or so I thought. It was about 7:30pm, and the visitors center was locked up and not a single car was parked in the parking lot. Confused, I sat there for a while, hoping to see my family's van pull in. I didn't see any signs indicating that there was a camp ground, so I waited by the visitor's center. It started raining, and I began to contemplate the possibility of not being able to get a hold of my family. I wouldn't have been so worried had I not left most of my gear, including my tent, in the family vehicle.
I parked my bike next to the road so that if my family drove by, they would know I was there. Then I started exploring the vacant area, trying to make a game plan for the night, in case I really did have to stay there. I found a few tepees on the grounds that seemed to be keeping the rain out, so I thought if worst came to worst, I would have a dry place to stay.
I said a little prayer, hoping that my mom wasn't totally freaking out that she couldn't find me. I got the impression that I should make a short jog around the grounds. It didn't make sense, seeing as it was raining and getting dark, but I decided to follow the prompting anyways. Exhausted from the 40 mile ride, mostly uphill, my legs weren't totally keen to the idea, but we jogged around the State park, hoping to find something that indicated where my family was.
After about 30 minutes, I heard talking coming from the woods. I followed the voices, and stumbled into the campground, and was reunited with my family. Apparently, I had to keep biking down the main road to find the campground. (California needs to learn how to make signs!)
Catching up-Beginning of the Project- Rough start
Well, I'm going to start doing some catching up on this blog! I have had a lot of people ask me when I'm going to get my stories on here so they can follow along, so I'm going to try to be better at that.
I'll be grouping the first part of my trip together into a few posts, and then hopefully I can start writing day to day! Enjoy :)
The Beginning-Getting Ready
Getting ready for the trip was definitely not a walk in the park. It took a lot more planning and packing then I ever thought possible! I finally got all of my gear together and had a pretty good idea of how it was all going to fit together. My mom kept telling me to take all of my gear and go for a test ride, but because of my busy schedule and over-confidence, I didn't get around to it. (Oops. That will bite me in the butt later!)
I was planning on bringing my dog, Scout, with me to "Protect me and keep me company."
(Picture of Scout)
I had read a lot of other blogs about cyclists who had brought their dogs on long-distance tours, so I didn't think it would be a problem. I bought a used kids trailer, destroyed it, then reconstructed it into something my dog would be comfortable in.
(Before and after pictures of trailer)
I bought most of my gear used on Amazon.com, and usually steered clear of name brands and expensive products. I figured I could make do with "good enough."
I bought my tent from Walmart for under $30, my sleeping bag for $30, and I planned on using some of my comfortable running shoes.
San Francisco
We packed up the van with all the gear and children. My mom and a few of the younger siblings planned to take me to San Francisco and make a vacation out of it, while following me for the first week or so to make sure I got a handle on the whole "biking across America" thing.
(Picture of the van packed up)
(picture of the house) Saying goodbye to the ol' house
We spent some time in San Francisco enjoying the big city before the drop off.
(pictures of San Francisco with Captions)
when it finally came time for the drop off, we stopped at the designated park to get everything situated and get me on my way. It was the first time I had tried putting all of my gear together (I know, I know. Bad call.) I got the trailer hooked up, the dog situated, and all of the gear on the bike. It turned out to be too much weight. I tried riding it up a small hill, and the chain kept slipping in the lowest gear due to the amount of weight. Frustrated, we decided to regroup and figure out a solution the following day.
We had to say goodbye to Scout and the trailer, and a lot of the heavier food and unnecessary gear I had planned to keep in the trailer.
Finally, with a much lighter load, I was off!
(picture of me and my gear)
It was a short ride to the campground I was to meet my family at. I was a little wobbly on the bike, trying to get used to all the weight. I really should have listened to my wise and all-knowing mother when she told me to take it for a ride back home.
The next few days I continued to get a hang of the cycling while meeting my family along the way in campgrounds. Unfortunately, my phone died, so I don't have a lot of pictures from California.
The ride was gorgeous! My route took me through Vineyards and Orchards, along rivers, and through the most beautiful parts of California.
What a perfect, somewhat rough start to an amazing adventure! :)
I'll be grouping the first part of my trip together into a few posts, and then hopefully I can start writing day to day! Enjoy :)
The Beginning-Getting Ready
Getting ready for the trip was definitely not a walk in the park. It took a lot more planning and packing then I ever thought possible! I finally got all of my gear together and had a pretty good idea of how it was all going to fit together. My mom kept telling me to take all of my gear and go for a test ride, but because of my busy schedule and over-confidence, I didn't get around to it. (Oops. That will bite me in the butt later!)
