Traveling across Nevada on Highway 50, the “loneliest road in America”, the words that came to mind were desolate, isolated, remote, secluded, distant and off-the-grid…yes, they have a right to the “loneliest road slogan.” However, amongst the wild west desert landscape and the numerous pony express trail stops, I was reminded that it is not as desolate as it once was. Hmm, one is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do…
An off-road experience to Garnet Hill brought the Venzaliner down this road to look for garnet...had to remind myself the Venza is a 4-cylinder!
An evening stay on top of Garnet Hill, a BLM site west of Ely where one is the loneliest number that you'll ever know!
A brief stop at Sand Mountain; out in the vast hinterlands, a
sand dune that obviously attracts hordes of people for OHV recreational
activities was an interesting sight.
Check it out…the black rocks are where people enjoy campfires…although
it looks lonely now, obviously there are times of busyness…I think I’ll venture
on!
After Sand Mountain there was an opportunity to step back in
time at Grimes Point, an area first visited by Native Americans 8,000 years ago.
Today it is one of the largest and most accessible petroglyph sites in the United
States. A self-guided trail meanders
through beachfront property and hundreds of boulders covered with rock art, some dating back 6,000
years .
Off the beaten path near Grimes Point behind the little red door is hidden cave...
If only I was there on the 2nd or 4th Saturday
of the month, one would not have been the loneliest number as I could have
toured the hidden cave; however, had to settle for a trail hike that wanders by
several cave like shelters. We'll never know what's behind the red door; however, the hidden cave area is an archeological site used as a cache site 3,500 years ago by nomadic hunter-gathers and created more than 21,000 years ago by the waves of rising Pleistocene Lake Lahontan. Although I didn't get to see the below ground, the above ground visuals definitely resembled an underwater scene that
was rather interesting.
One place that was definitely not interesting was Lahontan
State Park Campground. In search of a place to stay for the evening, I headed
off to LSP-Silver Springs Beach #7 which offers “developed campground
facilities.” While driving down Fir Avenue in Silver Springs, yards were adorned
with fences topped with barbed wire, bars on the windows and the park entranced
was emblazoned with signs to “report crime.” Needless to say after the 10th
“report crime” sign, the Venzaliner headed back to Fallon and stayed at the
Fallon RV Park where one was not the loneliest number!
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