Stopover in Reno…

I’ve neglected posting for a while, but it’s been a busy time. Had more than my share of trouble with the TV, Satellite, and DTV receiver. Than I needed to get the RV’s muffler tailpipe replaced and the tail tip installed to direct the diesel exhaust down and away from the front of my car as I tow it. All that and more conspired to delay this posting.

We’ll pick up at Stateline with a few pictures of the area around there. The day after Tom and I were hanging around, I wanted to take the gondola up to the ski area. So that’s where we’ll start…at this point, I still was parking at the RV park, and drove the car up to Stateline, a matter of only a couple-three miles.

Had trouble finding a parking place but eventually, ended up here for breakfast. I was pleased to see the gondolas running. But I didn’t see any people in them. Hmm.

So after b-fast, went over to the ticket office, and discover the gondolas are closed for maintenance. Doh! echoed off the mountainside. Crap. Went back to the RV, Tom and I decided there wasn’t any reason to stay another night, so he got his money back, and we both went our separate ways. Me heading to Reno, he and his family, somewhere else.

Off in the distance is Carson City. 

So I’m on the freeway heading towards Reno, and say to myself, hell, you wanted to stay in Virginia City for a couple nights, so why not? Turned off the freeway, and then started climbing into the hills heading for VC. And what a set of hills. I’d taken the ‘truck and RV’ route this time (last time I just drove the car up here and took the older road that’s suitable for cars) thinking it would be easier on the RV, and there’s big signs saying it’s the truck and RV route. But it didn’t take long before my temp gauge is climbing past midpoint. I’m using the tranni and downshifting but even in 2nd gear with the revs up fairly high, the temp keeps rising. Eventually it was past the 3/4 mark and I pulled over. Using the Cruise Control, I set it for 2,000 RPM and just stayed parked (yes, in most class A diesels, you can set the CC to a RPM while in Neutral in order to work on the engine and the CC will hold it at the set point). There had been nowhere at all to turn my big rig around so far along this roadway climbing to VC, and I was getting a bit nervous about the climbs steepness further on. Would it get worse? Didn’t know.

Eventually though, the engine cooled off enough that I continued, slowly, and soon came into VC. And there were two panel vans parked going opposite directions parked in the roadway in downtown. Delivery guys. Rude delivery guys. And there was a string of cars behind me. Didn’t want to delay too many people so after a wait, tried to squeeze my way past the vans. Ended up finding out later that I’d clipped one of them. Passenger side, as I squeezed by. And then, as I’m navigating downtown, I’m trying to select a right turn that will put me on the next street down the steep hill. Because there’s a free RV park there to overnight at. Thing was, I could not find a street I felt comfortable turning onto. My rig…too big, too long. And me…too inexperienced driving it in tight spaces. So I parked in the Virginia City Rest Stop at the end of town for a while to collect my thoughts and check out the history.

I really did want to spend a night or two here in VC. Very interesting town. Lots of history. Mark Twain lived and worked as a newspaper reporter here for 3-4 years. Wanted to soak up the history a bit.But I just wasn’t up to endangering my RV this day, so, decided to just keep going onto Reno. I’ll be back to VC after I have more confidence driving the RV and toad in tight spaces.
Would need to get to that road down there to find the RV parking back towards town. That close road, the first one.
Saw a tram loaded with people take the turn I’d need to take to get on that lower road right at the end of the rest stop property, and it was a tight one. So decided I wasn’t up to attempting it today. Headed north towards Reno instead on NV-341. Another steep and twisty roadway. Not quite as steep as the one coming into town, but it had it’s moments. Check out the valley, had to get back down to the valley floor from where I am.

A few hours later, pulled off the freeway into the Grand Sierra Resort RV Park. I’d stayed here before a couple years ago when I was working at the nearby Amazon facility. I lost the pictures I took around the place this time so you’ll just have to imagine a huge parking lot with RV spaces. A few trees. A desert like area. With a giant multi-storied hotel & casino within walking distance. Paid for 3 nights. Enjoyed a great buffet dinner but did not enjoy the gambling. Last time I was here, won $820 on a slot machine while I idled away some time waiting for the buffet to open. This time, I wander around for at least 30 minutes and didn’t hear anyone get a large payoff. Seems like they’ve really tightened the machines. After dinner, I tried my luck, and the one armed bandits sucked up $40 in short order. Moved over to the BJ tables…the new minimum is $10 per hand. Damn! Last time they had $1 per hand tables. Not this time. Jeese. Lost another $40 quite quickly. OK, I’m done. I’ll come back when they are paying out a bit better, some other year.

After 3 days there in Reno, headed north to Merrill, Oregon. Just to see what it was like in that area around Tulelake, and to visit Captain Jack’s Stronghold, as well as the Ice Caves National Monument.

So, until next time, thanks for visiting!