EXPEDITION JARBIDGE: Part 2 - Mormon Cricket Paste

In the morning we woke up, rolled up our dusty tents and pressed onward toward Elko.
We hit Elko pretty early and ate breakfast.  We then stopped at Wally World for some last
minute supplies, topped off the gas tanks and then turned north. About an hour or so
out of Elko we started seeing the swarms of Mormon Crickets (or more accurately,
the Shieldbacked Katydids).  In some spots there were so many on the road the carnage
created a thick paste of bug juice all over the ground.

The drive up from Elko and off onto the dirt trail that would take us all the way up to Jarbidge
was gorgeous. This part of Nevada does not look at all like the rest of the state. Rocky
out-croppings, streams, and lots and lots of green make up this majestic part of the west.

(Photo by JASHawk13)



Me driving up toward the Jarbidge turn off. (Photo bybiokiller)


Tom and I trying to navigate. (Photo by JASHawk13)


The VX.


Me checking out a hole in the side of a mountain. (Photo by JASHawk13)


Much of the road looked like this.








(Photo bybiokiller)












Finally, we arrived at the back woods town of Jarbidge.


There isn't much to the place. I would say only about 15-25 buildings, tops. A gas station, bar/restaurant and
several shanties occupied by some rather grumpy old people was about all that was there. That is, if you don't
count the gorgeous surrounding area.


Tom, Jim and the creepy dude Jim talked with.






We made camp just north of town next to the creek. A very nice camping spot for sure.
Once we got camp set up I attached the macro lens so I could shoot some of the Mormon
Crickets in detail. They were literally everywhere. As disgusting as they are, they were
still quite interesting to have around, and as it turned out my favorite photo of the trip is
a picture of one I took swimming in the creek.


Here is a close-up of one of the nasty buggers. They ranged from 1.5"s all the way up to damn near 3"s in
length. And from what I hear, they are high in protien. I was temped by some caveman like toughts about
eating one...just to say I did...but I didn't.


The campsite.






That evening we decided to take a little drive up this kinda knarly mining trail that supposedly went
up to some ruined buildings. The trail was actually fine, but still a little nerve racking with about
a foot to spare on one side before you tumble down a massive cliff.

Some mining ruins.


A nice view from up there.


Securing the load.



Us. (Photo by JASHawk13)


Me and the Trooper. (Photo bybiokiller)


We didn't make it all the way up the trail because we were all getting tired and decided to head back to
camp to partake in some much needed beer.