Holiday In Minden

Below me, down three thousand feet, was Nevada.  I had taken my under powered 1973 Chevy Nova on a ski trip to Lake Tahoe.  I was looking for Heavenly Valley, and I saw a sign ‘Heavenly Valley South’, so I took the road.  That was thirty minutes ago.  I had been winding my way down a narrow road which hugged a three thousand foot cliff plunging down toward the Nevada desert.  No way to turn around, no guard rail, no shoulder on the road . . just a drop off of three thousand feet.

 

There was also no line in the middle of the road, because it wasn’t wide enough for two cars to pass.  Then I saw another car slowly creeping up the hill toward me.  The Volkswagen pulled to the right until its passenger door was brushing the granite cliff.  I pulled to the right until my wheel was on the edge of the crevasse.  We passed with inches to spare.

 

Another thirty minutes later and I was in Minden, Nevada. . . about 10 stores, a town square, no people,  and a Shell Station attendant who had his name embroidered on his pocket.  Art cleaned my windows, checked my oil, and pumped my gas.

It was almost as if I was in Hill Valley.