A Little Time back in Carson City - NV

Carson City, Nevada
Washoe Lake County Park


It was a shorter trip up to South Dakota and back but we enjoyed every bit of it.  We are just a few miles from California but when traveling this way we stop to see our soon-to-be daughter-in-law's father.

Since it was getting hot we decided instead of staying at Washoe Lake State Park where there is no electricity (as of 10/2019 there is now electric sites) we'd stay on the other side of the lake up in the pines where the temperature is cooler.

Washoe Lake County Park is really nice but the internet is very spotty here.  We found a site mid-week that we could fit in with decent cell and the best view!

 Overlooking the lake in the distance.

 We just stayed a few days but I got some nice hikes in.

 Hurley and I headed out early to beat the heat and hiked the Ophir Creek Trail.  It's a moderate 7 mile trip.

 I got a kick out of this Poop Fairy sign.

Then on to more serious stuff.

We started out by the creek and Hurley soaked up some nice cold creek water to start things out.

  

This trail winds up the mountain, around and then back down.  No flat stuff.  We found a few geocaches hidden along the way too.

 The scent of the pines in the heat is one of my favorite smells!

There was plenty of shade about 2/3's of the way.

Once we got to the top we could see the slide across the river.  I'd hoped we would be able to access it so Hurley could splash around and cool off, but it was too steep and too far down.

Once we came around the peak we were mostly in full sun and it really got hot.  I felt bad for Hurley.  It was a long hike for him in high elevation.

 By now we were taking lots of breaks in the shade so he could rest.

 

 

 What a happy boy once we got back down and he could cool off in the creek again!

 

Our last evening we met up in Carson City with Sebastian (center) and his oldest, best friend, Noel.  We had a great dinner and drinks after. We sure love our new, extended family!

We always have a great time!  Looking forward to Brennan and Alex's wedding next May!

 

It was a great visit.  Now we'll hide at one of our favorite spots for a couple of weeks and chill before Ryan and Diana's wedding next month.

 

 

A Ghost Town & Goat Friends - UT/NV

Snowville, UT
Earp & James Hitching Post


After leaving Idaho, we barely crossed over the border in Utah to overnight at Snowville.  With a population less than 200, there isn't much here.  The area is known for Deep Creek which provided much water to the area even in years of drought.  Later the railroad had a stop here.

 

 

There is a nicely run private campground on the main drag called the Earp & James Hitching Post.  Very simple, long pull throughs surrounded by grass.

Since it was a short drive we had a few hours of daylight left and I wanted to find the Kelton Ghost Town I'd read about. 

There isn't much left of the old town except a small cemetery with a few graves.  Even the old transcontinental railroad tracks have been removed.

We walked around a bit and found some geocaches but it was very hot and the stickers were ridiculous!  Very hard to pull out of your shoes so we didn't stay long.  Hurley couldn't even get out because of the stickers.

The other interesting object out here is the Wheeler Survey Marker. In 1872, George Wheeler was authorized by Congress to direct the United States Geological Surveys West of the One Hundredth Meridian, a seven-year project that would be known as the Wheeler Survey. The survey’s main goal was to make topographic maps of the southwestern United States.  He was charged with identifying the physical features of the region; discovering the numbers, habits and disposition of Indians in the section; selecting sites for future military installations; determining routes for rail lines and roads; and making notes about mineral resources, climate, geology, vegetation, water sources and agricultural potential. Wheeler Peak in Nevada’s Great Basin National Park, Wheeler Peak in New Mexico and the scenic Wheeler Geologic Area  in southern Colorado are named for him.

Pretty cool to find.

 

The next morning we headed out to meet up with some old friends from our dairy goat days that live in Eureka, NV.

We really enjoyed taking different routes along the way.  The roads were in very nice condition and the scenery was beautiful.

We made a stop at the border to find a cache.

These overpasses are for deer, not cars. In states where mule deer migrate between winter and summer feeding ranges these are built over busy highways to prevent accidents.

These folks must really like isolation.  Nothing around for miles and miles.

The "L" is for The Lincoln Highway.  It was the first transcontinental road for automobiles in the United States, dedicated in 1913. It winds its way over 3,000 miles between New York City and San Francisco.

We hadn't been through Eureka before and it was a very cute town.  It's got a very eclectic mix of rough and tumble types with lots of history.  There is still a lot of mining going on.

We were lucky to find a spot at a tiny RV Park that we couldn't find a name for.

Steve and I with old friends, Kay and Gary.  We had a great dinner at the Old Owl Club.  Great food!  My French Dip was delicious!  It has probably been about 10 years since we've seen each other.  It was great to catch up and when we drive through the area again we will definitely stop by for another visit!

We walked through town and looked at some monuments, shops and murals.

Austin Summit was an easy drive in the truck.  Four more hours and we'll be near the border of California.