The drive up to was surprisingly quick and relaxing, and I attribute that to taking back-country roads nearly the entire way or as much as I could. Fueled-up at 8:40 AM in Diamond Springs, and went up Pleasant Valley Road to the Sly Park cutoff where the Mormon Immigrant Trail leads out to Hwy 88 in the direction of Kirkwood.
Only saw about four vehicles headed in the other direction. Being out of the freeway insanity-mix was a breath of fresh air, and the High Country always has unparalleled vistas to appreciate that cleanse the mind and soul. Rolling over Carson pass at 8,000 feet down past Silver Lake, Caples Lake, and Woods lake into Hope Valley on a beautiful fall morning was magical.
The roll down into Nevada was easy and lead straight to Carson City, and then Reno. Somehow Nevada traffic was minimal and placid (Thursday after all), until I hit Reno and the metal-swarm began again. Oh well easy enough and I hit the Casino about 12:15 with plenty of time to unload and get ready to go to the class on Emergency Medical Range Training lead by multi-tour participant in the GWT, ex-Reno Motor-Office and Detective, experienced EMT and former Flight EMS Derek Cecil — who had many (darkly funny) stories to tell including his own…
Fantastic county, next time we are over we plan to stay and spend a little time up there.
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Ebbetts Pass on Hwy. 4 is a really neat place to travel. It’s up-and-across lots of exposed granite, through low-stumpy trees, and many little lakes and meadows.
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During my grade school days (mid ’60’s) grew up on ranch in the gold rush country above Fiddletown. During the summer we would take a week off and head up 88. We would pile all our camp supplies in our Willys 4WD pickup, and a friend with a stock truck would haul our saddled horses up to Tragedy Springs. We would ride/drive about seven miles south and set up camp at the edge of the Mokelumne Wilderness Area. We would extend out from there on day or overnight trips by horse back. Good times.
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Every time I drive past Tragedy Springs I wonder about the name…so I looked it up and now I know.
Somehow I am supposed to be related to Kit Carson, though not a direct descendent but through marriage perhaps. I’ll have to ask my Dad when I see him next.
The “Carson Route” seems like it would have been much easier to build a railroad over than the Donner route to the north that Stanford pushed-through…
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Glad it went well, and excellent pics!
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Nice riding on that road in the second pic. Epic landscapes out your way.
T/C.
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Sorry I couldn’t make it this year.
Drove 88 every day from a condo in Kirkwood to the jobsites at Caples Lake and another one west about twenty miles. Overseeing construction projects at the Caltrans yards.
Some of the crews camped up on the mountain above Caples..good times, heh.
Good chow at that old dive on 88.
Post pics, K?
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Sounds like good times! Sorry you couldn’t make it, but you do have your hands full. I didn’t shoot ANY pictures at the Range. 😦
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