Put adventure back into your life

Goni Road: Everyone is used to the usual routes in and out of our little valley, Highway 395 north and south and Highway 50 east and west.

Goni Road is a little-known route that can take you to Washoe Valley, McClellen Peak and even Virginia City. Four wheel-drive, muscle powered two-wheel drive or on foot are the recommended modes of transportation.

To access this walk, drive north on Goni Road from College Parkway and park along the side of Goni Road, past Avery Road near the entrance to the sand pit.

The road is no longer maintained and pretty rough. Also, there is vehicular traffic, so watch out and try to stay off to the side.

The road goes up and up and up, until you reach the ridge that looks over into Washoe Valley and Washoe Lake.

If you go far enough, you'll even find a track that will take you over and down into Washoe State Park. Just remember if you go down you'll have to walk back up.

Depending on just how far you want to go, you can keep on climbing past the two areas where the volcanic rock is being mined, one black and one red.

You've probably noticed these interesting areas on the side of the mountain to the east while driving north on Highway 395 toward Reno.

Keep on going and you can turn off and go on up to McClellen Peak.

I'm frequently asked why anyone would bother to walk up a road such as this. Maybe some of you remember the old nursery rhyme: "The Bear Went Over the Mountain."

The second line is: "The bear went over the mountain, to see what he could see."

Well I'm like that bear. I just have to see whatever is on the other side of that mountain or around that next bend in the trail.

I worry our busy, linear, lives are beating that sense of adventure out of us. I challenge everyone to take that road less traveled, go with no particular destination in mind. Forget the watch and walk until you're pleasantly tired and ready to turn toward home.

Climb that ridge and see Washoe Lake from an angle you've never viewed it before.

Sound a little scary taking off in the wilder areas on your own? Although I like that sense of adventure, you don't need to leave your good sense behind.

Take note of where you go and how to get back. Draw yourself a map as you go, take a compass.

In fact, you can turn a little adventure like this into a big adventure for the kids. It will help you all to hone your skills in observation.

And hey, you can usually get cell phone reception anywhere within Carson City.

If you are interested in joining some of our walks please feel free to contact me.

• Donna Inversin is walk leader for Muscle-Powered, www.musclepowered.wordpress.com, and co-chairwoman for special events for We Can. She can be reached at 315-6763.