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The
Trip:
The first Steamboat Springs spa was developed during the early days of the Comstock boom. The resort included a fine hotel, a spacious dance hall, and an elegant bar. The springs still attract those who want to take advantage of the healing properties of the waters and steam. From
Steamboat we head north on Highway 395 for a short distance. Then, we
turn east onto State Route 341, this stretch of highway is commonly
referred to as Geiger Grade. Just before we reach the historic community
of Virginia City we see the turnoff for Lousetown and Long Valley. This
is where we will abandon the van in favor of our mountain bikes. (Click
HERE for a map
of the area.) The dirt road that we follow starts out as a well-developed and easily navigated path. Deeper into the valley the condition of the road changes, and we face increasingly rough terrain. The road is wide enough to accommodate a 4-wheel vehicle, but the bikes offer two more maneuverable wheels for some of the rocks and ruts.
Back on State Route 341, it is a short drive — only a few miles — to Virginia City. Virginia City is the largest federally designated Historical District in the United States. During the 1870s, the Comstock Lode made Virginia City one of the West's premier mining metropolises. It was once called "The Richest Place On Earth," and the Comstock Lode yielded more than $400 million in gold and silver. At its peak, Virginia City was a colorful town of 30,000 with activity taking place 24 hours a day both above and below ground. There were opera houses, two newspapers, competing fire companies, at least five police precincts, and a thriving red light district. Today, there are numerous historic structures to visit in Virginia City, including the Piper Opera House, St. Mary's of the Mountains Church, and the Storey County Courthouse. As the afternoon wanes and the shadows begin to stretch, we head out of Virginia City and toward the evening's destination. We return to SR341 and follow it south to the junction of Highway 50. We turn west onto Highway and follow it into Carson City, the state capitol.
Jacks Valley Road offers a scenic side trip from the busier Highway 395. The road skirts the base of the mountains and offers views of the peaks. The valley contains some very interesting geology, including the Genoa Fault Scarp. The Carson Valley has been called the "garden spot" of Nevada and with the lush pastures of the valley's ranches make it easy to see why. The trip through Jack's Valley seems almost tailor-made for road bikes. It offers beautiful, well-marked bike lanes, a few comfortable inclines, and a lot of easy downhill stretches. It's makes for a great ride.
John Reese settled the first settlement here in 1851. It was known by some as Mormon Station and by others as Reese's Station. In 1855, the name was changed to Genoa, supposedly in honor of Christopher Columbus's birthplace — Genoa, Italy. Situated
against the Sierra Foothills, Genoa offers panoramic views of the Carson
Valley as well as the mountains. The residents of Genoa have maintained
the original look and feel of their small town making it a charming
community to visit. There are shops offering antiques and crafts, restaurants,
the Courthouse Museum, the Hanging
Tree, and the Mormon Station State Park. In addition, the sweets
of the Genoa's annual Candy Dance are legendary. It is a wonderful place
for us to conclude another great trip. Thanks to the advisors and contributors of Wild Nevada Program #123:
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This
adventure begins in Steamboat Springs, which is located off of U.S.
Highway 395 just south of Reno and north of Washoe Valley. 
Paiute
Chief Winnemucca first recommended the area's springs to early white
explorers and miners. He told them of the restful and rejuvenating qualities
of the waters. 
With
a combination of beautiful high desert views and technically challenging
terrain, this is a great place to mountain bike. As we approach our
goal for the ride, an area of ancient petroglyphs, I can't help but
think that this is one of those adventures where the getting to where
you are going is every bit as rewarding as reaching your destination.
On
day two of our trip, we get an early start and head south out of Carson
City on Highway 395. We turn onto State Route 206 or Jacks Valley Road.
At the Jack's Valley Fire Station, we meet Dan Brown, an experienced
cyclist and owner of 
After
a little more than 10 miles we find ourselves in Genoa. We take a break
from riding for a tour of the community with Billie Jean Rightmire of
the Genoa Historical Society and a fourth generation Genoa resident.