Saturday, June 23, 2007

Day 10-Crickets, Crickets, On The Road To Ely




Miles Completed Today: 76
Total Miles Completed: 620
Miles To Go: 3080

Five AM wakeup! After listening to the weather forecast last night that called for 40 mph winds in the afternoon today, the guys decided to get up early, leave in the cool, and get their miles in before the wind kicked up. By 11:30 they had logged over forty miles, and by 3:30 had cruised in to Ely, NV, where we will spend the night.

The first fifteen to twenty miles of road were covered with crickets. Live ones, dead ones, crickets everywhere. They were more a curiosity than a distraction and didn't cause any trouble. Two more summits were passed today and the air cleared noticeably as a "cold" front pushed through keeping the temperatures in the 80's and 90's.

Tomorrow, the route turns to the southeast as we head out of Ely completing the transit of "The Loneliest Road In America". The name is well deserved, but it should not be misconstrued; the scenery is actually quite spectacular and some of the summits and vistas offer views that go on forever. In some instances visibility was easily more than seventy to eighty miles. Just a few miles west of Ely we passed one of the largest open pit copper mines in the world at the town of Ruth, NV.

Today's Internet courtesy of the Grand Central Motel in Ely, NV.

6 comments:

Tony said...

You guys are doing great. Nearly two states down. It was a good idea to get going before the wind today. I look forward to the pictures from utah

Kevin Fitzsimmons said...

Wow, Five AM. and 76 mile by 4:00 PM. You guys are kicking it up. Great pictures. Keep up the great work and have fun as well.

Dad Fitz

fla john said...

Thinking of you guys and following in Florida. What a great adventure!
Chris, the blog is great thanks!

Mom Fitz said...

Hi! You guys are doing great-sounds like you got some miles in today. I'm so impressed with the strength of body and mind it takes to make a trip like this. Nino and Nina and the girls say hi Patrick. The crickets sounded like fun-nice and crunchy under your tires. Chris - you're the man! Mom Fitz

Patrick Fitzsimmons said...

Thanks for leaving all the comments everyone, they are a lot of fun for sean and I to look at.

Sean and Ariel Mahan said...

So just curious. Is that a cracker or poptart in Sean's mouth?