Friday, June 15, 2018

Topaz Lake Nevada - HSVROC Redux: Lake Tahoe and Virginia City

We were up a little after 6:00 AM. Sherm and Sandy went over to the Lodge for the complimentary continental breakfast while I stayed behind to work on the blog.

The group ride left at 9:00 AM with a black Equinox leading the motorcycles. Sherm and Don drove with Sandy and I. There was a minor miscue as I led the group right into Gardnerville rather than take the shorter (and smoother) road to the Kingsbury Grade up to Lake Tahoe, California.

We will climb over those Sierras

Kingsbury Grade

Looking down on Carson Valley

Waiting for the flagman to say OK

That building is a long way up there

Time to go

The views here are spectacular

Lake Tahoe properties

Only 7,334 feet

Still in Nevada

The casinos end here

Our brunch destination

We arrived at Heidi's Restaurant in South Lake Tahoe shortly after 10:00. They had awesome food, as usual. Unfortunately, they also had a rule that says they would not do more than three cheques per table. This was a silly rule and Cranky's table was granted a dispensation. We were not as cranky and made do with the three tickets.

It was Route 66 Tie Dye Day

The breakfast table

Cranky wondering how he ordered all that food

Waiting for Payton to get back from the casino

Carl and Six Pack Jack digesting

Nite Lite and Linda were supposed to arrive this afternoon from Petaluma. Lo and behold, they pulled into Heidi's for breakfast just before we left. Small world. Because they would not be able to check in until 3:00 PM, we convinced them to travel with us to Virginia City.

VSP, Linda and Nite Lite

We left Heidi's and crossed back into Nevada, following US 50 north along the east side of Lake Tahoe. This was the exact area shown to be The Ponderosa Ranch on the famous map that burned at the beginning of the TC series Bonanza. When US 50 turned towards Carson City, we kept moving north on Nevada 28 to Incline Village.

Tunnel

Lots of warnings

A fun motorcycle road

Lake Tahoe

A catamaran

And another damn flagman

Boats at Incline Village

In Incline Village, we took the Mount Rose Highway up over the Mount Rose Pass. At 8,911 feet, this pass was the highest all season pass in Nevada. We stopped at the summit for photos.

Cranky pointing Carl at the rest rooms

Oops!

Mount Rose

Big ski area

Looking down towards Reno



Rose and a Rose on Mount Rose


Sherm showing Mongrel pictures of the Indian he has for sale

We continued down the winding Mount Rose Highway to where it crossed US 395 and started back up as the Geiger Grade. This road also wound as it took us up to Virginia City.


The line across the hill is also our highway

The view from the Geiger Grade

V is for Virginia City

We managed to find street parking in Virginia City despite the crowds. Then we wandered and checked out the shops, including the ice cream place.

Cranky



Six Pack Jack wasn't in to walking

Cranky and a friend

Are you reading this, Mike?


Mongrel should look happier eating ice cream

Happy looking folks

Wild Rose and friends




For Cheryl

For ZMean1 and Stewey

Gunfights and the church - strange juxtaposition


A few left before the group decided it was time. We road down through Silver City to US 395, where we turned south and took the bypass around Carson City. There was one stop so Mac Guy could get gas and Sherm could get a Maverik drink refill.









South of Carson City, we exited US 395 and went to Genoa, established in 1851 and the oldes town in what was Nevada Territory. It also has the oldest bar in the entire state of Nevada.


Mongrel




Mac Guy and Snowshoe Thompson



Wild Rose and Mongrel/Donna left Genoa heading for Gardnerville. Rose needed headlight bulbs for her GoldWing since it had burned out both low beams. The rest of us ran along the edge of the mountain until we came to Highway 88, and then took it and some side roads to US 395. From there, it was straight back to Topaz Lodge where we arrived about 5:15


Free (for now) electric car charging

Don had planned a group supper for tomorrow night at the Heyday Inn in Smith Valley. This Basque themed establishment was very highly rated. Tonight, he was checking it out with Mac Guy and Payton, who were leaving tomorrow morning. Sandy, Sherm and I decided to accompany them.

At the HeyDay Inn - Smith Valley Nevada

The HeyDay Inn has been here for a long time

We had been looking forward to this dinner ever since Don announced it. Unfortunately, the menu was limited, the prices were high, the service wasn't up to par and the food wasn't what we had been expecting. Don selected the place based on the reviews and a desire for something memorable. Perhaps we just caught them on a bad night? In any case, the three of us decided we would not return.

Lizards 'R Us

Back at the Lodge, Jim and Laurie had arrived.



We all went over to the bar for our free drinks of the day. After that, Wild Rose came back to our room where Sherm mixed up something involving a coffee liqueur. Then everyone turned in fairly early. We had no idea what we would be doing tomorrow.

Today's Route (195 Equinox miles):

1 comment:

VROC #5569-r said...

As far as the Heyday Inn I did talk to the owner. They are really only fully operated on Friday, Saturday and Sundays where they have 5 or 6 weekly specials that are posted on the board in the bar. Plus we happened on the Thursday when the local high school had their graduation night ceremonies for a graduating class of 20. Fully half of the staff of the Heyday were at the graduation.And there really is no back up staff since the population of the entire Smith Valley is 1,603 for the 122.5 square mile area.

Thursday nights are not the time to go plus that Thursday night was the worst possible. They did not even have a real stew that night because it was suppose to be a "light" night with so many people at the high school graduation. :-)