Day 19
Was really nice sleeping in my air conditioned room and not having to wake up early. My plan was to relax during the day and then ride out of the park after the sun goes down and the temperature drops. Furnace Creek Resort allowed me to have a late check out so I stayed in the air conditioned room until 1:00p.m. Spent most of the day relaxing in the shade and checking out everything at the resort. Took a walk through the museum, had some pizza at the saloon, and almost walked right into a coyote who was also enjoying the shade under a tree. He looked up at me briefly and then went back to sleep. Furnace Creek is like an oasis in the desert full of date trees and nice shady areas. It is below sea level so it gets incredibly hot but the shade helps out a lot! Later in the afternoon I met a really nice couple from Philadelphia who's names slip my mind at the moment, sorry guys! We hung out for a while and took a walk to check out the 1 million watt producing solar facility at the park and watched the sunset. As we watched the sunset we also saw at least 30 turkey vultures soar in the wind just above us. It was really nice to have some kind folks to hang out with for the evening before beginning my ride out of the park. After sunset I picked up some oranges and cold water and started the night ride. It was a 3,100 foot 18 mile climb against very strong headwinds and then a 12 mile downhill still against the wind decent. The night ride took over 4 hours and was not easy to say the least. When I arrived to Death Valley Junction just outside of the park I pulled up to the hotel I was going to stay at but nobody was there so I set up camp on the side of the road and fell asleep instantly. Great day of relaxation followed by a really tough ride. I would like to thank Mark and Cynthia Stensaas and the Weed Store for purchasing my National Park pass giving me access to Death Valley as well as several parks coming up during my trip!
http://www.furnacecreekresort.com/
http://www.weedstore.com/
Aerial photo of the desert I am bicycling through
( photo taken by Stephanie Shaver )
Date Trees
Me!
Yep - in the shade!
My coyote friend
Lowest golf course in the world - Furnace Creek
Philly Friends!
1 Million Watt Solar Facility
Beginning the night ride
Day 20
Woke up just after 6 a.m. in a very hot tent. I got packed up quick and started my ride into Nevada. It was a nice ride with a small hill and then a fun downhill into Pahrump, NV. The desert landscape was really nice and I enjoyed the ride much more than the ride the night before. I got to Pahrump late morning and checked into my room at the Nugget Hotel and Casino. The Nugget was kind enough to give me a room for two nights and even called the local news station and set up an interview. I met with Jeffery, the director of operations for the Nugget and he was very helpful, thanks Jeffery! I ate lunch at the Golden Harvest Cafe in the Nugget and had a very tasty Philly Cheesesteak! Relaxed in the room for a little bit, did my news interview, and then went to the bar in the casino. I met Emma and Tyler at the bar and was introduced to a drink called Washington Apple. Had a really good time hanging out with some new friends. Nice to meet both of you! Got some good sleep and was happy to have a rest day coming up.
http://pahrumpnugget.com/
The road to Nevada
Goodbye California, Hello Nevada!
Nugget Hotel and Casino - Pahrump, Nevada
California Summary
For those of you who don't know in the Summer of 2009 I rode my bicycle from Sheboygan, Wisconsin to Crescent City, California. Lake Michigan to the Redwoods! The trip was excellent and an unforgettable experience. I moved to the awesome city of Weed, California and got a job at the Mt. Shasta Brewing Company. I made a whole bunch of really great friends and loved my time in Weed and I do plan to head back sometime in the near future. The water and air are both so clean, the scenery is incredible, and the people are very kind!
I decided I needed to take another bike trip and see more of this beautiful country we live in. The ride started June 1st at the Weed Alehouse with a great kick-off party! Prior to my departure the Weed Arts Council which I am a member of had several fund-raisers for make-A-Wish and Biking For Wishes. We held a Biking For Wishes launch party where I showed my State of Jefferson DVD and gave a brief presentation on my upcoming ride. We also held a Cinco De Mayo date Auction and an Adult Spelling Bee with special guest Wahnder Lust! All of the events were so much fun and it was great to see such a supportive community! The Weed Chamber of Commerce and Weed Arts Council has been so very helpful with my trip plans and fund-raising efforts! Thank you Weed!!!
The first week of my ride was cold and rainy but yet still very enjoyable. It was exciting to be on the road again! About a week into the trip the sun started to shine and the rain stopped making for some really nice riding. Two weeks into the trip the weather started to get really hot and has been so since and probably will be for the remainder of the trip. It makes the ride a little more challenging but I love the sun and will enjoy my time time rain or shine. California is very diverse and I spent the first several weeks bicycling through the beautiful Sierra Mountains. I passed many waterfalls, rivers, and incredible mountain scenery. The wildlife had been plentiful including a black bear and her cub, several coyotes, fox, deer, owl, red tailed hawks, scorpions, kangaroo rats, and much more. Since leaving the Sierras I entered the Mojave desert and the landscape has been quite different but still very peaceful and beautiful. There has been a variety of wildflowers and plant life throughout the trip and has been very pleasing to the eye. I love photography and every corner is another awesome photo opportunity.
The great people of California have been very supportive to me and my efforts. So far $1,857 has been raised for the Make-A-Wish Foundation! My goal is $5,000 and the fund-raising continues all Summer long. I have been fed by many awesome businesses and people and have been given some really nice lodging! I have also met a large number of Make-A-Wish supporters and have been told many touching stories of how they have been affected by Make-A-Wish. I am reminded of what an amazing foundation Make-A-Wish is daily. Thank you all for your support in helping out such an important cause!!!
Biking For Wishes Trip Statistics - California
775 miles and 315 miles training for a total of 1,090 miles
Top speed of 41 mph
High temperature - 117 degrees
Low Temperature - 30 degrees
Highest Elevation - 8,314 feet
Lowest Elevation - 190 feet below sea level
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