Trip to Nevada

Just one week after we arrived home from on New England/Canada trip we headed to the airport again to visit Laurel, Russell and their kids.  A plus for the trip was that we spent Tuesday night with the Benson's so I got to visit with those four grandkids for a little while, too.

On our way home from the airport we went McDonalds and then to an unbelievable Goodwill bookstore.  It was nicer than many new bookstores that I've visited.  Laurel was able to select a huge stack of books that will be from the Book Grandparents later this year.  That night we were treated to a raclette dinner.  It was a new treat for both of us that we enjoyed very much.  The kids and I did art projects until bedtime. 

On Thursday we drove up in California to a pretty valley that contained the town of Markleeville and the Grover Hot Springs.  It was a beautiful, rustic area.

 We were some of the first people at the pool and that was great because the pools are small and they only let 50 people in at a time.  There was a hot, mineral water pool and then a cooler pool for cooling down.  We spent time in both of them.  After swimming for a while we got our hands stamped and went out for a picnic and then back in to swim some more.

We took a little hike and the kids had fun running out in a large meadow.

I had Kate help me show just how big some of the sequoia trees were in the forested area that we walked through.

After our walk we piled back into the truck and went to Markleeville for a tourist priced scoop of ice cream.  It sure tasted good and we deserved it after all of that swimming and hiking.

As we were headed back to Washoe Valley Laurel stopped to take this beautiful shot.  I was too lazy to get out of the truck so I let her be my camera lady.

Laurel prepared a delicious chicken dish that night and she assigned me to prepare a recipe that she had been saving for an apple bread pudding with caramel sauce.  It was outstanding--- something to save for special meals.

On Friday Russell was able to join us so we took two cars and drove over to Virginia City.  It was a silver mining town and a very rich place in its heyday and some of that is still visible.

We spent quite a while in the Catholic church, St Mary's In the Mountains.  It was built in 1868 out of lumber and burned down and was rebuilt in brick in 1876. 

This was just one of the big homes in the town. 

We walked up and down the street and saw a lots of old saloons and places.  Sadly most of the stores are filled with the same junk that you find in every other tourist town.  We did go into one place that had a silver dollar dressed lady that had a gold belt.  She was rather impressive.

This was the wedding chapel that was in the same place.  It is still used today.

We drove back down into Reno and had dinner at a spot that the kids had selected, Red Robin.

Saturday morning we had to split up because Eli had his last soccer game and we needed to go to the airport.  I did get Eli to pose for me in his uniform.

When we were just about to leave, this little monster came out growling at me.  She kept me chuckling most of the time we were there.  No matter how many times people corrected her she still called Mike "uncle".   "I love you Uncle."  "I'll miss you Uncle."  What a little delight that one is.

As I wrote to Laurel, it was perfect.  We spent the perfect amount of time, ate the perfect foods, had the perfect weather and saw the perfect sites.  It was a delightful few days.