long weekend in T-pah

dust clouds off of the salt flats in Big Smoky Valley

Kingston Reservoir

I decided to stay in Tonopah this weekend, since I am only working Tuesday of next week before heading back to Salt Lake for Thanksgiving.  I haven’t felt all that great the last few days:  sore throat, and generally just “worn out”—probably from all of the traveling and new situation and everything…  so I didn’t feel like driving for 6 hours and then just coming back for one day of work…

but I gotta tell you, this is a really small town.  like, really small.  there’s not even a good diner to go and get breakfast and read a book for an hour or so.  the best breakfast in town is probably McDonald’s.  so I choose to stay home…  or drive.

yesterday, I drove to a trailhead 100 miles away from town to go for a 5 mile run.  since I haven’t been feeling well the last few days, 5 miles was all I could handle.  I vaguely remember reading something on the internet before leaving Salt Lake about a “Crest Trail” of some sort, so I decided to go and try to find a trailhead.

my curiosity was rewarded.  just West of the town of Kingston is the northern end of a 70-mile single-track trail.  unfortunately for me, it was covered in about 6 inches of wind-crusted snow which made the going a little difficult.  but I was able to envision what this trail might look like in May or June…  single-track loveliness winding through the sagebrush and across the peaks of the Toiyabe National Forest.

start of the Toiyabe Crest Trail

the dogs loved it too (obviously) and the 200-mile round trip killed the better part of the long day out here in this lonely little town.  a winter storm is rolling in, which will make traveling a bit more challenging, and probably force me to stay home most of the weekend.  but there are a lot of dirt double-tracks right outside the backdoor, and I went on an hour and a half walk with the dogs today and found a very nice loop.

I’ll be happy when Tuesday rolls around, so that I can work and see folks at the clinic.  ‘til then, we’ll hope the weather clears so I can get some more exploring in with the dogs.