Fallon redeemed, rain

Since I was in no particular hurry this morning I left a little after 8:30 following breakfast at the Silver State Restaurant a short walk from the motel. It was partly sunny and a cool 60 degrees as I slowly rode through Ely, then sped up out of town to the 70 limit. Over three passes and into Eureka, then over another pass before climbing the Austin summit and descending into Austin. I thought that I might stop at the Austin museum, but it was closed, so I got gas at the Chevron station on the west end of town. A German (?) guy on an Indian Scout was at the next pump and I asked him how he liked the bike. He said it was OK, but that it wobbled at 40 mph - he made a shaking motion with his arms. I looked at the right side of the bike and noticed that the saddlebag was scraped, and also the right hand grip. I asked if he was OK, and he flexed his hand and said, "OK to ride - that's what's important."

After Austin it is just a long haul to Fallon with just one more pass. I took a picture of the shoe tree a few miles past Cold Springs, and also the sand dunes at Sand Mountain.

The shoe tree 10 miles west of Cold Springs on US 50

Sand Mountain about 20 miles east of Fallon on US 50

When I'd checked the weather report yesterday evening there was a prediction of rain in Fallon, and that proved to be the case. It began about 10 miles outside of town and the temperature dropped from 70 to 60. I was determined to find  a decent cup of coffee and a snack in Fallon, and rode around the historic downtown area, which mostly seemed to consist of empty storefronts and nail salons. I saw a sign for Java Hut, but after I'd parked the bike I realized that it was another empty building. Then I saw a place called Courthouse Bakery, right on US 50 at Maine St. I hadn't noticed it because the script for the sign was hard to decipher, and it's a busy intersection. I went inside and piled my rain gear in a corner, and found that it was a very nice place. I had a tuna salad and avacado sandwich on the bakery bread, and the coffee was good, but the real treat was a slice of  excellent strawberry/rhubarb pie. When I mentioned to the waitress that this seemed to be the only cafe in town, she advised me that there was a coffee shop called the Daily Grind next to Jerry's Restaurant on the west end of town - for future reference.

Much refreshed, I put my gear back on and headed out into the rain. The temperature dropped to a little under 60 - just warm enough that I didn't want to stop and put on my electric vest. The  60 miles to Carson City on US 50 went quickly and rather than take the bypass around the downtown to 395 I rode through the downtown area past the State buildings. I noticed that the Ormsby House seems to be undergoing yet another renovation.

I'm staying in Gardnerville at the Westerner Motel, just a couple of miles from the Carson Valley Inn, where I'll meet Dave for breakfast tomorrow.