Day 14: Lima to Red Rock Lakes (56.2 miles, 2,783ft)
After a morning of me tagging along with Silas, as he imagined an interstellar adventure while David and Anna planning meeting points and logistics for the next couple of days, we got off to a latish start—not a problem after a longish previous day. Again, we were riding through relatively wide open highland countryside.
Gradually we climbed, but the grade was mostly imperceptible.
As we rode, we began to notice thunderheads building to our northwest, blackening a distinct chunk of an otherwise sunny sky.
The wind shifted and picked up. Debating whether or not we should wait out the storm, we decided to slip on our rain gear and try to use the tail wind to outrun the storm to our south.
Shortly ahead we ran into a husband and wife team on a tandem, D.J. and Carry, who were getting out there tent to bivy through the storm. Clearly experienced outdoors folks (this was their third time on the GDMBR), they wished us luck and offered some healthy advice: “Just get off your bikes if the thunder and lightning catch up!”
Thankfully, we managed to race far enough south fast enough to miss all but a few big rain drops.
We rode the next miles under overcast skies before arriving at the visitor’s center for a wildlife refuge where our intended campsite—Red Rock Lake Upper Campground—was located.
Another 4 miles on the dirt road and we arrived at our day’s end, Red Rock Lake.
