Roving Nevada Oct 2019, Day 3

Tuesday Oct 8, 2019

This morning I awoke to nature's call around 0700 and by 0730 I had water boiling and beans ground, next to that was a paper bowl with oatmeal and raisins. Yestaday I didn't get my water quite hot enough, so today I made sure there was plenty of wood in my Kelly Kettle. I didn't have to wait long even at 6906'
    After breaky I started a leisurely pack up. One of the things that struck me was every time I go camping I pack up at home and by the time I get somewhere I can't remember where I put stuff.
     Then when ready to camp the next day I have to try to remember where I got something and pack it back there again!
    My OZ tent came down alright, but seems too "fluffy", I had to really squeeze it into the bag.
I left campsite #11 at 0900

     I locked the hubs in at camp and drove to the dropping off point, and I mean dropping off, the first drop is about 15' in 15'!
     Knowing where I was going I followed the dirt road made by '49ers. I stopped for some pictures and filmed some video on my new Hero 7 mounted on my bumper.

I missed the one exciting moment when I took a turn too fast and slammed into the washout. I stopped almost at the same time as I hit it. My front end went up about a foot and everything inside was ,well, trying it's best to get outside unless it was strapped down.
    I pushed in the clutch as the mighty 200 started to stall and selected 1st, let off the brake and pulled the rear wheels clear of the erosion. And motored on. My memory of the next turn off failed me, I slowed and looked at the lonesome double track past the fence heading to where I thought I wanted to go, but, my gps showed me the well worn track on the right.
    Generally the well worn track is the way to go, So I went a couple of hundred yards down it and scared up 4 antelope

 Where I stopped to check out my DeLorme Nevada Atlas. In it I discovered that indeed I wanted to be on the lonesome double track and cut-off a couple of miles from the well worn route.
     I did a 3 point turn around on the dusty track and sped back to the cut-off and thru the opening in the fence. A mile or so later I was on the main road that traverses the Ione Valley.
      Following this doing around 50-55mph until I hit the dried out sign for road FS44427 to Golden Spring. I had to drive past it to read it as only 1 side has lettering.
     I took 427 up into the hills, careful of the many spots of erosion and sand, sometimes slowing from 3rd to 1st to get through.
     Being on my own Tour of Discovery I followed 427 until it connected with 428 coming in on the right. Last time here I followed 427, this time I went for 428 and within a hundred yards there was a deep dip, the sides were about a meter high and the bottom 2.5-3 meters across. I slowed and selected 1st and went through, but I stalled coming  up the other side, WTF? Restart and OH! I was still in overdrive! Deselected the Roamerdrive and gave it some wellie and the 109 pulled clear.
    I continued on 428 consulting my printed out GoooooooooogleEarth maps,

decided not to visit Golden Spring, then thought I should have videoed some of this! So I stopped and turned on the 7 for a bit, a couple of times, it will be interesting to see the footage. Driving on I came across many places with evidence of digging and tailings piles.

The road I was on does a loop in this area and  I wanted to explore what I could of it on this trip. Coming in from the west I skirted the Southern section on 428 until it turned North and 428 continued East.

I passed the turn where 428 to go over the Toiyabe Mtns to Road 21 instead selecting the loop that meets back with 427.
     While coming down the track through the pinions and juniper there opened the old mine site on my right where I could see a flat spot suitable for camping, so I drove on up. 38°38.587   -117°32.953

There is a flat spot big enough for 4 tightly packed friends. The mine has just what I was looking for, a commanding view down the canyon into the Ione Valley some 2000' below. In the distance Mt Grant's 11,239' looms like Mt Orodruin in Mordor. It was 1330

     It was breezy, I didn't dare set up the Batwing awning by myself with no spare hinges, It was not hot, quite cool actually so not having the awning was not biggie.
     I unpacked and determined to sleep in the 109 that night, around 1700 I fixed more eggs and potatoes. Then took a short walk to check out the pit. It is overgrown, so been a long time since it was worked.

That night the sunset was fantastico! It seemed to last around a half an hour. I have no words.....

    As it was windy and cool I settled into my cocoon around 2000 with a good book, The Kill List, by Fredrick Forsythe. I read a couple of chapters and nodded off, when I awoke it was 2300 try as I may I could not get back to sleep so I read a couple more chapters under the red glow of my LED flashlight.
    The wind continued all night, sometimes making the 109 rock, as it burbled it's way up the canyon.

I had to put my videos for the day all together;

To day 4; https://poppageno.blogspot.com/2019/10/roving-nevada-oct-2019-day-4.html