FALLON - High gas prices are keeping many of us closer to home this summer, but that doesn’t mean families can’t find fun and make new discoveries. Our Day Trippin' reports are aimed at helping you find those nearby destinations.

Our latest sent KOLO 8 News Now's Ed Pearce into some familiar territory the community of Fallon and the sights around Churchill County. Getting there is easy, just drive east on Interstate 80, take the 2nd Fernley exit. A roundabout a couple of blocks later will put you on U-S 50 alternate. Your odometer will be turning over about 62 miles when you reach downtown Fallon.

The big draw Labor Day weekend is the Hearts of Gold Cantaloupe Festival. This traditional county fair celebrates the valley's most famous agricultural product and much more. Lots of booths, crafts, talent shows, concerts, a rodeo and, of course, cantaloupes served just about every way you can imagine. Of course, you don't have to catch the fair this weekend to track down some of these elusive melons. Workman's right on the Reno highway has been growing and selling them longer than anyone else out here, but if you want a full agricultural experience turn right on McLean Road. It will lead you to Lattin Farms. Rick and B Ann Lattin's place has grown from a roadside stand to an organic, direct to the consumer, farmers market. You'll find a bumper crop of Hearts of Gold, but here's a secret.

"All of the melons grown here are excellent," says B. Ann Lattin. "The warm sunny days, cool nights, the soil allows any melon to develop exceptional sweetness."
They do more here. There's a corn maze, farm animals to meet and, you might find B. Ann showing a group of school children where the food on their table comes from.
A quick stop at the Churchill County museum will give you a glimpse into local history and the staff can give you directions to our next stop. Just 10 miles east of town is Grimes Point, one of the nation’s largest and most accessible ancient petroglyph sites. Thousands of years ago Native American shamans carved enigmatic figures on hundreds of boulders here. A self-guided tour will leave you pondering their lives and the meaning of their work.

Fifteen miles further east on U-S 50 is Sand Mountain. Here you'll find the ruins of Sand Springs Station, a stop on the fabled Pony Express, but most come for another experience. If you own a dune buggy or ATV, it's likely you already know about this mountain sized dune. On a holiday weekend, it draws an army of off-road enthusiasts to blast around on its slopes. You can watch from below, but don't be surprised if you're offered a ride. If so, hang on. A few minutes on the mountain left cameraman Wade Barnett, shaken, but smiling.

Fallon has a wide range of restaurants. Here are my recommendations: The Overland Hotel, old as the city itself, featuring Basque-style dining. Anecita's at the Nugget and Stockman's on the Reno highway are local favorites. To them I'll add a new personal pick, Big Ed's Barbeque. "I hear the catfish is great. I never make it past the spare ribs," Ed confesses.
A round trip to Fallon and beyond to Sand Mountain will put about 180 miles on the family wheels. At todays average price of gas and at 20 miles per gallon, the cost of the trip, less than $34 bucks, a day experiencing this agricultural and recreational hub: priceless.