Oregon and Nevada

in

In July, 2002, I removed the back seat from my Jeep Grand Cherokee and packed a foam mattress, bins of supplies, and my mountain bicycle for a long road trip, of which a month was spent exploring the backroads of the southwest. From Seattle, I headed south through Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona to the US-Mexico border, which I followed east along the Rio Grande to its mouth at Brownsville, Texas.

Inside Jeep - Bed, Bins Inside Jeep - Bicycle

Crater Lake, Oregon

I climbed one of the hills on the west side of this volcano-top lake for a stunning panoramic view. See in Google Maps  See on a USGS topographic map  See in Google Earth   42.9459, -122.1694  The next of baby birds was in the outdoor hallway of my hotel that night.

Oregon - North In Crater Lake Park - View North Crater Lake Eugene Oregon Hotel - Bird Nest - Baby Birds - Barn Swallows

Nevada

No road trip through Nevada is complete without visiting the Black Rock Desert.

Nevada Road Near Gerlach - Cows On Road View From Mountain West of Black Rock Desert Nevada - Black Rock Desert - Playa - Jeep

steamboat

I climbed Steamboat Mountain See in Google Maps  See on a USGS topographic map  See in Google Earth   40.8489, -119.2225  for a view from the west side of the Black Rock playa.

Nevada - Black Rock Desert - Steamboat Mountain Nevada - Black Rock Desert - Steamboat Mountain - Road Up Nevada - Black Rock Desert - Steamboat Mountain - Top - Jeep WJ Nevada - Black Rock Desert - View from Steamboat Mountain

The remains of Cassidy Mine.

Nevada - Black Rock Desert - Cassidy Mine Nevada - Black Rock Desert - Cassidy Mine

The dunes of Sand Mountain See in Google Maps  See on a USGS topographic map  See in Google Earth   39.3018, -118.3990 . There were lots of people with their ATVs playing on these dunes.

Nevada - Sand Mountain - Dunes Nevada - Sand Mountain - Dunes

I love investigating the remains of old mines. These are the mines of Quartz Mountain. See in Google Maps  See on a USGS topographic map  See in Google Earth   39.0425, -117.9650 

Nevada - Quartz Mountain Mines - Grave Nevada - Quartz Mountain Mines Nevada - Quartz Mountain Mines Nevada - Quartz Mountain Mines - Jackrabbit Nevada - Quartz Mountain Mines Nevada - Quartz Mountain Mines

Driving the long, straight Nevada highways. I visited the infamous black (now white) mailbox of Area 51. See in Google Maps  See on a USGS topographic map  See in Google Earth   37.4569, -115.4819 

Nevada - Road Nevada - Tonopah - Clown Hotel East from Tonopah - Road Extraterrestrial Highway - Road Road to Groom Lake, and the infamous mailbox Area 51 Road

I crossed from Nevada to Arizona over the Hoover Dam, with its new post-9/11 signs and restrictions. See in Google Maps  See on a USGS topographic map  See in Google Earth   36.0160, -114.7374 

Nevada - Hoover Dam