Truckee is an adorable little town nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains just over the border into California from Nevada. Originally Paiute Indian land, Truckee gets its name from Chief Truckee who welcomed early settlers and helped them traverse the pass through the Sierras. Among the earliest American emigrant parties to pass through the area was the ill-fated Donner Party who only made it a little ways further up the mountain before getting snowed in by early winter weather in 1846. As more emigrants arrived, a roadhouse sprang up to supply them. Later, the Truckee River gorge would be the route chosen for the transcontinental railroad with Truckee named as a station location, and the town would grow up around it. Truckee was the site of one of the country’s first ski lifts, and skiing is one of the area’s major tourism draws. In the summertime, there are plenty of trails to keep people coming and, with Lake Tahoe just a 25 minute drive away, the town keeps pretty busy year-round. Truckee is a great place to visit with lots of character and some great old buildings. If you’re ever in the area, pop on in for a visit. You may find yourself staying longer than you thought you would. I hope you enjoy these photos from wonderful Truckee, California.
Hello Everyone! It’s been a lovely week here in the greater Lake Tahoe region. The weather has been cold, but also clear and sunny and hard to beat for the middle of January. I’ve spent most of the week catching up with old friends and taking it slow which has been really nice. I did get out for a day on the slopes in South Lake Tahoe while I was here which was awesome and a real treat. It’s about time for me to hit the road again and head out across Nevada, but it’s been a nice break here in the mountains among friends…
When you say the word “Oregon” to most people, it’s highly unlikely that any of the photos in this post would pop into their heads. Most people picture The Beaver State as a lush, green place full of rivers and waterfalls or maybe the rugged coastline of Western Oregon. But the southeast is an important piece of the puzzle as well. Desert valleys and volcanic craters, snow dusted mountains and rugged frontier towns make up this corner of Oregon and it’s a fascinating place to visit. When I was there I had it almost all to myself. The people of the region are tough and life isn’t necessarily easy out there, but the wide open spaces sure let your soul breathe a little bit. If you ever get the chance, come for a visit. You may find yourself lingering longer than you thought you would. This ain’t Portland and it’s not trying to be. I hope you enjoy these photos from the beautiful southeast of Oregon, a very different side of the Beaver State.
One of the west’s most fascinating historical figures to me has always been Chief Joseph of the Wallowa Nez Perce. Joseph was both a warrior and a peacemaker but ended up in an impossible position in 1877 after a treaty guaranteeing his band’s place in the Wallowa Valley was broken and four white settlers were killed by his people in the aftermath. He fled towards the Canadian border with his band but was overtaken just shy of the border. In the aftermath of what has become known as the Nez Perce War, the Wallowa band was resettled on the Colville Reservation in Washington which I visited late last year. Joseph traveled far and wide speaking on behalf of his people and never gave up hope of returning to his beloved Wallowa Valley. He spoke so fondly of it that I knew I had to go visit the area when I had the opportunity. What I found was a stunning valley, surrounded by mountains and ribboned with rivers and lakes, As soon as I descended into the valley I could see why Chief Joseph was so passionate about it. In addition to being their traditional homeland and the place where their dead are buried, it clearly provided them with everything they would have ever needed.
Nestled in the heart of the Wallowa Valley is the town of Enterprise, an adorable little mountain town founded in 1886 and now home to about 2,000 people. Enterprise is both the county seat of Wallowa County and the main supply town for the region. The railroad arrived in 1908 allowing the Eastern Oregon Lumber Company to form a few years later. Lumber is still a major player in the local economy and, along with the local ranching operations, helps keep the town afloat. I loved the little historic downtown core which is clean and well-kept, and dinner at the Range Rider was also a treat. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Enterprise and the Wallowa Valley and I hope you enjoy these photos from my visit.
Hello Everyone! It’s been a cold week out here on the road with nighttime temperatures dipping into the single digits. While I’m always prepared for the cold and have plenty of warm clothes and blankets, it’s no fun getting out of bed in the morning. Thankfully it’s also been a week of catching up with old friends and tagging along with them on their adventures so my spirits have been high all week. I started my week in Winnemucca, made my way across the top of the state on Interstate 80 and am finishing my week here in Reno, “The Biggest Little City in the World”.
When I drove out to Palouse Falls I knew it was in the middle of nowhere and I knew I would stay until sunset. What I didn’t know is where I would end up for the night. I figured I’d just drive until I found somewhere good. When I pulled into Dayton, I knew I was there. Dayton is the cutest town I found anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. The historic 1881 train depot (Washington’s oldest), the circa 1887 county courthouse, the old schoolhouse and the historic Liberty Theatre are so quintessentially small-town America that they made me smile from ear to ear. The bustling main street with the delightful Moose Creek Bakery and the wonderful Buckwheat Brewery was great too. I think what made me smile the most, though, was their undeniable local spirit. It seemed as though everyone in town was supporting The Bulldogs with hand painted signs in almost every window. I had a wonderful stay in Dayton and lingered longer than I ever would have imagined. I hope you enjoy these pictures of beautiful Dayton, home of The Bulldogs and Washington’s picture perfect small town.
