93, the Dam, and Me

Gold Rush Days was an experience to be sure. Enjoyed being able to see old friends and meeting new people. Nearly everyone I talked to that heard my plans for hwy 93 to kingman strongly discouraged me from taking that way. I still decided to go, however, since I have heard that before.

There were some places with no shoulder but traffic was light enough that most everyone got over. Some didn't, but you can get worse drivers with excellent shoulders. I decided to push a little my first day back and get as much of this bad road behind me as I could. I continued past Wikieup and went for a while before it was getting late enough to camp and I found a place decent enough to hide me in this desert. I found a mound of sand with big enough bushes that one had to be pretty much on top of me to see me. Traffic also died during the night.

Riding up the hwy again the next day confirmed I had found the best spot to hide. In 20 mi I was at the interstate and back in familiar territory from my days as a tour leader. I got to kingman fairly early and stopped for lunch. I didn't feel well the night before and thought some food would do me good. I then proceeded to a budget motel which cost the same as the KOA in town.

Headed to Hoover dam today with a migraine I woke up with. My meds weren't helping yet I pushed on. 20 mi from Hoover dam there is road construction for the new bridge. I had a slow leak in my rear tire so I aired it up, hoping it would get me to the dam. I made it 9 miles and had to air it up again. I aired it up two more times til just less than five miles away I switched it out.

I got to the dam and people are even dumber there than the last few times I visited, due to the new bridge. I had a guy not even look and step into the road right in front of me and I couldn't stop fast enough and had to swerve into traffic. A car just missed me. I decided pictures were out of the question due to this and other incidents, so I continued on. I crossed the dam at 6,000 miles.

As I went up the hill on the other side I had a few people cheer me on out their windows. I crested the hill and coasted to the visitor center for lake mead. I am now camping by the lake and will ride a short distance to Vegas tomorrow.