Have you ever had a trip inspired by a book you read? I think the first time this came to mind was when my folks took a trip visiting the the American Southwest, centered around Bisbee, AZ. They were inspired by the mystery novels by JA Jance set in that area. I remember picking up and reading a few that were lying around the house and combined with Barbara Kingsolver and others I could see how the road trip came together. They talked about their experience for years to come, bringing a shared image to life of an author they read so enjoyably.
I imagined during the month of December I could read the works of Robert Laxalt, one of Nevada’s greatest authors. My plan was to get a new Carson City Library card (shout out to local libraries!) and work my way through their Robert Laxalt collection. I fell well short of that goal, but it is not given up on. The first book of his that was recommended to me was Sweet Promised Land. I read that some years ago and have recommended it since. This month I have read, Nevada, a Bicentennial History, The Basque Hotel, Child of the Holy Ghost, The Governor's Mansion, Time of the Rabies, and a biography The Story of a Storyteller by Warren Lerude. If I just stick to Laxalt’s books, I am a third of the way there!
The Basque Hotel is his family’s story growing up in Carson City. Now that I am living in Carson I try to imagine exactly where his young boy adventures took place. Where was his snowbound encounter with the tree well? An image he repeats is the the Capitol Building dome. Similarly this is a striking image that makes me go, ooh, whenever I see it from King St. Carson City is a beautiful capitol, I hope yo can visit.
Laxalt writes about following his dad and other sheepherders to sheep camps. While specifics are not given I imagine places just above Carson City and Carson Valley, in the Sierras in the summer and in the Pine Nuts in the winter. I wonder, is this a meadow where their sheep grazed? A little more detail is given in the biography where the Laxalts had a sheep camp near Marlette Lake. How do you move hundreds of sheep from Carson to Marlette by horseback? That is where the fun and imagination have to kick in.
Laxalt's imagery and characters combine to give you a sense of place. The characters who have time to interact with young boys running around town can paint a skewed picture of who the people of Nevada’s state capitol were but at the same time they were good natured, genuine, and cared for each other. Laxalt describes these characters from the non-judgmental perspective of a boy which is a good lesson for us all. A favorite image of mine was from the Sierra ridge, looking over the north-south mountain ranges to the east, Laxalt’s father was explaining to his boys this was their Nevada. While I didn’t learn about a particular place or route to follow on a next adventure Laxalt’s stories will circulate in my consciousness as I travel through through northern Nevada adding to my sense of place. As a bonus I can only hope that by actively reading such a talented writer as Robert Laxalt my own writing might improve.
Laxalt gives a voice to the Basque-American immigrant experience. This is something I knew nothing about until I moved to Reno. Whenever I mention “Basque” to friends and family outside our area often they too are as uninitiated but very interested. I am interested in traveling the routes between sheep camps as well as cow camps. One July I made a trip between Carlin, Dinner Station, and Elko in time for the Elko Basque Festival. I learned that I had just missed a herd of sheep being pushed through Dinner Station. I have run into sheep herds in Eldorado Canyon of the Humboldt Range, below Star Peak and near Sheep Spring, Lava Beds, Black Rock Desert. The encounter in the Lava Beds included the “highly animated” sheep dogs. An enthusiastic Great Pyrenees is plenty motivation to keep moving.
Several of Laxalt’s titles are included in the Basque Series; a collection of 21 titles that serve as a reading list of Basque-American Studies. This will be the subject of a future newsletter.
Robert Laxalt is a joy to read. His narrative is engaging, his characters are relatable, and his imagery is clear. I also include Willy Vlautin and Michael Branch in my Literary Nevada. I would be remiss not to include Mark Twain’s Roughing It or Walter Van Tilburg Clark’s Ox-Bow Incident. Although I haven’t used the notes feature in Substack yet, I will include updates as I work my way through the reading lists.
While this is titled Literary Nevada is is by no means comprehensive. But in finding inspiration in storytelling, I think Robert Laxalt tells the story of the Nevadan outdoorsman, “My father was a sheepherder and his home was the hills.” What follows in the next few pages of Sweet Promised Land introduces a man who is infinitely more comfortable in the mountains than in town. There is inspiration to be found in poetry, music, and art. These experiences have permanently changed the way I interact with my travels. Each visit to a museum results in exiting through the gift shop and puts another title on my bookshelf that sends me down the next backroad.
Thank you for supporting my storytelling. Next month I will go into Nevada small town festivals.
Resources for a Literary Nevada
Robert Laxalt: remembering one of Nevada’s greatest authors, journalists
Nevada writer Laxalt’s literary legacy shines at centennial celebration
Nevada Writers Hall of Fame, Robert Laxalt
A Clean Writer: An Interview with Robert Laxalt
Mappit Bookmap, far from perfect but a great starting point for finding books set in a particular place
December 2023 in Review
I started off the month with a new-to-me burrito shop, Taqueria Uruapan. For those not familiar with the Loneliest Burrito website my friend Marc Pfister is the webmaster. I had some great road rides, Diamond Valley and Sierra Valley, some great snowy mountain bike rides, Clear Creek and Capitol to Tahoe Trails. I squeezed in a 4 day trip to central Nevada to follow the Eureka-Tybo stagecoach route which went well despite being on the edge of an atmospheric river storm. The holiday season saw some great festivities. I felt fortunate to be included in the Reno Bike Project’s holiday party. Between Christmas and New Years I was in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico visiting a friend who snowbirds there until northern Nevada begins its thaw. I was traveling without my bicycle but had my eye on every backroad. Unfortunately I came down with a cold and a lingering cough that kept me from making my New Years trip to Ely for the Fire and Ice Festival and the Bristlecone Birkenbeiner. I planned two loops in the area to winter tour into the festival but I have plenty of time to do them and will plan on Fire and Ice 2025. In case you missed Bikepacking Northern Nevada’s Year in Review, Year in Preview.
Looking ahead
The year’s calendar is filling up quickly with bike and non-bike travel. January will end with the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT. February will begin with a trip in Death Valley’s Saline Valley with Doug Artman. In the beginning of March I will go to the Taipei Bike Show in Taiwan. At the end of the month I will be in Kauai to continue my Mai Tai review of the island. April will kick-off group bikepacking weekends for the season. The calendar has things on it all through summer, but this is enough to share for now.
"Have you ever had a trip inspired by a book you read?" Interesting enough, I think I just had the opposite experience. I recently started bikepacking Nevada and fell in love with the state. Now, I'm really interested in learning more about the area and thinking more about the perspective of its residents (especially those of the past). I'm going to check out some of the books you recommended.
Great intro to your next ride! I remember Mom and Dad’s road trip to The 4 Corners area. I thought it was a great idea. After reading the Horse Whisper i wanted to move to Montana! Good writers draw you in and make you love the area and life! Thanks for sharing!