Something's Missing

We left Verdi (NV) for the relatively short (less than 200 miles) trip to Napa (CA). Our account of this journey, however, may seem like watching a silent movie--without pictures.

"Twenty-seven miles since crossing into California and here's the Donner Pass."

"It was in November 1846 when the Donner Party found the route blocked by snow and was forced to spend the winter on the eastern side of the mountains."

"Yes, and of the 81 emigrants, only 45 survived to reach California."

"Some say that they had to resort to--"

"I know."

"Did you get a photo of the summit reading '7,056 feet'?"

"I haven't been able to hold the camera steady."

(To supplement your imagination of this trip, we are including these flower photos taken a few weeks ago.)

40 miles downgrade

"40 miles. That's about a third of the way to Napa."

"We could coast there--if only we would stop bouncing."

"The area we're driving through is designated as a scenic highway. The areas around Emigrant Gap, Dutch Flat, Gold Run, Colfax, Clipper Gap, and Bowman have scenes that would make fine photographs, if only we were not traveling horizontally and vertically simultaneously.

Truckers--advise 50 mph--save your brakes--drift low rpm

"Drift?"

"Truckers know what that means--I don't."

"I wish 'drifting' meant 'floating'."

"Did you know the Pass has been used by numerous transconti-nental transporta-tion arteries, including the California Trail, First Transconti-nental Railroad, Overland Route, Lincoln Highway, U.S. Route 40?"

"I thought we were on the Calfornia Trail--the original Calfornia Trail.... Oh, my aching back."

Truckers--let 'er drift--use minimum power--let 'em cool

"Well, the wording is certainly unique, but at least I know what that means."

"Yeah, cool the brakes."

"How come my teeth ache?"

"Were those two sections macadam?"

"They sure seemed like pre-asphalt sections."

"I would like to have taken pictures of the Capitol as we passed through Sacramento, but I deleted so many shots earlier that I have given up trying to hold the camera steady."

Truckers--upgrade ahead--crank up

"Pretty clear directions."

"I wish we would see signs that read Road Work Ahead."

Later, we learned: "The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is conducting several construction projects on Interstate 80 between Colfax, California and the Nevada State line. Actual project timelines may vary, but weather permitting construction will take place between March and November each year from 2009-2013. Improvements to I-80 include removal and replacement of worn roadway,...."

Ah, yes. It was a long, bone-jarring, short trip.

Who is Gar Wood…

you’re asking yourself. Huh? You aren’t asking? Too bad. I am going to tell you anyway.

“Garfield Wood…was a noted engineer, industrialist and inventor, but perhaps he is most renowned for his unique, sleek and handsome racing power and pleasure boats…His quest for building the fastest power boat in the world came to pass in 1930 by piloting ‘Miss America X’ to a new world's record of 102 miles per hour…In the early 1920s, Gar Wood developed a line of pleasure craft and runabouts that were an offshoot of his successful racing hulls. These elegant boats were produced through the 1940s and featured beautiful mahogany exteriors, luxurious appointments, and powerful engines” (www.garwoods.com).

We were driving back to Reno from Lake Tahoe’s Emerald Bay and searching for lunch. There on the right was the Gar Woods Grill & Pier (named for the aforementioned Garfield Wood) with the only parking lot that would accommodate The Big White Truck.

We would eat here even though we were T-shirt-clad and somewhat sweaty. Thank heavens I didn’t choose to wear my Sturgis, SD, shirt depicting Yosemite Sam riding a snorting buffalo. Or my Joensy’s shirt from Solon,IA, with the message on the back “Who let the pigs out? Oink. Oink. Oink.”

There would be a wait if we wanted to sit on the deck, but our inside seats were next to large open windows, so we still got a great breeze from Lake Tahoe.

The dining room was quietly chic with tan painted walls and dark green banquettes.

