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Nevada 2024
  • Jcrieff

Nevada 2024

The "Loneiest Road in America" to Great Basin National Park Leia mais
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    24 de maio de 2024
    JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    I'm Outta Here!

    24 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    I am currently at the Baldock rest area, stretching my legs. There's a tree representing every state planted, including a Scarlett Oak from Washington, DC, the Flowering Dogwood of Virginia, a White Oak from Illinois, and of course a Douglas Fir from Oregon. The palm trees from warmer climates0 look a bit sad!

    This morning, I was able to get the cooler packed and myself out the door by 9:30am. Everything else was packed. Teetee looked like she knew what was going on. I really hate to leave her... on my way down the driveway, I saw that my peonies are about to bloom, and that I was going to miss them. So I stopped the car, grabbed my shears, and cut 5 or 6 stems. I now have "car flowers!"

    I left work about 2pm and decided to take the backroads due to the heavy holiday weekend traffic. It was a smooth trip until I hit Wilsonville, where I was to get onto I-5. Traffic was backed up for over a mile just to get to the entrance ramp! Overall, I think it saved me about 20 minutes.

    Later... I stopped at one more rest area about an hour and a quarter later. My plan for the entire trip is to stop every hour to an hour and a half to stretch my legs. I set my timer for 10 minutes and walk around. Of course, some of that time involves the bathroom. No worries, Margaret!

    The landscape past Eugene is really beautiful. Hilly, with a ton of trees. Not a ton of traffic, either.

    I rolled into Roseburg, Oregon, at about 6:30pm. I drove to my hotel, but realized that I wanted to stop for some sort of bread. There was nothing near the hotel, so I went back an exit to a Grocery Outlet and found some pita bread.

    Next stop, the Holiday Inn Express!    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    All Keyed Up

    24 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    The Holiday Inn is in an area full of other hotels--think Breezewood. The lobby was nice, and I think breakfast will be pretty good. Check-in was fast, and I chose a room on the 4th floor (out of 4). I didn't realize that this hotel has outside doors. I took the elevator to the 4th floor and found my room... Only to have the key not.work. I went back downstairs and they made me another key.

    Back at the room, I put down my stuff and looked around. I also didn't realize that my room would have a balcony overlooking a river! The room itself is fine. A bit dated but comfortable.

    I still needed to get my.duffle bag from the car, so I went back down to get it. I get back to the room, and the key doesn't work! So I go back to the desk and get it reprogrammed. This time, one of the gentlemen behind the desk came up with meI tested it on the pool door to make sure it worked.

    After I dropped my bag, I realized that I forgot my wine in the car. I checked my key before I went downstairs and it did not work! So I got the wine and went back to the lobby. Again. This time, the guy made me 3 keys. Hopefully one will work going forward.

    I am currently on my balcony with a gin and tonic watching bald eagles fly around over the river. Dinner will be salad and appetizers. My favorite way to eat on the road!    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Southward Bound

    25 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F

    I'm relaxing in the hotel room, after bringing some breakfast up to my room. I need to leave in the next hour or so, and want to take a shower before I go. This place has been nice except for all the technical difficulties. The TV doesn't really work--I get one station!

    My hotel rating system is the following;
    Location 9
    Cost. 6 (it was expensive for the Location and type of hotel)
    Bed comfort. 10 (great pillows and mattress)
    TV options. 2
    Coffee quality 4
    Breakfast 7
    General room 8
    Staff. 9
    Other amenities and overall quality 7

    Later... I hit the road just after 9am, right after topping off my gas tank. Gas is getting more expensive as I venture south. I stopped in Ashland, Oregon to top off before California. It was 10 cents more per gallon. But a bargain compared to $5+ per gallon in California! I did stop at a liquor store across the California border. Not much selection, but I bought a bottle of gin. I stopped again at a rest area on the Klamath River, then again at a view point for Mt Shasta.

    Next stop... Weed rest area.    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Road to Reno

    25 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    The Weed Rest Area is just outside of Weed, California. There is a beautful view of Mt Shasta from there. This was my lunch stop and I had my Greek Salad with feta, olives, pepperoncini, cucumber, and tomatoes. I hung out for about 45 minutes, stretching my legs and enjoying my lunch.

