by Alan Snel
You have not enjoyed the full Nevada experience unless your car gets stuck in the Amargosa Valley sand dunes about 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
Jared Fisher, on the final leg of a 14-day, 1,400-mile campaign for governor bicycle tour, was helping his brother-in-law get his car out of those dunes Thursday when local market owner Ed Martell drove out to help Jared and Matt the brother-in-law last night. Matt has been doing video work of Jared’s campaign launch bike ride and meetings with state residents since catching up with Jared in Carson City several days ago.
Ed, who owns Martell Market in Amargosa Valley, came away impressed with Jared after hearing that Fisher is nearly done with his epic bicycle ride around Nevada to hear what Nevadans have to say on the issues. Fisher, a 47-year-old bike shop and touring company owner, dubbed his bike ride, “The Listening Tour.” That’s Ed pictured below in his market with Jared.
“I told him he was awfully young to be running for governor,” the 75-year-old Martell told Bicycle Stories today.
“I thought he was 26 or 27,” said Martell, who is a former Bellagio casino floor supervisor. “I was surprised when he told me he was 47.”
Martell said Jared is welcome to come back to his store to campaign and meet customers one-on-one in the small town of 1,500 between U.S. 95 and the California state line.
He was impressed that Jared was launching his campaign via two wheels and that he will have to go door-to-door and shake hands of residents in Las Vegas if he’s going to defeat Attorney General Adam Laxalt, a Republican who is expected to throw his hat in the ring for governor.
“If he was running for governor, then bicycling is a real good thing,” Martell said.
“He has a good chance. He’s an interesting guy,” Martell said. “I showed him around the market store.”
Martell moved from Las Vegas to Amargosa Valley, but still his keeps his Vegas home.
“He has a good chance if he keeps pushing like he does and gets out and meets people,” Martell said. “He has real good chance as long as he’s honest with them.”
Jared is fighting windy conditions today and hopes to reach Pahrump Friday night as he is reduced to biking at five or six mph because of the stiff headwinds.
On Saturday morning at 8 a.m., friends of Jared and the campaign are expected to join the candidate for a bike ride back to Blue Diamond from Pahrump.
“It’s been an amazing two weeks. Everyone has been so nice and courteous,” Jared told Bicycle Stories today.
