Hat Creek to Reno, NV

Monday morning in Hat Creek it was 33 degrees and we were heading UP into Lassen Nat'l park.  However, with electric vest and heated grips it was not bad at all, especially since it was sunny and warming quickly.  I've been in Lassen Park before, but always during the summer and there was usually quite a bit of snow still around.  Not so this time.  Here are pics of Lassen Peak:

At one point in the day's ride Mike routed us onto what looked like a nice curvy side road, but it was narrow and bumpy:

Then it got unpaved, narrow and rocky:

The highlight of this road was that we saw a bear.  It was a cub and ran up the road in front of us.  We scooted by in a hurry in case mom was lurking nearby. 

Eventually we got to Incline Village at Lake Tahoe and then went over the highest point on the trip so far, which was on Mt Rose highway (431) on the way to Harry and Pat Keast's house near Reno.  Mike split off from me and went on to his friends house in Minden NV. 

I arrived at the Keast residence about 4:45 and met Harry, Pat, and their daughter Michelle, who I haven't seen for many years.  Harry used to belong to the same motorcycle club (Chaparrals) in Southern California where we competed in many of the same enduros.  Harry is a retired airline pilot and a certified biker. Here are Harry and Pat (Michelle was being shy) and their two dogs:

 I'll just post some of the pictures I took at their house:

View out the back patio of Reno in the distance

View of the patio

Some of the bikes in the garage.  The one of the left is Michell's Yamaha FZ6.  The two on the right are an old Yamaha FJ 1100 and a Honda 1000 Interceptor.

Harry's streetbike, a Trumph Tiger 1050

His dirtbike/dual sport, a Husaberg FE 570

The toys aren't limited to bikes.  In another garage are two Jaguars.  This is one of them:

Both have six liter V-12 engines like this

Pat's wine selection is also in this garage.

Not pictured is the airplane and snow mobile in his hangar at the local airfield.  Maybe a motorhome, too. 

After drinks and snacks, much conversation, and a delicious dinner, we called it a night.  The next morning Harry and I walked the dogs and I took a few more pics of the house:



Then Harry led me on a ride to Virgina City, NV where we had some lunch.  Carolyn and I had been there many years ago and its a pretty interesting place which seems to have no other function other than tourism. 

View from a lookout on the way to Virginia City.  I think their house is at the base of the far mountains. 

We also saw quite a few wild horses.  Their pretty tame and hang around the houses.

I don't know anything about horses, but this one doesn't strike me as being a real fine specimen. 

Inside one of the saloons. 

This character makes his money posing for pictures.  Harry said he recently had to get a new burro when his old one died.  He got it from the BLM wild burros. 

We finished up the ride with a tour around the east side of Lake Tahoe and through Incline Village where I saw some of the most decadent, huge, beautiful houses I have ever seen.  And new ones being built.  No housing slump for the super rich. 

Tonight I'm getting my blog up to date while Harry attends a meeting of his volunteer search and rescue organization.  He uses his plane to help in the searches.

Tomorrow Mike and I will meet up and begin the return ride.