    Back on the road, I left I-5 for CA-86, heading towards Mt. Lassen NP. I had visited there years ago and had fond memories as I passed it. I stopped briefly at a campground in the Lassen NF to use the latrine and stretch my legs. I stopped again in Susanville, CA to get some gas. It was ONLY $4.99 per gallon there...

    The last bit of the journey was uneventful, if not a bit boring. I passed several very beige lakes. One of them was called Honey Lake, which was about the color of it.

    I was glad to see the hotel!    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Holiday Inn Reno

    25 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    I arrived around 6pm and was glad to be done driving for the day. This hotel is nicer than the one in Roseburg, but also more expensive! My room is nice, with a great big chaise and a lot of desk space. I got my laptop out and checked emails, etc.

    Dinner was "tapas," but really just some chorizo, manchengo cheese, and some tuna potato salad I made for the trip. I pulled out the ironing board to use as a TV table.

    I watched TV, relaxed, and was in bed by 10pm! I have a long drive tomorrow!    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    On the Road...it's not that lonely

    26 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    I left the hotel just after 10am. I reorganized my duffle and got the car in order. All while enjoying some Biscuits and Gravy that I brought up from the lobby breakfast.

    I was heading towards Virginia City and the road was really beautiful. There was a vista point where I stopped and took some pictures. The drive was only about a half an hour. But I am still in the middle of civilization. So many cars and people!Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Virginia City

    26 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    Okay, I could have totally passed on this one. It is a historic location for the Comstock Load. But it is also an awful tourist trap. It reminded me of Lake of the Ozarks Bagnell Dam area. Old timey photo places, fudge and candy shops, saloons, and gift shops. I parked and walked up and down the street. It was very busy--lots of people talking about the 3 day weekend. I can't imagine what you would do here for 3 days!!!Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Carson City

    26 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    The drive from Virginia City to Carson City was short, but through a bunch of old silver (and gold?) mining towns. It was a nice drive.

    Carson City is small, but not as small as I would have thought. First of all, it took forever to get from the outskirts to the downtown area. It is actually bigger than Olympia, Washington. The capital building was not too big. I started to realize that doing this road on a Sunday was somewhat limiting on what I could see. The building was closed, but I walked around the outside.

    I parked across the street, in a nice shady spot. While I needed to stop and get gas and ice, I decided that it was a good place to clean out my cooler. So I put all the food on top of the car, pulled the cooler out, dumped the water and put everything back in. So far, most of the food is holding up.

    Before I left town I stopped at a large gas station for ice and firewood. It was a big Maverick and I figured it would have all that I needed. Gas was only $3.99 per gallon. I went in to buy ice and the cashier said she wasn't sure there was any left. Made sense that on Memorial Day weekend that they could run out. She said that there was one bag left, but it was frozen solid into the freezer outside. I paid for my firewood and said that I would check to see if I could get it out. If so, I would come back in and pay for it. It turns out there was 10 to 15 bags left and easy to get. I took a bag out and filled my cooler, then went into pay. I checked out with someone else, but I really wanted to ask her why she said there was no more ice. Weird.

    Finally on the road again, I headed to Dayton,    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Dayton

    26 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    Dayton was another half an hour drive. Most of it was on a 4 lane highway with a lot of traffic. I missed the first turn off, but found another entry for the downtown. Okay, that is a stretch. It is very small. Most everything was closed, but as I was driving around I saw a small museum that was just opening.

    It turns out that this was an old school house that was in use until the late 1950s. I was the only visitor and the dosen gave me a personal tour. It turns out that Dayton was founded by someone named John Day, but not the same John Day that founded the town in Oregon. It was the first Chinatown in Nevada, where the Chinese supplied vegetables to the miners in Virginia City. I learned that the Comstock Load was 20% gold and 80% silver. He was very nice and let me ring the school bell before I left. Very fun!

    Next stop Fallon...    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    1/2 a lunch in Fallon.

    26 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    Fallon was another half hour from Dayton. I stopped to take some pictures of a US-50 sign on the way.

    Fallon itself has no points of interest, but I was getting hungry and saw signs for a park. There was a picnic table, so I decided to have lunch there. It was in the sun and after about 5 minutes, I was too hot. I think it was only 75 degrees out, but I needed shade! I was halfway through my antipasto salad, but decided to pack it up to enjoy later.

