PIOCHE TO SNOW CANYON STATE PARK

We sure enjoyed our evening at the Picohe City Park. It was quiet albeit cool at an elevation of 6,060 ft. 

Cassia was THRILLED that there was a playground across the street.

So, first thing in the morning we were headed for some play time.

Our spot at the Pioche City Park - we were there alone.

Also a train by the park.

Funny - a real action shot there. Exactly HOW does her leg bend that way?!

Good to know.

 After that we were back on the 93 south. But not for long.....

Since we had been here before we knew what was up ahead - Cathedral Gorge. We stayed at the Cathedral Gorge State Park back in 2008 and really enjoyed it. We highly recommend it if you are ever this way. Really neat landscape and hiking trails. Just before the State Park is a rest area called Miller Point Lookout - we pulled in there.

I took a TON of pictures - it is SO BEAUTIFUL - it was a hot day and we had a GREAT time. I'll let you enjoy the pics uninterrupted.

Awesome - right?!

Back on the 93 for just a short time before we stopped for gas and then a left on the 319 through Panaca. A nice looking agricultural/ranching town.

An then back to the Nevada landscape....

And then up....

Since this was another new route for us we were not sure what to expect. Apparently more UP.

It wasn't long before we were over the Utah State line and now on the 56. Twenty five miles later and we hung a right onto the 18 going south.

AND SPEAKING OF MORMONS........

We noted on our map that we would be passing by the 'Mountain Meadows Monument' which I guess sounded better then the more apt term 'Mountain Meadows Massacre'. We knew what this was about because Derek read an interesting history book a few years ago chronicling many American west historical events. Of course we stopped to take a look.

Then we continued along the 18....

to the beautifully situated town of Veyo.

WHAT WAS THAT! PIES!

We stop for pies!

A quick U turn and we were back buying ourselves a Lemon Sour Cream pie. In business for 27 years - they MUST know what they are doing.

Cassia enjoyed the spinning stools.

Yum!

The pie WAS great but we had to eat it after it had become a thousand pieces. As we hit a curve just after we started out again our fridge door popped open. The first time all was ok but shortly thereafter the second time saw the pie slide off it's shelve and onto the floor - and it wasn't the only item! 

There was a lot of tension in the van then! Derek pulled over so that I could rescue all the contents but most importantly our pie. Just one of those things that happens while on the road. We now have a bungy cord helping to hold our fridge door in place. 

We can laugh about it - now!

Soon, we were turning into the Snow Canyon State Park - our destination for the day. We had decided to stay the evening - or two - at the State Park knowing that there were trails to hike.

We LOVE to hike!

Teresa

TODAY'S INTERESTING LINK: Two of our favourite travel blogger couples are making news today! Kevin and Ruth are back in Mexico! and Trent and Teresa are just hitting the road south today! Safe travels to them!

NAMPA TO PIOCHE

Well, well exactly where have we disappeared to!

Sorry to drift off on you like that! We have been on the road and off the map. We of course like to post every few days but well - on the road like this - that isn't always possible. In the last week we have been happily enjoying some scenic backroads. The little towns along these backroads don't exactly lend themselves to wifi. 

Anyway - enough of that - lets get back to our traveling. I only have so much battery power tonight.

Leaving our friends in Nampa on Saturday we made great time over to Nampa - yup - we got far. We had some things to pick up before hitting the open range of Nevada. Our two big stops were The Vitamin Shoppe to get stocked up for our trip AND to Best Buy where I went ahead and splurged on a new camera for this trip. We LOVE it so I'll do a post just on our camera.

By the time we got all of our shopping done in Boise and then stopped in at Mountain Home for a Walmart stop we didn't get on the road - seriously - until late afternoon. 

We were very happy to be AGAIN taking the scenic route of 30 - the Thousand Springs Scenic Byway -  through Hagerman and Buhl - one of our most favourite drives and places.

Then onto Jackpot, Nevada. Funny, we've driven through Jackpot many times but have never slept there - well - a first for everything - right?! We got in just after it got dark.

Pulling out of Jackpot Sunday morning. 

Up next - a whole bunch of Nevada landscape shots. I LOVE the golden grass and fall colours of Nevada. We've done this route twice before but going UP not DOWN. Things sure look different from the other direction. 

And what else is there to do driving down through Nevada then to take pictures - just be glad I didn't post them all! Yup - Beautiful Boredom! And yes - all the pics are taken through the windshield of the van!

This is cattle country!

Very nice - a animal bridge.

Yikes! S N O W!

Tell me HOW do the people of Wells LIVE there! At the base of this mountain that ALREADY has significant snow! brrrrrr

And back past the Pony Express rest area. We didn't stop here since we had just stopped for lunch at the gravel pit at Lages. I know, I know - a gravel pit?! Well, it is THE place to stop there - RVs and Semis were coming and going. It is right at the intersection of the 93 and alt 93 and so gets a lot of traffic.

And back through the Heeby Jeeby town - and yup - still Heeby Jeeby!

Guess you can get ANYTHING in Nevada. This sign makes us shake our heads every time!

Most of the day it looked like this. It's a wonder that Derek stays awake.

After stopping in Ely for gas we got on the 5/60. Now - this stretch over to the 93 was a first for us. We weren't quite sure what to expect because the map shows a pass of 7,733 ft. We decided to chance it since we wanted to head more east this year. Sad to miss the warm springs of Ash Springs and the free campground at the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge. 

It wasn't too bad - a bit steep at times - so we went really  s  l  o  w  at times - but we made it up and over.

And then  d  o  w  n.....

Great looking rock!

Down into the Great Basin.

More windmills.

Thankfully - that lonely road up ahead isn't ours. We take a right here to Pioche. But I do KNOW that this road turns left just at the base of the mountain - rather than going up and over. We came from that direction back in 2008. 

Now in Lake Valley the scenery hasn't changed a whole lot - yup - still in Nevada!

Ok - so glad we are not going at his pace!

And finally our town for the night - Pioche, Nevada.

Funny, as Derek and I were right here we realized that we had taken a tour through Pioche back in 2008 and had totally forgotten about it until we had a sense of deja vu.

Freecampsites.net told me that we could camp for free at the Pioche City Park - and how right they were. So once we found it - behind the white Courthouse - we settled in for the night.

A long day - over 300 miles. But that put a lot of miles between us and the north and leaves us moving into warmer temps.

Next post - our great ride from Pioche to Snow Canyon State Park in Utah. 

Teresa

TODAY'S INTERESTING LINK: I'm a bit out of touch at the moment having spent so little time on the internet for the last week. How about heading back over to the Bayfield Bunch - looks like they pulled into their home in Congress while we've been away. We'll be going through Congress in the near future.