Wendover to Elko

Fri 1st July

A couple of hours this morning was spent tightening bolts up on the bikes after yesterdays shake up, we lost a couple completely!

We then rode down to the Bonneville Salt Flats to emulate the likes of Donald Campbell.

Bob decided to see what he could get out of his turbo charged machine. So over the measured mile and stop watch in hand, he set off.

Here he comes………

……there he goes, flat out with head down trying to get the last ounce out of the ‘Blue Slug’.

Got the gorilla pod out for the group shot on the hallowed ground.

The downside was the bikes got covered in that metal eating stuff, so a power wash was a priority.

Eventually we set off across the Nevada desert towards San Francisco, hoping to get to Battle Mountain on Interstate 80 but only managed Elko before deciding we’d had enough for the day.

This is Chris and Deseri who we found broken down in a rest area on the Interstate in the middle of nowhere. We donated various bits so they could botch their leaking header tank.

In the last 24 hrs we've met a couple of interesting people who have given us an insight into the difficulties the economy is causing them over here. Last night it was Dwain. He is the owner/driver of a lorry and hauls trailers all over the States. For the last 3 ½ years he has lived in his lorry. Apparently the rate for hauling goods has fallen but the cost of fuel has doubled since the banking crises,.He has to work just about every day to make ends meet. Chris on the other hand works for a company that erects the towers, seating, marquees etc for all the PGA golf tournaments around the USA. He was on his way to Sacremento for the next job when we came across him. Three years ago he was earning thirty dollars an hour fitting granite work tops and surrounds before losing his job. He reckons he now gets 9 ½ dollars (about £6) and has to work twice as hard and travel all over the States at his own expense.

It seems life's pretty tough over here at the moment but interestingly neither of them were complaining about it.