When I was a kid, we spent a good deal of our summer outside, coming home only to eat and sleep. Our BMX bikes were our ticket to freedom, allowing us to get all around town and out into the hills for some play and adventure. These days though, not as many kids are doing this. Many of our childhood play places have been developed. Traffic isn’t as safe. The houses have air conditioning. Video games, Internet, iPods, and other electronics keep our kids (and to be fair, many adults too…) enthralled and entertained. Too many excuses. Too many distractions.
Young Mountain Bikers
I want to make sure I instill the love of the outdoors in my son, the same way it was done to me when I was young. And although I’ve tried hard to make this happen, I still see all that other stuff taking hold of his attention. With my son’s recently acquired full-sized 26″ wheeled mountain bike though, the outdoors now have more than a fighting chance to keep him interested.
Summer vacation is in full swing now, and we’re finally getting some nice weather. My son and his buddy joined us for a lunch ride today, and we climbed up into Vicee Canyon for some singletrack. I was on the lookout for snakes or some other creature, something the boys might find exciting. Near the top of the climb, we spotted a large bird circling above us. Too big to be a hawk? Too far away to tell… A short time later, the bird had caught something, and was beginning its meal on a log. The prey looked too big to be a large mouse…
The bird was way too proud of its catch to take flight and leave it behind, and it allowed us to creep in for a really close look. Definitely not a hawk, and definitely not a mouse. It was a Golden Eagle, and it had a rabbit the size of a cat in its talons! Fur that was stuck to its beak blew in the light breeze, and its steady raptor eyes warned us that it would fight for its lunch. We crept up within 12 feet of the eagle to snap a photo, then retreated to let it do its thing.
Golden Eagle with a freshly caught rabbit
This turned out to be an exciting distraction from the workout of the climb, and then it was time for some downhill! We reached the turnoff to a nice long singletrack that follows the rim down along Vicee Canyon. We descended down smooth, fast, swooping trail, and marveled at the creek far down below us in the canyon. Perhaps not unlike what the eagle experiences during its hunt. We had one wipe-out in a sandy corner that got some laughs, and at the bottom, there was much excited talk and instant replay of the descent. We had just had a lot of fun outside. An adventure even. Take THAT, Nintendo.
Here’s a trail report for those of you have been wondering what the Ash Canyon trails are like. Mountain biking is back on the west side of Carson City!
Snow Crossing on the Jackrabbit Trail
We ventured out on the fat tired bikes last week to see how far we could get. With all the snow that was just up there, I really wasn’t that optimistic, expecting to find nothing but slush and mud. Immediately upon starting the trail though, I was surprised to find very firm packed sand.
Upper Postal Trail with the new berms and water drains
We encountered snow early on in the dips of the Jackrabbit Trail, but it was easy to ride through. We ran into a large snow bank on the beginning of the Postal Trail that had to be hiked over, but used the roads to ride around this section on the rides following. From what I understand though, this large stretch of snow was gone by the weekend.
Top of Deer Run on March 11th
We had some crazy wind last week, and it took down at least two trees that fell across the trails. We moved one smaller tree off the trail at the intersection of Deer Run and Baldy Green, but I hear there is a huge tree down even higher up. So big that it might be too big for one trail worker’s chainsaw. This is a good reminder to use caution up in the canyon during high winds. The trees that didn’t survive the 2004 Waterfall Fire continue to rot and topple over.
Fallen Tree at the top of Deer Run
Another plus to the improving trail conditions is that it’s Daylight Savings Time! This is good news for people that can’t get away during the day. You should be able to sneak in a quick ride after work now without lights.
End of the line on Deer Run, March 9th
I haven’t been over to the Centennial trails, but looking across the valley, I can see that most of the snow has melted from that area too. Has anyone been out there for a ride? How is it?
February started off pleasant enough. The riding was great, and the groundhog assured us that Spring was just around the corner. But then winter returned in a big way, piling up snow to depths we hadn’t seen all winter, and left me questioning our faith in leaving weather predictions to rodents. And to top it off, I caught a nasty bug that kept me in bed for several days with a fever. I’ve barely been on a bike the last couple weeks, and my mountain bike has been nothing more than a high-priced laundry rack.
