50th Anniversary trip - Nevada

 Crossed into Nevada to visit Hoover Dam and then headed up the east side of the state to Ely.  Next day went from Ely to Reno on the loneliest highway in America. The following day we crossed into California to stay for a week in South Tahoe. 

This song kept playing in my head .... Waylon Jenning's lines in the song Highwayman -" I was a dam builder... I slip and fell into the wet concrete below... they buried me in that tomb that knows no sound."

The official death total during construction was 96 but  officially no bodies were left in the wet concrete below.

.                             It was awe inspiring to look over that wall just behind us at the water far below.

                              Sagebrush Lizard is a new species for my life list of reptiles

                                                         Sagebrush lizard (Kershaw-Ryan State Park)

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                               Western Whiptail Lizard (Kershaw-Ryan State Park)

                                       Columbine growing by the spring in Kershaw-Ryan

                                      Area 51 gift shop near Crystal Springs - everything inside is top secret

 

                                 I went inside but I can't reveal what I saw.

                                                        Mountain Lupines 

 

                                                         Cathedral Gorge State Park
 

                                                                      Desert Mallow
 

                       Lots of small walled slots extending back into the hill were fun to explore
 

                                                               Maybe this is the path to Cathedral Gorge 

 

Dave and Dian in the cathedral

 The walls form this narrow chamber. As you can see there was only a creak of daylight above.

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After watching a couple of young guys try to scale the wall, I decided to give it a try.  It is harder than it looks.
 

                                       Mountain Lupines along the roadside

Prospector Hotel in Ely. If you are on the road and needing a place to spend the night in Ely, this is the place. Very nice room, amazing hospitality, complimentary drinks. excellent restaurant and casino. 

                                                            Dian was the big winner!

On the loneliest road in America ,,, 'The Shoe Tree" brings good luck to travelers that leave their shoes.. I had blown out my low top hiking shoes the day before so up in the tree they went.

                                     "poof" - and my good luck appears

                                      Going to spend the night at the Silver Legacy in Reno

 

la Strada Italian Restaurant in Reno - Great meals and great service with a strong hint of mafioso 

 

Dave revisiting his old college campus.  John Mackey statue in front of Mackey School of Mines.
 
 

                        Dave's dorm in 1972 when he was attending the Mackey School of Mines

There were wedding bells ringing on July 20, 1974 at this Methodist Church in Reno