Rain Shadow

It’s quite the climb back down from Manhattan. By the time you make it back into the valley, you realize the sun is going to set in a few more hours. You take a moment to appreciate the sun-rays and shadows cast from one of the only patches of clouds around. Seems a few of them occasionally do make it across the Sierra Nevadas… but there’s probably no rain coming from that rag-tag lot anytime today.

Ahead is a fork in the road where the one you’re on continues following this valley, more or less Northward (maybe even under those clouds; one can only hope). It might be a little more boring route to take, but you know you’ll cover a lot more ground by following the valley.

The sign by the trail off to your left, though, is what really caught your eye. It’s handmade out of wood and looks pretty weathered, saying only “ELDORADO – 200“.

That’s apparently Westward and up into those mountains.  Slower going, but it sounds pretty compelling. The hills are green compared to this desert floor and who knows, maybe there’s water falling down one of those little canyons?

Manhattan Bank Vault

Another bank vault? Looks like these things were built to endure all kinds of intrusion (including time itself).

You don’t think there’s any cool, refreshing drinks inside the rusty old Nye and Ormsby county bank vault so you just press onward. Looks like there’s a tower of some kind nearby and a ruined old building on the cliffside.

Your thirst is getting overwhelming, though… so you can also just leave the town altogether; maybe you’ll have better chances of finding water outside this old canyon?

Manhattan Boulevard

Wow, this road is much easier to travel on than all the washed-out gravel trails around Luning. It’s hard to believe but it’s even hotter here, too. You’ll need to find water soon.

Looks like up ahead is a small town called Manhattan, Nevada. You wonder if a place like Manhattan has any cold drinks on hand…