“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them” – Ernest Hemingway
- Date: Wednesday, June 15, 2022
- Weather: Wind at 5-10 mph and temps in the 50s that steadily increased to gusts over 20 mph and 88F. Not a cloud in the sky and my sunburned arms can’t find any relief.
- Starting Point: Alamo, NV
- Departure Time: 0630 pst
- Miles: 82
- Moving Time: 4:52
- Total time: 6:00
- Overnight Location: Caliente, NV
I must admit, I wasn’t anxious to get on the road this morning. I enjoyed the “Out of This World” eccentricity of the Little Al’e’Inn and wasn’t looking forward to the monotonous desert scenery. It makes Tempus Fugit look like a Jackson Pollack painting.
The climb out of Alamo, NV was a shallow and steady 30-minute effort that opened up my legs well.
I stopped to take my first rest of the day at the only street sign I could find to lean my bike against. I wasn’t the first one there. I wonder if he was expecting mail to this random mailbox in the middle of nowhere.
The second climb of the day to the top of Hancock Summit was no joke. 5 miles with the rapidly increasing wind in my face made it a test. The scenery on the backside, although similar, doesn’t get old.
My support crew caught up to me while climbing, and I took a much-needed break to refuel after the descent. The ride was only a third over, and there was quite a bit more climbing into the wind to come.
The only turn on the route was in the city of Crystal Springs. Yes, this time I was supposed to find a city and I made the right turn—a left. I still haven’t come across a traffic light. Is this close enough?
About 15 miles into the twenty-mile rolling ascent out of Crystal Springs, road construction forced me into the RV for a few miles. Add it to the things that happen for a reason list. It was a serendipitous rest before the unexpected beast of a climb up Oak Spring Summit.
The climb up Oak Spring Summit was 5.5 miles with 1,200 ft. of vertical into a stiff and sweltering headwind that took me over forty minutes. I was spent and looking forward to the descent into Caliente, NV.
Thankfully I have acclimated to living at altitude to some degree. I’m not sure what good it does me if I climb at 6,000 ft. and above?
I was shot when I rolled into Young’s RV Park in Caliente, NV, after the eight-mile downhill into the wind. I wouldn’t say that Caliente is the land that time forgot. I will say that it didn’t take long to explore and refill our staples for the next leg of the journey. Good, I need a rest!
About the DIRT Dad Fundo Pledge for Day Seven—Val and Brandon Peterson
There are no two more sincere, genuine, and loving people in the cycling community than Val and Brandon. They are always there to make you smile and offer a word of encouragement. Val is an animal on the bike! Brandon is okay, too!
Check out this article I wrote to “Get to Know The Petersons and Why Their Lives Would Not Be The Same Without Virtual Cycling” and have a bit of fun with this one “The Virtual Cycling Newlywed Game – Featuring Brandon and Val Peterson.”
Here is what V and B had to say—”We’ve been active DIRT/MIRT members since 2018 and absolutely love supporting the amazing team members and their crazy adventures 😊”
Amount Raised to Date—$1,791
Thank you, Brandon and Val! Get well soon, V!
Now off to St. George, UT!
To support Chris in his effort to raise awareness of The DIRT Dad Fund, the non-profit he created to assist members of the worldwide cycling community, check out this link to learn more.
Find out where you can pledge a donation and subscribe to The ZOMs newsletter to follow along on the journey.
Semi-retired after more than 20 years as the owner and director of a private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice, Chris now enjoys the freedom to dedicate himself to his passions—virtual cycling and writing.
Driven to give back to the sport that has enriched his life with countless experiences and relationships, he founded a non-profit organization, TheDIRTDadFund. In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to his “Gain Cave” on Long Island, New York, raising support for his charity.
His passion for cycling shines through in his writing, which has been featured in prominent publications like Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. In 2024, he was on-site in Abu Dhabi, covering the first live, in-person UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
His contributions to cycling esports have not gone unnoticed, with his work cited in multiple research papers exploring this evolving discipline. He sits alongside esteemed esports scientists as a member of the Virtual Sports Research Network and contributes to groundbreaking research exploring the new frontier of virtual physical sport. Chris co-hosts The Virtual Velo Podcast, too.
Thanks so much Chris! It was wonderful to get interviewed by you a couple months ago and can thank you enough for your support that past several months through my injuries and now recovery. Keep crushing it out there 🙌🏻
It’s an honor to consider you and Brandon my friends! Thank you for the support. It means so much. I need it.