Uphill Into A Headwind
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intoaheadwind.bsky.social
Uphill Into A Headwind
@intoaheadwind.bsky.social
54 followers 1 following 200 posts
No matter which way I go,
Conditions change to make it so;
I’m going uphill or into a headwind.
🚵🏼‍♂️

#BicycleTouring focused account of @bioalex.bsky.social.

#Cycling #Bicycle #BikeSky #BicycleTravel
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intoaheadwind.bsky.social
Uphill Into A Headwind @intoaheadwind.bsky.social · Jul 31
My 6th long bicycle journey has begun, so I guess I’d better start posting about it and making this account more active!

The current #BicycleTour is basically me taking a break from the grinds of capitalism & being a bicycling nomad until I find a place to stop.

#BikeSky #BicycleTouring
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
My next main goal was to make it near Las Vegas, though I had no intention of going into the city. Instead, my plan was to follow route that most players take in the game #FalloutNewVegas, starting from Goodsprings, around to Primm, Nipton, & Boulder City. 1/6
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel
Screenshot from the Mapy navigation app showing my planned route around the Mojave Desert south of Las Vegas, following the real life route that the main character takes in the video game Fallout New Vegas.
December 1, 2025 at 2:12 AM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
After Death Valley, I headed east to Beatty #Nevada, there to turn north to make my way towards Tonopah. 1/3
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel
Photograph of Nevada Route 374 curving down into the valley in which the town of Beatty is nestled as a little patch of green in the desert mountains and foothills. Photograph of sunset in the desert with orange clouds against a deep blue sky fading to yellow and orange on the western horizon over a shadowed plain of scrub brush and sand. Photograph of sunset in the desert with salmon colored clouds against a deep blue sky fading to yellow and orange on the western horizon over a shadowed plain of scrub brush and sand.
December 1, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Reposted by Uphill Into A Headwind
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
#DeathValley Thread 🧵
Climbing out of Panamint Valley up to Towne Pass was a brutal ~1100m of elevation gain. Or it would have been brutal, but a nice young woman from France saw me pushing my bicycle up the constant 6-7% grade & offered me a ride! 😅🥹 1/8
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel #Desert
Photograph of the barren desert floor of Panamint Valley looking southward from the north end showing sand & little vegetation stretching to distant mountains under a clear blue sky Monochrome photograph of the valley floor of Panamint Valley looking southward from the north end showing barren sand stretching towards distant mountains under a bright sun and clear sky Photograph looking down towards Panamint Valley part way up the road to Towne Pass leading to Death Valley showing an asphalt road descending between rolling foothills to the sand covered valley floor with mountains in the distance under a clear blue sky Selfie of me wearing a black tank top and a forest green buff holding up a hand wearing a black fingerless cycling glove making a peace sign in front of a sign reading Towne Pass Elev 4956 FT, which is ~1511 meters in metric.
November 17, 2025 at 6:59 PM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
#DeathValley Thread 🧵
Climbing out of Panamint Valley up to Towne Pass was a brutal ~1100m of elevation gain. Or it would have been brutal, but a nice young woman from France saw me pushing my bicycle up the constant 6-7% grade & offered me a ride! 😅🥹 1/8
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel #Desert
Photograph of the barren desert floor of Panamint Valley looking southward from the north end showing sand & little vegetation stretching to distant mountains under a clear blue sky Monochrome photograph of the valley floor of Panamint Valley looking southward from the north end showing barren sand stretching towards distant mountains under a bright sun and clear sky Photograph looking down towards Panamint Valley part way up the road to Towne Pass leading to Death Valley showing an asphalt road descending between rolling foothills to the sand covered valley floor with mountains in the distance under a clear blue sky Selfie of me wearing a black tank top and a forest green buff holding up a hand wearing a black fingerless cycling glove making a peace sign in front of a sign reading Towne Pass Elev 4956 FT, which is ~1511 meters in metric.
November 17, 2025 at 6:59 PM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
Climbing out of Searles Valley up to the Slate Range Crossing gave me a pretty spectacular view of Panamint Valley on the other side. 1/6
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel #Mojave #Desert #California
Wide angle photograph from the Slate Range Crossing looking down over the whole of Panamint Valley stretching away to the north under a clear blue sky Zoomed photograph looking down into Panamint Valley from the top of the Slate Range Crossing showing the desert scrub of the valley floor stretching away towards distant mountains Zoomed photograph looking down into Panamint Valley from the top of the Slate Range Crossing showing the desert scrub and salt flats of the valley floor stretching away towards distant mountains Black and white wide angle photograph of the whole of Panamint Valley stretching away to the north from the Slate Range crossing
November 17, 2025 at 12:15 AM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
Passed through Trona (where I stopped for lunch & cold beverage that didn’t cut into my water supply) & made my way north about 2/3 of the way up Searles Valley where I stopped to camp. Some very pretty clouds over the Slate Range. 1/2
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel #Mojave #California #Desert
Photograph of desert scrub brush and creosote bushes in shadow stretching away towards the Slate Range mountains still lit by the late afternoon sun with a sharp line of clouds above the mountains fading to more wispy clouds and eventually blue sky Wide angle Photograph of desert scrub brush and creosote bushes in shadow stretching away towards the Slate Range mountains still lit by the late afternoon sun with a sharp line of clouds above the mountains fading to more wispy clouds and eventually blue sky Photograph of a grey tent and green bicycle with green panniers among the Mojave desert scrub brush with the Slate Range mountains in the background under yellow and orange clouds lit by the setting sun Photograph of a grey tent and green bicycle with green panniers among the Mojave desert scrub brush with the Slate Range mountains in the background under yellow and orange clouds lit by the setting sun
November 16, 2025 at 11:08 PM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
Continuing through the #Mojave towards Ridgecrest, #California, where I needed to really stock up at the last good grocery store for most of what I’d need to get to Death Valley. After that, I’d take CA178 over into Searles Valley.
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel
Photograph of California Route 14 north towards Inyokern and Ridgecrest, showing an asphalt road rolling over hills through the desert towards distant mountains under a blue sky with a band of clouds running above the mountains
November 16, 2025 at 10:50 PM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
Every single flat tire I’ve had on this trip due to an actual puncture (& not self-owns like pinch punctures or issues w/ Schwab’s tubes, etc) has been caused by little bits of wire from shredded truck tires on freeway shoulders worming their way through my tires. Every. Single. One. 🤬

