Day 9 -- Battle Mountain to Elko -- 74 Miles

Great day to be on a bike. Donning our America By Bicycle cycling jerseys to celebrate Flag Day, the group loaded the trailer and made our way to Elko -- The Heart of Northeast Nevada (sweet nickname, I know).

Our first leg -- 25 miles -- was pretty straightforward (except for the part where I thought I was an extra in a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds"). I rode in a paceline with a few other guys, and we hammered away until we made it to the SAG stop.

The second leg -- another 25 (give or take) miles -- was a little tougher. It consisted of a 12 mile climb to Emigrant Pass. As I climbed, I thought about what my boy Steve Quinn likes to tell himself when he trains: "what goes up must come down." His statement was right on, as our steady climb gave way to a 10 mile descent, and ultimately the 2nd SAG stop.

The third leg brought us through Carlin Canyon, which was absolutely beautiful. I stopped to take several pictures, which can be seen here (along with my others for the day), and I was amazed at how peaceful and quiet things were in this area. It was so serene. The ride ended after a beautiful stretch of I-80, where I was able to see the Ruby Mountains in the distance. Truly amazing.

I eventually arrived at the hotel, cleaned my bike, grabbed some lunch, and am ready to rest up for tomorrow -- 108 miles to Wendover, Utah. By the end of the day tomorrow, I will be on the verge of adding another state to the list, and I will be a time zone closer to completion. We are making progress!