Middlegate and the Great Basin

Wow--If you have never been to Middlegate, NV--try to do it. This is the old west today. A group of people living in the middle of no where--no electricity-everything is run off of a generator. They ask for nothing and do it themselves. What a wonderful warm group of people-I felt like family after only one day and was sad to leave.
We are into the Nevada Desert. Everyday is similar--climb (most climbs are over 7000 feet with our highest so far 7600 feet) descend, cross a valley of anywhere from 5 to 40 miles in length and then repeat the process. Nothing but sagebrush as far as the eye can see. Beautiful in a way but a very hot, dry passing. Plus we have been facing severe head winds--often steady at 20-25 mph.
Today we road 78 miles with 4 passes over 7000 feet and had virtually no coasting because the headwinds were so strong on the descents you had to pedal the entire way down--that was a bummer--but we all did it. About 3 more days of this type of terrain then we will start the Utah proper portion of our ride.
Have seen a group of 30 riding east at Middlegate and then today a Japanese man and his two sons heading west. Nice to see some bikers on the route. Hwy 50 is busy--certainly not the lonliest road in America--in fact about the busiest road we have been on--it may have been lonely in the 60's but no more. The truckers and locals give us a wide pass but the cars-sightseers don't seem to get it. But in general the traffic has been very polite.
Looking forward to time off in St. George--but a few days for that.