#BikeSky
November 14, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Reposted by Uphill Into A Headwind
bioalex.bsky.social
Still it seems to keep rebuilding that thick web coming out of the fork after daily damage from riding so it seems to be surviving well enough. But I’ll be a little sad when the day comes that the web stops getting rebuilt. 😢
November 12, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Reposted by Uphill Into A Headwind
bioalex.bsky.social
So, I seem to have a #spider of some sort living in the front fork of my #bicycle. I’m worried about it. Not because of any fear on my part, but because I think I may have picked this hitchhiker up as far back as Yosemite & I’m now in the Mojave near Vegas. It may die of dehydration. 😢
Photograph of where the front fork meets the body of a green bicycle showing a bunch of spider web around the fork and front fender over the front tire
November 12, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Reposted by Uphill Into A Headwind
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
I know I still have some catching up to do, including Searles Valley, Panamint Valley, Death Valley, & the ride to & from Tonopah, but I am rather excited that my #Fallout #NewVegas tour will start tomorrow with a route looking something like this.☢️🚵🏼‍♂️💪🏼
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel #FONV
Screenshot from Mapy showing my bicycle route plan in the Mojave Desert around Las Vegas routing through most of the main places set in the game Fallout New Vegas
November 11, 2025 at 4:35 PM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
I know I still have some catching up to do, including Searles Valley, Panamint Valley, Death Valley, & the ride to & from Tonopah, but I am rather excited that my #Fallout #NewVegas tour will start tomorrow with a route looking something like this.☢️🚵🏼‍♂️💪🏼
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel #FONV
Screenshot from Mapy showing my bicycle route plan in the Mojave Desert around Las Vegas routing through most of the main places set in the game Fallout New Vegas
November 11, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Reposted by Uphill Into A Headwind
bioalex.bsky.social
Fantastic thread on how to dress for cycling in cold weather, particularly useful for me as a bicycling nomad still looking for a place to stop for the winter & planning to chase the sun north to Alaska when Spring comes. 😎🚵🏼‍♂️👍🏼
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel #Cycling
travtufts.bsky.social Travis @travtufts.bsky.social · Dec 2
In honor of my first <30ºF bike commute of the season, let's talk about how to stay warm in the 20s, 10s, and even 0s.

