Up Close and Personal With Nevada History: The Kit Carson Trail

I like to walk. In fact, I do several miles a day. It's also a very accessible activity to do for wheelchair users while on vacation and we've come to schedule at least one big walk for each trip. We've done the massive Englisher Garten from top-to-bottom in Munich, made a 10 mile loop of Halifax in Nova Scotia, went from Market Street to Fisherman's Wharf and back in San Francisco, from Westminster to Abbey Road to Harrod's and back in London, for a few examples.

You can find some very interesting things on these walks if you know what you're looking for.

That's the case with the Kit Carson Trail, which is an historical walking tour put together by Carson City's Visitor's Bureau. The trail is a bit over two and half miles. With a few side trips and detours, ours came up to four miles by the end.

You can download a printable copy from their website, or just stop by their office at 716 N. Carson Street, adjacent to the Nevada State Railroad Museum just south of downtown. Free handicapped parking is available in the back of stop #1, the Nevada State Museum and along the streets nearby.

We've done the Nevada State Museum on a previous visit (click that link to check it out) so we just use it for convenient parking, today, and move on to stop #2, the Cavell House.

A prominent dentist, William Cavell had this house built with every possible modern convenience in 1907. The house has seen better days but, even in its current run-down condition, you can see what a marvelous house this is.

Moving up the street, the Stewart House...from 1887...was the home of U.S. Senator William Stewart. Stewart went on to be one of the founders of the Silver Party in 1892.

A block up the street is the beautiful 1862 gingerbread home of Governor John Jones who led the state from 1895-1896. 

The side treehouse is pretty fantastic.

Next door is 1864 house of Louis Prang, who started the tradition of Christmas Cards in the United States. This house is also a popular filming site for the Hallmark Channel.

The Bliss House is one of the largest of the historic homes here in Carson City. Bliss was a lumber baron and you'll find many things named after him, including Bliss State Park in Lake Tahoe where the Vikingsholm Castle sits on the shore of Emerald Bay.

Fun fact: on one of our spring break ski trips to Tahoe in College, Bliss' great grandson came along on one of them. None of us got along with him.

Across the street is the current Governor's Mansion, built in 1909 to serve as the official residence. Until then, it was up to each officeholder to secure their own lodgings.

Moving on we get to the Krebs-Petersen House built in 1914 for Dr. Ernest Krebs, who is credited for stopping the influenza outbreak in Carson City at that time. It was also used as a filming location for John Wayne's last movie, "The Shootist."

Down the Street is the Sadler House, occupied by Reinhold Sadler, when he was Governor of Nevada from 1896-1902.

In 1860 (or 1862...the printed version and online editions of this tour differ in the date), attorney William Morris Steward had a nice sandstone house built. Today, it's still home to a law office 

We saw deer on the lawn. It's Carson City's oldest standing home.

Orion Clemens lived in this 1863 home. He was the state secretary for Nevada. You might be more familiar with his brother, Samuel, who wroted under the name Mark Twain and was a frequent visitor here.

The 1868 house of George Ferris, Sr...a gentleman farmer who planted many of the trees around the capitol...is next. His son, George Ferris, Jr., went to Chicago and invented an amusement park ride...a wheel...that bears his name to this day.

We take a break and have some cold beers at Carson City's oldest saloon, a slightly divey place called the Old Globe Saloon, before moving on.

We decide to jump to the end of the tour and work our way back up so we can end up at our car. Next up is the state Capitol complex where we check out the Capitol Building. 

Mostly used for lower offices now, the Legislature and Supreme Court moved into larger, more modern buildings next door.

These are just a few highlights of the 48 stop tour. It was very interesting and a healthy way to get a close-up look at Nevada history.

Before we get back in our car, we stop by the Nugget Casino to take a few turns on their slot machines. We find another bit of pop history when we find a replica of George Barris' Batmobile parked inside. 

Done with our day of touring, we head back to our hotel in nearby Minden where we splurge on a nice Basque dinner at JT Basque, an old restaurant in Gardenerville that we've visited before.

Stuffed with a bit too much food, we retire to our room to get ready for tomorrow's adventure...which will coming soon.

Darryl Musick
Copyright 2021 - All Rights Reserved

THE COCKTAIL HOUR: Carson Valley, Nevada, Pub Crawl

On the block of our hotel in Gardnerville, Nevada...just a few miles south of Carson City on highway 395...were six bars. Tim noted that celestial alignment and suggested we do a pub crawl for the Cocktail Hour here at The World on Wheels.

