Snow in the Sierras!

Woke up three days ago to snow on the ground and decided to flee to a lower elevation.

Headed for some hot springs but we could not go in and the air was very cold!

Ah, this is better!  Swam in Keough hot springs and pool---perfect for a nasty day!

Finally, a campsite that isn't closed:   Alabama Hills, just east of Mt. Whitney

What is going on in this rocky scene?

Our campsite....all by ourselves, just us and the rocks.

A temporary shelter.

Then off to Death Valley:  all closed except for the road and one scenic overlook.

The man who complicated our plans:  we picked him up walking his bike into Death Valley with no water, no food, almost no money, and NO BRAKES!  Drove him all the way to Vegas and put him on a bus home to Arkansas.  Had to ditch the bike!

After an awful campsite at Circus Circus in the heart of Vegas, we are off to Zion.  The Utah Parks opened up today! Learned that while doing laundry last night at the "camp."

The coolest wildlife of the day by far!  A wild tarantula along our first hiking trail in Zion!

Dirk heads for Emerald Pool, having to run under a lightly spraying water fall.  It is worth the hassle of fighting for one of the last campsites here.....very beautiful and refreshing!  And there is internet access from our RV,  even in the depths of the canyon!

Washoe and Mono Lake, Autumn in the Sierras

 Woke up by Washoe Lake, near Carson City, and hiked to this vista point and to the sand dunes by lake.  Then off to Mono Lake in California, where all the National Forest Campgrounds on the eastern road into Yosemite were closed. We made the best of it and found amazing walks among aspen in full fall color and great rock formations and a beautiful river with several waterfalls.  Had a great walk through the Mono Lake tufas (calcium carbonate structures formed when freshwater springs bubbled into a very alkaline lake and then the lake receded).  Tonight we had to make due with a lousy RV park and word has it that it will snow tomorrow, so we will head for lower elevations!

View of our campsite and Washoe Lake on Monday morning

View from our bedroom in Inyo NF-renegade campsite

Aspen NF campground waterfall---campground closed!

Awesome tree on climb near our RV

A lot of people are frustrated about loss of recreational options.  Had to camp on the road by this National Forest campground.

On the shores of Lake Mono, with amazing features.

South shore of Lake Mono, CA, with its calcium carbonate "tuffs"

Beautiful aspens in fall colors near Grant Lake, CA (east Sierras)

Rock scrambling above our RV improvised campsite to the east of Yosemite (closed)

Carson City, Nevada

Dirk on the Blue Line in Carson City

We headed out of Virginia City and soon were in Carson City, which we were told had some good activities.  We went to the Railroad Museum where we got in trouble for independently riding on a two person manual rail car and were entranced by a very knowledgable volunteer's endless stories. Then on to the Nevada State History Museum with its replica mini-mine and old mint (that processed all the silver from Virginia City into coins) and then walked the Blue Line, a self guided walking tour of historic homes, including this one duded up for Halloween!  Then drove 5 miles north to the desert Lake Washoe state campground where we caught an amazing sunset!  Surrounded by howling coyotes all night!

Skeleton Dogs in this historic yard.

Dirk in the Nevada State Museum fake mine....a great exhibit after being in Virginia City!

Sunset on Lake Washoe, near Carson City

We will try to sell this photo to Pleasure Way!

Virginia City and the Outhouse Races

View from our campsite in Virginia City.  The only RV park in town.  Very tacky.

Our RV in its environment.  RV park in the middle of the scene. A quick walk into town.....but very cold!!!!!

The Plungerettes lead the parade with their dramatic routine!

Are you kidding??   Outhouse races??  We had to stay and watch!

The Flapper Crapper pulls ahead of the Party Pooper!

Dixie with some of the characters in town.  They no longer carry loaded guns because tourists occasionally grab them from them.

Royal  Flush pulls ahead of the Dirty Derby.

Neck and neck with the Comstock Load (name of major mine in historic town)

Outhouse parade before the races....down the main street of Virginia City.

Virginia City dogs

Fun music venue in Virginia City--listened to Irish music here.

Animal sighting of the day.  RV doggies!

Reno and Nate Clark

Dixie and Nate at the Reno Bike Project where Nate works.

In the heart of Reno as viewed from our bike tour led by Nate Clark!  Beautiful!

Still the flashy sign, but the beauty of Reno lies at the newly revitalized Truckee River.

Exotic animal spotting for the day:  Hannah the soccer playing dog with robotic eyeballs!

Goose Lake SP to Lassen Volcanic NP

View from our window at Goose Lake:  our retreat from brutal winds of eastern Oregon

Burney Falls en route to Lassen:  note the second level of falls oozing from the  second strata of earth.

Manzanita Lake with Mt. Lassen in the background: our first night in Lassen.

Dirk puts our first National Park sticker on the RV at Lassen

RV with Lassen in the background: our high speed trip through Lassen after the park was shut down.

Everybody out!  The government is shut down!  No hiking, no camping!