It will take me a week to catch up, but I had my first big trip of the season. We visited thirty ghost towns, mines, stage stops, and Pony Express Stations in three days!
The trip was fantastic. We found every site, and each had terrific history and ruins. I got home at 8 pm via a stop at Qdoba for the family. I swear they watch my tracks and call me when I’m 45 minutes away, asking me to pick up dinner.
It will take me time to write up the trip, even brief information on the sites. I’m afraid to see how many photos I took, but it is a lot.
This week I will be crazy; Monday and Wednesday, I co-lead day-long Trails West field trips following the Carson River Route. Tuesday I present at their conference. Wednesday, as soon as the trip is over, I will come home, change vehicles, grab the kid, and head to Shriner’s for an overnight visit. Saturday, I have another ghost town tour which I donated to charity.
I am looking forward to this week, but I want a day at home to decompress, review photos, and write up the trip.
Snakes…why’d it have to be snakes?
(Indiana Jones)
The only negative was my fun with two “friends” at Park Canyon. I was exploring the ruins, being careful where I stepped. Finally, I came through a window to get inside. I looked where I was putting my hands, butt, and feet; I sat on the ledge and landed on the dirt below. A second later, I hear…
Bzzzzzzzzzz
I froze; the only thing that moved was my brain saying, “Oh, Sh…”
Since I started ghost towning more, I wondered if I would be able to hear a rattlesnake. Unfortunately, I have Ménière’s disease and am deaf in my left ear. My question was answered, yes, I can hear the rattle, which is very distinct. However, I didn’t consider was as my hearing loss is one-sided; I can’t localize sound. I knew the rattler was somewhere behind me, but no more.
A rock wall was to my back, a large rock pile to my left, and a vast open dirt area in front. I didn’t know where the snake was, but I knew it wasn’t in front of me.
I called, “Austin,” and he replied, “I heard it.” Before he could finish saying “don’t move,” I was airborne, leaping for the clearing. My long jump would have impressed an Olympic athlete, I had no idea I could jump that far.
Finally, safe on my little life raft of bare dirt, I turned around. We never did find the snake; it either slithered off or found a cubby in the rocks. After my heart rate recovered, I explored the ruins even more carefully.
A contrast of white and brown, and the coiled shape, caught my attention. Momma or Daddy, rattlesnake, may have moved on, but they left Baby.
Later, people asked what we did with the snake. I told them it tried to tempt me with an apple, but I knew how that story turned out, so I left.
5-16-2022
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