I didn't think I was going to make it through Nevada. Let's be honest here, I'm impressed I made it out of California. What with the out later than expected friday night, the car stuffing nightmare this morning until Markell "I'm so organized I must have been adopted" and Andrew "I've got oldman strength" showed up to save me, and the gridlock traffic on I-80 the whole way--yeah, California made it pretty clear where it stood on the issue of our break-up. I should just be thankful Jake didn't slash the tires.
The drive itself has been smooth sailing otherwise. And by smooth, I mean beautiful. It had been a while since I was last in the Tahoe area, and boy was I sorry I didn't come up here more often! Amusingly, there was this wonderful rest stop at the top of Donner Pass with a ten-minute glacier trail hike past these tail pines and huge slanted boulders. I took plenty of pictures and as soon as I figure out my new camera I'll put those on here somewhere too. Very refreshing to walk around after sitting in a car for several hours, and I only hope there are more of these vista points in my future. I'm sort of a sucker for scenic turn-offs.
Nevada has also been filled with visual eye candy. Aside from the powerplants, mines, and correctional facilities with the always entertaining road signs saying "Don't pick up hitchhikers - Prison ahead," the landscape is like mountainous desert. Everything is red, including the discus-sized moon, with sweeping plains and tall peaks. It is all very inspiring. I lost cell phone reception quickly after Reno, which hasn't returned, and the NPR station that had lasted surprisingly long was crackling beyond patience. Suddenly, through the static emptiness came a voice that sounded remarkably like Kelly Clarkson. Saved at last! Only upon closer inspection, she was singing about Jesus's blood. Apparently, Since U Been Gone has a Christian remix in Nevada, only it's not actually my favorite Idol singing. So I was, quite literally, saved at last. I won't lie, the station was so good and so fitting the scenery that I ended up listening to Pilgrim Radio until it too faded into the distance a solid two hours later.
And now I sit safe (because I've barricaded my deadbolt-less room with the table and a trash can) and sound (at least we hope, did I mention the room has no deadbolt?) in a nice little motel in the town of Wells, Nevada. The good news is my already worried mother won't read this until the morning, and by then we'll all know for better or for worse how this evening turned out! Who knew Elko, Nevada would have no vacancies in all seven of its hotels? Not this tired driver that's for sure.
Exhausted,
Frances
PS - Sorry for the posting bonanza. This is the one I wanted to write and figured I couldn't start the blog without the other posts and then yeah yeah whatever you know I just love blogging already. I get it.
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