After the service, Ali and Kristian talk with the Abbot, Father Anastasi, who warmly blesses us on our journey, and makes sure we go away well fed. We load up into the car at 8:30, with a few hard-boiled eggs and pita in hand.
Today is the longest riding day yet, over 105 miles. Kristian leaves Ali in Harvard and drives up 30 miles. The day begins quite hot in the high desert. After riding the first 20 miles, a storm comes over the desert and it gets quite cold. Kristian is caught out in the rain. A car stops, and the driver gets out to ask if he has developed hypothermia. Kristian looked a little cold on the bike and his cycling speed was reduced significantly. After two hours of rain, the desert heat returns.
The ride down the 10 mile hill into the state of Nevada is breathtaking! The welcome to Nevada is a massive outlet mall with a monorail that crosses over the I15 and attaches to a casino. Ali visits the Nike store while Kristian rides ahead. Unfortunately, Kristian's bike (Storm) gets a flat. Ali leaves the Outlet mall quickly, catches up to Kristian and cycles the remainder of the day to the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.
We stop by a Chipotle for a burrito before heading to Brandi Stankovic’s. Brandi's place is home for the next three nights. Brandi, her boyfriend, Jimmy, and their two dogs are very welcoming to us from the moment we arrive.
Ali and Kristian met Brandi at the Quantum Learning Network for Teacher Training. Quantum Learning Network is a leader in learning-and-life skills, teacher training, and creating effective learning environments. QLN is also the creator of SuperCamp, a program for students 9 to 18 and college-age, providing participants with both academic skills and life-skills that help them achieve more in school and life. Before we started the tour, Ali and Kristian were team leaders at a Supercamp in Seattle. It was an awesome experience that we highly recommend anybody be a part of.
