The plan was set for the long weekend. I was working from the home office, so I would finish my Thursday with a 4:00-5:00 pm conference call, throw some things onto the rack on top of my Jeep and be on the road at 6:00 pm.
The call ran a bit over, I had to shower and we stopped for a Starbuck's coffee. But, just like clockwork, we were rolling onto the freeway onramp at exactly 9:04 pm, right on time!
We headed up I-5 and would not have to worry about the Sacramento traffic, since the workday commute finished hours earlier. By leaving on Thursday, we were early enough to avoid the throngs departing on Friday morning, trying to extend the Memorial day weekend by half a day.
Fishing in the uncrowded Texas Creek is a benefit provided to the author by getting off the beaten path.
The campsite was prepared for the night upon arrival at the Lakeview campground, overlooking Taylor Reservoir.
A bright moon played hide-and-seek as we traversed the Sierra mountain range along Interstate 80 and down into the neon jungle of Reno, Nevada. As a younger man, I would have driven all night, forsaking safety for a destination. But now, older, wiser, and tiring more easily, at 2:00 am I pulled over for a couple of hours of front seat shut-eye.
Two and a half hours is not much sleep, especially when my Labrador Retriever, Gueneviere, is in the back of the Jeep alerting my wife and I to every passing truck within the state. At 4:30 I had rested enough to continue on our trek to Colorado.
Traveling East across Nevada, the road seems to go on forever. Snow capped mountains loom in the distance, growing ever so slowly, belying the truth about the unknown distance in the open spaces.
Four-wheel drive is a necessity to visit Mirror Lake in inclement weather. The unspoiled beauty of hard to reach areas make the drive worth while.
By the time we arrived in Elko, I was more than ready for another Starbuck's Quad-Venti-Iced-Latte for breakfast. Fortunately, the coffee chain has seen fit to partner with a couple of casinos along desolate I-80, to save the yuppie caffeine junkies from complete starvation.
We were still behind schedule when we passed Wendover and into Utah, the boring 100-mile stretch from here to Salt Lake City was waiting for me and as always, tested my stay-awakability.
Areas of Texas Creek are only accessible to off-road and sport utility vehicles. This is a place for family and dogs to enjoy the backwoods.
Steady slow speed, good traction aiding tires, and understanding the concepts communicated by Tread Lightly will allow scenes like this to be continued.
By the time we came to Provo, Utah, the traffic had struck. Bumper-to-bumper... just like my daily commute in the Bay area. However, it was a combination of people heading out of town and a fender bender, so it soon ended. Once past the wreck, it was smooth sailing to Grand Junction, CO. We met up with my daughter and son-in-law, and my two granddaughters as we passed by the town.
We drove through Gunnison, past Almont, and to our campsite at Lake View campground on Taylor Reservoir. After traveling for 23 hours, we were finally at our destination. Fortunately, members of our group, who had been at the site for a couple of days, greeted us with cold beverages to wet our parched throats.
We set up the tent trailer and headed to the main campsite, where fireside introductions were made. Most of this group are teachers in Colorado, and have been coming to this campground since 1992. We chatted for a bit and then retired for some much needed sleep.
The stunning beauty of the snow-capped Rocky Mountains are a simple reason to get off the beaten track and back to nature.
The morning was cool, with frost on everything. Several of the guys had gone to the reservoir at dark o'clock to fish for trout. I too wanted a trout. For several weeks, I had been looking at photos of giant Rainbow Trout from a catch and release section of the Taylor river just downstream of the dam.
I was able to go fishing...once the hot shower was setup. This was camp living, in the lap of luxury. I had recently purchased a Cabela's shower. It is like a tall, thin external frame tent. Inside it has a mesh shelf to hold "delicates," a shelf in the corner for essentials, and a waterproof TP holder, since the shower can double as a porta-potty. A solar water bag came with the shower, but I opted for the propane version. We would not be without hot water!
The historic town of Tin Cup, a mining town of yesteryear stands as a testament to the hearty souls that braved bitter winters to settle the old west.
Location, location, location. Beachfront property on the upper fork of the Taylor River is reason enough to go camping. This camper is serious and is destined to stay awhile.
The water in the river was crystal clear and, as advertised, the trout were everywhere. Unfortunately, for me, since these fish have been hooked and released so many times, they have Ph.D.s in not being caught. I had been fishing hard for about an hour and a half without any luck when, a woman with an employed guide came to the river and made two casts before hooking a 15-pound fish...my fish! After a couple of hours trying everything in my fly box, I did manage to catch a smallish Brown Trout, which was released after the obligatory pictures.
We drive around the lake and turn up a dirt road with a sign pointing to Texas Creek. We see a plethora of campers hidden in little pockets of wilderness surrounded by trees. One of the wonderful aspects of this region is that camping does not mean staying in the designated campgrounds. I park next to the creek and check out the bottom conditions, as well as the depth. A Nissan X-Terra approaches. The driver had just put a small lift kit on the truck and had no problem crossing the river, although he spun his wheels a bit on exiting the creek. I too drove across but my BFG Mud Terrains and rear ARB Locker ensured I could exit and maintain traction the Tread Lightly way.
The ever-faithful companion, Lady Gueneviere, never passes up a chance to ride in her seat in our Jeep. With the backseat removed and a carpet covered deck installed, she has free run of the back-end and has plenty of space to lie.
As a group, we decided to have lunch at Pothole #2. Before heading to Pothole, we took a side trip to Tin Cup, one of the area's mining ghost towns. The town is well maintained by its eclectic residents. A rocky dirt road passed through the town and we followed it to Mirror Lake. The lake was still covered with a layer of ice and the bank was muddy and littered with trees, broken by heavy snow. The sky was an intense blue, one that can only be seen at altitude. We were below the tree line, but close enough that we could crane our necks back and follow the broken rock and treeless peaks straight up to the heavens.
On the way back home, we stopped at the usual gas stations and coffee shops. The drive is a long one for a short time with family, but it is time well spent. We arrived home physically drained but mentally refreshed. We need to do this more often.
Enjoy family, friends and live with passion.