We spent a couple of days driving west to east across the state of Nevada, with a stay in Reno on the first night and Elko the second. In Reno, we got to do a nice late-afternoon ride on the Truckee River Bike Path. Near the trail's eastern terminus, it became more rural, and I was really enjoying myself when I noticed that I had yet another flat tire. Goatheads, blah! Fortunately, Barry has gotten really fast at changing them with all the flats we've had this summer/fall, so we were soon pedaling again. Heading back west, we got to check out Reno's downtown, which was quite a bit nicer than expected. Check out this cool sculpture. We knew from reading about the Laughing Planet Cafe, our newly discovered favorite eatery in Eugene, that they'd recently opened a Reno location. Barry had found it on google maps, so we were able to ride there for dinner -- it was just a couple of blocks out of the main downtown area. They had outdoor seating and a nice bike rack, so it was the perfect place for a couple of hungry cyclists to grab some grub! I got one of my favorite bowls, the Indian-inspired "Bollywood bowl" with chicken, veggies, rice and a spicy coconut sauce; and Barry went with a huge veggie burrito with HOT habanero salsa... ...and of course his favorite "Highway to Kale" salad! So good! After dinner we had a rollicking ride back to our hotel a few miles away, a slight downhill all the way with a tailwind. It was getting a bit dark, so we were glad we were able to go super fast, wind in our faces. It was one of the true joys of bicycling: feeling like a kid again for just a little while now and then! The next morning we hit the road again (in our car, not our bicycles!) and drove eastward across the state. There's some interesting (to me) topography in this part of Nevada. We landed in the small city of Elko for the night. Although we'd never heard of it before, Elko is the largest city between Reno and Salt Lake City along I-80. And here's a "fun fact" from Wikipedia: "Elko is mentioned as the one place he would like to be if he could choose, by the lead character, "Phil the Weatherman", played by actor Bill Murray, in the very beginning of the movie, Groundhog Day." I love that movie but surely don't remember the Elko mention! About the only thing I remember about Elko, as I write this post a couple of weeks later, is the long walk we took to pick up a few things at a local grocery store. The sidewalks were under repair and all torn up. What a mess. Here are the only photos we took in Elko, which the mural claims is "the best small town in America". After leaving Elko, we continued eastward and visited Salt Lake City for the first time -- stay tuned!
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While plotting our eastward trek, Barry noticed Lassen Volcanic National Park on the map, and we decided to check it out. The park is located in northern California east of Redding and was right on our way to Reno, Nevada, where we were spending one night, so why not stop in? With our annual park pass, it would be free, and we always enjoy visiting national parks, especially low-key, less crowded ones. This one certainly met that description. Here's a map showing where the park is located. We had never heard of it and are willing to bet most reading it haven't either! I can't improve upon the fine description of the park on the National Park Service site so will include it here: Explore the Undiscovered. Lassen Volcanic National Park is home to smoking fumaroles, meadows freckled with wildflowers, clear mountain lakes, and numerous volcanoes. Jagged peaks tell the story of its eruptive past while hot water continues to mold the land. Lassen Volcanic offers opportunities to discover the wonder and mysteries of volcanoes and hot water for visitors willing to explore the undiscovered. We took a short hike to check out Manzanita Lake. It was beautiful and so peaceful. We saw only one other person on the trail! On the way back from the lake, I was delighted to see a beautiful Stellar's Jay perfectly posing for a photo. These birds are very common in this part of the country, but exotic to folks from the East and Midwest, like us! From the drive through the park, we caught a glimpse of the highest peak in the park, gorgeous snow-capped Lassen Peak (10457'). It was breathtaking! There is a trail to the top, but it is only open a few times a year to a limited number of hikers. We had to take a self-timer photo here! The road climbed and climbed, and as it climbed, the temperature fell. Finally, we reached the highest (driveable) point, over 8000 feet in elevation. There are several lakes in the park. Lake Helen was small but very blue. So pretty! Near the end of our driving tour, we stopped at "Sulfur Works" to view the park's most easily accessed hydrothermal area featuring boiling mudpots and fumaroles (steam vents). Here's a video we took of a boiling mudpot. Very cool to me! If you're ever in northern California and have a chance to make it to this "hidden gem" of a National Park, go. You won't regret it! I only wish we'd had more time to hike and explore all its treasures.
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Emily & BarryWe're a long-married, early-retired couple who are currently traveling as nomads with no fixed home base. After years of living in North Carolina (Emily's home state), we spent 18 months living oceanfront on Ambergris Caye, Belize, a year road-tripping the US in a Honda CR-V, a year in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, and are now roaming North America in our 32' motorhome, Pearl, following warm weather whenever possible. Archives
July 2019
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