What a difference a day makes!  Yesterday I couldn’t get out of my own way and I was only able to reach our destination through the efforts of my companions; especially Jason Bleak, who literally pushed me along at times.  Yesterday I spent in the Hurt Locker, totally bonked. 

Today everyone pitched in to try and get me back on-track.  Pure Endurance.  Electrolyte drops.  I was taking anything and everything today in order to get my legs back.  If I’d had availability to EPO or transfused blood, I’d have taken it!  For the most part, the supplements worked.  I felt 1000% better than yesterday but still not back to where I should be.  The needle went so far into the negative yesterday that I fear it’s going to take several days for me to fully recover. 

We started today with a climb up to Pinto Pass.  No big deal; just a long grinding type of climb.  What made this day especially challenging is that after climbing and descending Pinto, it was across a long valley then up to Pancake Pass, down across a valley and up to Little Antelope Summit, then down and across another valley before beginning the process all over again for Robinson Pass.  As if all that wasn’t enough, at the end of the day was the highest pass to climb on the entire ride – Connor’s Pass at 7,729’.  So, 5 high mountain passes to climb in a single day, and this after riding ~260 miles the previous 2 days. 

Between Robinson Pass and Connor’s Pass is the community of Ely, Nevada.  Larry has already blogged about Judy’s adventure in getting to Ely to pick him up so I won’t go into detail, but since Larry had to leave us in Ely it was just me and Jason riding on.  The ride out of Ely was anything but fun.  In cycling, the wind is never ambivalent.  It’s either your friend or your enemy.  Never neutral.  As Jason and I rode out of Ely, it was into a brutal cross-wind that lasted for 20 miles.  Relentless wind.  But we rode on and crossed Connor’s and then a beautiful valley on the west edge of Great Basin National Park.  It was breathtakingly beautiful. 

I don’t know if Jason has written about it yet but, after we had racked the bikes at the end of the day, he spotted a rattlesnake in the brush.  He took out his camera to snap a pic and as soon as he depressed the shutter he got a message that the battery has expired!  So, no rattlesnake pic!  I have to say, however, we saw dozens of snakes as we rode between Dayton and Fallon, Nevada.  We passed by them so fast it was difficult to tell, unless they were smashed and bloody, which ones were dead and which were shopping for their next meal. 

I have to express my appreciation to Larry who had to leave us today for a business commitment in Miami.  I’ve grown to love Larry like a brother and cherish the time we’re able to spend together on our bikes.  Thank you, Larry, for your commitment to this ride and for your integrity and your friendship. 

I also have to express my appreciation to Jason for all he’s done to make this trip successful.  I think Jason was the very first person to sign-up for the Huntsman 140 but, even more than that, he took on the challenge of doing the entire Ride From Reno.  No small task and certainly no small undertaking.  Jason’s become a great friend and I can tell you he’s a man of honor, character, and integrity.  And he eats like a freakin’ horse!  When we’ve had dinner each evening, he orders 2 complete meals!  More than anything though, Jason is a great friend.  And a huge Machine on the bike! 

So, Day 3 is done.  No casualities, just tired bodies.  120 miles even today.  Don’t have the vertical off my computer but I know it’s more than I would have liked!  Can’t wait for tomorrow’s Day 4 ride to Delta, Utah!