We’ve left the northern Rocky Mountains behind, and entered a parched land dominated by the spirits of ancient volcanos. While we’re no longer climbing over big mountain passes, every cycling day brings new challenges. Baking sun, shorter-but-steeper hills, scarce water, and difficult road surfaces all add to the sense of wildness and adventure. But then you come upon a town with bubbling, carbonated springs, or a massive freshwater lake that seem like mirages in this arid land.