Day 10 Elko to Wendover.

It was an early start today, up at 4.50am because we had to go over to the casino for breakfast, get back , load up and be ready for the first century ride. There are 4 people in the group that have yet to ride 100 miles in one go and Steve the Australian in our group is one of them. Amazingly enough there were still people in the casino playing the machines at 5.00am, I don't know if they were left over from the previous night or if they were early risers. It looked like the wind was going to be favourable for us as our group of 4 assembled and became 5 when Bill decided to join us. He's a strong rider so we were happy with that. It was cool, around 60F and for the first time there were black clouds and the threat of rain, in fact it actually spotted with rain for about 30 seconds but that was it. We soon got on the Interstate and we merrily eating up the miles with a favourable tailwind.
By the time we reached the first SAG at 40 miles our average speed was around 20mph so the wind was definately helping. The weather had cheered up and the clouds dispersed, but the breeze was still chilly. There were a couple of long drags for 5 or 6 miles at a time with great downhills. It was cold at the top of the Pequop Pass waiting at the SAG for some of our group to arrive.
Heading from the second SAG we had our group's first puncture when Gary got a rear flat, but we soon changed the tube and cruised to the top of a ridge abouve Wendover with about a mile to go to the hotel. From the ridge there was a fine view of the Utah salt flats and the road disappearing into the distance arrow straight. We were now only about a mile from the state line. The downhill into town would have been nice, but there was a very strong crosswind and we were being blown about quite a lot. We later learned that the Dutch lady had fallen on this hill due to the wind and cut her chin quite badly, but she will be OK to ride. The hotel we were staying in was enormous with 1400 rooms and it was, by now quite naturally, a casino. The same group of geriatrics had clearly been bused in from Elko and brought a load of their mates with them. The place was really a little tacky. The century ride was completed and now everyone has done one.
Today's distance was 107.1 miles.