Day 8: 120 miles to Austin, NV

This morning the south team rode on the right side of the paceline, the north team on the left. Within a mile of lodging, the two lines went there seperate ways, we will eventually meet back up in DC though which will be fun to hear how their journey went! The ride today was horribly long and seemed more difficult than Kirkwood a few days ago. Between the heat, the hills, the lack of visual stimulation, and the length, oh ya, and the heat, this day was pretty tough on the team. We had to go 120 miles because there was not a house, let alone a town, any closer than that! Hence the reason they call it the lonliest road in America! To the left is the "lonliest phone in America" which can be found out in the middle of the desert. The terrain was mountainous with vast expanses of sage brush............absolutely nothing else! I had my first accident today. I was trailing another rider in the paceline, he stopped pedaling suddenly, I rubbed against his back tire and wrecked off to the side. Few scrapes but I was able to finish the day no problem. In Austin we got to swim and cool off at the community pool and were treated to a great homecooked meal by the ladies of Beta Sigma Phi, a local service organization. The town of Austin is an old mining town that now has only 200 people or so!