Yes, 2020 has been the weirdest year ever and all of us have learned to cope in many and different ways. My usual volunteer opportunities became unavailable and I’m too chicken to go back to the NV State Museum as much as I was. Dean, the new cat, is a help with entertainment but I found I wanted to be outside more. So my sister and I began to take drives and hikes. We’ve kayaked and hiked more than ever this year. We were able to make lemonade out of the lemons
The Potholes was one of our first hikes. It looks calm here but it can be a raging torrent that could sweep you off your feet and into the abyss in the background.Silver Lake became on of our favorite kayaking spots. We had quite a few great days here on this gorgeous body of water.Wild horses grazing on the lawn of the haunted historic St. Mary’s Infirmary in Virginia City, one of our jaunt destinations. Autumn is here in Hwy. 88 going west toward Kirkwood Ski ResortKirkwood Lake, a small lake in a deep rugged canyon. We hope to kayak here next summer. It’s not big, but we think it will be fun.Kirkwood Lake is in the bottom of this canyon, somewhere in the trees. How pioneers got their wagons through here, I have no idea. They were a lot sturdier than I am.We hiked around Woods Lake and Kirkwood Lake in the same day. That tells you how relatively small they are.Part of Emerald Bay on Lake Tahoe. Such a beautiful day out on Rubicon Point, one of the arms of Emerald Bay. Solidified sap on a tree stump.Aspens lining the road to Mt. Tallac Trailhead, a short distance from Lake Tahoe.Washoe Lake looking toward Slide Mountain, which actually did have a massive slide in 1983. We hiked up Deadman’s Creek to this high point. Another beautiful day!We saw this herd of 9 wild horses while at Washoe lake. We loved watching the colts romp and play ahead of the adults.The Bowers Mansion was built in 1863 by Lemuel “Sandy” bowers and his wife, Eilley. It’s a prime example of the homes built in Nevada by the new millionaires of the Comstock Lode mining boom. The mansion and its grounds are now a Washoe County park and are enjoyed by hundreds of people each year. It was a treat to visit the grounds and walk around to look at some of the colors.Bowers Mansion squirrelI wonder if these guys are called great gray squirrels because of their tails.
It is going to get very cold this weekend and perhaps our little jaunts and hikes are done for the year. But it’s Nevada! Weather changes quickly and we could be out and about in a week or so…much to the neglect of housework and other chores. I’m so happy that we were able to take advantage of what our area has to offer without breaking social distancing rules. That has been a real plus this summer.
buzzardnotes 
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