Mrs. CW, me and the youngest daughter took off on a whim to visit a yarn shop Mrs. CW likes in Minden, Nevada. That was the excuse, and we did buy some yarn for future projects, but the real fun was the drive over Carson Pass and into the great state of Nevada.
Still some snow over the top, but a whole lot has melted at middle elevations This is at Silver Lake, and virtually the whole reservoir is still frozen over, as is Caples Lake a bit further up the road.
This marmot wasn't frozen at all. He was out sunning on the rocks and visiting curiously with folks who stopped.
After the yarn splurge, it was over to JT's Basque restaurant for roast lamb and Picon Punches. Yum!
On the way back through Washoe Valley, the daughter leaned out the truck's window and took a few images.
A big tree in the middle of a lush pasture with the Sierra behind.
The range jumps up precipitously here, looking like a wall of rock and snow.
Weird, on the way over the top, there was a stretch of highway 88 that was smoking like a volcano. I suspect it got wet from the melting snow and then heated by the sun, causing the fog. Strange in the middle of the day.
I also had the chance to fill the truck's tank with sweet, delicious Nevada gas, which is significantly less expensive than the California alternative. I love the small gesture of cheating Jerry Brown and the Democrats of a tiny bit of tax revenue. Nevada seems an eden of freedom in comparison.
Spring has yet to arrive in the high country. Global warming didn't impact them yet.
ReplyDeleteAh, memories. In the early '60's, I was a young lad growing up on a ranch above Fiddletown. There was a guy in Sutter Creek named Chester who owned Cap's Garage, and he was our go to mechanic for auto repair. Chester was of Italian lineage, born and raised in Amador County. He knew everyone everywhere.
ReplyDeleteOne fine day, He invited me along with one of his buddies to go fishing on opening day. We drove up to Peddler Hill (which was as far as the snow plow went) parked, hopped into one of these (fuzzy memory, but I think owned and operated by the State)--
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M29_Weasel
--then continued the rest of the way to Sliver Lake. Lake was still frozen except at the dam. Spent a beautiful sunny fishing off the dam.
But, did you catch anything?
DeleteHeh. Yes, we did. Exactly two fish. I think we were just too early for the season and the fish weren't 'awake' yet. For a couple of hours we got occasional gentle nibbles, tried to set the hook, and came up empty. We were using salmon eggs.
DeleteWe finally managed to hook and land the two (don't recall what did the trick). When we cleaned them, they were both full of all the salmon eggs we had lost.
About that time, a PG&E lineman showed up on cross country skis. As I recall, he and his family would spend the winter snowed in, and his job was to repairs to the main lines in the high country when no one else could get in. Talk about cabin fever. Super nice guy, but I don't think he ever stopped talking.
He had been asked to come over and check on the Silver Lake Resort. The snow fall had been heavy and there was something like 8 or 10 feet on the buildings, some of which had flat roofs. The laundramat roof had already caved in. So we volunteered and spent a few hours with an old two-man cross cut saw sawing blocks of snow and shoving them off the roofs. Good times.
Great story. Kids went to camp there at Silver Lake a couple of summers at the Stockton Municipal facility at the head of the lake, next to Plasse's store. Good memories indeed.
DeleteParticularly enjoyed the last photo and comments.
ReplyDeleteTook an aircraft composites class in Reno and over the weekend we went to the Minden airport and took a glider ride over the mountains and Lake Tahoe. indyjonesouthere
ReplyDeleteYou were in the Carson Valley, NOT the Washoe Valley. The second to last picture is of Jobs Peak and Jobs Sister......directly west of Minden...in the CARSON VALLEY.
ReplyDeleteOk, ok. Carson Valley.
Delete