ROADTRIP: All roads lead to Virginia City

There are always attractions where one lives that residents view with disdain: too touristy, too expensive, crowded, no parking. The way Southern Californians view Disneyland, Nevadans the casinos, or Londoners everything in the city 100 years or older. I feel this way about Virginia City, and am surprised when everyone who lives where I do (i.e., anywhere in the West) doesn't feel the same way.

After a Fourth of July there two years ago -- in which The Boy had an uproarious time laughing at everywhere not having what I wanted to eat -- I swore I never needed to go back. Which is why now it seems to be a hilarious thing to have every weekend roadtrip somehow end up there. Every back road and Jeep trail in western Nevada leads to the freaking place! Last weekend, an innocent trip to Fort Churchill ended up rolling into VC from the east, and then this weekend we managed to find out way there north-ways from Fernley (and visited the Lagomarsino petroglyph site on the way back). And I have to say it's growing back on me a little, especially since they do have good barbecue.

But I do still enjoy listening to my roadtrip partners grouse about the parking.