Day 10 Pahrump, Nevada

Stats
Daily mileage 64 Ride time 6hr 13min
Avg speed 10.26mph total mileage 522

I ignored my alarm several times this morning and refused to get out of my sleeping bag. Eventually, my disciplined hat came on and I sprung into action. I made a decision to exit Death Valley from an alternative point as I was concerned for the 70 miles without food or water and two mountain passed I would have faced. This did annoy me as it meant missing out on Badwater point, the lowest point in America, and it was supposed to be a spectacular ride.

The wind was back with a vengeance and was in my face for the first 5 miles. I stuck on my ipod and tried to ignore the pain until a loud sound was rhythmically resonating around me. To my horror I worked out the sound was coming from my bike. The last thing I wanted to do was break down in Death Valley. I had visions of my skeleton lying on the side of the road after being pecked to death by vulchers. Fortunately, it was only a screw that had come loose on the mudguard but it did require me to remove everything off of the bike.

After 3 hours I had climbed the pass and was at Death Valley junction. I popped into the hotel for some sandwiches that was advertised on the side of the road. They were actually frozen and required microwaving before I could eat them! I was in pain, tired and fed up of the strong head wind. I was really considering calling it a day but that would have meant a massive effort to get to Las Vegas tomorrow. I slapped myself around the face and told myself to get on with it. A bought a frozen sandwich to go and put my head down hit the road.

Within a few miles I had left my first state and crossed into Nevada. The next 25miles was uneventfully and the isolation really hit me. All I could see was a vast expanse of nothingness. I made a decision that when I get to my destination I would treat myself to a hotel.

I have become very preoccupied with time, distance and the desire to keep going on. I am constantly working out the time it will take to get to my goals and feel guilty if I stop to eat. It keeps coming back to efficiency, so much so I am becoming obsessed with wasting time. I must stop this because it making me push harder then my body is currently capable off.

At approx 1730hrs I checked into a Best Western hotel and reluctantly paid the extortionate price. The lady wasn’t budging on the room rate and almost laughed at my haggling attempt. I thought to myself, you wait until that buffet breakfast I am going to eat so much of the food you will have to cart me out!

I went to my room and ran the bath and made a coffee. I was not going to get out of that bath until my fingers went wrinkly. I rigged up my laptop so I could watch a movie from the bath and felt in heaven. The colour of the bath water looked like a sewer once I got out. I spent the next few hours typing away on the internet naked so all my bits could heal themselves. On that lovely thought I shall say goodnight….