Heading down the road.
Yes, it’s been a while since I was last at the keyboard.
I won’t bother you with the why but yes, life has it’s moments.
Being semi-retired, time isn’t always a factor. More things seem to get in the way of other things. That doesn’t mean I don’t have tales to share, just putting motivation on my list of things to do seems an odd choice.
The year 2026 has a few things ahead that should prove worthy of sharing. As before, I intend not to make any political observations here. While I do have strong opinions about the way things are heading today, this isn’t what I use this space for. There are plenty of others who use the online world for that.
The image above is a good example the stories ahead. There are some interesting things that weave their way in and out of the tale to be told. And I hope to share them with you, the loyal readers.
So… Looking at what the camera on my iPhone 13 mini captured, it was a bright sunny afternoon down at the station in East Ely on the Nevada Northern Railway. My previous day had started early with a flight on Southwest to Denver. Picking up a Hertz Penske 26 foot box truck, I was in for a long drive back to Oakland. As a part-time gig, I had taken advantage of an app on the iPhone to drive empty vehicles from point to point. Mostly short trips around the San Francisco Bay Area, but longer trips were occasionally available. As I enjoyed long drives, and was comfortable with the bigger trucks, these gigs were as much profitable as they were entertaining. Traveling is almost a hobby and I got the chance to see quite a few miles.
I had made several trips out of Denver before this one. Traveling west, I had a choice of routes ahead. Weather conditions on the day I left called for high winds across Wyoming on Interstate 80 over the Continental Divide. The big empty box of these trucks becomes a sail in high winds, so the northern rout was right out. Traveling south through New Mexico and Arizona was another option but would make for the longest route. It was a bright sunny day, so I chose to take the central route along Interstate 70 through Colorado and Utah, with Highway 50 across Nevada, back to Interstate 80 in California. A reservation for a hotel was made for me in Ely, Nevada. It looked like a pleasant two day trip.
Everything was perfect as I headed west. Sunny skies ahead. Traffic moving freely. That is until I crested the Vail summit. Traffic came to halt. Apparently, there had been a multiple vehicle accident that blocked all lanes of the road. So, we sat while things were cleared ahead.
While we sat, I noticed clouds gathering. And they had company, too. In the two hours we sat there, the sun was gone and it even started to snow lightly. By the time the road opened, snow covered everything. Not deep, but enough to force traffic to crawl down the mountains into Vail. There was still a lot of road to make it to Ely. That and plenty of stops for hot coffee. I finally arrived after 3 am, and checked in to the hotel. Sleep came quickly.
Having an interest in railroads has provided more opportunities to travel and Ely was one of those places that I have visited several times. The Nevada Northern was the last short line railroad in the state. It brought copper from the open pit mine near Ely to a smelter and then to connections with the Southern Pacific and the Western Pacific railroads. When the mine and smelter closed down, a portion of the railroad became a museum. Today, it’s one of the most complete museums of its kind with steam and diesel locomotives and all the facilities necessary to restore and operate them.
A few quick photos and it was time to get back on the road, to deliver the truck back to Oakland.
I always enjoyed getting out and about. This year promises more adventures to share here,