Rain On A Tin Roof Sounds Like A Drum...

We went to bed Tuesday night after a beautiful day in the Yosemite Valley with our packs and gear ready to go for hiking the Mist Trail past Nevada Falls. We figured we would do 3 hours out and then turn for home. So much for the best laid plans.

Around midnight a heavy persistent rain began. By 5 AM we had shut off our 5:45 alarm and were just hoping it would stop so we could at least do the 7 mile loop to Nevada Falls and back the John Muir Trail. By 8:30 we had called the weather information number where they were warning that the rain would continue and turn to snow down to 4500 ft.

WE DON"T HAVE CHAINS for the RV. We were also told that HWY 120 East to Tioga Pass was closed which meant our shorter route to Lake Tahoe was closed off. We headed out to the west and along the way found 3 more routes to Tahoe closed to us before we hit HWY 50 in Placerville.

We decided to shoot for Tahoe even though there was a near certainty we would see snow and we did. Luckily HWY 50 was fine - no compact snow - all the way to a chilly South Lake Tahoe. We were able to at least look at the lake on our way through to Carson City and finally Reno.

So 4:15 we rolled into the RV Park at The Grand Sierra Resort in Reno with a tired pup ready to NOT be moving anymore. Enough of the bad news!

We got situated and went into the casino for dinner - only our second dinner out of the RV and third meal out of the RV in 2 1/2 weeks. The waiter asked us if we were there to see Liza Minelli. Since we had no idea she was there we said no, but Pam asked if it was sold out. Long story short, we were able to get tickets for the show last night and had a nice time.

Since this storm that has settled over the West has closed roads into Lassen National Monument and Crater Lake Rim Drive we have spent the morning re-adjusting our route to find more pleasant weather so we will hand here one more night in Reno and then head to Winnemucca for a night before arriving in Southeastern Oregon for some hiking near Frenchglen and then Ochoco Lake and John Day.

From there we will head back into Washington for some wine tasting in Walla Walla and Prosser. That will leave us some time to fill prior to our reunion at Gonzaga the weekend of the 21st and 22nd.

More soon....