I am sitting outside in the sunshine at Cave Lake Campground at Cave Lake Nevada State Park outside of Ely, Nevada. Clifford and I arrived here just a couple days ago on our journey south for the winter. Although the sunshine is pleasant, it is still a bit chilly as I sip tea and write in my journal.
Cave Lake Campground – Tea and Journal
Monday, October 3
The mornings is cool, but the afternoon is warm enough that Clifford is sitting outside minus his T-shirt to do a sewing project while I find myself a nice spot to play the fiddle where I won’t be likely to disturb any neighbors.
Clifford’s Sewing ProjectPlaying Fiddle Tunes
Wednesday, October 5
Today we make a trip to Ely for errands and admire the murals on the walls of the old downtown buildings.
Murals in Ely, Nevada
Murals in Ely, Nevada
Then we make or way to Renaissance Village, a portion of the original mining town that has been restored. Although the Village is closed for the season, we are free to walk the streets and peek in the windows of the buildings. Fascinating to think about all the folks who lived here in the early 1900’s and how much life has changed in the past century.
Sitting Outside the Country Store with an Oldtimer
Renaissance Village, Ely, Nevada
Renaissance Village, Ely, Nevada
Renaissance Village, Ely, Nevada
Back at camp, we are treated to another rich sunset. Today was a fun day in town, and tomorrow we plan to head up the mountain to explore what is that direction.
After spending the summer near family in western Montana, Clifford and I are heading south for the winter. I am grateful for all the time I’ve had with family. Despite the early August mosquitoes, hot spell, and forest fire smoke, it was great being in western Montana with my kids and siblings.
Goodbye Montana
It’s a good day for travel with light winds, a great blue sky, and trees just beginning to turn to autumn color as we travel southeast on I-90 along the Clark Fork river.
Clark Fork River Along I-90 in Western Montana
I am grateful for the safe and pleasant drive from my sister’s place where we were camped this summer, to the rest area south of Butte, Montana, where we are spending the night.
Sunset at Rest Area near Butte, Montana, on I-15 South
Sunday September 25, 2022
Sunrise at Rest Area near Butte, Montana on I-15 South
Our travels take us through the ever-changing landscape of southwest Montana.
Southwest Montana Landscape along I-15Organ Pipe Rock Near Dillon, Montana
We take I-15 from the rest area near Butte to the rest area at Dubois, Idaho, grateful for the clean facilities and the large parking area where we find a parking spot on the edge alongside the grass median.
Shrubs at the Dubois Rest Area Attractive in Autumn ColorsSunset at Dubois Rest Area
Monday September 26 was an overnight stay at the Walmart in Burley, Idaho.
Tuesday September 27, 2022
For the first time, we are traveling south through Nevada to avoid going through Salt Lake City. We stay on I-15 until turning south on US highway 93 at Idaho Springs, Idaho.
Tonight we are at the pullover north of Wells, Nevada. It was a harder day of travel due to traffic on 93 as well as more wind. We sure are glad to get to this spot safely and after picking up trash, I take a few photos of the rather scenic desert landscape.
View from the Pullout North of Wells, NevadaView at Sunset North of Wells, Nevada
Wednesday, September 28, 2022
Even Weeds Look Good at SunriseCougar (our RV) at Pullout North of Wells, Nevada at Sunrise
Our destination today is Cave Lake Nevada State Park near Ely, Nevada. About half way between Wells and Ely, Nevada, we stop at the Schellbourne Rest Stop which features kiosks that recount the history of the Pony Express, highlighting the bravery and hardships of the young men who traversed Nevada on their route delivering mail from St. Joseph, Missouri to San Francisco, California in 1860.
Schellbourne Rest Stop Features the Pony ExpressNevada Landscape Near Schellbourne Rest Stop
We arrive at Cave Lake Nevada State Park by mid-afternoon. It is perfect timing for us to catch the park ranger and get the Annual Nevada State Park Pass. The ranger is very nice to take the time for us since he was on his way out.
My research on the two campgrounds indicated that Elk Flat is more favorable for RVs, but since the headquarters is at Cave Lake Campground where we met the ranger, we camp here.
Our campsite at Cave Lake Nevada State Park Near Ely, Nevada
There is a very scenic view from the only pull-through site, but it is really tricky leveling because of the curve and slope of the land. The landscape is a juniper and opinion pine forest with views of mountains, hills, and mesas all around.
View from our Campsite at Cave Lake Nevada State Park
We like what we see and are treated to a beautiful sunset at the end of the day. I am grateful to be here!