I was planning on bringing my dog, Scout, with me to "Protect me and keep me company."
(Picture of Scout)
I had read a lot of other blogs about cyclists who had brought their dogs on long-distance tours, so I didn't think it would be a problem. I bought a used kids trailer, destroyed it, then reconstructed it into something my dog would be comfortable in.
(Before and after pictures of trailer)
I bought most of my gear used on Amazon.com, and usually steered clear of name brands and expensive products. I figured I could make do with "good enough."
I bought my tent from Walmart for under $30, my sleeping bag for $30, and I planned on using some of my comfortable running shoes.
San Francisco
We packed up the van with all the gear and children. My mom and a few of the younger siblings planned to take me to San Francisco and make a vacation out of it, while following me for the first week or so to make sure I got a handle on the whole "biking across America" thing.
(Picture of the van packed up)
(picture of the house) Saying goodbye to the ol' house
We spent some time in San Francisco enjoying the big city before the drop off.
(pictures of San Francisco with Captions)
when it finally came time for the drop off, we stopped at the designated park to get everything situated and get me on my way. It was the first time I had tried putting all of my gear together (I know, I know. Bad call.) I got the trailer hooked up, the dog situated, and all of the gear on the bike. It turned out to be too much weight. I tried riding it up a small hill, and the chain kept slipping in the lowest gear due to the amount of weight. Frustrated, we decided to regroup and figure out a solution the following day.
We had to say goodbye to Scout and the trailer, and a lot of the heavier food and unnecessary gear I had planned to keep in the trailer.
Finally, with a much lighter load, I was off!
(picture of me and my gear)
It was a short ride to the campground I was to meet my family at. I was a little wobbly on the bike, trying to get used to all the weight. I really should have listened to my wise and all-knowing mother when she told me to take it for a ride back home.
The next few days I continued to get a hang of the cycling while meeting my family along the way in campgrounds. Unfortunately, my phone died, so I don't have a lot of pictures from California.
The ride was gorgeous! My route took me through Vineyards and Orchards, along rivers, and through the most beautiful parts of California.
What a perfect, somewhat rough start to an amazing adventure! :)
Monday, May 4, 2015
Choosing the steed... er... bike
Hey Y'all!
I have had a lot of people ask me a few questions about the bike I chose for my long-distance tour across America. I read a lot of articles and studied other cyclist blogs trying to figure out the best (and cheapest!) way to go. Here are a few answers:
^^Maximus. What a hansom fella.
1. Did you decide to get a used bike?
I did! You can save several hundred and even thousands of dollars on a used bike. I decided to go to a (somewhat) local recycled bike store and tell them exactly what I needed and what it was for. If you're looking for a bike, I would highly recommend checking out some of your local stores first.
2. Did your bike cost you a fortune?
Nope. Granted, it's not a fancy bike by any means, but I read about a lot of people who have done long-distance bike touring, and most people say that you don't need anything super expensive. Mine was under $300. It has a lightweight frame, and it fits me perfectly. At the recycled bike store, I picked out a used frame and seat, and then they put brand new tires, chains, breaks, and wraps on it.
3. What brand should I get?
Honestly, brands don't seem to matter too much when it comes to getting a bike. I would advise not going to your local super market. Really check into local bike stores and even check into classifieds. You'll be able to get a high quality bike for half of the price. Mine is an older model but is still fully qualified for what I need.
4. Why Maximus?
I feel like I have a better connection to things when I name them. Also, this tour is probably going to get a little lonely... So my bike is going to be my #1 pal.
I posted on Facebook that I needed name ideas for my bike, and got overwhelming responses! I had names from famous singers and actors, to characters from Disney movies. My brother, Aaron, suggested the name "Maximus" and I really liked the sound of that one! Not to mention my Jeep is named Flynn Rider (I know, I know. Cheesy. "How old are you, Heather?") but I thought that Maximus was a good fit. Also, the Latin meaning is "Greatest." He needs to be greater than anything else we encounter on our journey, especially some of those mountain peaks.
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more about my preperation.
I have had a lot of people ask me a few questions about the bike I chose for my long-distance tour across America. I read a lot of articles and studied other cyclist blogs trying to figure out the best (and cheapest!) way to go. Here are a few answers:
^^Maximus. What a hansom fella.
