091018 Bozeman. Taking us forever to get going in the AM. Not what you think. Nice downtown. Old storefronts all with fancy local stores. Nice stuff. $$$.
The Lark Motel; not a No Tel anymore.,.Converted 1960’s place. Clean, a little spartan and $$. Downtown and walking distance to everything else, so a good choice recommended by Tom M.
They cherish their soap. It was good stuff – I tasted it.
Satisfying breakfast at JAMS. Waitress recommended Palisade Falls. Off we go, east of town “20 minutes” she had promised. Must have been Lawyer time. Very windy road down a canyon, to a dirt road, then another two miles crawling to avoid dust (hopeless) and stones. Then another mile hike uphill to the falls. Well worth it.
This trip killed the day. So we took our time and went to a sushi place for dinner. Good, but follow the rule: Never Eat Sushi if it was delivered the prior week. No untoward consequences.
091118: never a good day. Where were you that morning?
Dragged our butts around to breakfast at JAMS. SG went to the hairdresser. Hit the road for Challis ID after collaborating where we wanted to go. Destination: Lake Tahoe via Challis and Winnemucca NV. The ride from Bozeman was….i’ve run out of words and didn’t take photos. Suffice to say that Back Roads Rule!!
A few other rules – good ideas for a trip like this. Take paper maps. Download each state’s “511” app. The “511” number only gives info for the state you are in, even when it is a state highway crossing state borders. So you need the # for the other states. Easy: it’s “511.” You just have to be in the state you seek information about when you call. Apps don’t help when you lose connectivity. You lose cell service often, so call ahead if you think you are getting in to questionable territory (wild fires, road closures etc.). Keep the tank over 1/2 full always; you can go lots of miles without a gas station
Way Out West where the drivers are pretty good, the marking for passing zones are for shit. They often start on curves – blind curves. Be really careful. Also, any vehicle coming at you is doing 75+mph. The A7 is a monster – has hit 100+ passing other vehicles, meaning the impact if you misjudge is oblivion.
Ghost Towns that Thrive: Wisdom, Montana.
We entered 4 buildings here. A restaurant (hoaky, country, clean and nice folks) a hotel (built 1904 and completely re-done western country, with a post office and a picture of a bear chasing a biker on a snowy road), a shop with more ginder and kitches than most malls. They survive on bikers!! the non-motorized kind.
Challis: nothing but the best for SG.
Actually a very pleasant guy – Bob – is fixing up this motel for his daughter to take over. Clean, roomy (BR and Studio – kitchen) but not especially cheap. Food at the Village Inn Ok. Breakfast there better. This is the heart of fly fishing and hunting country in Idaho. A heliport at the edge of town is supporting fire fighting operations. Scary.
091218 We are making long runs these days toward Redwood City to meet Steve. Eight hours planned today. Idaho is …loss of words again. Rolling farms with mountains in the distance.
Then, out of nowhere, literally, a canyon. Sorry. Looks sideways.
Shonone ID provides a break for lunch (grilled hot dogs) and Ice Cream, and two delightful people behind the counter.
Then a big miss. In Twin Falls, ID< we pass over a chasm in the middle of town. Looked deep, maybe 200 feet. Later found out it was close to 500! right in the middle of town.
Nevada:
you can tell you are there by: the casino at the border town, OR terrain flattens out (still beautiful) OR the slot machines in every store, gas station etc., OR the bullet holes in the road signs (pretty good shots out here).
So we spend the night in Winnemucca Nevada.
TripAdvisor recommends the Martin Hotel. Cool place, good Plentiful food, and here starts a story. Put your feet up and here we go.
There are two young men sitting at the bar, Nick and Abe, maybe in their 30’s. Susan chats them up; Nick is a Chiropractor and practices in town. Abe is a lifelong friend who now lives in Boise. Somehow we get to water skiing. Nick says he skis all the time. He says he skis on the best boat ever – a 1981 Sanger with the flattest wake ever. He shows us a picture.
He is reluctant but when he hears that I ski double boot slalom, and dragged my vest all the way here, he says let’s go tomorrow AM. Tuesday is his day off. Abe backs him up all the way. Abe recommends the Griddle for breakfast.
Nick says he has a haircut at 8:30 and we can meet at the lake after that.
Nick tells us where to go. I readily agree especially because it is west on I-80, right on our way. He says it’s a reservoir called Rye Patch. We part with assurances for tomorrow.
Now, a little background. We got to the Martin Hotel around 8:15. These two guys had been there since 6:30 drinking whiskey on the rocks. They had 3 each while we were there. No signs of inebriation. Hmmmmm.
I’m so excited I wake at 2:30 and can’t get back to sleep.
091318 I rouse SG at 7:00 and put on my bathing suit under my shorts and we hustle to the Griddle. Hit the road by 9:00. We get there at 9:45 and wait.
THERE IS NOTHING out here except a trailer park and an exclusive fishing camp. I text Nick after 1/2 hour. No answer. We go look at the lake – deep in a canyon, narrow, long and flat as a pancake. I’m salivating. Placards about fishing, camping. Hmmmm.
So just before we give up, Nick texts and this ensues.
I wonder if the whole thing was BS. I Google the Rye Patch and it is a ski lake. I google bone crinklers in Winnemucca – none named Nick or Nicholas. Too cold, my ass. 65 degrees and warm water.
I’ve been had – either stood upon by a two hung over dudes, or thoroughly hoodwinked. That night in the Ritz at Lake Tahoe we laugh hysterically!!! Me, practically wetting my pants that night inn anticipation. Me, doing yoga stretches in front of 4 semi’s pulled off the road. Me, like a little kid staring at the lake..Wow. Chump. Turkey.
So Nick: We’re still out west. We may return to Winnemucca. You never know. Either come clean or look over your shoulder.
We come into Tahoe from Reno. We opt back roads again and arrive in King Beach. The wind is UP!!! We sit for the afternoon.
091418 Next day, we visit Truckee. Camp little town, nice shops. The SqueezeIn is very cool.
Writing all over the walls and now marked by us.
We shop then we ship stuff we bought over the trip.
Then we again follow a bartender recommendation and check out Donner State Park and Donner Pass. Sad story. Death on the trail. A little cannabalism to survive. We go to the Donner Pass. No words again.
091518 Another long day planned. It’s a 3 hour trip via interstates; we elect back roads and take closer to 7.
We go south on State 89 along gthe west border of Lake Tahoe. OMG. The roadsides are jammed with tourists parking, so no photos. However, you must make this drive as a passenger. It is breathtaking, scary and magnificent. At one point, the road extends no more than 22 feet wide with sheer drop offs on BOTH sides. Two way traffic…Whoa!! Then Emerald Bay…………
This is not Emerald Bay
We continue down State 88 through mountains, canyons, valleys and little else.
These pics cannot justly demonstrate the depth and expanse of the area.
Then a nice surprise: Jackson Ca. A little town trying ton preserve a cowboy look. Ok, but see Wisdom Montana above.
We arrive in Monterey Ca. Dark. We pick a spot (Tripadvisor) called Crystal Fish and enjoy a fine sushi meal. After dinner we walk the Honky-Tonk parts of Monterey that attempt to capitalize on Steinbeck and the cannery history. Ok, clean, but touristy. The aquarium is highly rated, but we don’t get there before it closes.
091618 Explore Monterey. More later.