03/10/14 – 14/10/14: San Francisco, USA to Las Vegas, USA

Team America assembles. Great to meet up with Reece and Anna and have them join us for the trek across the US. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA, USA
Stunning cycle up to the headlands overlooking the bay. Warmup cycle before heading out of San Francisco, CA, USA
Too long since we saw each other last. Beers with Alex at his local. San Francisco, CA, USA
America here we go. Cycling down Highway 1. The West Coast seems to have a near permanent Ocean fog rolling in. It results in some epic views. Half Moon Bay, CA, USA
Our first night in the tents and we were joined by a skunk and several racoons. Couldn’t get this one in focus but he was just so cool that he had to feature. Costanoa, CA, USA
Stopping at one of the trendy farm shops on highway 1 for some pumpkin and tayberry pie. It’s all about boutique and organic around here. Highway1, CA, USA
Climbing Mount Madonna to find a campsite. Sunset looking back at the Pacific Ocean Fog to the west. Mt Madonna, CA, USA
The landscape suddenly becomes arid as we move away from the coast heading for The Rockies. Los Banos, CA, USA
Massive fields of cotton. What a contrast to the struggling over-farmed cotton plantations back in Uzbekistan. These ones are booming. Los Banos, CA, USA
Our first 1 horse town. Feels like riding into a Western film. Coulterville, CA, USA
Will and Anna took a different route to spend some time together and left me and Reece to take on the Rockies. Obligatory coffee stop on the climb up to Yosemite, CA, USA
There’s a serious drought in California at the moment. Yosemite has been suffering some horrendous wildfires. The 140 into Yosemite valley was closed as a result of fires so we had to reroute up the 120. Here you can see the devastation caused by last year’s Rim fire. Yosemite, CA, USA
Some of the most stunning winding mountain roads of the trip as we climb up to 2000m elevation. Yosemite, CA, USA
Camping in the pines. Nice to have a busy campsite to make us feel we have safety in numbers in case the Black Bears come for food. Woke up with condensation icicles hanging in the tent – it got down to -5C! Cold cold morning high up in Yosemite, CA, USA
The mountains just get more and more beautiful as we climb higher. Yosemite, CA, USA
It’s like a picture book up here. Yosemite, CA, USA
All the warm gear on. Midday and still only about 3 degrees up at 2500m. Yosemite, CA, USA
Still climbing up to the Tioga Pass at 3100m elevation. Tuolumne Meadows, CA, USA
Just over the top of the Tioga Pass and there’s an almost immediate change to desert mode as we’re faced with a massive 2000m descent. Tioga Pass, CA, USA
Sunrise at Mammoth Lakes. Hitting the road early to get the most of a long ride down to Bishop and Lone Pine. Mammoth Lakes, CA, USA
Beautiful morning ride down the 395 towards Bishop. Highway 395, CA, USA
Not sure about the poses here. The scenery was so breathtaking we actually interrupted a 60kph descent to stop for a photo! Near Bishop, CA, USA
Sandwiches in the shade by a little creek. Perfect. Somewhere near Big Pine, CA, USA
There happened to be a Western Film festival in Lone Pine when we arrived. Apparently the only weekend of the year when something actually happens there. Impressed by the lasso skills at our first rodeo. Lone Pine, CA, USa
On the road before sunrise to start our desert crossing towards Death Valley. Near Lone Pine, CA, USA
Great morning to be on the bike. Owens Lake (dry lake), CA, USA
The sign says it all. Heading for Panamint Springs, CA, USA
Where’s cousin Matthew when you need him for an ID on an arachnid. Pretty sure it was a tarantula! (couldn’t quite get in focus) Makes you think twice before sleeping in the open on the desert floor. US190 near Panamint Springs, CA, USA
Leaving the valley floor to climb up 1000m and over into the next valley. Thirsty work out here. Near Panamint Springs, CA, USA
One of the most technical descents I’ve ever done. Heavy crosswinds through winding gully’s make for some tricky bike handling. Amazing fun though. Heading for Panamint Springs, CA, USA
Quite an intimidating prospect… The 1000m climb straight over this ridge to get into Death Valley, CA, USA
We made it! Descending into Death Valley, CA, USA
Sleeping under the stars just below sea level. Love the American flag outside this RV. Reece grinding coffee beans in the background to get us on our way for sunrise. Stovepipe Wells, Death Valley, CA, USA
At last the sun storms over the ridge and fills the valley with heat. Garmin is showing the temperature rising 1 degree every few minutes. Climbing from the lowest point on the trip (-70m elevation) back to sea level in Death Valley, CA, USA.
Welcome to Nevada where it seems road signs make good target practice… Scary. Pahrump, NV, USA
This is mad! Rolling into Caesar’s Palace with our packed mules. I think even for Vegas it was a strange sight for most people. Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, NV, USA
THE FACE RAT/BEARD IS GONE! Photos taken an hour apart. First ever cut-throat razor shave. Any guys out there who haven’t had one should definitely try it. The barber couldn’t quite believe her eyes – the floor looked like she’d sheared a sheep – about 1kg of hair off. Should help on the hill climbs. Las Vegas, NV, CA
Why cycle around the world when you can visit New York, Paris, Venice and Ancient Rome in one night on the same road? Madness. Las Vegas (Sin City), NV, USA