For years I biked for transit in Boston 9 months a year, pausing in winter – but one year I decided to just keep going. So can you!

Here are some tips 👇🏻, please share yours too!
November 11, 2025 at 4:07 PM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
Back in the #MojaveDesert at last! I really love #cycling through the #desert, camping just about anywhere on the plentiful BLM land. Sure, I need to pay closer attention to my water consumption & supply, but there is surprising comfort among the rocks, sand, creosote, & sage
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel
Photograph of the Mojave Desert from California 58 coming down from Tehachapi showing a plain of sand, sage, and creosote bushes stretching to hazy mountains in the distance under a blue sky with distant clouds Wide angle Photograph of the Mojave Desert from California 58 coming down from Tehachapi showing a plain of sand, sage, and creosote bushes stretching to hazy mountains in the distance under a blue sky and a bright sun with distant clouds Photograph of plains and hills of the Mojave Desert with sand, rocks, creosote, and sage under a clear blue sky Photograph of California Route 14 stretching through the Mojave Desert towards hills leading to Red Rock Canyon under a clear blue sky with a cliff of layered red rock off to the left
November 9, 2025 at 11:47 PM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
So, my next main destination after Tehachapi was pretty clear. I am incapable of passing through Tehachapi without making my way to Tonopah (& you better believe I’ll be doing Tucson to Tucumcari!). Especially since Death Valley is on the way. Desert, here I come!
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel
Selfie of me on my bicycle wearing a lime green bicycle helmet, clear cycling glasses, a forest green buff, a lime green windbreaker, and a backpack, in front of a sign for Tehachapi Depot with the old train depot building behind it Photograph of the main road in Tehachapi lined with trees, flagpoles, and a water tower with Historic Downtown Tehachapi painted on it, under a clear blue sky Photograph of a sign reading Historic Downtown Tehachapi with an arrow pointing towards town under a clear blue sky Selfie of me on my bicycle wearing a lime green bicycle helmet, clear cycling glasses, a forest green buff, a lime green windbreaker, and a backpack in front of a sign for Historic Downtown Tehachapi
November 9, 2025 at 6:32 PM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
Not many pics from the grueling climb up CA58 to Tehachapi, because I was too busy pushing my bike up ~1100m of elevation gain that turned out to be over 1500m total ascent. It was a long day, but I made it to a wonderful #Warmshowers host. 1/2
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel #California
Photograph of boulders among dried grasses on rolling mountain foothills under a bright sun and clear blue sky Photograph of boulders among dry grass on mountain foothills with a mountain rising out of the haze in the distance Photograph of the lights of Tehachapi under mountains silhouetted against the orange glow of the early morning sky
November 9, 2025 at 6:04 PM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
And it’s time for yet another rant about #Mapy #bicycle routing, this time courtesy of CA65. Bicycles are allowed on CA65. In the area of the oil fields near Bakersfield, all of the side roads are private oil company property dirt roads with No Trespassing signs. And yet… 1/
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel
Screenshot from the Mapy.com app in navigation mode showing it trying to route my bicycle off the busy main road where bicycles are allowed onto unpaved private side roads, presumably to avoid high speed traffic Photograph of California Route 65 showing a broad shoulder stretching into the distance between desert oil fields under a clear blue sky
November 9, 2025 at 5:43 PM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
Continuing down the San Joaquin Valley towards Bakersfield #California, the farmland and orchards gave way to desert and oil fields. Not the most pleasant scenery to ride through, but at least the road had a nice shoulder.
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel
Photograph of oil derricks and power lines silhouetted against a blue sky and bright sun in the California desert near Bakersfield Photograph of a beige oil derrick on a rocky sage covered hill under a clear blue sky Photograph from the “cockpit view” from my bicycle looking down a wide shoulder of a black asphalt road between desert oil fields
November 9, 2025 at 4:55 PM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
From Teaford Saddle, I had a long downhill through North Fork, the center of #California, to the San Joaquin River. I was walking my #bicycle up the long climb on the other side when 2 guys in an SUV stopped & asked me how long I’d been traveling. I told them & they were so excited… 1/3
#BikeSky
November 9, 2025 at 1:49 AM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
After Yosemite, I passed a pleasant night at a #Warmshowers in Mariposa. The next day was rainy & nasty & my brakes weren’t stopping me very well. I camped in some National Forest land, & spent the following day there resting, drying out, & replacing my brake pads. Finally. After 4674km. 😅🚵🏼‍♂️
#BikeSky
Photograph of very worn bicycle V-brake pads from my rear brakes resting in my hand showing the wear of 4674 kilometers of hard travel. Photograph of very worn bicycle V-brake pads from my front brakes resting in my hand showing the wear of 4674 kilometers of hard travel.
November 8, 2025 at 11:56 PM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
As a bicycling nomad who has been living by the rhythms of the sun rather than the numbers on the clock, I laugh in the face of the time change!

