We headed out early – 7:30 AM – our earliest start so far. I wanted to be able to take my time getting to our next stop. The route chosen took us right through the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
We left the area around Yosemite and headed north. There was another couple of windy sections as we traversed mountain areas into a different valley. At one point the road got pretty narrow and rough but it was worth it to get a taste of the rural areas.
Before crossing into Nevada we crossed over Carson Pass. At a peak of about 9000 ft, it offered epic views of the Sierra Nevada range. Historically it played an important role in the California Gold Rush as well as shipping during the Civil War.
We saw several places that had been badly damaged by fire. The water levels in the lakes looked very full from the winter rains.
Bonanza
Once in Nevada, it reminded me of the front range in Colorado as we drove north along the east side of Lake Tahoe. When I saw Virginia City it dawned on me I had seen this place before – on Bonanza! The lyrics to the song are great!
The claim we hold is as good as gold, bonanza!
Hand in hand we built this land, the Ponderosa Ranch
Our birthright is this Cartwright bonanza!
We here belong, and standing strong, wrong ain’t got a chance.
Manifest Destiny at its finest!
The campground we are staying at, like in Las Vegas, is associated with a nearby casino – Boomtown! As we set up camp the weather started looking like rain! We haven’t seen any of that stuff since driving through the South.
In the next couple of days, we will explore the Ponderosa and Lake Tahoe. Hopefully Jake will get his first experience with snow as we cross into Lake Tahoe from where we are staying outside Reno.
