So David Rumsey, our nearest neighbor when he’s around, had been around since I got back from Alturas with the 2x12s and the subsequent Sunday he and I took a little excursion

in his first new vehicle in over a decade, a Toyota Trailhunter, snorkel ‘n’ all. We set off for the spring on his upper 80 in the Buffalo Hills, to check it and the truck’s offroad features out;

all was well although, as is often the case, livestock had been enjoying the spring.

Not a problem getting up there though nor did, after consulting the manual [mainly to figure

out the auxiliary lights], further – higher – investigations to where a panorama

from the Granites to the Selenites, Limbos, Foxes and down the desert to the Virginia Mountains above Pyramid Lake unfolded present any trouble at all.  Nice.

Higher still, lights sorted,

we got to an upper upper spring where the track finally ended so turned, descended

to overlook our vast estates –

Wall Spring the nearer, Parker Ranch a half mile to the south –

and experienced how well that eight speed automatic holds on hills.  Quite well, actually,

and on the gravel acceleration and handling are truly remarkable. We drove south to the blue pit* from whence most of said gravel originates, then on a whim onto the desert

across from Bronte Siding and up the soft playa of the Smoke Creek

to return to shore along the “Speed of the Earth’s”**

line of solar-powered 21st century strobes, winding up

at the early twentieth century section house from Bronte now aground at Parker Ranch.

 

*NOT, however, on Surprise Valley Road, though the googlies still insist.

**A somewhat abbreviated if more sophisticated version of the original, currently installed on de desert in sight of Parker/Wall Spring.