Reno | Page 8

holds her love-child in her arms. And
then a rainbow encircled the illuminated mountains, like a beautiful
filmy halo about the head of the Madonna, while beneath lay the
Truckee; its water like silvery veins and sparkling gems, glistening and
trembling in the golden light. And stretching away to the north and east
lay the sagebrush plains, wrapped in the silence of a dying day and

illuminated with the sheen of God's promise of a to- morrow to come.....
A wonderful picture: Nature's own masterpiece!
The motor trips are the next in line of outdoor amusements and these
trips will afford one the splendid opportunity of seeing, apart from the
unexcelled scenery, the numerous places of interest. First, Carson City,
the Capital; the State Penitentiary and the Government Indian School,
also the Indian homes and reservations; you will find them all
interesting. Carson City was founded in 1858 and was named after Kit
Carson, the famous scout. The capital is thirty miles from Reno,
fourteen miles from Lake Tahoe and twenty-two from Virginia City.
[Illustration: TRUCKEE RIVER CANYON]
The elevation of Virginia City is six thousand feet above sea level.
There you may don skin garments and go down three thousand feet in a
mine on the famous Comstock Lode. The heat in some of the mines is
so intense it is impossible to stand it for more than a few minutes at a
time.
There is so much of interest in these famous old mining camps and in
the strange freaks of nature. Here are the numerous hot springs and
Pyramid Lake, an enormous body of water forty miles out in the desert,
which possesses no apparent outlet although the Truckee flows into it.
And apart from that, the development of agriculture and irrigation is
interesting.
I will try and describe some of my motor trips through Nevada and
California.
One fine Sunday we set out on an automobile trip to Virginia City over
the great Gieger Grade, which has become so famous through the
wonderful Comstock Lode from which over seven hundred millions in
gold and silver have been extracted. The ride was most exciting, and
the magnificent scenes unrolling themselves continuously upon each
swerve round a sharp curve or a dangerous bend, just held us all
enthralled.

Often I was reminded of Switzerland, and then as I gazed, more and
more enraptured by the delirious orgy of multi-colored hues, and
looked at the precipitous ascent we had made; at the heights we had yet
to climb, and at the undulating peaks that stood like an army of
sentinels guarding us on every side, I forgot I was in the land of Nevada.
I had drifted into an Arabian Night reverie, and not till the forty
horse-power winged horse suddenly lost its equilibrium and gave a
most ungainly lurch, not till then did I redescend to earth. While the
incapacitated horse partook of first aid to the injured, I got out and
gathered some of the prettiest little flowers I have ever seen; all the
more marvelous because nature takes care of them in some mysterious
way which we cannot understand, since rain is practically unknown in
Nevada. There was the beautiful spotless desert lily; the delicate desert
violet, the fascinating yellow blossom of the pungent native
growth--the sagebrush--and many others.
[Illustration: OFF TO DONNER LAKE picture shows a dogsled team]
My next motor trip was from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara; there the
scenery compares with that of Nevada as an exquisite water color
compares to a grand old oil painting. We went spinning along over a
perfect road from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara, and I felt that America
might well be proud of this wonderful state. Surely none other
possesses such a variety of climate, or such a variety of beauty. Hardly
do I dare attempt a description of all this magic scenery. It seemed a
dream to me; just color everywhere. Green valleys and turquoise skies;
snow-capped mountains and rosy sunsets. For many miles we wound
round and round the mountain side, through orange groves, laden with
golden fruit, tucked away in the emerald green foliage, and fruit
orchards abounding with spring blossoms. And then we came to the
Pacific Ocean which stretched far out into the infinite, reflecting the
rose-colored sky just at sunset. The dream of it all is still with me. I
could hardly realize that a week before I had been flying through the
pure white sparkling snow in the same state; and yet, here I was only a
few hours away.... One sojourning in Reno should not miss a trip
through California while in the neighborhood of that glorious state. San
Francisco is only a day's journey by rail, and the trip is truly worth

while.
Reno is not without its out-door