A pleasant beginning to February
I recently moved to the downtown area, closer to work, putting me dead center of most of the places I need to go. During this foul weather, walking has become the preferred method of transportation for round trips less than a mile. It hasn’t been worth the hassle of the extra cold weather gear for these quick trips. The ice bike has still come in handy though when I need get somewhere further in a reasonable amount of time, and getting the utility bike out for neighborhood spins on the sunny days has helped me keep my sanity.
Snowy Main Street
I recently read a 1993 statistic that says that over 40% of American’s car trips are for shopping, social or recreational purposes, and that the commute to work itself only constitutes a quarter of all trips by car. These numbers are most likely worse now, 18 years later, as we’ve continued to build the places we need to go further away from town, increasing our dependency on motor vehicles. With these numbers in mind, I’ve been thinking a lot lately of how I can decrease my reliance on my car. Simply commuting by bike no longer seems enough, so I’d like to incorporate the bicycle as much as I can into the other areas of my life. Gas is once again getting expensive, and it seems that every time I use my aging vehicle, something breaks or falls apart. I’d rather spend my money elsewhere, lose the frustration of driving, and have some fun and adventure.
A cold and downtrodden Kit Carson
One of the roadblocks to a car-free life is simply the fear of the unknown. We get comfortable in our habits, and don’t always like to face the challenge of relearning how to do things. I’ve been getting more familiar with the downtown area. Learning where useful services are. Locating bike racks. Finding bus stops and figuring out where the buses go. I learned that I can replace my once a week driving trip to the shopping center south of town with a bus trip for only $2. With the gas prices the way they are, this almost seems free. Additionally, the downtown bus stops have bike racks, and the buses also have bicycle carriers. Using multi-modal transportation can really help you extend your car-free distances.
Running errands and enjoying the sun
March looks like it will warm up some, and I’m looking forward to getting out for recreational riding again. My spirits have suffered greatly from being off the mountain bike trails for so long. I’m also excited to explore new ways of doing things, using the bike more in my life, and sharing my experiences with others.
What has your February been like? Has anyone got some decent riding in?
We’ve had a few weeks of unseasonably warm weather, and the dirt has been drying out nicely. This is the time of year we like to ride the high desert east of Carson City. There is plenty of sun on the east side of the Flowery Mountain Range, making the Iron Mountain Trail one of the best bets for getting your singletrack fix this time of year. Here’s a look at the adventures we’ve had.
Getting Started
The Iron Mountain area is located between Dayton and Stagecoach on the north side of Highway 50, and is easily accessible on Neigh Road on the west, and Iron Mountain Blvd. on the east. The hard part though is finding the actual singletrack. I’ve been out there a few times, and I’m still thankful to have a guide along that really knows the trails well. I’m not certain I could find all sections of trail without help. If you’re not able to join us on one of these group rides, there are still plenty of jeep roads to go out and explore that would not be disappointing.
The Cliffs
Which way now?
A great turnout of riders!
The first weekend we went out, the ground was still pretty moist. You could really feel the rolling resistance as the tires pushed through the wet gravelly sand. Trails on the northern slopes were still pretty muddy, so much so that we occasionally had to push the bikes. Thankfully almost all of the trail is in the sun, so these incidents were few.
Jeff R
Jeff F leading the way
The following weekend, the trails were in much better shape. The trail was packed down, and there was very little mud that gave riders problems. For some reason though, I was much more tired at the end. I’m guessing that we just rode a lot faster and took fewer breaks.
Ashley on the final ascent
Bench Overlook
The best thing about the rides though was the great turnout we had. Mountain biking is fun, but is much better when shared with others. It was great to see old buddies, meet some new friends, and get newer riders out on some different terrain. We had as many as 15 riders at one time, and it was such a cool sight to see so many bikes descending the switchbacks. A mini caravan of brightly colored nomads.
In Potter’s Eye
Clockwise from upper left: Jeff, Jeff, Jeff, and Jeff
Susan and Janice
For riders not familiar with the Iron Mountain terrain, they were presented with an all-new challenge. Although there are some steep sections along the route, the grinds never last too long. The biggest challenge of the trail is just trying to stay on it. Whereas the trails in Ash Canyon are open and flowing, the Iron Mountain trail is narrow and constantly changing direction. The rocks aren’t too big, but there are many, and require constant maneuvering to get around. A few riders mentioned that they could not take their eyes off the trail for a second, and that if they did, they found themselves out in the bushes.
