Christmas in Carson City, Nevada and Sights Along the Way

The trail camera is still at work in Copper Crest, and I put in new batteries to be sure that it would still be in operation while we travel north for the Holidays.

A week ago the camera caught wildlife in the wash as they traveled their daily routes.  I didn’t check the camera for three days, and it had caught some interesting things.  This teenage Javelina following it’s mother has a small limb of cholla stuck to its nose.  We have been told that cholla doesn't stick to these animals, but the coarse hair must not be as thick on the nose to protect it.

This coyote was caught on camera on Tuesday last week at 4:30PM, and it looks to be quite healthy.  The camera catches the animals passing up and back, and they almost meet, with only one or two minutes between each visit.

Anne-Marie and I removed the seats from the rear of the van, and packed it with Grandma Johnsons bedroom furniture, and all of the boxes of stuff that had been set aside from the estate sale.  The van has a large cargo area with the seats removed, and we were surprised that everything fit so well.  The van, being a one ton chassis, rides quite rough, but with this load it was a smooth ride just like when the trailer is hooked up.  We left Tucson on Saturday, spent the night in Las Vegas, and arrived in Carson City Sunday evening, and have been here since.

During our trip we got to see two groups of wild burro’s and Anne-Marie counted five in one and six in the other.  Just north of Tonopah Nevada we had a view of this solar tower being built, it’s 540 feet tall, and the dark portion is the solar receiver which will add another 100 feet when completed.  The system uses liquid salt that is heated in the receiver, and then stored underground until its needed at night.  The liquid salt will be heated to around 1000 degrees and then through some type of heat exchangers, steam is generated to turn turbines generating electricity.  Next year the construction of the solar reflecting mirrors will start, and around 10,000 billboard sized mirrors that will track the sun, will be placed within a circle 2 miles across.

This morning in Carson City, we had snow, and this is Ernie clearing the walkway next to our van.  Anne-Marie had originally planned for us to travel today, but the slick roads are holding us in town for another day.  Our Daughter Sara and family are in Salt Lake City for the Holidays, and we were to have another day or two of travel to see them, but we will hold tight till the roads clear.  After the visit with Sara, we will travel back to Tucson, and settle in with our neighbors in the RV Park.