Bonanza Country

A hearty breakfast before setting out to find Ben, Hoss & Little Joe.
 
Driving around the western shore of Lake Tahoe, from the very bottom up towards the north. Lovely end of summer scenes with speedboats and people enjoying the Labour Day Week vacation. The photo on the right is Emerald Bay from Inspiration Point, I guess one of those scenes in millions of photo albums.
We had intended to go to the Ponderosa Ranch, the more or less fictitious setting of the TV series. The opening titles of the series showed the Bonanza area as being on the north shore of the lake, the Ponderosa Ranch themed park was set on the east coast near Carson City.
 
But instead, we left the lake and headed to Truckee and Reno before making our way to Virginia City and hoping Hop Sing might have a good stew sizzling on the stove in a franchised restaurant there was bound to be.
 
Fascinating to walk the wooden boardwalks, past shop after shop of western gear and memorabilia. Naturally spent too much time in the shops. Strolled around and soaked it all up. Visited the “Way it was” museum but didn’t do a tour. Instead watched one of V&T (Virginia City & Truckee Railroad) steam locomotives, #29 built in 1816, doing a bit of shunting around.
 
Then headed south and west skirting the bottom of Lake Tahoe again and headed for Sacramento. Somewhere along the route, we came across a western horse riding tournament. Perhaps there had been a rodeo but we spent an hour or two watching roping work. Fascinating to see. It seemed to be just a small local affair with riders from the area, rather than a commercial show.
 
Eventually got to Sacramento and I remember we spent ages looking for an address. I can’t remember why but never found it. The house number was something like 12345 Folsom Road and I think we drove 20 miles backwards & forward trying to find it.
 
Then with the sun slowing setting, we drove across the impressive Oakland Bay Bridge and to our hotel in the very centre of downtown San Francisco.
 
335 miles but tonight we can put our heads down in pure luxury, even if it’s a 32-floor tower in an area well known for earthquakes. Never did get used to the glass lifts that went up on the outside of the building. However, the original part of the hotel had withstood the 1906 earthquake undamaged. We didn’t go out for dinner, having stocked up at a supermarket with snack food.