1. Did you decide to get a used bike?
I did! You can save several hundred and even thousands of dollars on a used bike. I decided to go to a (somewhat) local recycled bike store and tell them exactly what I needed and what it was for. If you're looking for a bike, I would highly recommend checking out some of your local stores first.
2. Did your bike cost you a fortune?
Nope. Granted, it's not a fancy bike by any means, but I read about a lot of people who have done long-distance bike touring, and most people say that you don't need anything super expensive. Mine was under $300. It has a lightweight frame, and it fits me perfectly. At the recycled bike store, I picked out a used frame and seat, and then they put brand new tires, chains, breaks, and wraps on it.
3. What brand should I get?
Honestly, brands don't seem to matter too much when it comes to getting a bike. I would advise not going to your local super market. Really check into local bike stores and even check into classifieds. You'll be able to get a high quality bike for half of the price. Mine is an older model but is still fully qualified for what I need.
4. Why Maximus?
I feel like I have a better connection to things when I name them. Also, this tour is probably going to get a little lonely... So my bike is going to be my #1 pal.
I posted on Facebook that I needed name ideas for my bike, and got overwhelming responses! I had names from famous singers and actors, to characters from Disney movies. My brother, Aaron, suggested the name "Maximus" and I really liked the sound of that one! Not to mention my Jeep is named Flynn Rider (I know, I know. Cheesy. "How old are you, Heather?") but I thought that Maximus was a good fit. Also, the Latin meaning is "Greatest." He needs to be greater than anything else we encounter on our journey, especially some of those mountain peaks.
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more about my preperation.
Creating the Project Trailer
Hello all!
This week I have been working on the Love Your Life Project video trailer to hopefully introduce what it's all about.
Holy cow. I did not realize how hard it would be to create a video that looks somewhat professional with the limited resources that I have and entire lack of experience in the art of video making.
I just barely received my beautiful, new camcorder with which I will be doing most of the project. I have read a lot of reviews and decided to go with the Canon HF500. So far, I'm loving it!
Yesterday, I decided to campaign the expertise of my brother, Adam, to help with some of the filming. After about an hour of dodging cars, trying to get a shot in the middle of the street, we finally got 3 seconds of the video done. We have a long ways to go!
I spent most of the day in my red shoes, (If you want to know why, you'll just have to wait for the trailer!) and Adam spent most of the day laying on the road or trying not to die on my longboard. It has definitely been an adventure!
I've got some great interviews lined up, so that will help with the latter part of the video.
Stay tuned for more stories, and don't forget to check out www.thatadventurelife.com and watch for the video to be uploaded.
This week I have been working on the Love Your Life Project video trailer to hopefully introduce what it's all about.
Holy cow. I did not realize how hard it would be to create a video that looks somewhat professional with the limited resources that I have and entire lack of experience in the art of video making.
I just barely received my beautiful, new camcorder with which I will be doing most of the project. I have read a lot of reviews and decided to go with the Canon HF500. So far, I'm loving it!
Yesterday, I decided to campaign the expertise of my brother, Adam, to help with some of the filming. After about an hour of dodging cars, trying to get a shot in the middle of the street, we finally got 3 seconds of the video done. We have a long ways to go!
I spent most of the day in my red shoes, (If you want to know why, you'll just have to wait for the trailer!) and Adam spent most of the day laying on the road or trying not to die on my longboard. It has definitely been an adventure!
I've got some great interviews lined up, so that will help with the latter part of the video.
Stay tuned for more stories, and don't forget to check out www.thatadventurelife.com and watch for the video to be uploaded.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Why are you Biking Across the Country?
Heather, WHY?
I have had a lot of people tell me something to the effect of:
"Can't you just ask people around here? You don't have to bike across the entire coutry!"
Everything worth doing is going to take some doing. My reason?
Kathy Caprino wrote of inspiring people in September of 2012: "They have forged their own authentic path — taken a hard, unpaved road that goes against the grain and demanded a tremendous show of guts, strength, commitment, and perseverance"
I want to inspire individuals to find something to live for, to find passion for something, and to love their life. In order to be inspirational, and have to get out and do something that is worthy of the word.
In addition, I will meet more people from a variety of backgrounds, with many different answers to our question.
Crazy? A little. But I have always believe that craziness is one step away from greatness.
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