Hopkins 4K for Cancer

July 23, 2006

Benton, CA
Goldfield, NV, to Benton, CA

98 miles

Each day involving a state crossing had been a testament to our progress and achievements. Needless to say, our last state crossing was especially meaningful to all of us. Every day, our IM7 Stereo would wake us up with various tunes chosen by a different rider each morning. This day, every song was about California (as it turns out the state is a muse to many artists). It got us up and out of the door with a renewed excitement, especially since it marked our exodus from the desert that had been so taxing to us all throughout Utah and Nevada. The weather reinforced our drive on this day, with clouds keeping the draining sun from reaching us all through the morning.

We took a back road for the first 40 miles of the trip. It was unexpectedly rough in places, but it offered some interesting scenery of the hills in the desert, which could actually be appreciated without the scorching sun. It also passed by an interesting town that seemed to be harvesting either salt or limestone by evaporating irrigated ‘fields’. The remote location of this road also allowed for an especially unique expression of 4K spirit. I, however, was riding up front, following Susy, whom I had never seen more motivated on the entire trip, riding as hard as possible towards her home state. Struggling during the first few days, she was now able to drop me, a relatively experienced cyclist, on the flats. It’s people like her from whom I draw much of my inspiration on this trip.

After lunch, we all began our climb over the pass that stood between us and California, while all along the highest mountain in Nevada loomed over us to the South. We reached the top, marked by an old abandoned casino and a view of California below. We descended into the valley, barreling towards the state sign.

Especially in the last few states, I have customarily sprinted the last mile to the state line. It is a great feeling, putting the state behind you as strongly as you can. The California line was marked with a cow grate. As I barreled towards it, I was stopped short by some fellow riders who wanted us all to ride over the grate together. It was a good idea, but unfortunately, they were not able to stop everyone. Thwarted by my initial attempt, I got into the group photo at the sign without crossing the line, got on my bike, rode up the hill exactly one mile, turned around, and barreled over the cow grate with a scream. Call me eccentric, but that extra mile was worth it.

That night, we camped at the hot springs just outside of Benton. Each campsite in this unique place had a hot tub sitting in the hillside. Strangely refreshing after our long day. We were very lucky to have dinner donated by a local family in Benton that had had experience in bicycle touring, and who had met the 4K in a previous year. The dinner was wonderful and greatly appreciated. That night we slept knowing that the next day would bring our last major peak of the trip, Tioga pass, which would instantly take us from the desert landscape and into the lush meadows of Yosemite National Park.

-Ryan T