Brad, Melissa, and Cullen
Mark descending
Janice
With the exception of a few scratches and bruises, all riders survived the adventures. The slippery mud on some of the descents caused a few moments where tires were at a higher elevation than the helmets. In one particular instance, it took a couple of us to lift one rider out of the bushes and get this person at an angle where they could unclip from their pedals! And one rider pedaled with an unknown flat for a few miles, giving me my only shot of passing her the entire day.
Jeff M
Cortney riding with a yet undiscovered flat tire
Having a such stretch of nice weather in January was fantastic. Especially after such a cold and snowy December. As a year round cyclist, I consider December and January to be the toughest months of the year, and to sneak through the month this easily almost seems like cheating. It’s February now, and the days are noticeably longer. The snow will still fall down here in the valley, but it won’t hang around long. The mental hurdle of winter has been crossed, and we’re looking down the trail to springtime!
Flat Tire Repair
Additional Resources:
If you are going out alone, the GPS map on our Trails Page may help you find the singletrack. The Trails and Rides page is HERE.
The complete photoset of these rides can be found on Flickr HERE.
Additional photos for this story were provided courtesy of Ashley Dale.
It’s been a great week biking here in Carson City! We’ve had fantastic and interesting conditions up on the trails, and brand new bike lanes have opened up along a vital urban corridor. Here’s a look at what was happening this week.
Cortney Bloomer and Ashley Dale on the Creek Trail
The week started off with mild weather, and enough snow had melted to allow us to ride the Creek Trail. The November storms had left the trail frozen for weeks, so it was a real treat to get to ride this fantastic trail again. I had almost forgotten how fun it was, but all the grins from the riders were a good reminder!
Rainy commute home on the Ute
On Tuesday, epic riding conditions disappeared into clouds and buckets of rain. I rode my fendered Kona Ute, but I’m not sure that bought me anything. My borrowed Goretex pants soaked through in the first mile to work, and water was running into my boots. I was thankful for the dry shoes, socks, and underwear I had stashed in my desk at work! I really need to figure out rain protection for my lower half. The way home that night was much better though, with a light drizzle and energizing tail wind. It was one of those commutes that I was sorry when the ride was over.
Cortney Bloomer on the Deer Run Trail
Rain turned to snow in the mountains Tuesday night, and we awoke to ideal riding conditions once again. We didn’t have moist sand like on Monday, but we had snow that was perfect for riding in. It was cold and powdery, with plenty of traction for climbing and descending! Once up on the upper trails, we were completely in the snow, but we were able to keep going. Our tires were slipping around here and there, but for the most part, you could really keep your speed.
Scott Russel on the Four Day Trail
Scott Jeffries on the Evidence Trail
Cortney Bloomer – Peace, Snow, and Singletrack
Scott Russel on the Evidence Trail
Scott and Cortney on the Evidence Trail
If you’ve never bombed down a hill in the snow, let me tell you…it’s fantastic! The snow deadens most of the sounds you usually hear, leaving only the wind in the trees above and the crunch of the tires on the ground. Very peaceful and serene.
Snowy Descent back to Carson City
Way back in the Fall of 2009, Muscle Powered approached the Carson City Regional Transportation Commission about including bicycle lanes in the plan to widen Roop Street. Roop Street is a vital cycling corridor, as it is the only road other than HWY 395 that crosses Carson City without interruption, nearly all the way from county line to county line. Thanks to support from the cycling community, the RTC was persuaded to have the contractor revise the plans!
Donna Inversin at the Roop Street Opening Ceremony
On December 16th, over a year later, the ribbon was cut, the cones removed, and Roop Street was open once again for business. There is now plenty of room for cars, bikes, and pedestrians, and Muscle Powered’s relationship with the city has never been better! A big thanks goes out to all who were involved in this project, it was a big win for cyclists!
Members from Muscle Powered attended the ribbon cutting ceremony and were the first cyclists to officially ride the new bike lanes on Roop Street. This included Donna Inversin, who after retiring, finally decided it was time to learn how to ride a bike! Great job, Donna! I’m proud of you!
More news on the Roop Street ceremony can be found over on CarsonNow.org.
Morning Commute – Self Portrait
A winter storm greeted us Friday morning. I knew weather was on its way, but was really surprised to see how much snow was already accumulating. I decided on the 29″ wheeled Karate Monkey for the day’s snow riding, hoping that I wouldn’t encounter too much ice. It’s still snowing as I write this, and more snow is forecasted for the next several days. What cycling adventures lie ahead are anyone’s guess…
You may have noticed the lack of blog posts over the last couple weeks. This is because I’ve been out of town! There were supposed to be updates from the road, but keyboard time was severely limited. Which is probably a good thing.
