Monday, September 14, 2009

September 14, 2009

Journeys End – For Now

We left about 8:00 and had an easy drive over the mountains.  We have been in just about every state in the western half of the United States and driven on lots of roads.  The section of I 80 between Truckee and Colfax is the worst we have been on BY FAR.  They are working on it as many of you know but there are still sections, not slated for current repair, where the road is like solidified, washed out, gravel with large cracks in it.  Not fun to drive at all.

Home by 9:30.  Took over three hours to empty the carbus and clean the car.  Cleaning the car bus will take days.

Miles traveled since July 1:

Carbus         6,937 

Car              3,117

Total           10,054



September 13, 2009

To Truckee

One more gas stop.  This time at Costco in north Sparks/Reno.  This area is GROWING.  We drove about eight miles north of I 80 to an intersection with EVERY major and minor business that you have heard of radiating out from it.  I think the shopping areas came first.  There are houses going up all around however.

Back to the freeway and west to Truckee.  We could have pushed on to Auburn but wanted to see Christina and Roland and our good friends, Jim and Susan Ritchie, said we could park in their driveway for the night. They were doing some traveling of their own.  We got situated and drove the car to Martis Camp where Roland has been working for several months.  He is the pastry chef and sometimes sous chef.  This is a private, VERY upscale resort/community.  I won’t try to describe it.  Money is no object here.  As Roland says, “There is no recession here”.    If you are interested in what’s there go here.  As I said, very exclusive and private.  Other resorts in the area have events that the public is invited to.  This place has events and activities all the time but only for members and guests.  Roland gave us a tour of the “Red Barn” which is the activity center and temporary lodge while the main lodge is being built.

Over the hill to Kings Beach to see Christina and Roland’s new dwelling.  They recently moved to a new place with much more room and a yard.  They are happy.  We had a nice dinner and left pretty early because they had to work early in the morning.



September 12, 2009

Still Headed West

Planned to get some gas and shop for a couple of things in Elko.  We found that Elko is a VERY unfriendly town for large vehicles.  The parking lots of the large shopping areas are posted saying trucks and trailers (and RVs) prohibited.  One shopping area has traffic islands at the entrance that staggered and so close together that anything larger than a compact would have trouble getting through.  We could not find the store we wanted and down town parking was just as bad.  We did not even buy gas.  Went out of town a few miles to a truck stop.  Then on to Winnemucca.  Smaller town pretty much in the middle of nowhere (half way between San Francisco and Salt Lake :) ) but very nice and very friendly.  We stayed in a nice RV park that we have stayed in before and will again if the occasion arises.  Had dinner at a very nice, family friendly, Mexican restaurant with very reasonable prices.  Wish it were closer to us (like Auburn).



September 11, 2009

Headed West

We went west for several hours and through the mountains to Orem, UT.  From there we headed north toward Salt Lake City.  As we got nearer we saw something we had not seen, or missed, for a while – brown sky.  Why do people live in Salt Lake?  It has brown sky.  There are lots and lots of people.  It is hot and dry.  There are mountains on one side but the city is flat (and hot and dry).  There are LOTS of churches and they all have the exact same steeple.   As you look over the valley there are steeples sticking up every three or four blocks.  Once in a while there will be a high piece of ground with a temple on it.  Did I mention the brown sky.  We got gas and headed west again.  Passed the Great Salt Lake and on to Wendover/ West Wendover.  Wendover is in Utah.  West Wendover is in Nevada.  We stayed in a casino RV park.  The casino is in West Wendover, Nevada.  The RV park one alley away is in Wendover, Utah.