Nevada - Silver State
When we visited Nevada, known as the Silver State, we took two short trips, one to the Las Vegas area in the south and one to the Reno area in the north. We went to Las Vegas first, in April of 2012, because Andy had a broadcaster’s convention there. We stayed at the fabulous Wynn Hotel, a short walk down the Strip from the typical Vegas hoopla, where the rooms are stylish and luxurious, and the casino areas are more serene than at most other hotels on the Strip.
Andy had a free day, so we went to Hoover Dam; I hadn’t been there since I went with my parents when I was a kid. The sheer size of it is mind-boggling and it is an engineering feat, even by today’s standards. There is a six-foot wide walkway that allows for spectacular views, and the climb to there and the bridge across the dam were well worth the effort.
When the convention was over, we rented a car and drove to Lake Las Vegas, a resort community centered on its namesake’s man-made lake. Several hotels, restaurants, boutiques and bistros with lake views cluster in a charming Italian village complex. I was excited about taking a hike in nearby Valley of the Fire State Park, but it was so hot that we spent very little time outside the car. The undulating, gently winding road that goes through the park passes a variety of formations caused by eroding sandstone, like Elephant Rock and Seven Sisters. The Park has an interesting history: as evidenced from surviving petroglyphs, man first came to this valley about 11,000 years ago. Paiutes were living there in 1865 when the Mormons settled nearby at the south end of the desolate Moapa Valley. We had lunch that day in a diner in the small town of Overton.
On another day, we drove to Red Rock Canyon, also near Vegas but in a different direction. This is an equally beautiful area with 26 numbered hikes and trails. It was still too hot to do any lengthy hikes, with temperatures in the 90’s even though it was only April. We took many photos as we drove the one-way 13-mile scenic road through the park. One brave woman, despite the heat, was painting en plein air. The green of the cacti and other plants, contrasted with the red rocks and the mountains with their rocky formations and blue and gray shadows must have inspired her and made it worthwhile.
We spent the second part of our Nevada experience in the northern part of the state in June. We started in Incline Village, which is on the shore of Lake Tahoe, for two reasons. First, my parents lived there for several years, and we spent many holidays visiting them. Secondly, our dear friend Esther-Marie lived there, and we invited her to come along for a few days as we drove east.
Carson City is the capital of Nevada, so that was our first stop. There are several impressive bronze sculptures on the capital grounds: of Kit Carson, the namesake of Carson City; of Abraham Curry, considered to be the father of Carson City; and of Adolph Sutro, who engineered and constructed Sutro Tunnel. The building itself is defined by its silver-colored dome and Alaskan marble features. We walked through the park surrounding the capital where we saw a dynamic sculpture of a miner and came across two very tired looking cross-country cyclists who were taking a break in the park.
We walked the Kit Carson Trail, a 2.5-mile trail through Carson City’s historic district. The Governor’s mansion, in Classical Revival style, is surrounded by lush landscaping. There were several other landmarks, including 1800’s-era Victorian style homes. We always like to imagine where we would live if we moved to another state, and this district would be our choice for Nevada.
Virginia City was the next stop, where Main Street takes you right back to another century. Its Victorian buildings were built during a 19th century mining boom. The Bucket of Blood Saloon, still in operation, was built in 1870 and provides plenty of evidence, including the Suicide Table, of the rough and tumble history of Virginia City. At Virginia City Jerky Company, we ate tri-tip sandwiches that were out of this world! St. Mary’s in the Mountains Catholic Church, Nevada’s “First” Catholic Church, dominates the skyline. Most of this Gothic style church was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1875 but was rebuilt amid the Comstock boom in 1877.
The V&T Railroad goes from Carson City to Virginia City, and this 24-mile round trip adventure was fun. We meandered through tunnels, canyons and mining towns aboard a restored 1914 Pullman coach where we were informed by a narration of historic facts and anecdotes.
The last part of our northern Nevada trip consisted of visits to two of Andy’s clients-become-friends who lived in the area. Jerry and Leslie lived near Minden, on a hillside surrounded by trees, shrubs, and rocks. Their home was constructed with native wood and rocks and plenty of windows to take advantage of the views. From there we drove to the east side of Lake Tahoe to visit Charlton and Susan in Glenbrook. Their home, which is right on the Lake Tahoe shore, provides such a contrast from the Nevada desert scenery in the Carson City/Minden landscape. The house was built to capture views in every direction – of the lake, the forest, the shoreline, and the mountains in the distance. We are lucky that we can revisit Charlton and Susan every couple of years when we travel to Lake Tahoe.
