Marti's Musings: September 2011

Well, 1150 miles later roundtrip and $500 poorer I'm back from the middle of absolute nowhere country, as Johnny Montezuma would call it. Driving across Idaho even on I-84 much of the time you are without cell phone service. Once I headed south from Twin Falls on US 93 towards Jackpot, NV that was pretty much it. I had cell service for about a mile coming and going into Jackpot, Wells and Ely, NV (pop. 4255) and then nothing from there on out as I took US 6 toward Great Basin National Park.
The Park is anchored by the tiny burg of Baker (pop. 68.) There is a Ranger Station there, a Stinker gas pump that takes credit cards and has showers for free in a building out back, and there are about three businesses with food, some variation on lodging and that's about it.
No sooner than I had entered the park road did I have my first negative encounter of the trip. A Park Ranger was driving about 22 mph on the 8% grade road. He pulled over and turned left into a campground turnoff. Then he pulled back out behind me. I thought nothing of it and headed up the road with my sights set on camping at the base of Wheeler Peak. Barely a minute later, and I kid you not, lights are flashing behind me. I pull over thinking maybe my tail light is out or brake light. Ranger C. Otto gets on the loud speaker and tells me to run off into a campground road, which I do. Then he of course appears at my vehicle window and in a very surly tone asks me why I think it's ago to speed along at 49 mph in a 35 mph. I told him I did not believe I was speeding at all and surprised he thought so. I told him I thought maybe he stopped me because I had a light out that I did not know about. He gruffly took my drivers license, insurance and vehicle registration. I figured he'd come back and admonish me again but no, he comes back and hands me a ticket for $225. My jaw dropped. I said " you've got to be kidding me? A ticket, not a warning? I simply don't believe there is any way I could drive 49 mph on this steep road." Ranger C. Otto smirked and then asked for my social security number and phone number, which I provided. Apparently the Feds can ask for this so they can attach your social security checks or payroll if you don't pay the fine. I said very succinctly to the Ranger that I thought this was no way to treat a person who'd driven more than 8 hours and 500 miles to visit the park and it surely didn't reflect well on Park Management to drive away visitors. I also told him it meant I would now not be paying to camp there, nor would I spend a dime in the park or in the local community since I'd be paying for a speeding ticket that I was certain I was not guilty of. Ranger Otto and his sidekick, who stood outside my window on the passenger side the entire time this episode was going on, got back in their rig and drove off. I turned around and drove out of the park, into Baker and headed out to a separate canyon with primitive camping sites that the Park Service has amazingly not managed to screw up yet. I was so steamed I almost left immediately and drove back to Idaho.
But, I didn't. I also did not spend a dime in the park or locally since I didn't have any extra money in the budget now due to this inane speeding ticket. However, I did drive back up the Wheeler Peak Road to the top and the fastes I could get my rig to go was a whopping 39 mph, nothing close to 49 mph. It was like driving up the road to Bogus Basin Ski area with lots of curving, steep roadway and a few hairpin curves. The Ranger never showed me how he determined I was speeding, either, so I plan to look into pleading not guilty if I don't have to appear in a federal court in Nevada, as opposed to Idaho. Needless to say this whole experience really soured my trip, since the journey into the basin had been quite lovely.
Coming south out of Ely there is an enormous elk wildlife range set aside where elk were reintroduced from Yellowstone with 32 elk. It's been too warm for the elk to come down yet from the mountains and I wasn't there at the right time of day even if they had come down, but I was impressed they'd set this aside. Also coming out of Ely there was a sign I'm remiss I did not photograph. It stated "Prison ahead, hitchhiking prohibited". Now you don't see that everyday, and just after that sign there was a BLM Campground sign indicating a spot not too far off the road. I figure since the prisoners can't hitchhike when they escape they can at least go camp out close by awaiting their re-arrest!