I spent the last week and a half exploring the Seattle and Olympic Peninsula, visiting with family and friends. I got to experience the craziness of downtown Seattle, where there are more restaurants and other things to see in a city block than in all of Carson City. To counteract the sensory overload of the big city, we camped on a remote beach in the rain forest, a place that receives 140 inches of rain per year, but where it didn’t rain a drop on us while we visited. We stayed a couple nights in Forks, the town where the Twilight vampire movies were filmed, and where every store was converted into a souvenir shop of sorts, and where gangs of visiting women scoured the town in search of a connection with their imaginary parasitic heartthrobs.
Crossing the Tolt River
I also got to do some mountain biking! My friend Brian just moved into the Kirkland area, and we got to go out and explore some new trails together. We rode in John MacDonald Park above the Tolt River, a collection of singletrack trails in deep, dark woods. It was such a treat to get to ride something all new. Thick ferns lined the trails. The dirt was full of organic matter, almost like riding in packed coffee grounds. There were several log crossings, and some were hidden in the first leaves of Autumn. Everything was damp, moss covered, and slippery.
The Loaner Bike
I wonder where this one goes?
I didn’t bring a bike with me, so I had to use Brian’s loaner bike, a 19lb Niner single speed with carbon fiber forks and handle bars, and a lightweight American Classic wheelset. Not too shabby! I was thankful for the light weight, because Brian still had his Michigan gearing setup on the bike, a very tall 34×16! The gearing made the hill climb up to the trails a bit brutal, and some of the tight sections were a bit tricky. Getting that front wheel up over stuff was not a problem though with that carbon fork.
Slippery Log Skinny
Leaves covering the trail
This was Brian’s first time on the trail too. He read the ride description and knew how to get up to the trails, but once we found them, it was all random exploration. Numerous trails branched off the main roads, and the skinny trails in the woods split into multiple trails as well. Having no real idea where any of them went, it was fun to just pick a path and see where it led.
Bikes at the Overlook
At first we tried hard to keep our bearings, always mindful of how far away we were and which direction we were headed. After a while though, we just started having too much fun and let the trails take us to wherever they were going. Once we stopped to try and figure out a direction using the setting sun. This was difficult with the thick overcast clouds! We thought one way was west, but then decided the complete opposite direction was west only moments later.
Navigating the Trails
We took turns leading, and the leader was put on “Spider Patrol”. Numerous spider webs were strung across the trail, and we were frequently wiping the sticky strands off of us. One time I rode right into the middle of a big web. It pretty much stayed intact, covering my face, with the spider still on the web, dangling right in front of my eyes! That made me stop quick.
Slippery Log Crossings
I think this way is West. No wait, maybe it’s this way!
The thick woods were very dark, especially under the overcast skies. I brought my light lenses that work so well in the trees around Tahoe, but they turned out to be useless and I stowed them in my pocket. Riding without eye protection proved to be hazardous. One time I rode through a mud bog and flung a chunk of earth into my right eye. I had to stop and flush my eye with my water bottle. A couple sections were so dark that lights would have been helpful. Photography proved to be difficult in the low light, and many photos turned out blurry if the subject wasn’t perfectly still.
Brian’s turn on Spider Patrol
Relaxing Double Track
Many of the trails had me wondering how the trail builders went about the construction. It wasn’t like you could look across the land and visualize a trail like we do here in Nevada. It almost seemed like you had to just start cutting your way through the jungle, making direction adjustments as you went. However they accomplished it, they did a fantastic job!
Shrooms
Bridge Crossing
We only got to ride for a couple hours, but we had a total blast. The trails were the type of trails that you couldn’t master on the first ride out, and it would be great to go back and learn all the loops and practice all the obstacles. John MacDonald Park was definitely a place you could ride every day and not get bored. There were many signs of new trail construction projects along the way too.
The Blue Streak
Tolt River
If you’ve only ridden your local trails, I highly encourage you to do some cycling while on vacation. You’ll be surprised how different and fun the experience can be!
