Bridgeport, CA - Virginia City, NV - and Carson City, NV

June 25 - 26 , 2022:

I leave Bridgeport, California in the morning traveling north on route 395 stopping frequently to stare at the beautiful West Walker River.  The is another great fishing rivers that runs for miles in close proximity to the highway.  The mountain landscape here is also quite amazing, a very scenic ride. 

That's a clear mountain stream

 I stop for a coffee in the small town of Walker, Nevada (somewhere I had crossed the border)  at a specialty coffee shop, big mistake. I just wanted a simple basic coffee, but after standing inline behind two people for what seemed like 5 minutes and no progress, I walked out.  I went 1/4 mile down the road to the old general store, was greeted warmly by a middle aged woman, (felt the hippie vibe), poured me a cup of self serve coffee immediately, everything was nice and clean, and they gave me smiles as they took my money and the coffee was real good.

Nearby was this view

Liked this art work

I make a more lengthy stop in Gardnerville, NV at a Walmart to stock up on food, then found a nearby nice clean laundromat, then a self service car wash and a gas station (gas almost a dollar cheaper than California) and a free water spigot to fill my water storage jugs.  I remembered the downtown as soon as I rode in and saw one mural, then the Sharky's Casino and the French Bar. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardnerville,_Nevada 

I arrive in Virginia City about 4 PM, the streets are busy, but by 6 PM the crowds leave and the shops close.  It is actually kind of quiet, where is all the wild western nightlife that I anticipated.  The famous Bucket of Blood Saloon is empty, about  to close the doors on a Saturday Night !   I was also planning to have a nice meal but hardly any restaurants or cafes are open, really strange, I go back to the van and cook a couple of hot dogs.  Virginia City does have incredible history, but everything is overly sensationalized and made somewhat trashy with the emphasis on saloons, drinking, gun fights and other forms of debauchery.   I thought there would be some live music and I found only two places, the first was a solo musician doing old boring songs, I didn’t even go in.  The second place, the Ponderosa Saloon had a blues band, the Whiskey Haulers, from Reno who were to my liking and they were pretty good.  I sat at a side table alone until two couples joined me and introduced themselves.  It then got interesting as they wanted to know where I was from, where I was going and how I was going, etc, etc.  They were seeing me as some kind of interesting person or maybe just weirdo,  but it was fun.  That was as wild as my Virginia City night went.  I found a parking spot up on the hill next to the Opera House for the night.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_City,_Nevada

Car was sitting in quirky rest area across from the school, see below

4th ward school is impressive

Bill for the future which did not pan out

Opera House

Impressive Court House

I expect there were some wild meetings in here

Always strife between these groups

Not sure which one is Stinky ?

Throughout town are these rough wooden sidewalks, boards are often loose

They make most of the profit from tee shirts with their iconic logo

One of the saloons had these nicely done interesting portraits

In the morning, as usual I’m up about 6 AM, I get dressed and move the van to the edge of town to a vacant lot to make my breakfast. Afterwards, I park downtown and am heading for the Virginia and Truckee Railroad Station where I will take the 10:30 steam train ride.  As I am passing the fire station museum, the doors are open and a group of men are preparing to pull the beautifully restored antique fire pump out.  They are going to move it across the street and winch it onto a trailer on the other side.  There is no one blocking traffic, they are doing this very carelessly and as it rolls downhill, it almost gets away from them.  The saving grace was a teenage girl who was riding on top working the foot brake.  They finally get it in the middle of the street, connect the winch cable and then the battery for the winch dies.  A bunch of men then pushed it onto the trailer by hand.  I was dumbfounded by how careless this whole operation was, but it turned out OK. 

 

It is Sunday and on weekends they pull the two car Virginia & Truckee Railroad train with a Baldwin Steam Engine.  It’s a short three mile mile ride at slow speed through some of the mining area and has a trainman who narrates the sights along the way.  The other passengers on the ride were also quite entertaining, especially the mother and daughter (don’t know for sure but they looked it) who were equally tattooed and a male young child they referred to as Sir.  The other couple with the crying young girl also added to the trip.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_and_Truckee_Railroad

The Steam Engine

The passenger ride

It passes through many mines

Afterwards, I walk the downtown circuit again and have lunch, ordering a philly cheese steak sandwich. Now ordering a philly cheese steak is always risky, especially in California, it usually is not going to be correct and this one didn’t come close.  

Okay, I’ve now had my fill of Virginia City and I head west towards Carson City.  I want to at least see the Nevada State Capital and look around the downtown area.  I believe I passed through here quickly years ago, but not sure.  I see a few sights that refresh my memory, (like the mural next to the McDonalds) but still not sure about the capital although after seeing it I wasn’t impressed.  It is probably the least interesting Capital from the exterior, especially now as it is covered by scaffolding for a much needed exterior renovation.  I would have gone inside except it was Sunday and closed. I do remember going to the excellent Nevada State Railroad Museum previously, but I am not doing that again and not much else here is of interest. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carson_City,_Nevada

I remember this one

This one too

This too !

The Nevada Capital hidden in scaffolding

In the morning I will head out on route 50 east, also affectionately known as the "Loneilest  road".  I have been on the eastern section before, but this area will be new, about time I will see something new on this trip. I tentatively plan to go all the way to Ely, Nevada, we will see ?