Trona -----> Furnace Creek (mile 252.89)

Ole Eichhorn has done an amazing "route recon" page for the 508, and here's the description of the Trona to Furnace Creek 99 mile stretch.

This is definitely the "queen stage" of the whole ride, with plenty of rollers, long flats through the desert, a massive climb, and a massive descent at the end down into Death Valley. And much of it will be ridden in the dark, whew. Not to mention an uneven road surface through the Panamint Valley.

The only good thing about this stage is that Lisa could do it with her eyes closed. Yes, it's the same place she was just 12 weeks ago, only on two feet instead of two wheels. Not including all those Death Valley training camps, I count at least 10 times Lisa's been racing out there on those roads. She knows what she's doing, which is the only thing that keeps us from going completely out of our heads with worry.