The rather pricy menu did contain some interesting items—Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Dungeness Crab Sandwich, Crab Cake Sliders, Mahi-Mahi Fish Tacos, Crab Chile Relleno, and Grilled Curried Chicken Sandwich plus soups, salads, and appetizers.

Chuck’s choice was the Prime Rib French Dip with caramelized onions and horseradish cream that came with a small (emphasis on the small) side of fries and an equally small dish of a jus. All of the individual components of his meal were first rate.

The roll was crisp and chewy; the thin sliced beef was tender and juicy; the fries were hot and crisp. But it did seem like a skimpy portion for the price (which shall not be revealed here).

I selected the Pacific Nicoise Salad, but when I saw the Peppered Tenderloin and Blue Cheese Salad passing through the dining room to another table, I began to second guess myself. But my first choice proved to be a good one. Rather than a composed Nicoise Salad, this was presented in a large salad bowl and contained mixed greens tossed with a light balsamic vinaigrette, red potato quarters, green beans, kalamata olives, cucumbers, shaved fennel, and sliced hardboiled egg. This was topped with a piece of smoked steelhead trout (a variety of rainbow trout that is much like salmon in color, taste, and texture). And the trout was garnished with a pomegranate relish which gave both a sweet and tart contrast to the somewhat strong tasting smoked fish. My only complaint is with the potato quarters. These were obviously been roasted earlier in the day and, before being added to the salad, reheated in the microwave. Too many of them had that leathery texture that over-“nuked” foods acquire.

It wasn’t the meal we were looking for—we would preferred a “fish shack.” Still, it warrants 4.0 Addies.

There were few places to pull off the highway for photos, but we did manage one stop on the way back to Reno and to preparations for traveling to Napa.

A Hike to Vikingsholm

Before leaving the Reno (NV) area, we took a drive along the western shore of Lake Tahoe.

Along this drive (on the California side of the lake), we passed more lakeside developments than we had noticed on the eastern (Nevada) side of the lake. Our destination was Emerald Bay on the southern end of Lake Tahoe.

We found a parking space in Emerald Bay State Park. A short distance from the parking lot was an overlook that provided a view of Eagle Falls (photos above and below).




A few yards from the view of Eagle Falls was this view (above) of Emerald Bay. It was easy to understand why this magnificent view is one of Lake Tahoe's most photographed and popular locations. I don't think I've ever seen a lake that appeared as deep blue as Tahoe.

In 1969, Emerald Bay was recognized as a National Natural Landmark by the federal Department of the Interior.

In 1994, California State Parks included the surrounding water of the bay as a part of the park, making Emerald Bay one of the first underwater parks of its type in the state, protecting the various wrecks and other items on the bay's bottom.

One of the stories that we heard regarding the lake's
"possessions," was that Jacques Cousteau's son had filmed a dive to the Lake's bottom, but when asked what he had documented, he would not say anything.

Also, at this same parking area was the trailhead for the trail to Vikingsholm, a 38-room mansion that is one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in the United States. The one-mile trail is wide and is an easy walk to the mansion--the trail descends 500 feet down the hillside to the lake's shore.

In 1863 Ben Holladay, stagecoach magnet and early day transportation king pre-empted land in Emerald Bay and built a summer home. In 1884 a Dr. Kirby bought 500 acres in the Bay and built a resort. A portion of the Kirby land was sold to the William Henry Armstrong family in 1895. Mrs. Knight purchased the land from the Armstrongs in 1928. Mrs. Knight's land included the only island (Fanette Island) in Lake Tahoe and the only waterfall (Eagle Falls) flowing directly into the Lake. Magnificent cedars and pines set off by shear granite cliffs make this one of the most scenic areas in the entire United States. Mrs. Knight wanted to build a summer home that would compliment the magnificent natural surroundings. Emerald Bay reminded her of many of the fjords she had seen on numerous travels to Scandinavia. (This is the view [below] of the lake from the front yard.) She commissioned her nephew by marriage, Lennart Palme, a Swedish architect, to design the plans.

