Wednesday, Mar 13
We have traveled the Loneliest Highway
(as named on the state map) in America. There is no exaggeration.
Not even a little. We went almost 100 miles and didn't see any sign
of civilization. No houses, very few cars, and nothing but mile
after mile of valleys and mountain.
In fact, tonight we drove 90 miles and
met only 2 cars in the 90 miles.
This is desolate country!
We left California early today and
quickly were in Nevada. We passed Reno, stopping only to
make sure we had enough fuel until the next service station. Then we
got on Highway 50 East – the Loneliest Highway in America.
Tonight we stopped in Eureka.
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| The Friendliest Town on the Loneliest Road in America (that's what's on the sign in the background) |
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| Snow and mountains for a couple hundred miles |
We've had
the opportunity to meet several local people, including the RV park
owner. Eureka is a boomtown. This is gold mining country, and
recently new discoveries of other valuable minerals has led to a
population explosion. Every place that can be leveled enough has 2
or 3 trailers – in back yards, front yards, anyplace that can be
found. From what we heard, the Chinese have recently purchased in
entire mountain and are getting permits to mine a mineral that is
used in lithium batteries.
Thursday, Mar 14
We continue our travels down the
Loneliest Highway in America to the next nearest town from Eureka, about 100
miles away – Ely (pronounced E-lee).
We stopped in Ely to get some items in
the local drug store. When we walked in we thought we had stepped
back into the 1950's. They still have a soda fountain and serve
lunch.
We took advantage of the offering, then headed further East
to the Great Basin National Park.
On the way to the Park, we passed the most interesting entry to a ranch we've seen.
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| The entry is made entirely of antlers from elk/deer/I don't know |
Great Basin National Park is one of the
top 10 National Parks in the system with fewest visitors. It's easy
to understand. You can't get here from there. But it is beautiful.
After getting the motorhome set up in
an almost deserted, snow covered campground, Clara took a nap and I
went on a guided tour of Lehman Caves.
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| Lehman Caves |
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| Tonight we are camped in a grove a Aspen Trees |
For Anna and Evan: This vast region of
sagebrush-covered valleys and narrow mountain ranges in which we are
traveling today is named for its lack of drainage. Its streams and
rivers mostly find no outlet to the sea, and water collects in
shallow salt lakes, marshes, and mud flats to evaporate in the dry
desert air.
It's not just one basin, but many
separated by mountain ranges roughly parallel, north to south, basin
and range alternating in seemingly endless geographic rhythm. These
create spectacular views as we pass over the mountain passes and down
into the next basin. These broad basins hang between craggy ranges
from California's Sierra Nevada to Utah's Wasatch Mountains.
The skies are really dark here, with
absolutely no natural light from any source. These are among the
darkest skies in America.
And there is also absolutely no cell
phone or internet service.
Back on the Loneliest Highway early
today. We want to get to Zion Canyon National Park in time to enjoy
some of it today.
In one 90 mile stretch today, we met
two cars and saw 5 dead cows beside the road. This is open range
country – meaning that there are no fences and cattle graze
anywhere they want to – apparently sometimes too close to the road.
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| Cows graze without fences |
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| Two States down, ? to go. |
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| It's really nice to start seeing some different scenery |
