The Truckee River begins by draining Lake Tahoe, and plummets down the backside of the Sierra, through Reno, then out into the great basin of Nevada. It terminates at the mysterious, remote, and enormous Pyramid Lake.

I drove out there today to check it out, and it is far more impressive than I thought it would be: After miles of stark Nevada desert, you suddenly encounter this vast ocean of impossibly blue water, punctuated by bizarre tufa rock formations, including the namesake Pyramid Rock, and mountains shaded grey, purple, and pink.

The ground was also literally crawling with enormous insects known as Mormon Crickets, who frequently swarm around here like a biblical plague.

It has been said that contemplating this place is a four dimensional experience.