Day 3
Mile 675. Abortion rights upheld 5-3! Finally some sense. Hyper aware of what's at stake in November.
Mile 679. "How many miles have we gone so far?"
Mile 691. Coffee stop at Nellie's Lemonade and Espresso because Daddy is sure he would be better with coffee. Attendant: "Normally I'd put 3 shots in an Americano that size." Daddy: "Two is probably fine." Attendant: "Oh. I already put 3 in, I was going to offer you a 4th!" She was super nice, wished us lots of luck on our trip (I don't think she'd even seen the 2yo in the car).
Mile 770. We finally stop by the side of the road for a desperate pee break for Shmoogie.
Mile 771. The town of Adin has a cute general store. With a bathroom.
Mile 806. Back in cell service!
Mile 840. Bayboh is falling asleep 5 miles short of lunch. We frantically chat at him to keep him awake and it works. The sun ship only takes cash, so we cross the street to an ATM with three California Fire officers.
Mile 844. Swarm of grasshoppers hits the windshield for a mile!!! No other signs of the apocalypse.
Mile 894. Lone large tree on the side of US 395 is hung with hundreds of pairs of shoes.
Mile 960. Bathroom stop at a playground with facilities outside of Carson City. We park in the shade of a cottonwood but the hot wind blasts the sunglasses off my face as soon as I open the door. Mr. P declares it too hot to play at the playground. They haven't been in temps over 95 in a long time.
Mile 969. Spooner Summit, 7,140 ft. Ten degrees cooler.
Mile 971. Sight of Lake Tahoe. After all that hot dry terrain... Wow!
Mile 1000. Lighted highway sign: "SEVERE DROUGHT. LIMIT OUTDOOR WATER USE."
Mile 1019. "Ebbett's Pass ahead. Very steep, narrow, winding road. Vehicles over 25' not advisable." Hmm.
Mile 1023. Wondering if we've already been through the narrow windy steep part? It wasn't that bad.
Mile 1025. Oh.
Mile 1026. Eep!
Mile 1027. Whew. Over the crest now.
Mile 1029. A little lake!
Mile 1030. Ebbett's Pass. 8,730 ft
Mile 1038. Eep! And then another beautiful tiny lake. Lake Mosquito.
Mile 1055. False alarm poopy diaper change at a peaceful picnic area. Toilets not so great, but the flies seem really happy with them.
Mile 1061. Wonder when we'll have cell service again.
Mile 1063. Bayboh wants a "cookie". No, not that cookie. That cookie is "done." That cookie is "trash". Actually, he wants a "cracker". No, not that cracker! This cracker? Maybe. This cracker might be acceptable.
Mile 1084. Mr. P is upset because his ears have been pressurized ever since the pass. He's also sick of being in the car. Half an hour left, we tell him, and we're thinking of having pizza for dinner. Bayboh knows his favorite food when he hears it. "Peetie! Peetie. Peetie."
Pizza is a hit, so is the canopy bed at the historic hotel. Playground pretty nice as the evening cools off, but we leave when the guy who'd been lying sick on a park bench stands up and starts to wobble in our direction.