After a quick breakfast (above), we hit the road about 8:00 o’clock this morning.  Our first gas stop was Shingletown, about 60 miles from home.  We met a couple from Hawaii who had brought their bike with them for a one-week ride.  They seemed a bit lost, and asked us, “Where does this road go?  We want to go to Yellowstone.”  On hearing how far that trip would be, they decided to take a pass and go to Lake Tahoe instead.  Besides, they were already finding the climate too cold.  There was a third biker in the group on  a California motorcycle, but he didn’t seem too interested in planning their route.

 

We had intended to go through Lassen National Park, but the main road was still closed due to snow.  Instead, we had to go around the park’s north edge.  It felt great getting out on the open road, although this leg of the trip got very chilly.  When the trees are so dense and so tall that the sun doesn’t shine through until noon, it can be a very brisk ride.  The scenery makes up for it, though.  We traveled through fragrant evergreen forests, caught a glimpse of black volcanic rock formations, proceeded to high desert and meadow, and headed for another quick stop in Susanville.  One benefit of the cold ride was our decision to stop for coffee at the golden arches before continuing.

 

We continued across the state line to Reno, Nevada, gassed up and kept going.  Amazingly, we had already covered over 200 miles, but it was too early for lunch!

 

Tonight’s stop was supposed to be Fernly, Nevada, but we just kept running east...  We had planned to make Lovelock our new destination for the night, but could not find a motel that looked appealing.  Instead, we fortified ourselves with steak sandwiches at the Sturgeon Casino and rode another 70 miles to Winnemucca.  

 

There were several chain motels in town, but none were designed for travelers who want easy access to their bikes (all have inside room doors).  The Winnemucca Inn and Casino is a good compromise on this count.  Our room has an inside door, but also a sliding glass door to the parking lot.  Thank heavens Harley doesn’t have to be lonesome!

 

We spent the evening watching TV, struggling with the free wifi (which didn’t like our security protocols), and having a late supper of pie a la mode.

 

How far will we go tomorrow?  Only our stamina will say.