Driving driving

I spent 3 weeks in Reno, it was time to go.  I very much appreciate their hospitality, and Kris' wonderful better-than-restaurants cooking.  I drove hwy 80 across Nevada in one day. Nevada is not flat.  Leaving Reno the highway travels thru a dry canyon, beyond that moves along a creek supporting Cottonwood trees.  Continuing eastward I saw more snowy mountains to the south; while mountains to the north are more distant with snow. Highway 80 passes over Golconda Summit at 5160 ft,  past Battle Mt covered with snow and shining in the sun, Towns with names like Beowawe, and Argenta.  Small towns and settlements barely hang on in this arid open landscape. 

     Late afternoon I stopped at the California Trail Visitor’s Center, an official National Historic site. This is the location of several forks in the pioneer trails, where a wagon train could choose a cut-off trail or stay on the main trail.  The Donner party had taken a cut-off trail and lost a lot of time that Fall, ending up in the Sierras in the winter. The museum is very well done.   

     At the end of the day I drove thru Wendover.  This town is a riot:  West Wendover is in Nevada (casinos !!) and East Wendover is in Utah (no casinos).  A painted line across the Boulevard serves as the state boundary.

     Day 2 was spent driving across Utah.  From the phenomenon of the Great Salt desert, and Great Salt Lake, to the snow-covered Wasatch mountains, Utah is always spectacular.

Birds so far were Crows, Ravens, Black-billed Magpies, and at a rest area, a pair of brilliant Mountain Bluebirds.

     Day 3   I drove from Grand Junction, Colorado to Loveland. Highway 70 travels thru the Rocky Mountains from west to east.  It is a magnificent drive on a clear sunny day. Steep canyons, snow-covered mountains, and highway passes at 10,500 and 10,600 feet. Scenery is just awesome. I stopped at my storage unit to pick up a few papers, then continued on across a very dry Colorado prairie. 

Day 4    My brother Gary and his wife have returned from traveling in Mexico, Central America, and South America.  I was able to meet up with them in Nebraska.  Ah, the magic of cell phones.  We camped that night at a nice state park. 

Day 5    Gary made hot chocolate for us in the morning.  A welcome treat on this cold morning.          Snow Geese !!  Nebraska's Platte River valley has one of the most spectacular bird shows in the country. Tens of thousands of Snow Geese  will cover a field, or fly across the sky in several large skeins.  Canada Geese, and White-fronted Geese, too.  We saw flocks of Sandhill Cranes in fields and flying.

     After enjoying more Snow Geese and Cranes, Gary and Nan headed for home, and I continued east out of NE.   

The next day a cold front was coming thru the area, with strong wind but not much precipitation.  Wind chills were predicted at -5 F.  I stayed overnight in a Motel 6.  Iowa has more snow on the ground than Nebraska.  
     After many days of driving I arrived at my friend's place in eastern Iowa.  The day was bright and sunny, altho cold and windy.  We talked for awhile, ate lunch, and later went for a walk at a nice county forest.  Exciting birds were the Bald Eagles, above, Eastern Bluebirds, and a Red-headed Woodpecker.  !!!!  A Killdeer was foraging along a riverbank, a pair of Lesser Scaup floated in a protected bay, and Robins called from the leafless tree canopy.

2nd photo is from Utah, a pond along hwy 70 west of Salt Lake City.  3rd photo is Sandhill Cranes flying away, west of Grand Island, NE.