Day 7: the actual recovery day

We woke this morning at 530 and hit the snooze button a few times. We got up, and opened the curtains to remind us that it was time to get up. Got back in bed. Got up... We hemmed and hawed until we decided that we really needed a mental recovery day before we hit the desert. It is amazing how much of your mental capacity is tried when you have a 50 climb. Something has to tell your legs to keep pedaling when your muscles feel like they are on fire. It was no problem at all for us to fall back asleep... Until 11, when we forced ourselves out of bed to go to the lobby and pay for another hotel. What a splendid day we had.

We had a healthy breakfast at Mc Donalds (coffee and smoothie) and went back and lazed around until we got in our dresses (and bike shorts and bike shoes, a very good look) and headed to the local newspaper and got our pictures taken. Obama is in town next week, and i am not sure why but he style our spotlight.  Admittedly, we had originally planned to go to Reno, (where most of the smaller towns get their news as observed from the gazettes and papers) because on our way back from subway last night, i thought i saw a sign that read:  "Reno 6 ". What i apparently neglected to see was the "3" that came after the 6... It was 63 miles away, and there was no way we were hauling our sore little leggies to Reno and back. So we improvised, as we do very well.

We were going through a lot of Towns that have very little, and can hardly stock candy bars on their shelves. It makes it hard to actively fund-raise, which is why getting to Reno would have been great so we could cover a greater area. There is not a biking community in Fallon, and that is also hard. There used to be two bike shops here, one of which closed last test and the other closed just recently.  It is really sad to both Lindsay and I. Biking has brought such joy to both of us and to so many other people in our lives (and many more out there).  We are also learning that it is hard to plan ahead with our time frame because we don't know where we will be in two hours let alone two days to schedule an interview. We are talking to as many people as we can and are handing out cards to whomever we can. Hopefully we can get to a news station near Cedar City.  we have been getting great feedback and have met some wonderful people that have gone out of their way to help us. In Nevada, we have been amused because we  have noticed that people tend to point out that there is a heat wave. We tell them that we are very well aware ;). the support from home had been absolutely incredible and so helpful. Thank you all so much for your encouraging words and kind gestures. We are very lucky to have you.

After our "photo shoot" (aka mugshot), we grabbed rice, a rotisserie chicken, bread, avocado, bananas, apples, and milk duds, Reeses pieces and gatorade. We had a lovely lunch and laid in bed and emailed and napped and laughed and watched TV until we went back to the Walmart grocery store for another healthy and fresh meal. The fresh fruit and vegetable section, even in the Walmart super center was a beautiful site after only seeing the far food options that line both side if the town road. It is a delicacy. There is a fine line of finding healthy food and food that will give us lots of energy and calories, and when there are few options due to fast food monopolies and we have little space/ability to keep things fresh, we have to be extra careful. I look forward to eating healthy foods and fresh veggies and fruits when we return.
We cleaned or chains and lubed them, reorganized our bags. I tried to tighten my racks and one of the screws popped off and is stripped. I was able to fight it back in and secure it well enough with duct tape. The closest bike shop is 65 miles away in the opposite direction. I have plenty of duct tape. Roll with the punches, use what you have and make most of the situation. At least it is still usable.
Time for a shower to get the grease of my legs and feet and bed. 5:00 will come more quickly than we wasn't, even after a lovely day of rest.

Watch out desert. Here we come.