Trish & Phill's Tandem TransAmerican

Tour 2003 

Jul 8 Ennis - Dillon 75mi

We set of early because we knew we had a big mountain to climb and big it was , it was probably the steepest one in a short span of time we had climbed so far, it took us about 2 hours to climb about 6 miles  most of that time was spent pushing as it was too steep and the Tandem too heavy to ride up it, never the less we did it. We were totally exhausted after but glad when we reached the top in the 100'F heat.

The mountains have a habit of  playing  tricks on you, when you think you are at the top your not they just give you that glimpse of hope then turn a bend into another climb.  We should not be surprised when this happens but we are, me more so than Phill and when we do get to the top of some mountains I'm always thinking there will be more and there isn't what a bonus.

We passed through Virginia City today.

Population is now 142 but 120 years ago there were 5000 or more here. The town was the centre of a Gold rush. It was also noted as a place of lawlessness. History has a local woman writing to her friend back East saying hat she was scared to walk down town for fear of getting shot. Gun fights were obviously frequent. Eventually the town's bent sheriff was lynched by vigilantes together with another dozen or so highwaymen who had been getting rich stealing the Gold dust off the miners as they left town. The town has been preserved and restored to similar conditions of yesteryear. It is a very interesting little town and has many original buildings.

Virginia City never got a railroad and that was properly the demise of the town. However they still seam to have resented that fact and as the town developed into a tourist destination they went out and got their own (two miles including a steam engine)

Later in the day it rained. I can't read the weather too well here but the darkening skies would tell anyone it's getting ready to rain. A thunderstorm passed over us but we had time to get ready for it. We pulled over into a dirt side road. We got the fly sheet out of the tent bag and hung it over the side of the bike (don't want to get the Brooks saddle wet do we). We crawled under the sheet and sat the storm out. It was nearly an hour lost but we only had a few drops of rain on us.

We passed a large rock outcrop that had an unusual formation. We took a photo of it and latter found out it's name. The rock was a land mark to the Indians and pioneers both. It was called Beaver's Head,  apparently that's what it resembles (we could not see it ourselves). Now the whole area is named Beaverhead something or other.  

Page owned & maintained by Trish Collins email to  trishphill@aapt.net.au.  Last Updated 28/07/2003