October 17
64mi/103km
+1000ft/300m
Before we left this morning, we took a little time to explore the ruins around Fort Churchill. This was an important stop along the California Trail and the Pony Express, and we departed following those historic routes.
We are definitely in the desert now, with wide open views and few trees. We stopped in Fallon for lunch and gathered extra water to hydrate us in the warmer weather. We can’t rely on surface water, so we have to make sure to carry enough water to the next town through Nevada.
We crossed long salt flats and even some sand dunes. The road was long and straight. There were still climbs, but they are more gradual. In the evening, we had a challenge finding a place to camp that was out of view of the highway. Eventually, we came to a pit that people seem to use for target shooting and off-roading. This kept us out of sight, so we took it.
As night fell, so did the traffic, so it was a still and quiet night.
