Route 50: the Loneliest Road in America (says Life Magazine)

Yes, in 1986 (the same year my daughter, Erinna was born), Life magazine wrote an article about this 287 mile stretch of road, dubbing it “the loneliest road in America.”  The name stuck.  Nevada, eager to attract tourists (ie. their dollars) to this remote part of the state,  jumped on the bandwagon and printed up roadsigns, which you find around each small hamlet along the route, proudly proclaiming it’s loneliness.

The road travels along and through the Great Basin, which includes flat desert, multiple mountain ranges, prairies, canyons, smaller basins, and all kinds of curious landscapes.  It is vast, almost overwhelming in its size.  One can see the chapters of continental shift and evolution in this expanse as one travels across it.

Sometimes the change is subtle, sometimes it demands respect.Lehman Caves

While I didn’t feel lonely driving this “loneliest road”, it is true there were very few other drivers during the two days I traversed it.

I counted seven semi-trucks, five “other” big trucks (dump, haulers, etc), about a dozen road warrior trailer/RV types, and maybe a dozen pick up trucks/cars each five hour day.  That’s not a lot of traffic.

In two days, I passed through three “towns.”  Eli, population 3,907, where I spent my first night,   Historic Main St., Eli

Eureka (a tiny little hamlet at 6500 ft) population 364, with no open services except the gas station where I filled up,

and

Austin, which is known as a “living ghost town,” though 47 people live there today (with no services).

However, in the 1860’s, Austin boasted 10,000 people due to the thriving silver  boom. Interesting fact:  the silver was discovered when a Pony Express horse kicked over a rock, exposing the vein of  beneath.

I ended up my two day trip at the Toyota service department in Fallon,  population 9500,

which is also the site of Naval Air Station Fallon,

the actual Top Gun Air Academy

I heard jets blasting as I came into town.

Fallon is also home of  Banner-Churchill Hospital, where Erinna is an emergency room doctor.

I was glad there was a Toyota service department since my maintenance light had gone on at the summit of the Great Basin National Park during a snowstorm.

Knowing it was routine oil change and tire rotation, I figured it could wait until Reno, but when I spotted one in Fallon, after another five hour driving day, I thought, “There’s my huckleberry.”

Doc Holladay did live in Nevada in 1880 for one year, handling legal affairs so, you know, my excuse to pay tribute to Val.

 

Tthere are numerous mountain ranges along Route 50. The Egan, Desatoya, Snake, Humboldt-Toiyabe, are the ones I remember; the lowest summit I crossed was 6700 ft.  Most were in the 7000-8000 foot range.

And it’s a good thing the loneliest highway had so few other travelers because Durga, pulling Pearl, maxed out at 30 mph on most of those passes with their hairpin turns.

Here we’re heading out of the Great Basin National Park (looking west)  because my campground was snowed in.  I didn’t even try the spur road leading to it (Hester, you were right).

The clouds didn’t stop at the National Park. They continued to make themselves known.

I think this is the Snake Range, but I’m not sure. The clouds draped over the mountains began dancing across the highway.  It was beautiful until

When you’re at 7000 some feet and snow begins to fall in this part of the country, thoughts of the Donner Party intrude.

I tugged along at 40 miles per hour until finally, the worst was behind me.I stopped in the middle of the road to capture this once it no longer felt a threat.

Moving along until finally,

Eli, appeared down before me.

(Thank you, Exploring Nevada for that picture)

I was cold and a bit achy from the tense drive so forego my usual camping, paid too much money for a cheap hotel room where I took a long, hot shower.

Then ate a mediocre vegetable dish as Twin Wok Chinese restaurant which served all their food on styrofoam plates.

“Only husband and me, so no dishwashing.” the proprietor told me, “this better.”

 

Up and at ’em early the next morning,

I passed this interesting geological formation, I assume due to mining The checkerboard of colors from different minerals and soils is really quite unique.

Then, more driving toward distant

mountains.  The sign here, which is hard to read, lets us know that this area has been planted for experimental soil restoration.

A kinder weather pattern carried me through this cut out

down toward another part of  the basin

Off in the distance, toward the Sierras

And suddenly, a massive sand lake which still bears signs of moisture in places though no standing water

while off to the north of it, Sand Mountain, which is literally, one gigantic dune.

It is also a place where ATV’s love to go to bounce around and make a lot of noise.

A thing I didn’t know, but was delighted to find out, is that Route 50 was laid out along the old Pony Express trail.

The trail was used by riders to deliver mail between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California.  .

I believe Pony Express riders were a certain kind of heroic. Most of them were young because their weight had to be kept under 125 pounds for the safety of their horses.

They had to be damn good riders, too, for they rode 75–100 mile shifts, changing horses multiple times along the way.  To be hired, riders signed a pledge promising not to drink alcohol, swear, or fight with other riders.

Bronco Charlie, at age 11(!)  was the youngest of the known riders.  Charlie went on to ride with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.  At 92, Charlie tried to join the army because he wanted to fight against the Nazi’s. He was turned down for “age.”

Here he is,  one of the featured riders for Buffalo Bill

 

Route 50 may be marketed as “lonely” but it is certainly never boring.

I found traversing the Great Basin to be an amazing experience; not just for the unending geologic marvels (of which there are so many– icthyasaur fossils, hot springs, caves and caverns, dark skies for stargazing, and so much more–look it up), but also because of the very rich human history carried along its ever changing miles.