Watch the Video!

Duly noted, we struck out to see what we could find. Alas, our livers were only up for three pubs while we were there, here they are...

We started at the last minute of happy hour, 6:59pm, at the Silver Dollar Bar in Sharkey's Casino, so called because of the hundreds of silver dollars embedded into the bar. It's two bucks for the house wine or a glass of Hamm's beer. Letty has the wine, I have the beer.

I'm glad I only paid a couple of bucks for it.

Next, it's up the street to JT Basque bar and restaurant. At this sheepherder's bar, it's picon punch all around. A very good version of it, too. 

I win five bucks on the bar's slot machine and then we make our way out to the last destination.

The French Bar, across the street, has been pouring drinks for the thirsty shepherds for 80 years. There used to be a hotel upstairs, too, but it is mostly apartments and offices now.

I have a whiskey sour and Tim has an 805 ale. Now and again, the barflies chat a bit with us as we wait for Letty to catch up with a glass of the house red wine.

We'd planned on going to at least two more, but that's about all we have room for on this trip. Maybe next time we can try the Overland...built in a former fire station...or the craft bar up the street where you can work on crafts while you drink your drafts.

Cheers!

Darryl Musick
Copyright 2019 - All Rights Reserved

Take a Walk With Me: Getting Walked Because the Hotel Screwed Up

Stick around because this story has a happy ending...

The Great Pandemic of 2020 is winding down for us. All three of us have been fully vaccinated and it's time to stick our toes into traveling again. We've decided to take a few days in Carson City, Nevada, which is a couple of hours away from home, a very scenic drive over the Sierra Nevada mountains.

I've reserved a guaranteed, accessible suite with a king size bed, a queen size fold-out sofa, and a roll-in shower for Tim and his wheelchair.

It was a beautiful, fun, and eventful drive over the mountains to get here (which you can read in our other trip posts) and we're pulling into our hotel, the Hampton Inn and Suites on the north end of Carson City.

Tim and my wife get out of the van. I park and join them in the lobby. I go to check in and then here those dreaded six words that we...as special needs travelers...hear just way too often these days: "there's been a problem with your room."

"No," I'm thinking, "not again."

"The people in your room have extended their stay," I'm told.

Why is that never an option with me? Whenever I ask if I can extend my stay, I'm always told "the room is reserved, you have to leave." It seems like everyone else can just say "screw the next suckers, I'm staying!"

"What do you have for us?" I ask.

"We know you reserved a king suite, we have a two queen room for a little less per night."

Now, I reserved this particular room because of the king bed. While we can make do with a queen, my wife and I are used to a king bed and I really didn't want to feel squeezed so I looked far and wide to get a room just like this so we wouldn't have to.

"We really wanted that king bed," I replied.

"Sir, that's all we have."

Then, for some reason, it occurred to me to ask the key question..."I guess we'll have to make do, does it have a roll-in shower?"

The heavens opened up and fate tilted to my side..."um, no...did you need one?"

"I reserved one. See that man sitting behind me in the wheelchair? I think you can see that is non-negotiable."

"Um, maybe you can  spend the night in the double queen and we can see if we can move you into a roll-in shower tomorrow."

"Hold that thought, go ahead and check in the people waiting behind me. Maybe you can book me into another equivalent room at another hotel. Let me talk to my wife and son and I'll get back to you," I said.

I quickly went to the other end of the lobby and started calling other hotels. Quickly, I connected to the Holiday Inn Express in nearby Minden and asked if they had an accessible room with a roll-in shower available. They didn't but they had a two-queen suite with a fold-out sofabed with a walk-in shower (same except for a small lip at the entrance) that had a shower bench for $10 more than the Hampton.

I took it.

I went back to the front desk, told the clerk to just cancel me without penalty and I would go to the other hotel.

I guess they felt bad because the manager told her to call the Holiday Inn Express and let them know Hilton would be paying for that room..."walking" us to another hotel in the business lingo...at no cost to us. On top of that, since they screwed the pooch so bad by not having our guaranteed room for us, they also gave me a few thousand points in my Hilton loyalty account.

A quick drive to Minden put us into the Holiday Inn Express, into a nice, large room with everything as promised. As a bonus, our hotel for the weekend was now free.

