Today was a good but tough day. I covered over 160 miles, crossed four mountain passes, took a fall, and made it all the way to Ely—without hitchhiking. This was the day I had been dreading. There was only one charging stop between Austin, Nevada, and Ely, and the route was both mountainous and windy.

When I planned the route last month, I knew this would be my toughest day, and I fully expected to end up hitchhiking. Luckily, I was able to (painfully) keep the unicycle below 24 mph, which helped conserve power for the brutal climbs. I think there were at least four passes today.

I stopped in Eureka, Nevada, for lunch and a charge, and found a great spot called Depot Coffee. Eureka is a mining town that’s been around for over a century. Cool buildings have been built and left to deteriorate through their many booms and busts. The building where Depot Coffee is located was beautifully renovated and had a wonderful community space attached. I took up more space than I needed to with all my junk. Talked with some very nice patrons!

The food was fantastic, and the staff looked like they’d fit in back in Berkeley. I settled into a comfortable chair—it was the perfect place to relax, recharge (myself and the unicycle), and enjoy some great food.

My neck was really hurting, which made the trip feel so much longer. It got me thinking about people who live with chronic pain and how much that can impact your outlook on life. I put on some upbeat music, and it helped a lot. I also got a surprise FaceTime from my friend Skip, which was a highlight of the day. It’s amazing to think I was standing in an extremely remote location, chatting live with someone who was boarding a plane and being told over the intercom to turn off all devices. That definitely made the last part of the ride a lot more fun!

Along the way, I came across a couple of Swiss cyclists who were parked on the side of the road. They were also crossing the United States, hauling a ton of gear since they were mixing motels and camping. I stopped to chat—they were very pleasant—and they informed me that electric unicycles are illegal in Europe. If you own one there, you can basically only ride it in your garage. That would probably stop a lot of fools (like me) from launching a poorly planned unicycle adventure across Europe!

*That’s the face I make when i try to speak European*

One thing that really struck me today is how unique the vantage point is when you're standing on a unicycle. There’s nothing obstructing your view— no handlebars, no hood, no windshield. Because you need to maintain balance, the only thing you can focus on is what’s directly in front of you. No checking your phone, no cat naps (though I did get drowsy today). You have to remain completely focused.

And because there’s no visible part of the vehicle in your sightline, it feels like you’re flying. It reminds me of that classic question: Would you rather have the power to fly or be invisible? Honestly, I’d still pick invisibility, because I already get to feel like I’m flying when I ride my unicycle—and if I were invisible, I could just sneak onto planes and sit in empty first-class seats anyway.

Are we there yet?

A Plaque That Almost Ended This Journey

Visited Teacup Sally’s Former House and Talked Taxidermy