4 Days to go.....!

Eeeeek! I fly out to Las Vegas on Saturday morning on the start of my Death Valley Challenge. With that in mind, I thought you might like to know what my route will be.

So, as you know I will be going to Death Valley in Nevada USA. This is a national park of around 3.4 million acres (plenty to get lost in...). The Valley itself if 130 miles long, between 6 and 13 miles wide and surrounded by steep mountains. I'll be traversing the valley and traveling between Nevada and California.

Saturday 5 November - Fly to Vegas and, on arrival, transfer to Beatty Junction, 98 miles away.  Final chance to back out....!

Sunday 6 November - 34 miles from Beatty Junction to Stovepipe Wells. 14 miles in and I will (hopefully) reach Daylight pass (altitude 4,317 feet). I should then coast into California all the way back down to sea level.

Monday 7 November - 56 miles today from Stovepipe Wells to Panamint Springs. This one is a decent ascent to Emigrant Junction (5,318 feet) and then it's on to Wildrose Canyon. After that it's Road 178 to Panamint Springs at 1,951 feet - Total ascent 5,500 feet over 24 miles

Tuesday 8 November - A tough day today - Panamint Springs to Furnace Creek (56 miles again). After 14 miles of constant uphill cycling, I reach Towne Pass at 4,956 feet above sea level. I can recover with a 15 mile downhill stretch of 5,000 feet. It's then up and down for another 27 miles to Furnace Creek. Total climb today - 3,400 in 14 miles (but a fantastic drop afterwards!)

Wednesday 9 November - It's the longest day today at 61 miles as I go from Furnace Creek to Pahrump, via Devil's Hole. I'm taking Road 190 to Devil's Hole which is a Death Valley Monument. I will go past the beautiful Zabriskie Point (see the pic below) and then on to Death Valley Junction (2,037 feet above sea level) and back into Nevada. Then I head southwards towards Ash Meadows Wildlife Reserve and on to Pahrump. Total ascents 3,200 feet over 19 miles and then 900 feet in 17 miles.

Thursday 10 November - the last day of cycling with 57 miles from Pahrump to Las Vegas!!  A long slow climb first through the Pahrump Valley before heading east and into hilly terrain. A big climb next to Mountain Springs Summit at 5,490 feet and the highest point above sea level of the trip. Then it's a long descent  through Red Rock Canyon, across the plains and then into Vegas and finishing on the Las Vegas strip...! Total ascent of 2,790 feet over 32 miles.

Friday 11 November - bed. not moving. except to a hot tub. if i can....

So what do you think? Think I'll make it to that hot tub...?

Rich