Remember that you have rights, politely insist that the property honor them, and make it right if they don't. Who knows? Your vacation might just become free like ours did.

Darryl Musick
Copyright 2021 - All Rights Reserved

Climbing Every Mountain for a Costco Run: Carson Valley, Nevada - Part 2

Read Part One here.

It's gray and cool this morning at the Historian Inn in Gardnerville, Nevada. Chicken fried steak, french toast, and pancakes fortify the three of us for a day of sightseeing in the area.

Watch the Video!

Bundled up in our down jackets, we head back towards the mountains. There, hard against the eastern edge of the Sierras, lies the tiny burg of Genoa.

Back when this was still part of Utah Territory in 1850, a group of Mormon pioneers built a fortified trading post here. When Nevada split from Utah, this was the first capital until it was later moved to nearby Carson City.

The rain is pretty steady, the ground pretty muddy, so we scratch getting Tim out of the van here but Letty goes into the general store for some trinkets and takes a few pictures.

Plans are quickly rearranged to do something indoors and we start down Jacks Ridge Road towards Carson City. Along the way, I see an old cemetery off to the side. The gates are open so I drive through, mostly hoping to get some photo opportunities.

A minute after driving in, I see this sign.

John 'Snowshoe' Thompson, a Norwegian immigrant, was a volunteer mail carrier back around the time Genoa was founded. He is famous for his tenacity in his work, delivering mail deep into the cold, upper reaches of the Sierra mountains.

He fashioned a pair of planks to scoot around on the snow...his 'snowshoes'...and is now considered one of the founders of skiing in California.

His name is legend at ski areas from Mammoth to Squaw Valley.

Soon, we find the grave with a little help from Google.

Thompson is buried here with his son, who died at 11 years old, and his wife, who lived into the 20th century.

Until a few minutes ago, I never knew he was buried here in Genoa.

We continue on to the capital and pull into the lot of the Nevada State Museum. Located in the former Carson City Mint, Silver State history abounds from the prehistoric fish that used to inhabit the inland sea that was here to the glittering casinos that now call the state home.

It's very interesting and an elevator, disguised to look like a mine shaft, gets wheelchair users to all floors.

An old coin stamping machine sits where it used to pump out silver dollars, quarters, dimes, and more. On the last Friday of each month, the staff fires it up to stamp out the souvenir coins sold in the gift shop.

A 17,000 year old mammoth skeleton sits next to a 25,000 year old horse..

In the basement is a recreated mine shaft, complete with rails for ore cars in the floor that can make it tricky for wheelchair users, especially those in oversized chairs. Tim manages to get through the tunnel but it's a bumpy tight squeeze in some spots.

Letty is impressed by the hall of taxidermied animals.

We end the day back in Gardnerville.  We're fans of Basque restaurants and the very first one we ever tried was the Overland Hotel here. It's long gone but JT Basque sits right across the street.

We're feeling adventurous so we share an entree of pig's feet and tripe. It may sound nauseating but it was very delicious.

Along with the soup, salad, bread, beans, beef stew, fries, and ice cream for dessert, no one was leaving here hungry.

That's enough to sate us for the day. Tomorrow, we'll check out, do our shopping, and go home. We'll conclude this adventure then.

Darryl Musick
Copyright 2019 - All Rights Reserved

Climbing Every Mountain for a Costco Run: Carson Valley, Nevada - Part 1

Yes, there are Costcos closer to us. Lodi and Elk Grove are just over a half hour away. Rancho Cordova and Folsom aren't far, either. But we can combine a run to Costco with a quick getaway from the stress of moving by spending the night near Carson City, Nevada, just on the other side of the Sierra Nevada mountains from us.

Sounds simple but this has been the never-ending winter here. Even though I've put off the trip until April, the weather is still calling for heavy snow over the Carson Pass. The day before doesn't look so bad, though, so I book another night in the motel and we leave a day early.

It's rainy, but we make over the nearly 9,000 foot tall summit of the pass before any flakes start to fall.

Passing through a couple of avalanche zones...complete with evidence of earlier slides...is a bit unnerving but we make it through with no mishaps and end up at the Historian Inn in Gardnerville, Nevada, in just over 2 hours from the former gold fields of Amador County, California.

The room is a basic, maybe slightly nicer than basic, motel room with two queen beds. We think these narrow mattresses are more like full size, but we'll go with the flow.

The bathroom is nice and roomy with a roll-in shower.

