- Last minute decision to try Reno – “The Biggest Little City in the World” just because we have never been there and don’t know a thing about it. First we hit Hickison National Forest along route 50 (the loneliest road in America). A short hike led us to great views of the valley and petroglyphs.
Today’s wildlife sighting: lizard
Petroglyph
Petroglyphs
Petroglyphs
Glenda at the Hickison Overlook
Sue at the Hickison Overlook
- We stayed on route 50 and headed to Austin, NV pop. 300. We stopped at the Austin post office for stamps and were treated to quite a long conversation with a local. He started the conversation by asking us about the postal rates–perhaps we looked like USPS employees? And as the primarily one way conversation rambled we learned he is not an original local. He called himself a” prune picker” aka a Californian. But he has been in Austin since he graduated high school and he has definitely had many years on him since then. He did recommend an alternate route off of Highway 50 that turned out to be a good recommendation. We stopped for lunch at one of the two restaurants in town, looked in a rustic gallery/jewelry shop and drove off past our new friend and a woman sitting in front of a store on the main drag. He gave us a big wave on our way.
** Here’s where he really endeared himself to me–discussing how his wife finally kicked him out after he told her one too many times that her hair was too short and her ass too fat. He said this while comparing her hair to mine but tried to smooth it over by indicating that my ass wasn’t that fat. He also mentioned that he had been hit on the head 3 times at his work which may have contributed to his unchecked outbursts. Maybe.
Wildlife sighting:antelope
Salt flats
Bust…
- We continued on our way through Fallon, home of the US Navy “top gun” Air Station. We saw a plane flying around there too. We also passed by Sand Mountain, a giant sand dune sprouting in the desert not far from the Navy Air field. We are always crunched for time and I’m sorry to say we missed both the Red Light Prostitution Museum and the Bra Chandelier in Virginia City, NV.
Sand Mountain
- Made it to Reno and checked into one of these casino hotels with bargain rates. Still a lot of casinos here are abandoned–we are looking at an abandoned high rise hotel from our window. Similar to the towns along route 50, it’s a boom and bust situation–silver, gold, lead, gems mined created booms in the 1800’s and early 1900’s but it was over in a flash. Looks like Reno may have experienced some of the same.
Jersey Junction
Back to our talkative “prune picker” who also taught us another term: “rubber tramp” for one who sleeps in his car, meaning what he did after the wife threw him out. He mentioned that one of the 300 souls who live in Austin is originally from Jersey. Amanda is Portuguese and may be from Newark (he didn’t recognize the town name but we figure it’s a good guess). But how she ended up here in Austin NV? Who knows? We didn’t get to meet Amanda but she’s out there!!
Theme of the Day: Boom and Bust
Up next: Lake Tahoe
p.s. Shout out to Nevada bureau of tourism…the lady at the welcome center gave us a CD to listen to with info about Nevada. It was really good and informative about these little towns along the old Pony Express route. Best thing we got from any of the states so far!!
Seems pretty likely the prune picker was hit over the head 3 times by the boss and co-workers at work. Wonder how many chops the wife took? Anyway, as I remember, Reno was known in my day as the divorce capital of the USofA. You got yourself out there, put in your time (about 6 weeks, I think) and voila – your divorce papers. Relatively painless I gather!
Well it did occur to us that maybe the wife had, in fact, contributed to the head bopping…and if she hadn’t she ought to have.
Reno–that’s where my mother (your Aunt Harriette) went to get a divorce in 1962 (I think).
Remember the time my brother John answered the phone–the operator said, “Long distance from Reno, Nevada.”
“I know,” he said, and hung up.
He would think the Operator might call to deliver a random fact like that. It still makes me wonder when the phone rings what knowledge is about to be delivered.
Hi Cousin Bob: Sue here. So glad you checked in!! My mom also mentioned something about quickie Reno divorces but I didn’t know Aunt Harriette had partaken. Well it did seem like that kind of place. Hmmm…. we are looking forward to plunking in your lectures on cd….for real 🙂
pictures of tator tots and you arent wearing sweats yet– very impressive– when do you head back!!! want to see Heiress?? miss the joisey girls
We do have a couple of lycra and undercover spandex items in our suitcases (Spanx, anyone?). Gearing up for a full sweatsuit opportunity once we hit Kansas (Mallow will, no doubt, feed us some donuts!). What is Heiress? Is it a tv show? We are so out of it w/r/t popular culture – we missed seeing my elbow on “Elementary” last night.
Post concussion syndrome. Definitely. Ask Gary. But I think it is only supposed to last 3 months. Hmmmm. Speaking of injuries, GLENDA, what is with the travel mishaps??
Sue is very grateful for the supportive diagnosis from a medical professional! Since the incident with his wife was 20+ years ago, I’m assuming he’s had a few more bops since then…
I have all kinds of issues – lower back, butt, and thigh. Oy. Please send medical advice ASAP.
I wanna know…. who pays the tolls?
Sue’s EZ-pass is paying for everything and I’m hoping she doesn’t remember to bill me!!! 🙂
Remind all those Jersey haters that we are one of only 2 states who don’t pump our gas! Very dignified bunch are we!
We are so dignified!!! What’s the other state?