In the summer of 1928 Mrs. Knight and the Palmes traveled to Scandinavia to gather the ideas they wanted to incorporate in Vikingsholm. The ideas for the construction came from buildings dating as far back as the 11th century. Vikingsholm was completed in the fall of 1929 and occupied by Mrs. Knight, her staff of 15 and many guests in June of 1930. One of the interesting architec-tural designs is the sod roof which covers both the north and south wings of the complex.

Mrs. Knight enjoyed 15 summers at Vikingsholm. She always had a home full of guests to share this magnificent summer home with her. Mrs. Knight passed away at the age of 82 in 1945. After her death, the home was sold to Lawrence Holland, a rancher from Nevada. He subsequently sold it to Harvey West, a lumberman from Placerville, California. In the early 1950s, Mr. West, a noted philanthro-pist, negotiated with the State of California and said he would donate one-half of the appraised value of the land, as well as the Vikingsholm itself outright, if the State would pay him the other half. This arrangement was agreed upon, and in 1953 the house and property were acquired by the State. It is now a part of the Harvey West Unit of the Emerald Bay State Park" (vikingsholm.org).

On the return hike uphill, I took opportunities to rest, taking photographs of smaller scenes, such as this stream of water running a course down the mountainside.

It’s Always A Good Idea…

to ask a local.

As I suspected, a brief Google search confirmed my fears that most of the dining options in Virginia City would be of the faux Wild West Saloon variety. But one alternative stood out—Café Del Rio. But since we had a local (Piper's Opera House Executive Director Lori Barrington) and a semi-local (a docent who travels to Virginia City from Lake Tahoe each week to lead tours of the opera house) there before us, I asked the burning question: “Where should be have lunch?” The answer from both: “Café Del Rio.” Good enough for us.

“The second floor of 394 S. C St. hasn't changed much from the time when miners and laborers boarded beneath its roof. The spectral space has uneven and creaky floors, and it traps in an old, musty smell.

“Beneath all of this is a contemporary, Southwestern restaurant filled with the spicy aroma of pork carnitas, homemade black beans, and corn bread.

“Juxtaposed in this 1873 building are the two faces of Virginia City: post and pre-renovation. Owners Brian and Ardi Shaw have invested two years of work…to make the building structurally sound and turn the former first-floor auto shop into an attractive restaurant.... The dining room of Cafe del Rio has the original stone "rub-ble" walls. Brian Shaw said the pine floor may be from the 1940s. They incorporated elements from an old shed adjacent to the building, which they had to demolish and rebuild to make the lobby. The shed's metal roof was reincorporated as a design element over the kitchen. The wood was used to build shelves and the bar” (Becky Bosshart at www.nevadaappeal.com).

You enter the small bar and waiting area through the door on the right in photo #1 above. Cozy would be a charitable way to describe this space, although there is enough room for a table holding a combo chess and checkers game board.

The dining area is equally enchanting with its rough walls hung with magnificent photographs. The photos on the wall near where we were seating were locomotive scenes, but I’m not sure of the subject matter of the photos shown here (left).

The chairs are a combination of oak-toned and brightly painted woods. The tables are all covered with practical and colorful plastic cloths.

The menu contains some familiar terms—nachos, taquitos, tostadas, enchiladas, tacos, burritos, rellenos, tamales, and quesadillas. But all with the Shaw’s unique twist. “Mexican, Southwestern, Tex-Mex, Mexicali. We’ve been called a lot of things—most of ‘em good. That’s why rather than limiting ourselves to one region or another we choose to call our style, ‘Out West’ cuisine” (from the restaurant’s website).

Having just partaken of Mexican food in Salt Lake City and Reno, we looked elsewhere on the menu and both of us found inspiration in the salads section—the Gospel Fried Chicken Salad for Chuck and the Cabo Tostado Salad for me.

As a prelude to our salads came a basket of crispy and warm house-fried tortilla chips (the tortillas come from the El Rosal Tortilla Factory in Sparks, NV) and a small dish of their homemade fire-roasted tomato salsa. So good that when a refill was offered we didn’t refuse.

