Nevada US 50...America's Loneliest Road

It's called America's Loneliest Road, but there's really a lot to see and do for those who take the time to stop and look. Our first stop was at Grimes Point which has two features of interest...

We decided to check out the Hidden Cave first.

You have to drive a little ways on this gravel road.

Oh, the caves are up there. Be sure to fill up your water bottle and apply sun screen.

On the trail we saw this rock with petroglyphs. Notice the lizard with its head turned to the right.

Here's what was on the next rock...imitating his ancestors, I guess.

We're getting pretty near the caves now...found out there are several up here. You can see the van in the parking lot, where Roe is probably barking because he didn't get to come.

The caves aren't very deep.

Indians used them for food storage, according to one of the signs.

Joselyn coming down.

We investigated a large hole, and out jumped this jack rabbit....he scared us as much as we scared him, I think.

A story of a greener Nevada long ago.

There are many more petroglyphs on the second site here, but the trail was too long and hot. Even Roe was glad to go back to the RV.

So, you'll have to just read about it like we did.

Another popular place is Sand Mountain.

ATV recreation is what makes it popular. We watched them coming down the dunes. There is also the ruins of a Pony Express Station nearby. (Requires a hike)

And then there's the "Shoe Tree." You'd drive right by it if you didn't know to look for it.

Legend has it that a young couple had a spat and the girl tossed her shoes into the tree. After they made up, the young man threw his shoes up there too. Couples have been doing it ever since. Imagine the smell of old tennis shoes and rotten shoe leather multiplied this many times. Yes, it's a very stinky stop.
We spent some time looking around the old town of Austin. This is the main street.

We stopped at this old hotel/restaurant for a piece of pie and coffee.

The soup menu was a little dubious...

We had to drive up a steep winding gravel road to see the Stokes Castle.

The story about the castle...

An amazing view from up there.

Down the road are more petroglyphs.

There's a nice free BLM campground here too with shaded picnic tables. (No hook-ups)

The Eureka Opera house...it was getting late, and everything looked closed.

So on down that lonely road we went.

One of many Pony Express Stations we passed....this was their route.

Boondocked at this "Elk-viewing" area. No elk, but a pretty moon and plenty of howling coyotes during the night. Roe "woofed."

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Would you like to visit another volcano? So did we! This one is in California.

Near the Visitor Center you can see Manzanita Lake. There is a campground there too, but we didn't stay in it. Too bad, it looked like a nice lake for kayaking.

Also near the Visitor Center....official greeters.

The Loomis Museum has a great display of artifacts and photographs of the volcano's most recent major eruption in 1914.

All thanks to Benjamin Loomis who was brave? enough to hang around to take the sequence of photographs as it happened.
We were getting discouraged as we waited several times for one-way traffic through construction. Our only view was through a dust cloud behind the pilot truck....no stopping for photos.
Finally we got past the road construction, and the rest of the route was clear and scenic.

There was more snow here than at Crater Lake...wish I was there now.

Finally reached the summit parking lot...

...which is not really the summit. You have to hike if you want to really stand on the summit.

Snow was melting and slushy.

A warning about trying to hike to the summit. It also suggested several items we didn't have along...ice axes, spiked boots, etc. So you go on ahead if you want, but we didn't.

Sure is tempting, though.

A frozen lake.

Well, semi-frozen.

One of the scenic viewpoints.

Oh, and a thermal area.

The road leading down to the thermal area.

That mud was really boiling!

After leaving the Volcano we traveled to Truckee where we had a mini- get-together with friend Ron, who traveled with our group to Alaska last year.

Ron has a nice summer set-up in Truckee, near Lake Tahoe.

In the morning, we stopped to get a photo of Lake Tahoe on our way out of California.

Unfortunately, it was time to turn east. we have really enjoyed our visit in the Pacific Northwest.