Well, it is day three of this journey to climb-bike-climb from Freel Peak in Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney. To be honest, I woke up feeling pretty good! My butt was a little bit sore from yesterday’s, but that is to be expected. Thankfully, I was able to soak in a hot spring last night at Travertine Hot Spring in Bridgeport, CA and get a good rest in the van.
Today’s bike ride would be from Travertine Hot Spring to Mammoth Hot Springs, covering 61 miles, with a max speed of 41 mph. This ride includes Mono Lake, Mono Pass (which was a thigh burner), and lots of self doubt along the way. The good news, I made!
Notes from the Journal
A cold morning breeze kept us in bed, under the covers. After not sleeping the night before, I slumbered. Clocking about 12 hours of sleep, when the morning came I felt rested. My body took some gentle movement to shake off the rust, but everything was back in working order. Eggs, coffee, and packing the bike. My goal was 61 miles away and I was already late.
Feeling the rush from my desire to make my days goal, I set off, down the arm shaking dirt path, back to Highway 395. By the time I finished the body rattling down hill, my tires were flat. “Damn!” I said out loud as I looked at the tires. Most likely the low tires came from the cold night, as my bike sat out overnight and the temperatures dropped to well below freezing. “Well, I’ve to fix this!” So, I pulled out the pump and got my morning arm workout in. Then, I was off.
The next 15 miles would be the kind of uphill that goes semi-unnoticed, but is annoying enough to burn the heck out of your thighs. It’s the kind of climb where it never gets steep enough to go into granny gear, nor the need for a standing pedal. It’s the slow and steady grind that often resembles the monotonous repetition of daily living.
Cranking away, I reach Mono Lake overlook, my first big downhill of the day and it is winding below me as I stretch my legs alongside the guardrail. To my surprise, many people stop here. Several were asking about my time on the bike and where I had come from. Many were worried for my safety, as they would not do what I am doing. So, we talk and I listen to them tell my all the reasons they wouldn’t do a bike trip. “Maybe I am just different” I say to myself while we talk, but I don’t think so. I just couldn’t imagine risking my chance to be alive by working behind a desk for two weeks of paid vacation, but everyone has their own risk tolerance.
Eventually, I get myself psyched for this downhill, I want to break my speed record for this trip of 38 mph. I think I can do it on this stretch of road.
Setting off, I look over my shoulder, the coast is clear. I swerve into the one of the lanes of traffic and crank my gears as high as they go, sink low to become aerodynamic, and pull my elbows in. I want to look at my watch to see the speed, but I don’t want to jinx it. Pedal, pedal, pedal. Pushing myself harder and harder, I want it!
Three miles passed, I made it to the bottom of the hill. Looking at my watch; 41 mph. I did it! But…
whoop whoop whoop
Looking down, I see my back tire rapidly losing air. I come to a complete stop and push my bike to a pull out.
“Maybe those people were right, maybe I do risk a little to much?” the thought moves through my head as I imagine what the crash would have been like if the tire went flat not but a minute before.
My first flat of the trip, it took 20 minutes to fix, and I was back on the road.
Mono Lake was so calm, the mountains reflected like a mirror. Green, blue, white, and yellow. The layers popped. I kept looking over my shoulder and swerving to recollect myself as I got lost in the landscape. I don’t know what it is about highway 395, but anytime I am along this stretch of road, I feel a sense of calm. My mind wanders, much like my body, free. Free to move about without constraint and open to the opportunities on the horizon.
For the next several hours, my mind cleared as I watched squirrels and mice scurry home as I passed. Crickets cricketed in the grasses, birds sang, cars zoomed past. On a slight downhill, I let my go of my handlebars and rode with the wind. While I was gliding, a hawk soared overhead carrying something in its talons. I told myself it was a snake, but I honestly couldn’t tell. Traveling by bike is just slow enough that you get to experience the world around you and now that it was day three, I started sinking into my reality.
I was here on my bike, riding.
I left my mind and smiled at the world around me. It was hot, so I took my shirt off and let myself be silly. Singing into the camera I had and talking in strange voices. A distraction was welcomed, for pedaling is hard alone. But, I must brag, I can do almost everything while cycling. I can eat, change layers (I haven’t tried pants yet), I’ve peed, even journaled while biking. It’s great!
As the started to sink below the horizon line, I turned left, then right, then left again onto a dirt road.
“Do you want a ride?” Kristin asked as she pulled up behind me in the van.
Looking at my watch, it read 59.5 miles. “No, I have almost made it 60 miles, I’ll see you at the hot spring.”
Two miles later, we were enjoying a salad, a CBD drink, and soaking in a hot spring during sunset. The rest of the trip wouldn’t have hot springs, so we soaked extra long.
A few Take aways from the day
When cycling alone, it’s important to keep the stoke high, so be silly and sing to yourself.
Talk with strangers, they are really fun. Most don’t understand what, or why, anyone would cycle a long distance when we have cars.
Make sure to look around bike cycling, that is why you are out here. The road is different from the bike, enjoy the process.
It’s nice to have a van that will pick you up and help you out. Heck, this ride is supported and I am feeling uber lucky to have a bed to sleep in at the end of everyday! It sure does beat a tent.
