hot spring
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Merry Christmas!
Before the rest of the previous article, here are some Isabelle’s pictures, memories of the journey with my little family…
1. Emile and his mom well wrapped up.
2. A beautiful hot spring…
3. … in which we had a good time of relaxation.
4. Picnic…
5. … at the edge of a river…
6. … or a beach.
7. Emile alone on the moon 😉
8. And as it is time: Merry Christmas to all of you from us three ! 😀
Following with VivaLaVida’s way back to East Iceland in a few days…
En route to Utah, well… not fast ;-)
1. In the previous update, I left you with this image of Black Rock that I leave it here again, you’re gonna understand why… 😉
2. The Wake up was quite unexpected with a rainbow in the mist that lasted only a moment.
3. Here is Black Rock again, all crowned with a hairs of rising sun. So you have it in the evening and in the morning! 😀
After a walk the day before to see the state of the trail, I decided to cross the high desert of Black Rock which seemed to have dried well four days after rain and snow. At first all went well, about ten miles without a hitch. Then suddenly, without I could notice any change on the track, VivaLaVida lost all grip, as if he was driving on ice! Even at leass than 5 mph, difficult to maintain it on the fine line of the track. Too late to stop, I drove about 3 miles till a simple tilt of 1 ° or so “draged” VLV on the left without the steering wheel reacts. Obviously, out of the trace, the two left wheels were driven into the mud and despite the four-wheel drive and differential locks, VLV has stopped, stucked right..!
Well, I am alone more than 35 miles away from the first living soul, he’ll have to take out the nearly 5 tons of VLV by myself. So I pulled out the shovel and made a small fitness session to arrange “ramps” to all four wheels, not only to allow VLV out of its gangue but also to guide him back on the track, only trace capable of supporting its weight. I didn’t succeded at the first attempt,you can imagine. But after a few hours of fitness, “muddy” from head to foot, VivaLaVida had regained a semblance of presence with the wheels out of the ruts. 😀
All for nothing as two miles away, a river still flooded prohibited any crossing. So we turned backd and return to the Black Rock Hot Spring with the same trail – to wash Pschitt, shoes and shovel at almost nightfall… 😀
4. Here are the tracks that VLV was doing just before to get stucked, despite largely deflated tires.
5. Gloups, it’s called bogged!
6. Mud is good for the skin, isn’t it? 😀
7. We’re out!
8. No, these are not new wide tires mounted for a better look of VLV… 😉
9. After all that, I had to make a detour of more than 150 miles to find the road that would lead me in Utah. However, with stunning scenery.
10. In the high Black Rock Desert, mineral colors are impressive…
11. … sometimes incredibly saturated.
12. It almost sounds like some molten lava, isn’t it?
13. Sometimes softer and pastel…
14. Last sunrays over Pahute Peak.
15. The sunset gratified me with very soft pink colors.
16. The next day, when I joined Utah, it was full moon on the plain…
17. The shadows lengthen over the southern Great Salt Lake.
Upcoming episode in a few days…
Nevada : Black Rock Desert
1. Arrival in Black Rock Desert, immense area that a part, the “Playa”, is without any vegetation.
2. Rain and snow have turned up the Playa area in deep mud, prohibiting VivaLaVida to venture there.
3. Contrast is beautiful with the snow on the mountains around.
4. A source allows some “cotonwood” to display fall colors.
5. Playa extends over almost 35 miles long and 20 wide.
6. Jackson Ranch.
7. Funny sign at a junction in the middle of nowhere…
8. VLV has gone through this rather deep ford..!
9. Wonderfull lazte afternoon light over Pahute Peak…
10. Difficult to show you how the track was slippery and muddy…
11. Last rays over Black Rock Range.
12. I arrived at night at Double Hot Spring what doesn’t stop me from enjoying a relaxing bath under the stars. 😉
13. If you bathe in a tub, it’s that in the above source itself the water is 172 F… A little hot to bathe!
14. Black Rock Desert’s Playa…
15. VivaLaVida adventures despite the risk of getting bogged down…
16. And changes in mud transportation! 😀
17. A little further, there is that. 😉 One of the most beautiful hot springs I discovered, a real natural pool almost heart shaped from this angle…
18. Here’s Black Rock Point, this black hill which gave its name to the desert.
19. I camped overnight at this beautiful hot spring, not without enjoying relax baths in evening and morning.
20. Black Rock Point adorn itself in orange, the moon rising above to wish good night to the only spectator of the place I am…
After this short tour of Northern Nevada, I headed to Utah to go meet a friend with some adventures that I will tell you soon… 😀
Transit trough Nevada
On my way to Utah, as usual I made a few detours, still in Oregon and then in Nevada.
1. I approach the site of Diamond Crater while the sky becomes dark.
2. Panoramic of a secondary craters with VivaLaVida (left) giving the scale.
3. The main crater or what remains of it after a big explosion. Last erupted 17,000 years ago.
4. The showers continued but hardly wet the soil.
5. The next day, snow replaces rain over 4,000 feet elevation.
6. Small house in Demio, North Nevada.
7. The sky is constantly changing as the temperature drops to 35 F.
8. Atmosphere is beautiful despite the gloom.
9. Then VivaLaVida tastes snow…
10. At the very end of the day, while the perturbation is nearing its end, a ray illuminates the mountain…
11. … that will only last a moment.
12. The next morning, mountain tops are white.
13. … and the track turned into a morass!
14. Short stop at Trevo Hot Springs.
15. I arrive at the Black Rock Desert in Gerlach, a small village that smells good Flower Power time.
16. A garage winking the Swiss Gerlach. 😉
17. Local saloon…
Discovery of the Black Rock Desert soon here…
Some more of Oregon
Continuing my way quietly from one discovery to thw other, I reached south eastern Oregon where the landscape is rather desert…
1. “Summer Lake” – named in the mid-19th century by French trappers who have found a more temperate climate after a harsh winter during their crossing of the highlands – is almost dry.
2. From above, we can see that there is still some water.
3. A little further on my way, Abert Lake looks having some more water.
4. On my way to the Warner Valley where there should be some “wet lands” areas where I should have opportunities to observe migratory birds, this rainbow greets us…
5. So I get on the Hart Mountain in the late afternoon, I discovered that the wet lands are completely drained to the point that grass replaces the lakes!
6. Showers offer e a nice sunset sky…
7. … and impressive clouds.
8. The next day, I went walking in the wet lands that are desperately dry. I only meet this hare…
9. … and saw only two flights of cranes taht don’t stop as they did when these places were wet.
10. Unlucky for bird observations, I’ll try my luck elsewhere trying to spot a hot spring on the Hart Mountain. Having found it, I spent the afternoon and relaxed me.
11. The nice camp of VivaLaVida, right next to the hot spring.
12. A very bright and colorful sunset concluded the day before I go soaking a little more under the stars…
13. Silhouettes on golden sky…
14. The following day, not without taking advantage of the starry night bathing me in the spring, I did a short hop toward the Steens Mountains.
15. They are culminating at at over 9,000 feet and there was snow on the last portion of track.
16. From the top, the scenery is gorgious.
17.5,000 feet lower, dry Alvord Lake on land sailing come when there is wind.
18. The trail follows the ridge for a few miles. Unfortunately I hade a gray sky gumming contrasts… 🙁
19. After two hours of waiting, a shy sunbeam just gives a little relief to the Kiger Gorge.
More to come soon… 😉
D5 Creation