Because when you’re driving in the middle of nowhere and you look to your left and see dozens of dinosaurs roaming through a little town, you just have to stop and take a look. When you’re 100% sure that they’re not moving, you can get out and take some photos. Granger installed its first dinosaur statue in the 1990s in an effort to attract tourism (keeping in mind that Jurassic Park came out in 1993). There are now over 30 dinosaurs around town and Granger hosts their annual DIno-Days each June. I thought it was a fantastic little town and definitely worth a stop. I hope you enjoy these photos from Granger, Washington - The City Where Dinosaurs Roam.
Well, it’s been a pretty quiet week out here on the road. I spent the first part of the week in Boise before heading west back into Oregon on Monday and then south into Nevada yesterday. Today I find myself in Winnemucca, an interesting little town in the north central part of the state. I’ve been traveling through a sparsely populated area so there hasn’t been a lot to see or get into, but I finished my book (The Wide, Wide Sea by Hampton Sides about the last journey of Captain Cook which I highly recommend), got a few walks in and stumbled into some cool little towns. I’ve enjoyed the solitude, the mountainous desert terrain and the peace and quiet…
Roslyn is a tiny town of less than a thousand people in the heart of the coal mining region of Kittitas County. The community was founded in 1886 as a company town for the Northern Pacific Coal Company. Coal miners came from all over the world to work in Roslyn, creating a diverse community, and many ethnic social clubs began to form. Tragedy struck in 1892 when Roslyn Mine #1 exploded killing 45 local miners in the deadliest mining accident in Washington history. The mines would continue to operate until 1963. Roslyn has maintained much of its coal town appearance and has been listed on the National Register of historic places. The town has been used as the filming location for several TV and movie projects, most notably transforming into the fictional Alaskan town of Cicely for the show Northern Exposure. The mural of the Cafe Roslyn features prominently in the show’s opening credits and was originally placed there by my friend Gabe’s aunt who ran the cafe and had an affinity for Camel cigarettes. Roslyn is also home to The Brick, the oldest continuously operating bar in the state. Just outside of town are 26 fascinating cemeteries which are technically separate but are all adjoining. These served the different social and ethnic societies in their time and provide an interesting window into the town’s past.
I had a great time during my brief stay in Roslyn. I loved all of the old buildings and remember seeing some of them before on TV. Marco’s Place had a great barbecue special the night I visited and the downstairs speakeasy at the Base Camp bookstore was a lot of fun. The Brick is a must-visit place and had live music the night I was there. Although I didn’t see it, there is supposedly an old jail cell in the basement for any patrons who get out of line. I’m definitely glad I made my way out to tiny Roslyn, Washington which really had a lot to offer for a town that small. I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.
Leavenworth, Washington is a charming Bavarian town in the mountains of Central Washington State. Originally hunting and fishing grounds for the Yakama, Chinook and Wenatchi tribes, the area wasn’t settled by people of European decent until the end of the 19th century. They came for gold, trees and fur and a small village called Icicle Flats began to grow. It took the name Leavenworth after a Portland based surveyor who laid out the streets. The town would boom and then bust with the arrival and then the departure of the railroad. Struggling to survive after World War II, Leavenworth embarked on a bold journey to create a themed Bavarian-style town with the hope of bringing tourism to town. This took a huge investment of time and money, but today over 3 million visitors come to stroll the village, shop, and enjoy the many dining and entertainment options on offer. Yes, it is touristy and a little silly but in the best possible way. During my visit I saw so many people walk into town with a huge smile on their faces as they left their troubles behind. I know I enjoyed my stay and it’s a town I will definitely return to in the future. Leavenworth is a Bavarian dream in the heart of Chelan County. I hope you enjoy these photos from my visit:
Happy New Year Y’all and greetings from Boise. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah or whatever other holiday you may have been celebrating this month. I had a nice time in New Hampshire with my family over the last couple of weeks, with a fantastic Christmas at my brother’s house. The last two days included a long drive back to Washington DC and then an equally long flight back to the West Coast yesterday, so I’m pretty beat. I’ll tell you - it is one thing to gently ease into winter temperatures over the months while living in my van and another thing entirely to have central heat for a month and then glide back into Idaho winter at the end of December. But I’m very happy to be back with my van and with you fine people.
Hello Everyone,
Sorry I didn’t get this post done last week, but it’s been a busy time since I got home at the beginning of the month. I wish I could say it’s been a fun kind of busy, but it has mostly been continuing to clear out my uncle’s house in Virginia and dealing with my dad’s estate (tasks my good friend, Gillian, refers to as “sadmin duties”). Last week I took a whirlwind trip to West Virginia to drop off my dad’s probate papers at the court, go to the bank, pick up some of his things that I want to get to my brother’s house next week and come back. I hit some serious snow in the mountains, but it was beautiful and didn’t slow me down too much. In other exciting news, I’ve also been to the dentist, several doctors and the Department of Motor Vehicles, all thrilling adventures for sure (but thankfully all routine, so I am counting my blessings). I have been able to spend a little bit of time with my friends, gotten together with my Monday night music group and had some good times with my family, so I’m grateful for that. I also took a nice trip to Delaware last weekend which I’ll tell you more about below.
