Friday, February 28 - Day 12
We decide to leave LAKE TAHOE and to take the road from the Lake to the North. The road is longer but less steep for our first miles.
We pass again by Incline Village and the houses that we pass are even more impressive than the day before. Well, we dream only a few moments: everything is inaccessible to us!
We continue along LAKE TAHOE.
Direction CARSON City for our first full of RV.
Test 1: To find a station with GASOIL, indicated in GREEN on the panels
Test 2 : Make sure that the height is sufficient for the passage of the RV
Test 3 : Choose a pump with a double access (right and left)
This last point will not be possible for this time!
After filling the passenger tank we will leave the station to return and choose a pump access on the driver side. Between these two maneuvers the tanks will have balanced their volumes and our first fill up will not be complete!
Later on, these elements will certainly seem easy and obvious but this time it's a challenge to take up.
We take again the road towards the South. The landscapes are still beautiful even if less and less luxuriant as our road goes away from Lake Tahoe.
We cross passes and valleys with landscapes as far as the eye can see. From arid deserts to snowy summits. Gauthier, our driver, enjoys driving on this road... when we don't stress him too much...
A truck is not a car !
We take advantage of the viewpoints to make our road stops.
Thus we eat facing MONO LAKE.
Continuing on our way, we arrive quietly at our SNO Park camp of Rock Creek.
The last section is winding, narrow and ends in a dead end.
There is no sign for the camp except no parking signs!
Some cars, snowmobiles along the road. But no parking.
The SNO-Park seems to be closed despite the indications found on the official SNO Park website.
We unhook our dinghy to make a half turn with the vehicles and go in search of an accessible camping place for the night.
We will find it a few meters below.
A space in against bottom of the road, very isolated between mount and trees.
The time to install WILLIRoad for the night, we leave for a walk before sunset.
The weather is overcast. It's cold. We wonder if there will be any snowfall, which could stop us.
In the meantime we enjoy the silence of the mountain, listen to the sound of the stream flowing between the rocks and the branches. The snow is still very present on the paths are clear and shaded.
We do not dare to venture far from the road, well aware of being once again on a territory of wild life that our presence could disturb ... but especially not very brave at the idea of finding ourselves face to face with the king of the place : the BEAR!
We are happy to find the warmth in WILLIRoad even if the insulation of the truck remains to be desired.
To save the batteries and to avoid the generator running during the night, we decide once again not to take out the slides (shutters coming out of the truck) in order to keep a maximum of heat inside. The space is reduced but we try to organize ourselves.
Taking into account the not very legal character of our camp, we give up the evening barbecue and take back our dinghy to go to the "village" and find the only inhabited place of the corner. Tom's Place, its Saloon and its lodge. We are welcomed as always since our arrival with smiles and kindness. "All the customers make us happy. Some on the way in, others on the way out". We look for the coordinates of a garage to check the brakes of the Honda which shows signs of dysfunction. This is an opportunity for us to discover the American version of the yellow pages still in circulation in the USA in 2020.
We also take advantage of the Wifi access and especially of the network coverage (non-existent at our camp) to book the next nights in DEATH VALLEY.
The presence of Gauthier simplifies the trip a lot.
The return to the camp takes a little more time, the one necessary to test the brakes. The brake pads seem to stay stuck to the wheels and the smell of burnt rubber worries us.
After multiple braking tests, the problem seems to be solved. We are almost reassured.
Tonight, the sky is superb, the stars are twinkling on all sides.
We take our marks for the night caulking all the air inlets for the night. The cabin and the living area are closed with a comforter, the staircase is filled with all the available cushions.
It is 43°F/6°C at bedtime and the night promises to be cold.
Saturday, February 29th - Day 13
The night in the truck was rather comfortable, even too hot! We open our eyes under a shy sun, the sky is cloudy. The time to prepare ourselves, the first snowflakes fall.
So we do not delay to take our road towards DEATH VALLEY via BISHOP.
... Follow us to Stage 3 - DEATH VALLEY - California
Visualiser ici notre parcours de LAKE TAHOE à DEATH VALLEY
... Follow us to Stage 3 - DEATH VALLEY - California
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