Our Bus Trip to Ely, NV, July 21 - 22, 2018
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Melody and I boarded the Tours of Distinction bus Sat., July 21, 2018, at 8 AM headed for Ely, NV. Along with 40 other passengers, a bus driver and tour guide we left the Pinnacle Community Center in Sun City Summerlin for our first stop in Alamo. Such pretty scenery along the way viewed from our huge, very modern diesel passenger bus.
Our first stop was Alamo, NV, for a potty and snack break.
The next stop was at 12:30 PM in Ely, NV. In 2016 Ely, NV, had a population of 4,042. We enjoyed the 80 temps, compared to the 100 temps we left behind in Las Vegas. The bus stopped at a convenience store for a quick lunch. Then off to the Nevada Northern Railway depot. Here we boarded the Ghost Train of Ely. This train is powered by steam. It was an interesting hour ride through a couple tunnels and the country side. The Nevada Northern Railway, established in 1905, is an original working historic railroad, complete with operating steam and diesel locomotive trains. The 56-acre rail yard contains original track and over seventy original buildings and structures, including the original Depot, Machine Shop, Engine House and the iconic Coaling Tower. Some of us toured the Machine Shop and saw them working on an old Steam Engine. They also have a neat museum on this site. More information available at: www.nnry.com.
At around 4 PM the bus dropped us off at the Jailhouse Motel & Casino. Melody and I checked into cell 131 for our nights lodging.
Back on the big bus at 5 PM headed to the Renaissance Village for our Wine Tasting Walk. It rained a bit, as we rode the bus. The wine tasting was in some old replica homes. After the tasting we got in line for our pulled pork meal served outside. After eating it was a short walk back to our motel. We decided to walk around the main part of town a bit. Most businesses were closed. Throughout the town are some 20 murals painted on the sides of large buildings. Some have been there for many, many years.
Sun., July 22, 2018, up early for a short walk to Denny’s for breakfast. It’s a cloudy 50 temp morning. At 8 AM we again boarded the big gray bus headed to the Great Basin National Park. Some of our group took the 2-hour tour of the Lehman Caves near Baker in the Spring Valley. A few took the shorter tour. I’m not very fond of caves with the darkness and very close quarters. The cave was humid and temps in the 50s. It was amazing to see the stalactites, stalagmites and other limestone formations. Our tour guide was amazing with talent and information. Crunched for time not all of us took time to eat.
Around 2 PM we stopped in Pioche and toured the Million Dollar Courthouse built in 1871. We also walked through the old jail. Then it was up the street to tour the Lincoln County Museum off main street. Very interesting place full of about anything you could image. I even ran across an old Linotype used to print newspapers back when I started in the newspaper business in 1963. Back on the bus to ride up the road to the Boot Hill Cemetery. This cemetery was established in the mid 1880’s and has the original headboards still intact. A circle of stones marks each grave. Most of them were shot during Pioche’s early days by bad guys and lawmakers.
Our next stop was at a viewpoint overlooking Cathedral Gorge State Park. The buff-colored cliffs and canyons of the Cathedral Gorge, called the “Panaca Formation,” are the remnants of an ancient lakebed. Erosion from rainwater and melting snow carved rivulets in the siltstone and clay shale, eventually widening the cracks into gullies and canyons. Very interesting place to stop. Amazing how our bus driver can maneuver this huge bus around all these narrow streets in these small towns.
The final stop of our 2-day tour is Alamo again. Here some of the riders ordered chicken tenders ahead, so was waiting for them. We also started to experience the warm temps, as we get closer to Las Vegas.
We arrived at our car Sun., July 22, 2018, around 8:30 PM. What a fun and interesting couple of days checking out places in Nevada. Would do this again and we didn’t have to do any driving. Great job by our tour guide Connie and bus driver Stan.
Our first stop was Alamo, NV, for a potty and snack break.
The next stop was at 12:30 PM in Ely, NV. In 2016 Ely, NV, had a population of 4,042. We enjoyed the 80 temps, compared to the 100 temps we left behind in Las Vegas. The bus stopped at a convenience store for a quick lunch. Then off to the Nevada Northern Railway depot. Here we boarded the Ghost Train of Ely. This train is powered by steam. It was an interesting hour ride through a couple tunnels and the country side. The Nevada Northern Railway, established in 1905, is an original working historic railroad, complete with operating steam and diesel locomotive trains. The 56-acre rail yard contains original track and over seventy original buildings and structures, including the original Depot, Machine Shop, Engine House and the iconic Coaling Tower. Some of us toured the Machine Shop and saw them working on an old Steam Engine. They also have a neat museum on this site. More information available at: www.nnry.com.
At around 4 PM the bus dropped us off at the Jailhouse Motel & Casino. Melody and I checked into cell 131 for our nights lodging.
Back on the big bus at 5 PM headed to the Renaissance Village for our Wine Tasting Walk. It rained a bit, as we rode the bus. The wine tasting was in some old replica homes. After the tasting we got in line for our pulled pork meal served outside. After eating it was a short walk back to our motel. We decided to walk around the main part of town a bit. Most businesses were closed. Throughout the town are some 20 murals painted on the sides of large buildings. Some have been there for many, many years.
Sun., July 22, 2018, up early for a short walk to Denny’s for breakfast. It’s a cloudy 50 temp morning. At 8 AM we again boarded the big gray bus headed to the Great Basin National Park. Some of our group took the 2-hour tour of the Lehman Caves near Baker in the Spring Valley. A few took the shorter tour. I’m not very fond of caves with the darkness and very close quarters. The cave was humid and temps in the 50s. It was amazing to see the stalactites, stalagmites and other limestone formations. Our tour guide was amazing with talent and information. Crunched for time not all of us took time to eat.
Around 2 PM we stopped in Pioche and toured the Million Dollar Courthouse built in 1871. We also walked through the old jail. Then it was up the street to tour the Lincoln County Museum off main street. Very interesting place full of about anything you could image. I even ran across an old Linotype used to print newspapers back when I started in the newspaper business in 1963. Back on the bus to ride up the road to the Boot Hill Cemetery. This cemetery was established in the mid 1880’s and has the original headboards still intact. A circle of stones marks each grave. Most of them were shot during Pioche’s early days by bad guys and lawmakers.
Our next stop was at a viewpoint overlooking Cathedral Gorge State Park. The buff-colored cliffs and canyons of the Cathedral Gorge, called the “Panaca Formation,” are the remnants of an ancient lakebed. Erosion from rainwater and melting snow carved rivulets in the siltstone and clay shale, eventually widening the cracks into gullies and canyons. Very interesting place to stop. Amazing how our bus driver can maneuver this huge bus around all these narrow streets in these small towns.
The final stop of our 2-day tour is Alamo again. Here some of the riders ordered chicken tenders ahead, so was waiting for them. We also started to experience the warm temps, as we get closer to Las Vegas.
We arrived at our car Sun., July 22, 2018, around 8:30 PM. What a fun and interesting couple of days checking out places in Nevada. Would do this again and we didn’t have to do any driving. Great job by our tour guide Connie and bus driver Stan.
