From Jody:
Tuesday's ride from Overton, NV to Mesquite looked simple on the computer screen with only minimal rises and relatively few miles. The challenge, it seemed, would be a major segment on I-15.
We enjoyed a late breakfast at the hotel and met Nicole, who will be with us all week. She has a great mix of enthusiasm and experience with organized bike tours. A welcome addition.
As we discussed at breakfast, I started on my own and Janie rode out a few minutes later. I anticipated seeing Nicole in The Little Darkness on I-15. She would support both of us throughout the ride.
The route from the motel to I-15 was uneventful, but dark clouds loomed. I could see the rain to the east and hoped it would continue moving away from me. The last stretch of two lane roadway to the interstate was up a gradual rise. The entrance ramp also inclined, and I was greeted by a FedEx truck very slowly pulling three short trailers uphill. Other trucks also motored by in low gear as I joined the highway, albeit along the shoulder. As promised, there was plenty of debris from blown truck tire shreds to maneuver around.
The first few drops of gentle rain were a pleasant change from the desert's usual heat. The few were soon joined, and the road hazards got more difficult to spot as my glasses blurred. My helmet got saturated and either the sunscreen in the liner from previous rides or desert salts mixed with rainwater dripped into my eyes and stung. I rode intermittently with one eye closed. Thankfully there was no lightning.
Traffic continued to provide a wide berth. The exit beckoned and my I-15 biking experience ended after 18 miles. The local road had decent paving and was aptly named Riverside as the Virgin River meandered nearby. Nicole stopped and we discussed the route and Janie's progress. We decided that Nicole would drive to town, get us set at the motel, and return to support first Janie and then me. She left and I proceeded down the road.
I heard rain loosened rocks tumble down towards the road, but none actually reached the road. Then I heard a vibrating noise and stopped to lift my bike and test the front wheel. No more vibration, but also no air in the front tire. First flat of the trip. I called Nicole for assistance and waited (no tube or levers in my pockets). One man stopped and we talked about my trip and his farm. He was out repairing the irrigation ditch that directed water the five miles from the Virgin River to his family acreage. He left, another truck stopped to offer help, which I appreciatively declined. Nicole returned and together we struggled to replace the tube. She found the half inch long piece of wire imbedded in the tire and as I searched the supplies for a pair of pliers to extract the culprit, she pulled it out with her teeth. What would her dentist say - or her mother?
Back astride Jean Luc (yes, we name everything, even my second ever Trek bicycle), I continued to wheel towards town. A Nevada DOT pickup drove past, just as I entered a construction zone. The flashers lit up, and I stopped behind an outstretched hand. I asked if the road was blocked. The DOT staffer said, "No, federal law, must protect the turtle." He pointed out a dish-sized lump, plodding along as it left the road. "What kind?" I asked. A desert tortoise. These creatures of the desert southwest spend up to 95% of their lives underground and are active during the mating season, usually from August to October (I looked it up - you, too, can Google for more info).
I slowly continued my trip to town. The runoff made some intersections a challenge as I kept expecting to feel the sudden jarring of a hidden pothole. Thankfully none were on my route this day. I arrived at the motel and waited for Janie and Nicole. Janie's triumphant arrival came amidst clearing skies.
We called him Tortoise because he taught us.
~Lewis Carroll
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