mountains

Exploring Our New Surroundings

After moving, quite literally, across the country, you’d think that we’d be tired of traveling. It was quite the contrary though and we couldn’t wait to get out and explore this foreign (to us) and spectacular landscape. Heading 30min to the west, we stopped visited a little town that some consider the sole reason for Nevada even being on the map, Virginia City. When I say this small town put Nevada on the map, I’m not kidding. When a massive silver deposit known as the Comstock Lode was discovered here in 1859, this place literally blew up overnight and is credited with supporting the growth of not only Nevada, but San Francisco as well. If the silver discovery wasn’t enough for people to remember this small town, then the 1960’s classic tv show “Bonanza” definitely was. This tv show ran for 14 seasons and 431 episodes, from 1959 to 1973 bringing the 1860’s Nevada silver rush to the living room of every family in America.

My dad used to watch reruns of Bonanza when I was a child. Never did I think that this small town boy from Minnesota would ever end up on the streets that this tv show depicted for millions to see. Another thing I didn’t expect, as we explored the streets of this historic western town, was another small town name from a Midwest town, Samuel Clemens. I know, I know. You’re like, “Who the heck is Samuel Clemens?” Well, let me tell you a little story. Samuel Clemens, of Florida, Missouri, moved out west like most folks after the silver was discovered in Virginia City. He had hopes of striking it rich, but ultimately had to seek other employment to make ends meet. He began his writing career by writing for the local paper in 1862 under the alias “Mark Twain”. In 1864 he left Virginia City and made his way to California where he wrote the literature that he is most famous for now. We run into another place that Mr. Clemens was at before he ended up in Virginia City a couple of months later but we’ll save that story for another time.

After exploring the streets of Virginia City and having some very unhealthy food to eat, we decided to go explore another locality that was 45min to the southwest. We made our way west on historic US Route 50 into Carson City, the state capital, and up and over the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains to a place that I’d personally dreamt of visiting all of my life. Up and over the mountain pass and making our way down the back ridge paradise started to come into focus. I say paradise, because if you’d ask me to describe what paradise looks like it wouldn’t be too far from what we were seeing. Majestic green pines, granite boulders and outcrops, snow capped mountains all around and of course the crystal clear blue waters of Lake Tahoe lying before us. Paradise people, paradise. Unfortunately, this day we were only able to catch a glimpse from the shores near Glenbrook, NV due to the late hour of the day and the impending blizzard that was moving in from the west. We thought it best to head back over the mountain pass and back home before the winter weather made us temporary residents of the area, not that we would’ve minded too much. Rest assured though, as we’ll make our way back to Lake Tahoe once again in the future.

The Final Push To Our New Home

After a night on the Las Vegas strip, morning seemed to come earlier than normal. As we made our way out of town our minds wondered about what lay in wait for us during the 6hr journey north. Fortunately, our minds didn’t have to wonder too long. About the time we were coming down into the Amargosa Valley we noticed that the van radio turned off and the indicators in the dash started turning on and off on their own. Then all of a sudden it happened. The engine shut off and the dash lit up like a Christmas tree. The van had died.

Coasting down the road, we were lucky enough to be able to roll into the parking lot of the Area 51 Alien Center and Fuel station. There I spent the better part of the next hour unloading the van, exposing the battery systems and testing the electrical, trying to locate the culprit. We were able to jump start the van but it would only run for a few minutes and then it would die again. The radio would come on and off, the door locks would lock and unlock the warning buzzer would chime and then stop. Mind you it was still doing this all on its own. I swore the van was possessed at this point. We disconnected the battery under the hood and the house batteries under the bench, removing all power from the vehicle. There we sat for the better part of 20 minutes. Full of anxiousness in the middle of nowhere hoping for a miracle. After a while we reconnected the batteries and were surprised to see that the dome lights came on bright and the door chime was dinging away. Even more so, it was like the Red Sea had parted when we turned the key and the van rumbled to life all on its own and kept on running. Was this Devine intervention or did it have something to do with the Aliens at Area 51? We let the van run for a bit and went inside the Alien center to check out this strange place. Might as well since we were there. Unfortunately I didn’t remember to take photos of the inside but let’s just say it’s an interesting place to say the least.

Making our way back to the van we were relieved to see that it was still running. We cycled the key a couple times and it started like a champ every time. Not ones to look a gift horse in the mouth, we hauled butt north and tested our fate. After all, we either break down in the middle of nowhere or we stay in the middle of nowhere (where we were) and wait for it to break down. I chose forward progress, since the outcome was basically going to be the same if it did happen. Wouldn’t you know it, fate was on our side and we made it all the way to Fernley, NV without so much as a hiccup.

Waking up the next morning I couldn’t help but wonder about the van and our trip the prior day. So, I grabbed the keys, turned the ignition and nothing happened but a click. So I grabbed our trusty jump pack and once again the van rumbled to life. A quick check with my multimeter and I figured out that the charging system wasn’t doing anything. Pulling the air box and serpentine belt off it was pretty clear as to why. The shaft on the alternator had an 1/8” of play and it made an unmistakable growl when you spun it around. The alternator my friends had gone the way of the dodo. A few runs to the parts store and 20 min of wrench time at the campground and we were back in business.

We spent the next couple of days at the campground searching for a rental home and taking care of life maintenance things. By the end of the week we were moving into a house and getting settled in. Good thing too because that weekend we were hit by a blizzard. I guess we made it just in time, talk about perfect timing…