    The brochure for the Loneliest Road said there was a place with petroglyphs 10 miles out of town and decided to head there.    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Grimes Point Archeology Site

    26 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    I wish I'd stopped here for lunch, instead of wasting my time in Fallon. There was a short hike to see petroglyph, and a shady spot to have the rest of my lunch.

    It's only 75° out, but the sun is strong! The walk to the petroglyphs was warm. The entire walk took less than 15 minutes.

    Now, I am being entertained by some chipmunks that are coming out of the woodwork...or shrubs, to look for food very cute!    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Middlegate Station

    26 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    This place is famous for being the last gas for a while, plus their giant burgers that look like monsters. It is so small and looks like an old run-down shed. I turned around quickly and came inside.

    The woman working at the counter said that they are "Halloween busy". I take that as really busy! I am enjoying a small beer while I relax. There's a musician playing guitar, and it is nice to rest.

    I wish I had time to try the burger!    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    The Lonely Road

    26 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    After leaving the petroglyph site the road actually started to get lonely. The road was a ribbon of highway, heading towards the hills. I pulled over a few times to stretch my legs and enjoy the view. The thing I noticed is how completely quiet it was. Maybe some birds, but quiet.

    I was going to stop in Austin, but at 5:30pm on a Sunday night there was not much going on. So I kept going. I did stop at a Pony Express waystation. Not much to see, but a chance to stretch my legs.

    I am listening to Sue Monk Kidd's book "The Book of Longings" and almost finished it on the way to Eureka. I have about 30 minutes left for tomorrow. I arrived in Eureka at about 7pm and found the SureStay hotel without problems.    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Sure Stay Eureka

    26 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    This is my last night in "civilization" so I am trying to get organized. This place is nowhere as near as nice as the Holiday Inns that I have been staying in. It is half the cost, so that's good!

    The room is dark and has a queen size bed with a small fridge and microwave on top of that. One nice thing is that there is a kitchen with a sink and dish soap down the hall. I washed all my lunch dishes from today and yesterday.

    Dinner was Greek Mezze along with a negroni cocktail. There is a chair with a small tabletop attached, which was a nice place to relax and enjoy my dinner.

    Tomorrow, I will explore Eureka and then head to Great Basin NP.    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Eureka

    27 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    I got organized at the hotel and packed the car at about 9am. Then, I stopped for gas and ice. Finally, I parked on the main drag to check out the town. All of these stops were within 100 yards of each other!

    Being Memorial Day, the VFW hall was preparing for a celebration. It is in an old time theater building. Downstairs, I talked with a woman who said that she would open the museum for me if I wanted to see it. I took a pass but thanked her. I took some pictures in front of a Lincoln Highway marker, then headed east to Ely.    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Ely

    27 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    The drive here was beautiful. More hilly with fewer stretches of straight highway. I went over about 5 or 6 passes, all 6500 to 7500 feet.

    It was about 1 1/2 hours to Ely. It doesn't look like much is open. There was a Memorial Day service going on in the park, but it ended as I arrived.

    As I was leaving town, I spotted a museum that was open. I turned around and was going to visit. But it was $12! Pass... I did take pictures of the train station and other items outside.

    Next stop, Great Basin NP!    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    First night at Great Basin

    27 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    After setting everything up, I relaxed in my chair and read for a bit. I wasn't hungry, so I went for a walk around the campground. The altitude is still affecting me, so it was a short walk. There are 2 creeks flanking the campground--Lehman Creek, I presume. It was cooling down, and I decided to take a towel and my closed-toed shoes to the creek. I rinsed off my feet and then put the other shoes on. Small pleasures...

    It started to rain a bit, and I set to work setting up the tarp. I wasn't sure what the rules are here about tying things to trees, but I did it anyway. By the time I got half way though, the rain stopped. So I gave up on the tarp.

    I did decide to start dinner. The salmon and asparagus needed to be cooked, as it doesn't keep well. It was delicious--I had made a gremolata with parsley and lemon zest to top it. Yum!

    After dinner, I was really tired. I had been picking up kindling for a fire but decided to go to bed instead. After the dishes were washed and all the food put back into the car, I settled into my nest in the back of the car.

    Not being too primitive, I brought my laptop with Big Bang Theory DVDs. That will help me sleep. I can charge the laptop with my Jackery power bank. All good!    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Upper Lehman Creek Campground #4

    27 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    The drive from Ely was about an hour. I stopped for lunch at a wildlife viewing area that had picnic tables. Lunch was Cobb salad, and it was very good. However, it was windy and getting cold, so I didn't enjoy it as much as I would have liked. A group of motorcycles came to the rest area and took it as my cue to leave.

