Day One 7 September, 2014 Reno - Jordan Valley, ID

Reno to Jordan Valley, Oregon.  As expected, the ride up US95 to Oregon was uneventful and uninspiring.  Except for a short section north from Winnemucca where a bit of water allows for a bit of vegetation and some people to exist there is just not much to see.  The route is all highway with the first half Interstate and the last excellent two lane.

2014 Visit to Wonnell's Day One

There is not much to see until you get close to Jordan Valley and even then the scenery is not dramatic but sure beats mile after mile of desert sagebrush.

On the road just outside of Jordan Valley you can see the low mountains in the Eastern distance

At least there is enough water in the JV area that grass will grow.  A real change from the actual desert of Nevada.  The group of rocky hills (right) which rise above JV are just west of town and a part of some interesting but barren and forbidding landscapes.

The Old Basque Inn
Resturant and Rooms

I had not fully committed to the Oregon route until I arrived at Winnemucca.  Knowing how sparsely populated the region was, I called ahead for a reservation at the Old Basque Inn which had no vacancies the last time I rode through town a couple of years before.  The Inn featured a resturant downstairs and a few guest rooms on the second floor.

I was surprised to see this old-style payphone hanging on the wall in the upstairs hall.  No phones in the guest rooms and the washroom was down the hall as well.  I was a bit shocked to learn that even without telephones they did have a wireless Internet connection.  One with decent speed as well.  As it turned out, I needn't have worried about sharing the bathroom.  On this Sunday night I was the only guest.  No phone, no TV or running water but the small single bed was clean and comfortable.  The next time I am JV, I will be staying at the Old Basque Inn.  The cost included a full menu, cooked-to-order breakfast which was delicious.  Perhaps the best value accommodations I have had in quite a long while.