Chuck’s salad was a large serving of mixed greens, kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado, and fresh off-the-cob corn all topped with eight pieces of spectacular fried chicken. When he asked Arti (our server that day) why the name “Gospel” Fried Chicken, she responded: “Because my husband says his fried chicken is divine.” Celestial. Heavenly. Divine. All of those terms apply to these moist and tender grown-up chicken nuggets. The coating was paper-thin and tasted of a generous addition of black pepper. Chuck is no big fan of avocado, but I reminded him that avocados are good for you. “Like olive oil, the fats in avocados are predominantly monounsaturated, which are associated with cardiovascular health. Avocados are good sources of dietary fiber, vitamin C and potassium. The buttery fruit is a top source of vitamin E, a potent antioxidant, and also provides lutein, an antioxidant that can keep eyes healthy” (www.eatingwell.com). He’ll thank me for this later.

My Cabo Tostado Salad began with a crisp tortilla bowl into which were spooned cumin-flavored warm black beans, shredded jack cheese, and shredded lettuce. On top of these were placed pieces of grilled mahi mahi that had been marinated in Dos Equis (the Most Interesting Man in the World would love these) and seasonings. And on top of the fish was a mango and jimaca salsa.

You know that I like contrasts in my food. Here you had the peppery and smoky flavor of the cumin-flavored beans and the sweetness of the mango. You had the juicy softness of the mango offset by the crunch of the jimaca and the tortilla bowl. And you had warm (beans and mahi mahi) and cool (mango, jimaca, and greens) off-setting each other. Too bad that the mahi mahi had been cooked just a bit too long.

To finish, we shared a dish of the café’s homemade cinnamon ice cream drizzled with just a bit of caramel. The ice cream contained just enough spice to be interesting without crossing into overwhelming harshness.

In this case, both the internet and local experts were right on target in recommending this 4.5 Addie café.

At the end of C Street, not far from Cafe del Rio, is the authentically preserved 1876 Victorian building that housed the Fourth Ward School. The four-story school contained 14 class-rooms and 2 study halls and by 1909 was providing grammar to high school classes for 1025 students.

The last classes were held in the building in 1936, and the structure deteriorated for three decades. Rehabilitation efforts began in the 1960s, and in 1986, the Fourth Ward reopened as a museum.

Today, even with the dated heating system, the classrooms looked as though they were ready for the start of school next week.

The printing press and production room appeared set to go to press with the school paper's next edition.

It was designed in the Second Empire style of architecture and is believed to be the last school standing of its kind in the United States.

As we traveled up C Street, heading back to Reno, we encountered the "touristy" spots in the city. Tourism had its first big rush when the TV show Bonanza was set in and around Virginia City.

Our first reaction was to believe that the signs brought a somewhat tacky appearance to the otherwise authentic-looking shops. However, we learned that in 1863 J. Ross Browne wrote: "One of the most characteristic features about Virginia City is the inordinate passion of the inhabitants for advertising. Not only are the columns of the papers filled with every species of advertisement, but the streets and hillsides are pasted all over with flaming bills."

So maybe the presence of all these signs is authentic.







So, really, what is authentic Virginia City?

I guess miners would want something colorful and rowdy after being in dark, confined mines for days at a time. And I don't see myself too eager to spend time in a confined, hot, dark space. But is our alternative t-shirt shops?

So,...we have resolved this dilemma by spendng time on B Street where Piper's Opera House, the Storey County Courthouse, a few shops, and homes (see our blogs over the past two days) retain their character with little glitter to call attention to themselves.

But we will slip down to C Street to see the First Presbyterian Church, one of a very few buildings to have survived the 1875 fire.

To us, buildings on B Street will be our memories of Virginia City and our understanding for the city being recognized in 2009 as one of 12 Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s program that has recognized cities and towns that offer an authentic visitor experience.