Sunset from our Campsite at Cave Lake Nevada State Park
Friday, September 30. September comes to a close with reading Seven Spiritual Laws and sipping hot tea, as I enjoy the egg sandwich that Clifford made for breakfast. I am very happy there are showers at this campground, quite the luxury for our traveling lifestyle. I am grateful to be alive, savoring the beauty and the perfection of the moment.
After spending two weeks at Meadow Valley Campground east of Pioche, Nevada, Clifford and I pack up Cougar (our RV) and head back to Pioche at the beginning of June, again finding a spot in the RV park on the edge of town. I definitely miss the scenic setting and the wild flowers at Meadow Valley, but I think an important step to inner peace is not to lament what has been left behind, but to be open to new “pieces of perfection.” I sit outside after going for a walk, appreciating the gorgeous blue sky as I enjoy a cup of french press coffee and write in my journal.
Pioche City RV Park
Pioche gives us a chance to get caught up with email and other internet related activities before we begin the trip north to Montana. While here, we take time to explore town a bit more, noticing old buildings including the original Lincoln County Courthouse built in 1872 at great expense to the town. The Overland Hotel and Saloon was originally a boarding house and bar, which burned to the ground in 1940 and was replaced in 1948. A few miner’s cabins still remain.
Lincoln County Courthouse, Pioche, Nevada, Built 1872Overland Hotel and Saloon, Built 1948
Mining Related Building in Pioche, NevadaPrivy in PiocheThe Leaning Cabin
We have lunch at Gunslinger Subs. This building was once the blacksmith shop and its original construction is still evident. It is a bit of a museum in itself.
Gunslinger Sub Cafe with Tintype of Billy the Kid
We plot our journey to Montana and decide not to try to make it to Seeley Lake in Montana by Father’s Day. It was tentatively a destination with family, but too much of a push for us to get there in two weeks.
After just a couple of days, we begin the journey from Pioche to Ely, Nevada, mostly a straight shot north on US highway 93. Except for Connors Pass over the Schell Creek Range at nearly 8,000 feet, it is a relatively easy journey.
Nevada Landscape North of Pioche, NevadaNevada Landscape North of Pioche, Nevada
Ely is a one-night stand to do laundry, go to the market, and we park overnight at the Silver Sage Truck Stop. It’s very trashy on the perimeters of the parking lot but at least it is quiet.
Our next one-night stop is about 10 miles north of Wells, Nevada, at a pullout that provides some privacy from the highway behind a small stand of junipers. I pick up trash along the fence where we are going to park, and then we take advantage of the internet to catch up on email and texts.
Pullout North of Wells, Nevada off US Highway 93View to the South from Pullout North of Wells, Nevada off US Highway 93
Our next night is spent at the Burley, Idaho, Walmart. We are happy to find a spot along the edge of the lot next to grass and a tree. This is the opportunity to get stocked up on supplies and groceries. Despite our travels, I have kept up with Duolingo this past week and rise to #1 in the Diamond League, which is especially rewarding since I lost my streak while we were two weeks without internet at Meadow Valley. I have also kept up with Qigong live classes as often as internet allows.
Burley, Idaho, Walmart
From Burley we travel to the rest area at Dubois, Idaho, about 50 miles north Idaho Falls, off I-15.
Lava Fields Near Idaho Falls, Idaho
Dubois Rest Area is a good stopping place as the rest rooms are clean and the lot is large. The first time we stayed here, it was almost empty, but now it is a paved lot and fills with travelers and semis by evening. We are fortunate to get a spot on the outside next to the grass median. I always pick up a bag or two of trash when we are here, which makes a more pleasant place for us to spend the night and nicer for the next travelers. It is here we discover damage to our storage rack, grateful we didn’t lose anything, and it is repaired with wire and gorilla tape.
Evening at Dubois, Idaho, Rest Area.
A week after leaving Meadow Valley, we arrive at Divide Bridge Campground in southwest Montana, about 40 miles north of Dillon and 15 miles south of Butte. What a relief to be here! Not only are we here, but one of the sites right alongside the Big Hole River is available. These sites are always my favorite. The river is high and I am looking forward to walking about to take photos the next few days.
Campsite Along the Big Hole River at Divide Bridge Campground, Montana
Some days here at Meadow Valley BLM Campground are rather breezy to windy, just as it was in Arizona. I am trying to be more at peace with the wind, seeing it as mother nature’s “wild child,” talking to it as though to soothe a petulant youngster.
One chilly morning, 34 degrees, I walk down the road where I can catch the sunlight on the vegetation on the rock face. As I wait, the chilly wind nearly drives me back inside. Brrr….
