October 20
17mi/27km
+1200ft/365m
I fell asleep early last night and slept in this morning. Yesterday was tiring. The wind has not subsided, but we were well sheltered at camp. It still took us three hours to get to town. Yesterday, we could see what looked like a mirror far in the distance. We knew there was a solar field, and wondered if the mirror was reflecting sunlight onto the solar panels. We were camped near the project last night, but it just looked like a big tower. This morning, the tower was glowing a bright white. It wasn’t a mirror at all. I looked it up, and learned that the solar panels are actually mirrors that reflect sunlight to the tower, which is filled with molten salt. The salt stores heat, which is later converted to electricity. What an interesting technology.
I saw a Great Egret way out here in the middle of the desert. Did he get blown here by accident? There have been very few birds out here. It’s mostly just tumbleweeds.
By the time we arrived in town it was threatening to rain. It was too early to check in to the hotel so we went to the grocery store to get supplies for the next leg and to the brewery for lunch.
We checked back at the hotel and the room was ready, so we showered, did laundry, and got a little more rest. I’m always mentally and physically exhausted after a migraine, even a less severe one, so it was nice to be in a dark and quiet place today.