Though admittedly, it will feel somewhat odd looking for a place to stop for the day when the numbers on the clock are around 16:00-16:30. 😅
November 2, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Reposted by Uphill Into A Headwind
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
At long last, #Yosemite thread 🧵.

On the climb up to Crane Flat on CA120, I crossed a mile of elevation again. Pretty nice view from up there looking northward.
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel #California

1/16
Photo of a Garmin Fenix 7 on my wrist showing the elevation and compass screen displaying the current elevation as 1613 meters above sea level Photograph of the forests and mountains looking northward on CA 120 at an elevation of 1 mile (~1609 meters) above sea level.
November 1, 2025 at 6:03 PM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
At long last, #Yosemite thread 🧵.

On the climb up to Crane Flat on CA120, I crossed a mile of elevation again. Pretty nice view from up there looking northward.
#BikeSky #BicycleTravel #California

1/16
Photo of a Garmin Fenix 7 on my wrist showing the elevation and compass screen displaying the current elevation as 1613 meters above sea level Photograph of the forests and mountains looking northward on CA 120 at an elevation of 1 mile (~1609 meters) above sea level.
November 1, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Reposted by Uphill Into A Headwind
bioalex.bsky.social
Look, this will get posted in due time on my @intoaheadwind.bsky.social account for #BicycleTravel when I get caught up there, but for the moment, I just want to say how thrilled I am to be #cycling through the desert & camping on BLM land again! 🚵🏼‍♂️👍🏼
#BikeSky
Photograph of a tent and bicycle in the Mojave Desert among the creosote bushes and burro bushes, and broomsage, with mountains lit be the setting sun on the horizon under a clear blue sky
November 1, 2025 at 12:39 AM
intoaheadwind.bsky.social
I know I’m way behind, and I promise Yosemite pictures and points beyond are coming soon, but…

I’m about to leave Tehachapi, and Linda Ronstadt knows where I’m headed.
😁👍🏼

#BikeSky #BicycleTravel
October 31, 2025 at 3:43 PM