I am currently back in Ely, NV, just in a different hotel --- I miss the ambience of the Historic Nevada but here at La Quinta, Stormy is parked right outside my room and I don't have to deal with stairs/elevator. I was going to try and make it to Wendover yesterday, but on the easiest route, I still manage to miss a turn. Didn't realize it until I saw the welcome sign for California --- Damn good play list -- all I'm going to say on that.
When we left Ely just a couple of days ago, we traveled rt. 50, " The Lonliest Highway in America". I believed that to be true until yesterday. Rt 6 from Coaldale to Ely is the lonliest stretch I've ever been on. I can count the # of vehicles I saw on 2 hands. The majority of those were NevadaDOT trucks. The only places where it looked like there might be life was in 2 different cluster of blue houses and maintenance garages -- all belonging to NDOT. The road was very well maintained and not one piece of litter. I tried for a long time to find some, kept my mind occupied. There was no place to fuel, even using my spare container of fuel, I pulled into a Shell station in Ely with 43 miles on my reserve gauge. I usually get 45 mpg, although at altitude I'm getting 48-50mpg. Either way, I was seriously worried. 104 degrees and no shade --- I did not want to walk! Stormy pulled through once again.
There were some interesting sites along this stretch of road --- there was the Columbus salt marsh outside of Coaldale. There was no sign, but my map says that's what it was. Outside of Hawthorne, where I spent last night, were acres of barrack type buildings. A sign said they were a part of the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant. There were also dirt hogan type buildings with a concrete entrance going underground and a single smokestack coming out of the top. There were a lot of them. Don't know what they were.
Outside of Tonapah ( isn't there an Emmylou Harris song about with Tonapah in it?), there was a flight testing area -- a pretty robin egg's blue rocket marked that dirt road. Ahhh, the Nevada desert.
I have gotten back into my alone mode. When I left San Francisco without Lisa, I was homesick and shaky. After I crossed the Bay Bridge into Oakland, there was a fully engulfed pick up truck on the side of the road -- response on the way -- I could hear sirens as I sped by. Freaked me out -- my mind started focusing on all the things that can go wrong. Stopped that train immediately -- zippity do da, what a wonderful day -- mom and tom --- does it everytime!
Spent my first night alone in Groveland, CA at Hotel Charlotte, 2 rooms left --one off to the side with a queen - but very small. The other one had twin beds. I took the queen and it was perfect. I felt like I could stay there for days. The Iron Door Saloon was right across the very narrow street and it's local beer was Thompson's Ale. Nice, friendly people. I asked if my room was open for another night -- it wasn't --- not meant to be. Onward to Yosemite and the most beautiful surprise -- Mono Lake!
When we left Ely just a couple of days ago, we traveled rt. 50, " The Lonliest Highway in America". I believed that to be true until yesterday. Rt 6 from Coaldale to Ely is the lonliest stretch I've ever been on. I can count the # of vehicles I saw on 2 hands. The majority of those were NevadaDOT trucks. The only places where it looked like there might be life was in 2 different cluster of blue houses and maintenance garages -- all belonging to NDOT. The road was very well maintained and not one piece of litter. I tried for a long time to find some, kept my mind occupied. There was no place to fuel, even using my spare container of fuel, I pulled into a Shell station in Ely with 43 miles on my reserve gauge. I usually get 45 mpg, although at altitude I'm getting 48-50mpg. Either way, I was seriously worried. 104 degrees and no shade --- I did not want to walk! Stormy pulled through once again.
There were some interesting sites along this stretch of road --- there was the Columbus salt marsh outside of Coaldale. There was no sign, but my map says that's what it was. Outside of Hawthorne, where I spent last night, were acres of barrack type buildings. A sign said they were a part of the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant. There were also dirt hogan type buildings with a concrete entrance going underground and a single smokestack coming out of the top. There were a lot of them. Don't know what they were.
Outside of Tonapah ( isn't there an Emmylou Harris song about with Tonapah in it?), there was a flight testing area -- a pretty robin egg's blue rocket marked that dirt road. Ahhh, the Nevada desert.
I have gotten back into my alone mode. When I left San Francisco without Lisa, I was homesick and shaky. After I crossed the Bay Bridge into Oakland, there was a fully engulfed pick up truck on the side of the road -- response on the way -- I could hear sirens as I sped by. Freaked me out -- my mind started focusing on all the things that can go wrong. Stopped that train immediately -- zippity do da, what a wonderful day -- mom and tom --- does it everytime!
Spent my first night alone in Groveland, CA at Hotel Charlotte, 2 rooms left --one off to the side with a queen - but very small. The other one had twin beds. I took the queen and it was perfect. I felt like I could stay there for days. The Iron Door Saloon was right across the very narrow street and it's local beer was Thompson's Ale. Nice, friendly people. I asked if my room was open for another night -- it wasn't --- not meant to be. Onward to Yosemite and the most beautiful surprise -- Mono Lake!
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