A Route

Well, this week's bike trip turned into a car ultimate/Reno supply trip, but I have a powerful hunger to be on my bike for more than ranch work runs. The mountains are still pretty snowy, but I'm thinking of a beautiful route across the Black Rock Range and through Rock Springs Basin to Dufurrena Ponds, back along Highway 140 to Knott Creek Road and back to the ranch. My rough map says 100 miles, but it would definitely be longer than that. I have been on all of this route, but much of it on horseback when I was a child. I don't even know if some of the roads exist anymore (although it's hard to get rid of a road out in the desert, especially when on a bike). There will definitely be some snowdrifts to deal with on the Black Rock Range. From leaving the main road all the way over to Duferrena Ponds will be on very rough roads and challenging terrain. I'm thinking one day to the top of the Black Rock Range and camp at Horseshoe Bend for at least one night, maybe two and then I could fix fence and hike on the off day, then at least one more day to Dufurrena Ponds, possibly two, and the whole ride home (all on highway or good county road) for the last day.

I'm not sure if this is a route for the Doggy Ride, although will definitely need it for the Highway 140 section. For a spring tune-up this might be a bit aggressive, but the good thing is that once I'm on my bike I can turn my wheels any direction!