    The speed limit has been 70 mph throughout Nevada. Except this stretch had a lot of curves, plus I was heading up into the hills. So it was a little slower going. The scenery has been absolutely stunning. Especially with the deep blue sky and fluffy clouds.

    I arrived at the Visitor's Center around 2pm. I stopped in to ask about the best campground. She said there were 3 of them, with about 80 total sites. All are first come, first serve, so I better get one soon. Okay--not the help I was looking for, but I took the advice and got on the road.

    There is no park entry fee for Great Basin, so that is nice. Especially since I am 10 days from being able to get a Golden Eagle pass. (I would have saved on the camping fees) I drove past the first campground accidentally, and also the 2nd. But I backed up and looked around Upper Lehman Creek.

    There were not a ton of sites, so I was looking for "first available."" I found a good enough one and put my table cloth on the picnic table. I started to walk downhill to the pay station and realized I didn't note the site number. So I walked back up the hill. #15 was the site. Halfway down the hill, I remembered my wallet was in the car. Back up the hill! I was out of breath and realized I am at 7500'! On my way to the pay station, I saw site #4, which had a shaded table and was bigger. So I went back up the hill AGAIN and got the car. I left the tablecloth on the table, just in case someone snagged #4 while I was getting back. I threw a blanket on the table of #4 and drove to the pay station. No more of this walking nonsense! Then I paid for #4, drove to #15 to retrieve my tablecloth, and drove to #4 to start setting up.

    It is about 100' from the car to the picnic table. It was quite a long distance when carrying the cooler and the 7 gallon water jug. There is no water in the campground--I knew that ahead of time. I set up my tent even though I plan on sleeping in the Fit. It is a good place to store bags and other things. I also set up my stove, chair, kitchen table, and side table. I am ready to go!

    Dinner tonight was salmon and asparagus as they were on the "must go" list for today. I also had a Tom Collins cocktail for happy hour.

    I was beat and decided against a fire. Instead, I did the dishes, washed up and headed to the car for bed!    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Lazy day

    28 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    I slept well and woke up at about 6:30am. It was very comfortable in the car, except that it is on a slight hill, so my feet were a bit elevated.

    It always takes a few tries to get my coffee right in the French press. The first pot was too strong. The second pot was great! After coffee, I decided to make some breakfast. I have to have "egg mess" at least once when I am camping. This dates back to when Liz and I were traveling. It's basically bacon, then onions and potatoes fried in the fat, next comes eggs, then cheese to cover. Not a light meal...

    After doing the dishes, I decided to walk around the campground. It goes back pretty far up the hill. I think there is around 25 sites. It was actually a nice hike for me. I'm still getting used to the altitude, and my knees are not great right now.

    Back at the campsite, I read for a bit, but decided to explore. My first stop was the Lehman Caves visitors center. There was an attached café and gift shop, but no ice or anything else special. Then I drove into Baker, which is the nearest town.

    Town is an overstatement. There was a post office, a café, an RV campground, and a little store with cabins behind it. I went into the store, and it was cute, but not much to buy. The coolers had a few things of hot dogs, some cheese, and beverages. I bought a postcard and a bag of ice. I stopped at the other Visitor's Center to see what else I could do. Not much without hiking!

    I came back to my site and relaxed on my tent pad, where I have a picnic blanket and my yoga mat. I stretched a bit, then shut my eyes for a few minutes. Finally I sat by the fire pit and read.

    Dinner was cooked over the fire and consisted of chicken thighs and the rest of the asparagus, cooked over the fire. It was delicious!

    I sat by the fire for an hour, then headed to bed. A very lazy day!    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Wheeler Peak

    29 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    Today was the day to drive to the top of Wheeler Peak road--about 12 miles from the campground. But first coffee and breakfast! I made a scrambled egg concoction with mushrooms, red bell peppers, onions, and pepper Jack cheese. Yum.

    The drive took longer than I thought. I passed all the overlooks and kept heading up. At about 9000', I started seeing snow patches along the road, and in the shade. The parking lot is at 10k feet. It was definitely cooler up there! The trailhead to summit Wheeler Peak was there. It takes about 10 hours, round trip. I opted to walk further down the road, which was closed to cars. There is a campground there, but it's closed. I went about 1/2 a mile and decided to head back as I was worried about my knees. It was a nice leg stretch, nonetheless.