Summer is beginning to wane, and it makes you think of all the uncompleted rides up in the Sierras that you had on the list for the year. High altitude, singletrack, forested mountains, alpine lakes, and solitude. The only problem is that these rides can require some lengthy driving to the trailhead, and on a busy labor weekend this is not always desirable. So instead of heading up to Lake Tahoe, Scott Russel, Jesse Richardson, and I chose to ride from the neighborhood up into the arid mountains north of Carson City to experience the Old West world of Virginia City.
Near Centennial Park
Ever since the restoration of the V&T Railroad went in, I’ve heard people discussing how nice it would’ve been if a multi-use trail had been built alongside the tracks. If you look at the map or do some exploring though, you’ll find that there are plenty of roads and trails that parallel the railroad tracks, or at least go in the same general direction. All that really needs to be done to start enjoying a trail now is to designate and mark a recommended route. So while this ride was much recreational, we also had the GPS going, collecting data and finding the most desirable off-road routes to connect Carson City and Virginia City.
Above Centennial Park
We headed out from the neighborhood around 8:45, and rode east towards Centennial Park. It was a cool late summer morning, but warm enough to leave any heavy cool weather gear at home. By the time we left the pavement, things warmed up to a perfect temperature that would last all day. We followed the Centennial Singletrack up and over the hills to Mound House, where we met up with the V&T tracks.
V&T Railroad Tracks
A short time later we reached Linehan Road. There seemed to be a few options to get over to Red Rock Road from here, but we chose to ride up Linehan Road, make a right on McClellan Road, and then had a fun descent on an unimproved dirt road down to Red Rock Road where we rejoined the V&T tracks. We followed the tracks to what I believe is the old American Flat Toll Road, the nice road leading north into the mountains just west of the water tank.
Near the Water Tank
The next leg of the journey up the American Flat Toll Road is very pleasant, a gentle climb that never becomes too steep all the way up to American Flat. The hills are very scenic in this area, with many canyons and evidence of past mining activity. We didn’t see any wild horses in the area as we expected, but there were certainly signs of them, especially around the springs we encountered.
American Flat Toll Road
The American Flat Toll Road finally arrives at a big valley known as American Flat, and is just west of Silver City and Gold Hill. Apparently there used to be a little town here, but there’s not much of anything left except a few mining operations. These days, when people talk about American Flat, they are usually referring to the old remains of the United Comstock Merger Mill. According to the BLM Website, the mill was built in 1922 to process local gold and silver ore utilizing cyanide vat leaching in what was then described as the largest concrete mill in the United States. These days though, the old mill more closely resembles a post-apocalyptic city. It has been more recently used as a party spot, a canvas for graffiti artists, and an arena for paint-ball warriors. Use extreme caution when visiting the place, as the concrete is crumbling, there are many open pits, and plenty of exposed rebar. There have been many injuries and even deaths out at the mill site, but the authorities have had a hard time keeping the place shut down. It’s just too interesting of a place to keep the curious explorer out.
Above the United Comstock Merger Mill at American Flat
We turned east prematurely, and came to a dead-end above the mill site. The lookout on the cliff side did give us a good panoramic view of the area though. We backtracked, and took the next road down into the site. I hadn’t been up here in almost 20 years, but the old shells of the buildings were just as spooky as I remembered them. I stayed out of the catacombs below the place, and just poked around the main building. There’s definitely a lot to look at on the walls.
The largest building at the Mill
Inside the Mill
The Karate Monkey
The Big Kahuna
Leaving American Flats
After taking in the scenery at the United Comstock Merger Mill, we climbed out of American Flat and rode over to Gold Hill, staying on dirt roads until nearly the Gold Hill Hotel. The pavement is steep here, the steepest terrain we had been on all day.
Gold Hill
Just past the Gold Hill Hotel, we came to the railroad tracks again. The gates were down, and the train was crossing. It was a good excuse to rest as we prepared for the even steeper grade up around the bend. After the train passed we continued our ascent. But just as we crossed the tracks, one of the locals called us over to his house and wanted to talk about our ride. He reminded us how steep the road was going to get around the corner, and suggested we take the next right on Homestead Road, a dirt road that takes the long way around the hill, joins the truck route, and gently climbs up into Virginia City. He also told us we wouldn’t be finding beers at the Cafe del Rio this day, since they were closed. This is just the kind of advice we needed. We thanked our new friend, and finished off the ride into town.
