Carson City and a drive around Lake Tahoe. The question one has to ask is what in the heck were people thinking as they ventured to this area. As you drive the mountains and see the terrain it is simply amazing to think people were willing to take the challenge and risk everything.

Lake Tahoe is so magnificent. I think the last time Fred and I were in this area was about 10 years ago or so and it has grown so much. More traffic more hoses, but still one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.

Carson City is the state capital of Nevada. We stopped at the visitor center and met up with just a very chatty woman. It seems the day before we got to Carson City there had been a fire that had just gotten under control. It seems two teenage boys were out camping and failed miserably during Boy Scouts 101. Instead of burying their excrement, they set it on fire. Apparently they forgot the people paper would catch on fire and that is what got the fire started. The headline in the news “Poop caught on fire in the hills”. Can’t make this stuff up

Anyway Carson City became a major town in 1859 when gold and silver were discovered on the Comstock Lode. A guy by the name of Abraham Curry was an industrialist in the area. He was instrumental in getting the mint to Carson City. The mint was built at the peak of the silver boom and was located near the silver mine. The mint was established in Carson City to facilitate minting of silver coins from silver in the Comstock Lode. Coins that were made here, especially Morgan dollars, are generally rare and command a high premium among collectors. So if you happen to have any silver dollars laying around, check and see if there is a “CC” mark on the coin. It was minted at Carson City.

We went on a tour of the train museum as well. The Central Pacific Railroad was a route between California and Utah. The museum is very well done and the people that work in the museum are true railroad buffs and love to share their immense knowledge.