Today I drove from Winnemucca, NV to Nampa ID. Most of the drive was on Highway 95, leading through Nevada, Oregon & Idaho. Most of this highway goes on arrow straight for as far as one can see. For variety there are a few curves or rolling hills.

Highway 95.

Seeming to go on as far as the eye can see.

Highway 95.

My car.

A mountain.

Fields of green in the middle of the desert.

My navigation system.

Located on the floor of my car.

Just follow the blue line.

I still get lost!

I stopped to pay attention to bright yellow flowers in the desert.

High desert USPS box.

Universal delivery.

Along the this road, one can see evidence of human habitation. Evidence for this is first noticed in the distance as a clump of trees surrounded by miles of desert. These oasis may include a farm or small town.

Hwy 95 oasis.

Hwy 95, the trees are the clue to another oasis.

Hwy 95, another oasis of human habitation.

Hwy 95, a dark desrt mountain.

As the highway crossed the summit, off in the distance miles of desert seems to give way to a large flat green valley. This is Nampa, ID.

Nampa, ID, reminds me of my home town of Tracy. It’s centered around a railroad & is surrounded by acres of flat irrigated farmland.

Nampa, ID, like my home town, is flat

with irrigated farm land.

New subdivisons in Nampa, ID.

SEPTEMBER 10, 2008

Today, I drove from Carson City, NV to Winnemucca, NV. It was mostly a drive through typical Nevada desert scenery. I decided to drive the less traveled Highway 50 (“The loneliest highway in the USA”) to Fallon, NV, then north on Highway 95. It’s interesting to note that one thinks of a desert as a dry & hot environment, which is inhospitable to life. I took the time to stop & take pictures. I noticed that the desert floor is actually crowded with plant life. Not big trees as in a forest, but low sturdy plant life well suited to living in this place. In Fallon, I stopped at a SUPER Wal Mart store to get a few supplies. It’s too big! If you’re not familiar with where items are located here, you’ll waste a lot of time wandering around to find things. At least the store employees were friendly & could send me in the next direction. It’s like getting lost in the desert. I finally got to Interstate 80 & quickly arrived in Winnemucca (75mph limit) with enough time to ride my bike.

Click on the picture to see a larger version.

Carson City, NV. Old store fronts.

Carson City, NV. Courthouse.

Carson City, NV. State Capitol building.

Carson City, NV. Nevada Veterans Memoial.

Carson City, NV. Old house.

Highway 50, a ribbon of highway across Nevada.

"The Loneliest Highway in the USA"

Nevada desert plants along highway 50.

Construction road stop, highway 95.

Motorists waiting for the construction road stop to open.

The Desert view rushing by at 75mph.

I-80 near winnemucca, NV

Six wheels to go!

Yes, I have two vehicles with a combined total of six wheels for this trip. I have my folding bicycle with me. On those days when I arrive to my destination with some day light hours remaining, I will unpack my bike & explore some local roads.

Click on image to enlarge.

My folding bicycle & it's travel case.

Bike folded & packed in case.

Don't forget the wheels!

Folding bike, in case, in Volvo.

SEPTEMBER 9, 2008

Tracy, CA to Carson City, NV

I’m now starting out on a 12 day road trip in the north west USA, with a short venture into Canada. I want to add Canada to the list of countries in which my Volvo has been driven. So far it’s been driven in: Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Norway & the USA.

This journey should include a variety of interesting places ranging from the Pacific ocean to the Sierra Nevada Mountains. On Tuesday, for example, I drove form the flat farm land of the California Central valley, east over the forested mountains & ended in the deserts of Nevada. Near the end of this drive, I will see the Pacific Ocean along the Washington/Oregon coast.

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Farm land, California Central Valley, east of Stockton.

A view of the foothills near Jackson, CA.

The Sierra Nevada Moutains, Highway 88.

A high Sierra mountain meadow.

I'm not in Sweden!

This road heads east to Nevada.

EUREKA

Old houses in Eureka.

Pictures of Eureka, California.

In late August, I drove north to Eureka. This old northern California sea port is located on the Pacific Coast.

As alway, click on the images to view a larger version of it.

Sun setting over the Pacific Ocean.

Historic Old Distict of Eureka, CA.

The Carson mansion, Eureka, CA

Boats in Eureka, CA harbor.

My Vovlo, ready to roll!

BACK IN THE USA

I had a long safe return flight from Sweden. It was good to be back home in Tracy. My Volvo arrived in early August about two weeks earlier than expected. Soon after it arrived I took a trip to southern Oregon to visit my aunt Jerry. Later in August, Dennis & I took a quick trip to Eureka, California to settle a traffic citation issued to Dennis in 2005.