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The forgotten hinterland between Reno and the coast
From Reno to Colusa: between living and abandoned mining villages
On the road from Reno to Colusa, you will pass through several charming mountain villages that, unlike many former gold mining settlements, are still very much alive.
Truckee
Truckee is perhaps the best known.
The town clearly caters for tourists, but has retained enough character to remain pleasant.
Here we drank a cup of coffee with a muffin at the sympathetic Coffee And and found a beautiful Kokopelli image for home in the atmospheric White Buffalo Gallery.
Kokopelli, the legendary flute player from the mythology of the American Southwest, is seen as a symbol of fertility, new life and prosperity.
When I returned pregnant from our trip through this region in 1990, Kokopelli took on a special meaning for us.
Since then, he has become our mascot and a lasting reminder of an unforgettable journey and the beginning of a new chapter in our lives.
It was also in Truckee that we were surprised by a strange scene on the other side of the street, a moment that would stay with us for a while, at least for me.
Nevada City, CA
Nevada City has a completely different atmosphere.
It feels less touristy and seems to attract visitors who are interested in spirituality and alternative philosophies.
Or maybe it’s just California itself.
During our trip we noticed more often how much interest there seems to be in yoga, meditation, crystals, energy healing and other forms of personal meaning. Nevada City fits in seamlessly with this.
If you want to discover more about the original inhabitants of this region around Nevada City, you can visit ‘Uba Seo: Nisenan Arts & Culture in the center of Nevada City.
In addition to a small exhibition, you will find art, books and handicrafts from the Nisenan.
Empire Mine State Historic Park, Grass Valley, California
What makes this place so special is that almost the entire story of mining is still visible.
From the luxurious living environment of the management to the technical infrastructure that made gold production possible: everything is still intact. It feels like the last employees have only just left.
The magnificent mansion of the mine directors, surrounded by carefully landscaped gardens, is more reminiscent of an English estate than of an American industrial mining site.
As you stroll through the rose gardens and under the tall trees, you’ll get a sense of how comfortable the mine’s managers and owners lived during the heyday of gold mining.
On the other hand, Empire Mine also tells the story of the miners.
You can descend to the gaping entrance of the mine and discover how the gold was mined deep underground.
In the visitor centre, a model shows how ingeniously the underground tunnel system was built.
Scattered around the site are the workshops where the daily life of the mine revolved. The warehouses for the gold and the offices of the administrative staff have also been preserved.
There was even a blacksmith at work when we visited it.
Only the miners and the director’s family were still missing from the picture.
What makes this place so special is that it evokes feelings. Wonder, nostalgia or simply the pleasure of discovering something that has not yet been fully taken over by mass tourism.
Here too, you could count the number of visitors on one hand.
We found that it was very calm on this trip compared to previous trips.
We always went in the summer months, because we worked and had school-age children.
This year we have encountered almost no European visitors.
From Colusa to Fort Bragg: through rice fields, orchards and redwood forests to the coast
The route from Colusa to the coast is not the most impressive part of the trip, but it is part of the journey if you want to return via the coast.
We could also have chosen the route from Reno via Lake Tahoe, Mono Lake and Yosemite to San Francisco – all absolute hits. Yet the Californian coast beckoned again, and so we chose that road.
Along the way, you will see a landscape of contrasts.
Some parts are dry, and uninspiring, interspersed with vast rice fields, farmland and orchards that are constantly watered.
It is a landscape that has been strongly shaped by human hands and, frankly, is not always beautiful. But a person has to eat, doesn’t he?
The first notable point on our itinerary is Clear Lake, California’s largest natural freshwater lake.
Along the extensive banks are numerous private houses, jetties and holiday accommodations.
At a quiet, publicly accessible beach we stopped for a picnic.
A bird of prey had built its nest on an electricity pole right next to the motorway. She flew back and forth tirelessly, each time with food for her chick.
It was fascinating to see how this bird, despite the heavy traffic, which passed right under her nest, raises her offspring with the greatest care.
The environment begins to change and the arid hills give way to forests.
At the Gabriel Madrigal bench we stopped for the beautiful view.
No wonder the man the bank was named after could look at the landscape for hours.
The most beautiful part started for us when the first redwood forests appeared.
At the same time, we were struck by how densely populated the forested areas were..
The many mailboxes along the road betray houses hidden among the greenery. Yet this remains the part where nature still plays the leading role.
In retrospect, when I go through this list of unexpected discoveries, it is not the most famous destinations that linger the longest, but rather the places where you arrive without too high expectations and that ultimately continue to resonate for months.
In hindsight, the last part of the route from Reno to San Francisco could have been filled in a little more interestingly: via Lake Tahoe, Mono Lake and Yosemite to San Francisco.
Especially for those who have not seen those places before, this seems a logical and particularly valuable route.
Please note: the Tioga Pass to Yosemite National Park is usually only accessible in late spring, usually somewhere between the end of May and the end of June. For that reason too, Yosemite was not on our route.
Emma
The route of Highway 1 between Fort Bragg and Bodega Bay is a lot more touristy. Read more about this in our next story.