Day 54: Elko, NV to Battle Mountain, NV Total Distance: 73.0 mi Moving Avg: 9.4 mph Moving Time: 7:44 Another very painful day. It would have been much less painful without the vicious headwinds. I really can't convey in mere words exactly how demoralizing and soul crushing a strong headwind can be. There is just no bright side to a headwind. As the day ended, the headwind was really bad and was coming from slightly to my left. This meant that as large trucks passed me, they broke the wind (and even pulled me along) for just a brief moment. I kept hoping for large trucks to come my and pass me really close. Of course, as soon as it was good for them to pass close they all became super-polite and changed lanes to give me more room. Ah well. The scariest part of today (and possibly of the trip so far) was a tunnel on I-80. Tunnels are just not cool, for several reasons. First and foremost, they are narrow and have just about no shoulder. Second, they are dark so you aren't sure if they traffic can see you. Of course, I turned on all my blinkies on, but you just never know. Lastly they amplify noise. Nothing is scarier than the sound of a semi closing in on you at 75 mph through a tunnel. Yikes! Battle Mountain was named by the Washington Post as "the armpit of America." Having only seen a fraction of the town, I have to agree. The skeeze is almost palatable in the air. I'd absolutely hate to live here. The town embraced this moniker with slogans such as "Make us your pit stop." Bleh.