Nothing makes me love the desert more than a drive down Highway 95. Let me assure you, there is little except stunning scenery for the seven-hour journey from here to there. Here is on the Northwestern High Desert Plains of Nevada and there is Las Vegas. In between there are many notable curiosities.
To many, this looks barren. But, when you are driving through, life is abundant. This year has been unusual with things still greenish in mid-September. The Joshua tree forests we passed through are thriving, while the sage and other plants are springtime-lush. Every so often, there are distant springs marked by greenery. Far from boring, there is a lot to take in.
To begin with, there’s the little town of Hawthorne, mainly known as the Army Depot. This place is like a mirage in the desert. At first, it seems that there is nothing except wide open spaces. But, the more you look, the more you notice humps. Everywhere. For miles. Giant humps protecting our nation’s munitions.
The color of sand, they can appear and disappear before your eyes depending on the amount and direction of sunlight. Along with a treeless Walker Lake, Big Horn Sheep, and a few cattle, the military base is the main thing there. And then, you continue to drive through Mina and Luning.
And, boy, oh boy, it’s only two more hours to Tonapah, the heart of desert civilization.
Well, you get the idea. Getting to a place like this…
Requires you to drive through miles of this…..
After Tonapah and Goldfield (a town just like Tonapah about 30 miles south), We passed through Area 51.
And through Beatty….
After hours of looking at huge mountain ranges of rock, we were ready to get out of nature and back to civilization.
One thing shocking to the senses is found just to the north of Tonopah, a ghost town, tourist attraction, and site of current mining activity.
This 656 ft. tower can be seen for miles as it emits blinding light. It is part of the Crescent Dunes Solar Project, one of only two in the world (or so I read). With more than 10,000 reflective panels each made of over 12,000 6×6 mirrors, molten salt flows through the tower. Costing billions when it was built, and being dark for a time, it’s now operated by its second owners. There’s no other place in the world better suited for this monstrosity than the outskirts of Tonopah.
We passed by Creech Air Force Base where airmen fly drones larger than some cars. With so little to capture one’s attention on a car trip, Google can become your friend.
By the time we got to our hotel, there’d be no more for the week. Luckily, the shuttle service was amazing, taking us to the strip and back any time between 9 am and 9 pm.
After staying for a week, it was time to make the drive back home. One tiny little accident almost derailed our plans. Two big rigs hit head on, spilling an entire load of lumber AND lithium batteries, adding an explosion to lots of fuel. The road was closed for two days, leaving many motorists standing until it could be cleared.
As we left on a stunningly stormy morning, the desert sky held two rainbows. Rainbows are every so special when seen gracing Nevada’s big skies. If you haven’t seen BIG SKY, put it on your bucket list. It’s something I can’t describe in words. The perfect ending to a perfect trip.
It will be a little while before we drive Highway 95 again. I’ll miss seeing the burros and their foals. They’re the true celebrities of the desert. So much so that they’ve learned parked cars are friends containing people with yummy snacks.
It’s always nice to get back home. Winterpast enjoys the first few days of autumn, which feel mysteriously like the last few days of summer. All the chores were waiting for us, including the canning of the last tomatoes. Vacation is grand, but home is where our hearts are and Home Means Nevada to me.
More tomorrow.