The Pie's the Limit

Nostalgia is starting to take over my life.  There are lots of things I want to see and do and probably will need years more time to do them.  The knee, time, and distance are always factors. The seacoast and Redwoods will have to wait. British Columbia and Montana will have to wait. I also am going to physical therapy three times a week.   I suppose I could not go, but my knee is pretty important to me right now.

This weekend aside from getting ripped off at the Subaru dealer repair shop in Reno,  I went to Tahoe.  I love the North Shore and my friends were so kind as to take time out of their busy wedding planning lives to hangout with me.  I took a friend along, as his job doesn’t start right away and he’d never really been to Tahoe.

Despite have 2.3 mm left on my front brakes (not paying $117/hour for them to replace my brake pads, I'll do it myself thank you) I drove up Geiger Grade to Virginia City.  My parents had went via the V & T Railroad this August when I was in the Wilderness (I shall miss it so).  Virginia City was where Mark Twain got his start, where the silver from Comstock Lode collected over $400 million, and is one of the oldest settlements in Nevada.

 I lived 4 miles from Genoa, the oldest settlement in Nevada. My co-worker and I had beer at the oldest bar in Nevada, and I frequently made a big cycling loop through Genoa and by Walleys 1864 Hotsprings Resort.  So I was curious to see Virginia City. If I had more time I would have gone on a tour of a mine and splurged to go to the haunted destinations.

We both agreed that we were the minority in VC that day. The remainder of folks being retired, German, retired and German, or retired and gambling. We also agreed we dislike salt water taffy and that every three buildings had a fine rotation of watering hole, candy shop, old photo shop, or gift shop/antique store.  There was a delicious BBQ. There may have been more than one for all we know.

Ice Cube(s) 

I love a good sign outside a business. Virginia City Jerky Co and Smoke House. 

What a sad chair.

I was arrested for lack of appropriate sunscreen.

After a grade-down we had a grade to go, and I drove up Mount Rose Highway past where I would have lived this summer had I not hurt my knee and could do physical labor for 10 hours a day along the Truckee River.  Oh what could have been. Then the Lake came into view, and all was forgotten. 

Taken in June 2011

Thursday was a day of lounging with friends doing crafts (wedding invitations) and mountain biking to Northstar and back starting in Carnelian Bay. I love love the mountain biking in Tahoe.  I wanted to bike everything this summer, however, this will be added to my life’s bucket list.  I know some people think I should see other things (myself included), but when you find someplace you really enjoy it is hard to think of anywhere else.  Jess reminded me of the fact that affording to buy a house in Tahoe is very difficult for anyone, and I just have to remember that.  I don’t know what lies ahead other than ACL surgery, and I’ll just try to learn and get more skills to be more marketable while home trying to flex my leg.

You can't tell but I'm muddy (my favorite) and have a glove tan.

Ready for the downhill

The mountain biking was most excellent. Singletrack and doubletrack alike.

Thanks friends. I hope to make it back for September!

Another item that was on my list for some time was Buckeye Hotspring outside of Bridgeport.  Some sources say there is an additional spring downstream, which we didn’t have time to scope out.  Somewhere I swear I saw a photo of a tub up high. I am not sure.  I hope to find out soon!  

Dispersed camping (wish I had a van and an rv and $ to pay for gas)

Either way, we rolled in at dark, so we missed the much better campsites closer to Twin Lakes Road, and camped in a big ol’ dirt parking lot where we could hear the creek.  An elderly gentleman kindly offered us his riverside truck camping spot in the morning, and we kindly thanked him.  I always meet such kind retired folk on the Humboldt-Toiyabe. What a great group of recreationists.

The Source of the hot springs

Looking from one tub to another over the rocks

Jump in the cold Buckeye Creek water if you want

Drive back to Bridgeport 

Since we didn’t explore for a hidden hot spring, we had time for another wish of mine. Pie.  One oatmeal packet for breakfast isn’t enough.  Silver Lake Resort and Campground’s piemaker was on location.  

Marionberry pie at Silver Lake Resort

The chalkboard said: 

“marionberry”, “strawberry rhubarb- made with local organic ingredients”, and she picked up the blackboard and added, “apple crumb”.  For a moment I was so sure she was going to cross off one of the berry pies, like they do at Pie in the Sky at Rock Creek.  Adding a pie; how wonderful. 

I was so tired after my whirlwind Tahoe tour, that I somehow mustered up energy to bike along Pumice Flats with a co-worker and her Koala Bear.  Biking feels great on the knee. Boy, I sure hope I can mountain bike in the fal

Looking back toward Mammoth from evening ride.