Waiting for SunriseCliff Basks in the SunlightClaret Cup Waiting for the Sun
However, the daytime temperatures have been in the 70’s, so no complaints there. I enjoy sitting out with yerba matte tea, having more time to read inspirational material since I don’t have internet to distract me with texting or checking email.
Sitting Out in the Sunshine
And then my laptop hard drive fails, so I can’t even work on projects like editing or writing blogs. This is not a happy event, but now I have even more time for reading and journaling. I contemplate the Buddhist Eight Noble Truths, as well as dwell on my own daily intentions of mindfulness, the allowing of well-being, and surrounding myself with beauty. Well, this is certainly a place for that to be easy and joyful to accomplish. I also think about the Martha and Mary quandary I have faced for years. Here I have more opportunity to find a better balance between these two aspects of myself.
One of our projects is to make a mountain-man shirt for Clifford. I read (like reed, not red) the pattern and pin, he cuts and sews.
Working on the Mountain Man Shirt
The shirt turns out quite well and he wears it when he and I go for a longer hike up the drainage. We see a rock cairn in the wash at the beginning of the trail.
Rock Cairn in the Wash
The trail is rugged and wildflowers are abundant, including prickly pear blossoms seen for the first time in all of the walking about that I have done. Eventually we arrive at a spring where the landscape and dense vegetation force us to turn back. Great hike.
Clifford Heads up the DrainageDense VegetationGreat Hike for an Old LadyIntrepid Hikers PauseWildflowers Along the TrailCanyon WallsPrickly Pear Blossoms
.Besides the daily hikes, I look forward to sitting outside with reading material, my journal, and French press coffee, adjusting for sun or shade as need be. Lizards and birds, butterflies and ladybugs come to visit. Life is quite delightful and our allotted two weeks passes quickly. I am sorry to leave the rugged hills with their blooming shrubs and wildflowers, but we have Montana with family to look forward to.
Ladybug VisitorA Visiting ButterflySaying Good-bye to the Rugged Landscape and Vegetation at Meadow Valley
Clifford and I are camped at Meadow Valley Campground east of Pioche, Nevada. We are have only been here a few days, but we really like this scenic setting. In the early mornings, as the rising sun lights up the hillsides, evening primroses are abundant, adding to the delightfulness of my morning walkabout.
Formations Silhouetted at SunriseEvening Primrose at Dawn
Every day I hike somewhere, sometimes through the campsites beyond us before winding through the tent sites on the other side of the wash and then further up the drainage where it deepens into an arroyo. Walking the path to the far side of the wash, I discover a pocket of claret cup, also known as king cup cacti.
Claret Cup Cacti
Every day there are more wildflowers; such fun for me!
FleabaneIndian Paint Brush and Stansbury”s CliffroseMormon Tea in Blossom
A project Clifford takes on is turning dirty water to much cleaner usable water via filtering through various types and layers of fabric. It looks messy, but it is surprising how well it works, as he started out with dirty water and came out with clear water.
Clifford’s Water Filter SystemMud Water to Clear Water
One of our first days here, we walk up the highway to the border of the Spring Valley State Park.
State Highway 322 to Spring Valley Nevada State ParkClifford Waits for Me in the ShadeWarm Day for a Walk
It is a very scenic walk and a patch of red catches my attention. I am excited to find Indian Paintbrush not far off the highway,
Castilleja (Indian Paintbrush) Near the Spring Valley State Park BoundaryA Healthy Clump of Indian Paintbrush by Sagebrush
If we weren’t still hitched up, we would have driven there to further explore the state park. As it is, it is a good long walk for us and I am glad it is downhill getting back to camp.
Relaxing in the Shade
Back at camp, we enjoy sitting in the shade of junipers, relaxing after our outing.
It is time for us to begin the journey north to Montana. Clifford and I spent the winter in northwest Arizona, staying longer than intended as we waited for snow and cold to leave northern Nevada. Well, the Ruby Mountains are still cold and very snowy, so a change of plans is in order. We will still go to Nevada, but stay to the east side, traveling north to Idaho on US Highway 93.
Time to Say Goodbye to Black Rock Road, Arizona
May 10th we say good-bye to Black Rock Road and pull out, traveling through a landscape of red and black lava west of St. George, Utah, before winding through juniper covered hills, crossing over the Bull Valley Mountain Range, and across a large valley to Enterprise, Utah. Once past this farming valley, as we take a westerly direction, the landscape with its dead trees does not impress me. Our first stop in Nevada after crossing another smaller mountain range is the small mining town of Pioche.
