Monday, Jan. 17, 2005 | 8:07 a.m.
Overton's Lost City Museum lost nothing in last week's flood.
"We're pretty high up here on the hill, so it didn't come anywhere near us," a museum worker said Friday.
The museum at 721 S. Moapa Blvd. was built by the National Park Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps to exhibit artifacts that were excavated from Pueblo Grande de Nevada prior to the filling of Lake Mead.
This "Lost City" of ancient people includes about 150 historic sites stretching some 30 miles along the Virgin and Muddy river valleys. About five miles of these sites were eventually covered by Lake Mead.
In addition to actual artifacts displayed inside, the grounds include an outdoor replica of ancient dwellings.
But all are dry and intact, the worker said.
Organizers of the Western Folklife Center's National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko are looking for a few volunteers to help wrangle guests at the event that opens Saturday.
The annual weeklong event celebrating the culture, music and lifestyle of the American cowboy is in its 21st year. It features performances by cowboy poets and singers, along with workshops to help people learn more about the ranching life.
Shows featuring renowned cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell and singers Don Edwards and Michael Martin Murphy are sold out, as is a workshop on Dutch-oven cooking. But tickets for most shows and workshops still are available.
And, if just hanging around cowboys in your boots and hat is all you're really after, you can volunteer to help direct patrons to venues, take tickets and get a flavor of the event with other behind-the-scenes jobs.
To volunteer or obtain tickets and information, call the Western Folklife Center, (775) 738-7508. Or log onto www.westernfolklife.org and click on "21st National Cowboy Poetry Gathering."
The "Wide Open: Adventure Guide Nevada" is packed with information for tourists about where to go hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing or pursue outdoor activities in Nevada's spectacular rural regions.
And it's not too shabby a book for locals, either.
The guide published by the Nevada Commission on Tourism has sections for the sports one might expect to find in the Silver State, along with a few activities some might not consider.
The book's backcountry chapter, for example, gives tips on where to heli-ski, ice fish, ride a sandboard or watch wild horses and burros. Another chapter gives information on where to bungee jump, sky-dive or ride in a hot-air balloon.
If you aren't sure where to start, check out "The Nevada Ten" on Page 102. Start with No. 1, trekking or bicycling the 165-mile-long Tahoe Rim Trail, and work your way through No. 10, a visit to Sand Mountain Recreation Area. The 4,795-acre region 25 miles east of Fallon features a 600-foot-tall mountain of sand.
To obtain a free copy of the adventure guide, log onto www.travelnevada.com. Click on "Request Travel Info" and fill out the form. The guide should arrive in about 10 days. Las Vegas Valley residents also can call the local tourism office, 486-2426, and arrange to pick up a copy in person.
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