JULY 25,  Milford, Utah, to Baker, Nevada, 84 miles via Utah Route  21 and Nevada Route 487. Average speed today, 13.0 mph. Total trip mileage to date,  3,236. Average daily mileage since June 1,  58.8.

Today we launched what we called the “Nevada Strategy.” The alarm went off at 2:45 a.m., we got ready, had a fine breakfast at Penny’s Diner, stowed our gear in Randy’s car and hit the road with bike lights gleaming before 4:30 a.m.

 Route 21 was quiet, cool and downright eerie. But the riding, as we intended, was downright easy. Saw maybe two cars in the first thee hours. Although we saw a glow in the eastern sky soon after setting off, the sun didn’t hit until we were halfway up the second  of three passes between Milford and  Baker.

By 9:30, we had covered 50 miles. That’s when Randy brought us sandwiches from Penny’s for lunch. Delicious. Then we soldiered on, climbing the last pass of the day well before noon.

The terrain -- pass, basin, pass, basin, pass basin -- should be with us for the next six days as we cross Nevada. Assuming we get air-conditioned rooms at night – which we’re not getting here at the Silverjack Inn in Baker – the Silver State crossing should be OK.

But, yeah, the room here is stifling and the milkshakes – they’ve become a daily staple of this trip – were thin. We’re hoping for better at the Lectrolux Café, which is operated by the same guys who own the motel.

Today’s milestones:  Crossing into Nevada and into the Pacific Time Zone just before noon. Now we have just one more state line to cross, and that will be into California. We’re getting pretty excited about wrapping it all up.

(But not about the alarm ringing at 2:45 a.m. tomorrow).