2012-34 California to Nevada

2012-34

Oregon to California

Campground: Tulelake Butte Valley Fair 800 S. Main Street Tulelake CA, 96134: (530) 667-5312 $18 Passport rate.  Full Hookups.

Campground:  Honey Lake RV Park, Hwy 395, Milford CA, 96121: (530) 253-2508.  $19 Passport rate, full hookups, about 20 over air tv stations.  Wi-fi available but I couldn't get it to work.  If you want to save money, insist on a site with elect/water only, otherwise they will put you in a full hookup site.  Not sure what the rate is, but it is less than full-hookups.

Campground:  Silver City RV Resort.  3165 Hwy 395, Minden NV, 89423.  Local: (775) 267-3359  $19.77 Passport rate.  Full hookups, 50 amp.  Cable extra.  Nice paved sites with gravel between sites.  Fuel, beauty salon, game room and swimming pool.  All pull-thrus.  Just outside of Carson City.  Close to shops, 30 minutes to Lake Tahoe.

This week will involve a fair amount of traveling every few days, so much less touring.  So you may want to just skip through this report quickly.

Doing just a bit of exploring in the Tri-City area of Oregon, just off of I-5,  I’ve seen Covered bridges a few of the many waterfalls that can be seen and hiked to within the area.  If I spent more time in the area, I would have revisited Crater Lake and even driven the hours drive to the Pacific Coast for a bit of beach exploring and light house climbing.  The towns in this area are small and quaint. Just big enough for a bit of walking around and window shopping or a quick lunch.  But since I’m just staying a couple of days before continuing my journey south, I’ve seen enough to know it’s a pleasant area to visit.  And I do like all the forested mountain ranges.

Distance traveled:  180 miles

Not a mile more.  As I used a tank of diesel fuel and needed to fill up again.  That was more than enough driving for one day.  I landed in the very northern end of California in a sad little town called Tulelake.  It’s surrounded by potato and white onion farms that are just being harvested.  The earthy smell of the potato’s and the rich aroma of the onions pervades the air and is making me hungry.

Bugs!  I really thought bugs would be gone by the fall.  Not sure why I figured that way, but they are definitely not gone.  Had to wash the front cap of the camper today.  As I was driving from Oregon to California I passed along upper Klamath Lake, as I looked out the side window at some marshy areas, it appeared at first as if there was a sudden swirling dust storm over each of the shrubs.  It in fact was thousands of flying bugs and knats so thick they appeared to be swirling towers of smoke.  Duck hunting season is on as this is a major flyway for birds migrating like the rest of us snowbirds  So I guess the bird watchers compete to see the birds before they’re shot down by the hunters.

Distance Traveled:  164 miles.

I left the fairground by 8:30 and was on a direct route using hwy 139.  Very little traffic along a route with the speed being between 55 and 65 mph.  A super nice speed for me as I have more time to see the surrounding landscape, though not many pull-outs for stopping and picture taking.  Saw a couple awesome old barns that I really wish I could have stopped to take pictures of.   Along the way I stopped in the 1906 Adin Supply Co. in the small town of Adin.  One of those general merchandise like groceries/wine/clothing, well you get the idea.  A perfect place to stop along the way for a cup of coffee and a sinful Bavarian cream donut.  I know, I know, I shouldn't have, but it tasted so good.  They also had a great selection of California wines at very reasonable prices so I stocked up on some of those.

Then it was on through National Forests, up and over small mountain passes of 1,500 feet, past remote lakes. Finally past the towns of Susanville, Johnstonville, and Janesville (Hmm, maybe I should recommend a town called Dougieville) before arriving at my campground opposite Honey Lake.  Well, it’s no longer a lake as all the water has dried up, but still a pretty site to overlook while I settle in for a few days.

Honey Lake

Eagle Lake

Distance traveled:  102 miles.

I’ve arrived at Silver City Rv park on the south end of Carson City.  The park has a new policy for Passport members.  4 days at Passport rate, one day a regular rate, then you can sign up for Passport rate again for 4 days.  Odd but it works.  What a nice area to be in.

Even though Silver City Resort is at the top end of my price range even at the Passport rate,  it’s nice to be at a park with so many nice amenities.  I dropped by the Fandango Casino for lunch the first day I arrived to get that real casino feeling that only Nevada has.  The lights were dimmer, not like the newer flashy casinos across the country.  The Rum Jungle buffet takes up a large area in the casino with palm trees, tropical fans lazily swaying back and forth, booths and tables all in green and tropical prints.  Everything lit up with green spot lights.  There’s even a circle of slot machines around a large volcano that goes off if someone wins a big prize.  The food was usual buffet stuff, but it’s the atmosphere that brings one back to a different place and time.

I’ll be in the area for most of a week, waiting on my mail to arrive and touring some local spots.  I'm only 30 minutes from Lake Tahoe, Virginia City and other attractions.

Till the next rambling traveling report, have a super great day.

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