Reuben and I set up camp in the Snake Canyon along a rushing creek that feeds water to a Nevada Fish and Game rearing hatchery down stream from where we camped. I imagine they raise Lahontan or Bonneville cutthroat trout there. We had a great little camp we stayed in for three nights. Despite the later hour in setting up, after the Ranger Rudeness scenario, I got the tent up, firewood ready, mixed a nice vodka drink, fed Reuben and commenced in the what was now o dark 8:00 p.m. to cut up some steak meat and peppers and onions to skillet fry for dinner. I was really hungry as I hadn't eaten since breakfast in Boise. The meal was tasty and I settled into watching my little campfire with my dog at my feet, and read until about 10, then went to bed. At the 3 a.m. pee wake-up call I stumbled out of the tent to the darkest of darkness. The night sky was so full of stars I could see every constellation imaginable, many of which I'd long ago forgotten the names. The moon came out later, but for then it was pitch black, save the starry night sky.
Next morning Greta Garbo Goat ensured I enjoyed my Ethiopian coffee made with my Melitta filter. A breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage and fresh tomatoes from my garden kept me going all day. Reuben and I packed up and headed out further in the basin past the burg of Garrison and on up a road into Lexington Arch. There we took a not quite 4 mile roundtrip hike up many switchbacks on open slope dotted with all manner of Great Basin vegetation including single leaf pinon pine, bitterbrush, rabbit brush and ultimately some aspen and spruce. The climb was worth it and Lexington Arch was actually quite nice. When we cam back down into the flats of the basin I made a little video panorama that hardly captures the sheer expanse of it all.
Still, I kept asking myself why this is a National Park? It's pretty and all, but in my mind it just isn't what I consider National Park caliber. It would have been better to be BLM or Forest Service managed like it was before, just get rid of the cows and do a slightly higher level of protection, which either agency could have done. Same thing up the canyon we were camping in, which was just perfect the way it was, because it had previously been USFS before the Park Service got their mitts on it.
A great dinner of grilled steak was the meal for the night with salad made from tomatoes, cucs, green onions etc from my garden.
Tuesday we drove back up where Ranger Rudeness had interceded in ruining our day and checked out each and every campground. I was actually glad we stayed where we did because we only saw one other person camped up in our canyon. I don't need running water and toilets. We had a picnic table and fire grate so I was fine. Plus creek water that could be boiled or used for dishes. And that steep climb up the 12 miles--well, the fastest I ever hit on the drive up after the base was just as I suspected, 38 mph. Now coming downhill was a different story. I had to put it into 1st gear to let the engine just creep at 25 to 30 so I didn't have to ride the brake.
When going up toward Wheeler Peak we checked out the Stephen Mather Overlook, named after the first Park Service Chief. Wheeler Peak was nice, but again, there is alot of stuff in Idaho, Utah and Colorado far Superior. Just because it's supposedly the highest peak (there really is one higher, but no one's talking) doesn't mean it needs to be a National Park. I went for short hike to the Bristlecone PIne forest once I got to the 10,000 feet base area for hiking to the top of Wheeler Peak. Since the Park Service Nazi's don't allow dogs on any trail here except to Lexington Arch I opted not to do the 8 miles round trip hike up Wheeler. The short hike to the bristlecones was nice, though I've seen bristlecone pines in Idaho on top of Mt Harrison, too. And likely as old as these, actually.
When it was all said an done, while the drive was scenic, that really was the best part. The drive. Lehman Cave, which is actually quite small was a National Monument all along. And that's probably how it should have stayed. I didn't go into the Cave because I wasn't going to spend the money, and I've been in lots of caves before. This one is unique in that it is marble rather than limestone by and large. There was nice gift shop and small restaurant with reasonably priced food. And the lady that ran it made home made ice cream sandwiches to die for. But those aren't on my diet right now so I resisted.
MOAN country in this part of Nevada is interesting, but I wouldn't want to live there. It's a real hard scrabble life and reminded me a lot of folks in the Depression. Kind of that "Of Mice and Men" look about the area all around the Basin.
We drove home and the scenery was still stunning, but I would say that unless you need to go this route on your way to someplace else, I'd skip it. Idaho, Colorado, Utah and Arizona beat this place hands down. And I probably will stay away from National Parks. They now employ far too many Park Ranger gun nuts who seem to have a burr up their butts. I met three other people during my short time at the park who had also had negative experiences with Ranger Rudeness. I suggested they drop the Superintendent a letter, just as I plan to do so.
Were it not for Greta Garbo Goat and Reuben the wonder dog, it would not have been as much fun.