Hopkins 4K for Cancer

July 21, 2003

Springs and Stars in Nevada
Rachel, NV to Warm Springs, NV



It seems that we just cannot get enough of that desert! Since today was one of the shorter ones of the trip (54 miles), we got to sleep in till 7:30. Unfortunately the sun didn’t share our enthusiasm for rest, and managed to wake everyone up by 7:00 am. It is very strange that my body, used to a late wakeup during the school year, has adjusted to being up at the ungodly hour of 6am. Once we had all imbibed as much water as we could and the van sagged with its load of many gallons of water, we hit the road.



I still haven’t gotten used to the vast distances of Nevada’s plains, so what looked to me like our first, short haul of the morning turned out to be a ten mile climb up to the Queen City Summit. Apart from a few stray cows and some riders who decided to “get a little color on their cheeks,” the day’s riding was pretty uneventful.



Our lodgings for the night were in the bustling metropolis of Warm Springs, population 0, but the Fellinis, who own a huge ranch stretching from Rachel to Warm Springs, maintain a natural hot springs by the side of the road that provided a nice relaxing soak for those keen enough to brave the mineral buildup.



After the heat of the day wore off, several riders mustered up the strength to climb up the mountain in back of our campsite, which offered an amazing view out over the valley. Unfortunately, the sun set a bit earlier than they had expected, so a couple of them had to climb down the mountain in sandals! It was a miracle nobody got a twisted ankle.



Apart from the hot pool, the evening sky above Warm Springs provided some of the best stargazing that I’ve ever seen. I could barely pick out the familiar constellations since there was so much “clutter” of other stars. It was an incredible experience to fall asleep looking up at the Milky Way, and one that everyone should try at least once in their lifetime.



Matt Woodbury