Pioche, Nevada
Thanks to Clifford doing a little research, we find an RV park on the edge of town allowing a week stay by donation. There are no restrooms, but there is water and garbage cans, a big plus after months of boondocking. The RV park has about ten spaces and we are pleased to find a spot available. We get settled in without unhitching since we won’t be here long.
City RV Park on the Edge of Pioche
The next day, as I am interested in seeing the restored area of town with its museum and old buildings, I head toward the heart of town. While I learn a lot about the town, it is a cold windy day and everything is uphill from the RV park. The walk was stressful on my heart and I realize I must take better care. The following day is a day of rest and indoor projects. A couple days later when the temperature and wind moderate, Clifford and I go to the museum together. It is still a long uphill hike, but more enjoyable than my previous visit to the museum.
Nevada Club in Pioche, NevadaBefore the Days of Cell PhonesPioche Museum DisplayPioche Museum display
The old Lincoln County Courthouse is now also a museum and we pay a visit there, learning that Pioche was a violent nearly lawless town in the 1870’s when silver mining was the rage. There is a Boothill Cemetery we’d like to see, but since we didn’t unhitch, it will have to wait, as it is too far to walk.
Life-like Manikins in the Historic Lincoln County Courthouse Courtroom
In the morning, I go for a walk and find my way down into the pit next to the RV park where I take photos of a few wildflowers at sunrise. It is one of those places that could be made into a lovely walking park, if anyone cared enough to do it. When I am a rich lady……..
Sunrise from the Pioche City RV ParkCatching Sunrise at PiocheWildflowers at SunriseEvening Primrose Greets the Day
Our friend David had told of us a place he camped east of Pioche, so after staying a week at the RV park, having taken advantage of cell service to get caught up on email, blogs, and texts to family and friends, we head to Eagle Valley about 15 miles to the hills east of Pioche to find a place to camp. As it turns out, we find a small free campground, Meadow Valley Campground, just outside of Spring Valley State Park. The spots are small, probably designed for tent campers. We are fortunate that no one else is camped here, as it gives us the opportunity to park in the only spot big enough to accommodate our RV. Since we don’t know how long we will be here, we don’t unhitch, but get set up to enjoy whatever time we have. The rugged hills look like a great place to go exploring and we are pleased to have such a scenic setting as our home for a week or two.
After leaving Pioche, Nevada, in mid May, Clifford and I arrive at Meadow Valley Campground about 15 miles to the east. It is tricky getting Cougar (our RV) in place and set up because the campground is small, but we are pleased with the final results. As we are setting up, large black insects buzz back and forth like miniature drones spying on us. I am uncomfortable with them as they buzz so close, but after awhile I see that they are not aggressive and easily ignored. Now I am curious as to what they are, as I’ve never seen such creatures before. (Later I find out they are carpenter bees, the solid black variety.)
Meadow Valley Campground AccessCougar Setup in Meadow Valley CGCarpenter Bee on Lupine
What comes as a surprise to us is having no cell service at all, not even Clifford’s hotspot, which has worked everywhere for us. This means no texting family and friends, no checking email, no Duolingo and I will lose my streak of almost a year. Luckily, Clifford figures a way to send a message via his ham radio so we can let family and friends know where we are, since they won’t be hearing from us through the regular channels.
Our first day here is a day of exploration. The campground is at the mouth of a very narrow and rugged drainage, the wash dry now.
Narrow Rugged DrainageNarrow Rugged Drainage
In the morning as sunrise rays reach the canyon walls, the rocky hillside turns a brilliant gold in contrast to the grey of the unlit areas.
Sunrise Sunlight on Cliff
Our site has inviting nooks to set up tables and chairs in the morning sunshine, and later the shade of juniper trees and pinyon pines will be welcome. I spot wildflowers here and there. I am eager to start checking out this place.
Globemallow Spotted Near CampsiteCow Daisy at the Campsite
Beyond inconvenience of no cell service, this is one of the most engaging places we have camped. The mountain as it slopes down to this narrow drainage is incredibly rugged. I discover a rock-lined path leading out from our campsite and across the wash to relatively flat ground where more rock-lined paths lead to tent sites at the base of the mountain. Each site is tucked into rocks and trees.
As I walk, I discover more and more wildflowers, rich reddish-orange claret cup cacti, penstemon, globemallow, and many others that I am not familiar with. There is lupine next to our site and a yellow flower that looks like a snapdragon, which I learn is toadflax, that the black carpenter bees flock to in the evening.
Claret Cup CactiPenstemonGlobe Mallow or Apricot MallowLupine Near the CampsiteToadflax
What an interesting and delightful day this has been for me.