Rode from Salina to Torrey today. It was a wonderful ride with amazing scenery. I had to gain a lot of elevation and assumed I’d need to stop and charge halfway through, although there’s nothing there.

Somehow, I did over 75 miles on a single charge and climbed some surprisingly large passes, including one at 8,400 feet.

Route profile

Got to Torrey and was blown away by the beauty of the sandstone cliffs in the afternoon sun. Just stunning.

Before dinner, I hung out with a group of adventure bikers. They were all from the L.A. area. We shared snacks, they gave me a beer, and we had a great conversation for over an hour.

Very welcoming adventure bikers from LA. -Cameraman, Police Officer, Fireman, Fabrication business owner. Gave me a beer, a snack, and a fun conversation!

Later in the restaurant, I saw a couple who had spotted me riding up the pass from Salina earlier in the day. They commented that they hadn't realized the person in the “space suit” was a senior citizen. That’s happened multiple times on this trip—where someone I passed earlier in the day or even the day before will come up and say, “You waved at us—we waved back!”

I can't see people's faces well because of the window tint and my tinted visor, ut I make it a habit to wave at every car passing me, whether coming or going. My thinking is simple: my future rescue will probably come from one of these people, so I’d better be nice. I think we all forget that many of the people who help us in life—or who might come to our aid in an emergency—are total strangers. While I may feel like I'm being “independent” on this trip, the truth is that I’m relying on a wide net of first responders and everyday people. And that doesn’t even include the support of family and friends.

Some other lessons I’ve learned on this trip:

You have to make tough decisions when you can only bring 15 lbs of gear (not including the weight of the fast charger). For instance, I didn’t bring a comb or hairbrush.(Every day is a bad hair day)
You’re visible. People recognize you. Act accordingly.
Don’t sit and stare at your phone. It closes you off from real interactions.
Don’t assume the people who look most like you are the best to talk to.
You can find common ground with almost anyone—if you avoid politics.
People love it when you’re curious about them and don’t make it all about yourself.
Talking to strangers leads to far more interesting experiences than scrolling your phone or listening to nonsense.
There are a lot of dead deer, and they smell really bad.
Remember that you're an ambassador for your sport. How you behave shapes how others view the entire EUC community. I’ve watched mountain biking lose access to trails because of a few inconsiderate riders. In much of Europe, electric unicycles aren’t even allowed on streets. It would be sad to see that happen here.
It’s hard to escape eating a lot of Mexican food when you travel through small towns.
You can turn socks inside out and get another day
You can wash clothes in the sink with hotel shampoo
Google Maps can be your friend or your enemy. If you're going off-road, fly over every route you take with Google Earth. I have had too many dead ends or roads into private land with big dogs, and no trespassing signs.
When your hands are warm, you feel warm.

Tomorrow I head to Green River, UT, and the following day to a town near Bedrock, Colorado—maybe La Sal, UT. At that point, I’ll have to reevaluate my route depending on the weather. According to FlattestRoute.app, I’ll need to cross a pass over 10,000 feet. I don’t have the gear for that kind of cold.

I was surprised to get an email from the nice couple I met in Middlegate, NV, who live in Salida, Colorado. They invited me to stay at their house. Once again, I am so darn lucky!

Stay warm and happy!

Up to Capitol Reef!

Lost & Found in the Desert (Except the Phone)

Day Whatever This Is: Delta to Kinda Close to Torrey