Against the wind...

Hey gang! Jeremiah and I have successfully made it to another state (Utah) and crossed our first time zone! Just after our last update, we caught some original cowboy music at the Eureka Opera House (see below). Don Edwards was playing the lonley cowboy blues. After the show we had a chance to chat with him a bit about life on the road and get a picture with the man himself.

The two of us with the man himself.

From Eureka, we pressed on to Ely, a bustling metropolis of 4000 people. The ride was uneventful, but pretty. The landscape changed (there were some spotty trees), which was a welcome respite from the aforementioned sea of sagebrush. In Ely, we were put up by the lovely folks at the Bristlecone Motel.

On Sunday (7/9), we had a relatively short day (65 miles). So we decided to stop at a bar in Majors Junction (actually the only free-standing structure there) to catch the final game of the wolrd cup. Go Italia! The people there were pretty suspicious of us when we walked in with our bike gear on, asking about soccer. However, they warmed up to us and eventually we had everybody (all 8 people) in the place cheering for the game. Afterwards, it was on to Baker, our final stop in Nevada.

We stop at the Great Basin National Park Information Center right outside Baker, NV

The next morning, we caught the sunrise during the beginning of our 85 mile trek to the first of two Milfords along our route. Along the way, we ran into a few friends. (Incidentally, the rattler was definitely perturbed by me passing by and coiled to strike. It gave me a good adrenaline rush for the rest of the day).

Finally, after climbing over three 7000 foot mountains, we made it to Milford, UT; not as cool as place as Milford, CT (where Jeremiah grew up) but they did have a gas station that sold frozen burritos! Hmmmm... Although, we were over 2500 miles away, we celebrated the homecoming (of sorts).



Yesterday, (7/11) we took off from Milford and headed to the big city. Cedar City was our destination and it was a mere 50 miles away. We expected a comparatively easy day. Unfortunately, the wind was blowing in our face at 25mph for the entire 5 hour ride. Jeremiah put it best: "The wind is my arch-nemesis." But eventually, after battling the elements for 6 hours, we made it to Cedar City. The population there is 20,000 and there are at least 6 stoplights in town (it's funny how these things excite you when you haven't seen them for a while). Better yet, they have an all-you-can-eat Chinese Buffet. It might not be there anymore, though, we might have put them out of business.

This morning, we left Cedar City and promptly climbed from 6000 to 10,500 feet (promptly=about 3.5 hours including two rest stops to stretch out and dry-heave). The morning was a bit difficult. Just picture 25 miles uphill with grades as steep as 8% and you'll get the idea. Thank God the weather was in our favor with the wind mostly at our backs. Despite all the whining above, the climb was completely worth it. The vistas were amazing and we had a chance to stop in Cedar Breaks National Park (see pictures). We are both grateful to be out of Nevada and into some different scenery...with trees!!! At day's end, we made it to Panguitch, UT (rhymes with Sanguitch) passing by beautiful Panguitch Lake, a big salt lake surrounded by mountains.




And now for a brief fundraising update. You might be asking yourself why Ben and Jeremiah have been toiling in the desert making their way across the lonliest highway in America on bicycles (if you haven't yet you should, there are stretches of 85+ miles without food, water, or people!). We have hit the $20,000 mark in our fundraising efforts! Thank you so much to all who have donated. Your kindness and generosity is greatly appreciated.

We are still looking to hit our goal of $50,000. Everyone knows of someone who's life has been touched by cancer. The money we are raising will go to very promising research and patient care at the UConn Health Center. If you or anyone you know is interested in donating for this great cause, please see our website at www.leasfoundation.org and click on "coast to coast for a cure." You can also call Jaime Rotatari directly at 860-280-8371 to make a donation. Again, thanks so much for your support.



Tomorrow is a well-deserved rest day here in Panguitch, UT. Our butts, legs, and feet need it...

All the best,
Ben and Jeremiah