Leaving Gold Hill on Homestead Road
Main Street in Virginia City
When we got to the top of the truck route at the south end of Virginia City, we noticed they weren’t letting traffic down C Street, the main street through town. There was a parade about to start! All sorts of characters were lined up ready to march through town. We took the higher B Street and rode to the north end of town, and kept our eye open for the best place to get some beer, food, and a nice spot to watch the parade.
Parade
We ended up at the Red Dog Saloon. The street wasn’t as crowded here, and the view of the parade would be unobstructed even while sitting at the bar! We hitched the bikes up out front, ordered a round of beers to wash down the trail dust, and selected a medium pizza off the menu. How often do get to do this midway through a mountain bike ride?
It’s a Parade!
As we thoroughly enjoyed our beer and pizza, the parade passed by on the street. We saw dancing girls, gun fighters, Civil War soldiers, Mexican cowboys, and a whole bunch of other characters. And since we were near the end of the parade route, many of the marchers came back up the sidewalk and even into our saloon after they were done. Two of my favorite characters were Diamond Jim the dynamite laden miner, and the tall menacing cowboy, dressed in black, carrying a whip, and ready to pistol whip anyone that got out of line.
In the Red Dog Saloon
Diamond Jim
Riding down C Street in Virginia City
We ordered another round of drinks, and discussed our route home. Originally, we had planned to drop down near Mound House, and catch the road that follows the Carson River back to Carson City. We were enjoying being up in the mountains though, and decided to take Ophir Grade up over the pass, and come back around the west side of McClellan Peak. I hadn’t studied this route on the map, but what the heck, we were rejuvenated from lunch, and this was an adventure right?
Leaving Virginia City
We rode back to the south end of town, all the way to the Gold Hill sign at the NDOT maintenance station, and headed west on the Ophir Grade road. This road gently climbs towards the pass, but it wasn’t long until HWY 342 was far below us. We continued climbing, viewing American Flat off to the east in the valley below, and then finally made it to the top of the pass. From the pass, Jumbo Grade descends over the other side into Washoe Valley to the northwest. We continued along Ophir grade to the south, not knowing what we’d find, but pleased that we were headed in the right direction.
Winding HYW 342 Below
North of McClellan Peak on Ophir Grade
Looking north towards Reno
We eventually came down to a saddle just to the north of McClellan Peak. There was a road climbing up the mountain, a road to the east descending back to American Flat, and a wonderful looking flat road that circled the mountain to the west. Wanting to get over to Goni Road in Carson City, we chose to head west on the route with less climbing, hoping that it would stay nice and flat the whole way.
Wonderful road above Washoe Valley
The road seemed very encouraging for the first few miles with outstanding views of Mount Rose, Washoe Lake, and even Reno far to the north. We passed little groves of bushes and trees that were thriving off springs coming out of the mountain. We even rode through a stand of giant thistles that Jesse failed to see in time. Ouch!
Washoe Lake
Just when we thought the nice road would go on forever, the road dived down into a canyon. It looked as if the proud road builder suddenly suffered a debilitating stroke, sending the road grader madly up and down the hill. We didn’t see much other choice than to follow the road down, and then steeply climb right back to the level we were at.
Trail Gone Bad
Our legs were tired, and we hoped that we wouldn’t get another dip as bad as the one we had just climbed out of. But then it got worse! We came to a downhill so steep, that only Scott had the guts to ride down the silt covered hard pack. Jesse and I used our bikes as walkers, keeping the brakes on to help slow our descent. Jesse heard Scott howling at the bottom and was certain that he had crashed. It turned out he was just so happy to have made it to the bottom with the rubber side down! We regrouped at the bottom and then began the long hike up the other side.
Pushing the Bikes
I knew that the worst had to be behind us, and as it turned out, it was. We finally arrived on the hillside above the volcanic rock deposits on McClellan’s west side. From here it was a fast and fun descent all the way down to Goni Road, and then an even faster descent back into Carson City. We arrived home around 4 PM, our final mileage was 32.6 miles, and we were glad to be back.
The final descent back to Carson City
In the end we were really happy with our route climbing to Virginia City. There were areas for fine tuning, but overall it was a good ride and very scenic. We definitely would take a different route coming back. Although scenic, there was too much walking, and there are almost certainly some better routes to take. But going back for some more exploration will be lots of fun!
Map of the Route
Download the Google Earth KMZ files of the map HERE.
Here are a couple of articles about the toll roads leading to Virginia City:
