Desert Escape

The past two days found me leisurely driving along the quiet desert highways of Southern Idaho, Southeast Oregon and Nevada. Its quite a trip to drive from Boise to San Francisco. No easy way to go, no choice but to drive through desert (basically in any direction except north).

I've driven this road many times and last year you may remember I took an alternate route into Northern California to visit the DMV at Alturas CA. That route is equally as desert scape...and smaller sage brush makes for harder potty stops too if you'll remember that story!

I decided that I'd make this journey a practice run for my future road trip across America. I got the video camera set up (soon got too hot to have it on the dash) and my tunes plugged in and off I went.

I drove through deserts most of last summer and it turns out I really like them. I've said that before when I've made journeys to Portland or Seattle. There is something about being out there in the middle of nothing, nowhere, nobody that just pushes some kind of reset button for me. Its like a clean slate or something? I've never been able to describe it very well.
I think it really boils down to the fact that you have hours and miles of nothing to do but think.

I passed through McDermitt and stopped at the Ideal Market for gas and snacks and I noticed the "Snack Stop" was open so I parked by the building and as I was putting stuff away to get out of the car I looked into the window of the restaurant and saw the ladies inside armed with fly swatters...it kind of put me off my lunch so I just kept moving. (Now I understand "fly's happen" but seeing it like that was a bit too real at the moment)

I was headed towards Carson City NV. I wanted to go see it since I'd never been off of Interstate 80 at Reno before. And from there I planned to detour to Virginia City. I didn't realize what a climb it was to get there but it is a beautiful place! Lovely scenery. It parallels Highway 395 which is one of my favorite routes along the eastern Sierra's. (Carson City is on 395).

Virginia City had already rolled up the sidewalks for the day so I decided to come back another time. I went on into Carson City, found a hotel and then found some dinner. I of course looked up BBQ places. There was one that stood out so I went there. It was called Red's Old 395 Grill. I ordered the BBQ Beef Brisket. As the waitress was about to walk away I asked if that came with any sides or choices or anything and she says "bean, coleslaw, cornbread and onions come with it, is there something else you'd want as well?" oof! That will be plenty thank you. No joke, it was a platter. American sized! But ooh soo good!

The next day I got up early and headed up to Virginia City again. It isn't far, about 25 minutes drive to get there. It was still early though so the townsfolk were just coming around. I love it that way! No one around, streets quiet, sun coming up. I had the whole place to myself for a couple of hours! I wandered everywhere, took pictures of everything said good morning to all the locals as they unlocked their store fronts. It was great. I was there around 8:30am they came around 9 ish and 10 ish so I wasn't THAT early :)

Friendly folks there for sure. There was even a sheriff all dressed up with his badge on, just like old times. I didn't get his photo come to think of it.
Virginia City sits up on a hill, well about middle hill, so there is a slope that comes down directly behind it...into the buildings it seemed and then a hill dropped below it out into a valley. I tried to take a photo of it but its hard to tell until you see it in its entirety!

From here I drove back down to Carson City and visited the Capitol Building. Kinda boring I will say, probably won't go back there again :) but still, now I've seen it.

I fueled up and drove on towards Lake Tahoe. I'd never really done that route before either and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

having grown up in a town situated on a lake I can say except for its sheer size its really not that big a deal. Same set up along the shores (except in Idaho public access to beaches is free) houses above the road private access and docks on the waters edge. The air is fresh there though and the locals are really nice so I'll give it another go, maybe camp there once and spend some time.

Dusk on the Bay Bridge

It was hard to leave the area though, I knew that coming up I'd have to get back onto Interstate 80 and make my way through Sacramento to San Francisco. What a disappointment after such a nice day! I mean fog etc not so much a disappointment.