It's dinner time when we check in, so we head across the street to Sharkey's Casino for a bite in their coffee shop.

It is a very good and cheap prime rib dinner for me...

...pasta Portofino with some large shrimp for Letty...

...and sliders for Tim.

We waste a buck or two playing the penny slots here.

It's a nightcap at the Silver Dollar bar as Tim decides this would be a perfect place for a pub crawl.

He's not wrong. There's the bar we're sitting in now, the Overland Pub across the street, JT Basque, almost next door to this casino, and three more bars between here and the hotel.

We get a couple of shots as we make our way back, then we'll finish up tomorrow for the next, new Cocktail Hour that'll be coming your way.

In the meantime, we'll call it a night and do some sight seeing tomorrow while we're here.

Darryl Musick
Copyright 2019 - All Rights Reserved

CALIFORNIA/NEVADA: Highway 395 and Nevada's Capitol - Carson City

After crossing the border we’re no longer in the Golden State. We’ve stepped over to a new metal…the Silver State of Nevada. Coming up on highway 395, the mountains drop away from under the road, giving way to the green expanse of the Carson Valley, guarded on the south by the towns of Gardnerville and Minden.

The steep, rocky Sierras still peer at us on the left where they hide the beautiful Lake Tahoe just over that ridge.

It’s not long before we roll into the capitol of the state, Carson City.  It’s not a huge place…Vegas and Reno are both much bigger…and before we know it, we’re downtown and hungry.

Smack in the center of downtown is the Nugget Casino where we can while away a little time at the slot machines and roulette table before heading into the coffee shop to get one of the great under $10 prime rib dinners you’ll get in a casino. Not Morton’s, but for the price it’s hard to beat this tasty, tender slab of meat served with baked potato, veggies, and salad.

We need to keep heading north where we’ll find Washoe Lake. Turning in from the highway, it’s along the eastern side of the lake…home to a family of bald eagles…where we’ll find our bed for the night at the Deer Run Ranch run by David and Muffy Vhay.

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia

Rick Cooper under CC BY 2.0 license

The Vhay’s run an alfalfa farm here and David built this eco-friendly inn into the hillside near the barn.  The name comes from the herds of deer that roam the alfalfa fields where you can see antlers sticking up above the stalks.

It’s a wheelchair-accessible escape far from the busy cities and highway nearby. Bullfrogs croak in the pond and owls nest in the barn. Many varied guests…from the family looking to get back to nature to the gentleman who comes into town for a brothel tour…enjoy the quiet surroundings.

Over breakfast, after David tells us about the brothel fan (he’s not here today), he explains the process of growing and, more importantly, selling the alfalfa nearby. He gives discounts to local ranchers who come and pick it up, saving him the cost of delivery.

Upon checkout, we travel slowly along the banks of the lake looking for the eagles but are not having luck today. It’s back on 395 as we head up the the “biggest little city in the world,” Reno.

We try our luck at the Horseshoe Casino but the heavy smoke and the depressing empty buildings nearby tell us we should move on.

North of the city, we finally leave the ribbon of asphalt that we’ve been celebrating these last two weeks and head west on the big Interstate 80 back towards California.

A bit west, over the state line, following the river of the same name, we end up in the cute town of Truckee.  Truckee is a legendary train town. The station still serves passenger trains coming up from the Bay heading for Denver and Chicago.

The downtown area surrounding the station holds many boutiques, high priced snack shops, and a couple of really good restaurants.

After spending some time here, we turn south at the end of town and follow the Truckee River up the mountain to its source on the north shore of Lake Tahoe where we picnic on deli sandwiches and throw fish food to the giant…and I mean GIANT…rainbow trout living in the protection of the “no fishing” zone where the river begins.

From Reno, highway 395 continues its course back across the border along California’s eastern frontier, into Oregon and the cold, high country desert before reaching Pendleton and crossing over to southern Washington’s tri cities of Pasco, Kennewick, and Richland.

Continuing north, you can follow it to Spokane and beyond, where it finally terminates across the Canadian border where it meets highway 3 in central British Columbia.

Not this trip, though. We say goodbye here in the beautiful high country on the border of Nevada and California on the edge of Lake Tahoe, not far from the mythical Ponderosa.

Truly a different take on California, highway 395 is a beautiful road connecting some of the most lonely, stark, and historical areas of this Golden State.

-Darryl

Copyright 2012 – Darryl Musick

All Rights Reserved