Nevada

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. 

The Friendliest Town on the Loneliest Road in America (that's what's on the sign in the background)

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.

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.

Lehman Caves

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.

Cows graze without fences

Two States down, ? to go.

It's really nice to start seeing some different scenery

By noon, we were beginning to reach some civilization and soon ended in a campground here in Zion Canyon National Park, among some of the most magnificent scenery in the country.