    On the way down, I did stop at all the viewing areas. It's really a treat to be this close to the top of mountain--without having to climb it!    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    In Search of Gas

    29 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    Once I came down off Wheeler Peak, it was time to find gas. I had a 1/2 a tank, but I wanted to top off, plus there was nothing else to do!

    Venturing past Baker, there was a town on the Utah border, Garrison, which looked like it may have a store. It was just a 20-minute drive. But alas, it had less than Baker. No gas for sure. I saw there was a Phillips 66 station about 10 miles north, so I headed there. It was a small, dumpy place with 4 pumps, some rickety cabins, and a casino. (It was on the Nevada side) I filled up at $4.79 per gallon and went inside to pay for ice.

    The woman at the counter said that she had to cash someone out (at the casino?) before she could go out and unlock the ice. I looked around the store. Again, nothing but Mac 'n' Cheese, chips, and drinks. After about 5 minutes, I figured that I didn't really need ice...

    I came back to the campground and had some trail mix and read my book. (I'm still working on "Mists of Avalon." Then I decided to take a nap. At 7pm, I thought about dinner, but I really wasn't hungry. I started a fire and thought about having s'mores, but again...not hungry! So I ended washing up and heading to bed!    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Lehman Cave

    30 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    I booked this tour about a month ago. Tickets apparently sell out quickly. I skipped breakfast this morning and relaxed while I had to go to the cave tour.

    The tour had 20 people and was an hour long. It was guided by a young ranger, Wes. It was "discovered" by Absolom Lehman in the mid-1800s. Over the years it was used and misused as an attraction, for ceremonies, and even as a speakeasy in the 1920s. It seemed dry, compared to many caves I've visited in the past.

    Overall, it was an interesting tour.    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Astronomy Show

    30 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    After the cave tour, I drove around other parts of the park, including the Baker Creek campground. I am glad I opted for the one I did, as Baker Creek was way more exposed and sunny. I also checked out the group campgrounds. Finally, I drove into Baker for a bag of ice before

    I spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning out the cooler and seeing what I had left to eat. Hint: it was a lot! I also took down the tent, so I wouldn't have to do it in the morning.

    I had an early dinner of Freetoh pie--one of my new favorite camping meals. Instead of using canned chili, I use ground beef, onions, jarred tomatoes, and cheddar. And of course, Freetohs!

    I ate early since I wanted to go to the astronomy show at 8:30pm. The ranger at the , on center said that the parking lot fills up, so arrive 45 minutes to an hour early. I opted for 45 minutes before and sat in my car and read until 8:15pm.

    Great Basin is part of the International Dark Sky sanctuary. They do all they can to preserve the night sky from light pollution. The road to the amphitheater was lined with red light to preserve night vision. At the amphitheater, the rangers were all wearing red glow sticks on their hats. It was a bit cloudy, so we weren't sure we would see many stars.

    The presentation started with a talk about dark skies and what some places are doing to improve. Then he talked about some constellations and the history of naming them. He pointed out Gemini, the Crow, Scorpio, Cassiopea, and, of course, the Big Dipper. As time passed, the clouds began to clear, and we could see a bit of the Milky Way. I didn't know that the Milky Way Way a summer sight.

    There were 2 astronomers with very powerful telescopes. We lined up to take a look. The first was a double star in Scorpio. The 2nd was a spiral galaxy that was very faint. While we waited, the ranger answered questions. I met a woman who was traveling to see as many national parks as possible. She was at 19.

    It ended at 10pm, and I didn't get back to the site until 10:30pm. My headlamp was dead, so I had to light the Coleman lantern to take out my contacts and other ablutions. A fun evening!    Leia mais

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  • JcrieffNevada 2024Viajante

    Last Morning

    31 de maio de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F

    I woke up at 6am, which was early, considering how late I went to bed. I wasn't in a rush, so I enjoyed the nice morning while I had coffee and journaled. I did start by disassembling my bed set up and moving things to the area around the car.

    I made hash and eggs for breakfast, which is something my friend Kristen got me hooked on. At 9:30am, I started packing in earnest. It took longer than I had anticipated--like an hour longer.

    At 11am, I was on my way!    Leia mais

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