YES, we escaped the heat of Sacramento!
We had planned all along to get back to Florida by late August or early September. It was a mad scramble to get everything done before we left...such as oil changes for both vehicles (quick lube place for the car, I did the motorhome), get a GPS for the motorhome to help get up back home since the installed GPS is past help, get the tires at proper pressures, and a whole lot of other things to help make our trip home uneventful as to the operation of the motorhome. We got up at 6:30 am, on the road by 7:40, got 15 gallons of gas (which nearly broke the bank!) and off we went.
The above pictures are of us at Bob Scott Campground (NF Campground) just outside of Austin Nevada along US-50. At over 7,000 feet in elevation, it is cooler, but not cool enough to spend a full day in this heat hitting the west right now. Our plan is to go through Nevada, Utah and Colorado, trying to stick to the coolest temps we can find along this route until we turn southeast and enter New Mexico and then Oklahoma and then Arkansas. We plan to take our time, which means around 2 weeks to get into Arkansas. (Sorry Laurie, but AZ is just TOO HOT for our tastes right now...108 on Saturday might be mild to you, but fricken hot to us!)
Hot August Nights is a HUGE thing in and around Reno each year. Arny and Sandy told us to expect to see a bunch of classic cars and Hot Rods as we traveled up the mountain, and we did. Here is just a small collection of those we were able to get pictures of.
Sorry that last one we got reflection off the dash, but it is just too nice of a "'34" to pass up on posting. (I am NOT an expert on these things, but the license plate says "Thirty 4", so that says it all!)
In Fallon we filled with gas. $195 for 40 gallons, and 2 gallons in the gas can to run the portable generator if needed, only $4.65 per gallon! In Roseville as we were leaving I pulled into a Safeway where I got a 10 cents per gallon discount, making it $5.25, and put in 15 gallons...enough to get me out of very expensive gas land. A Blue Beacon Truck Wash was next door in Fallon, so we got all the dust and dirt, tree sap and squirrel and bird poop off the motorhome. Above picture is after we passed through Fallon, about 75 miles from our destination.
Austin Nevada is known for Stokes Castle. It was built by Anson Phelps Stokes, a mine developer, railroad magnate, and banker, with the intention of using it as a summer home. Started in 1896, it was completed in 1897. The family used it for a few short periods in 1897 and 1898, at which case they sold it, the mine and everything else they owned in the area. The 'Castle' fell into disrepair, bought by a cousin in the mid-1950's, it was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.
Tomorrow we head for Baker Nevada, right on the boarder with Utah. We plan to get a campground and stay put for a couple of days to rest before we travel on.
May your travels be filled with cool days, low fuel prices and interesting sights!
ReplyDeleteSo far so good! Thanks (Saw $4.15 per gallon today in Utah!)
DeleteLOVE Austin and that tower is fascinating. Hope Baker isn't as hot. Smart idea to wander around according to the temps. We used to have summer in June and July ... now things have shifted to July and August. That old sun just keeps shining!!
ReplyDeleteIf it was for the forecasted rain, we might have stayed an extra night and visited Austin...it looks interesting.
DeleteThat's a good idea to travel in the cooler areas.
ReplyDeleteHopefully there won't be a storm waiting for you in Florida.
Safe Travels and Enjoy the adventure.
It's about time.
I check the NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER daily. Today, for the first time in 3-4 weeks, they have a storm coming off Africa which might produce problems. You never know, you just have to keep an eye on them.
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