We'll soon be making our annual pilgrimage from Utah to California, crossing Nevada for probably the 50th time in my life. We always take I-80 to save time, but lately I've been thinking of taking US 50 just to mix things up. Of course, the kids are complaining that it will be too boring, too long yada yada yada. Anyone taken this route lately? How was it?

quote:

Originally posted by 4x5:
We'll soon be making our annual pilgrimage from Utah to California, crossing Nevada for probably the 50th time in my life. We always take I-80 to save time, but lately I've been thinking of taking US 50 just to mix things up. Of course, the kids are complaining that it will be too boring, too long yada yada yada. Anyone taken this route lately? How was it?

Two lanes? don't be in a hurry. No little tikes to apply urgency. Cell coverage?.

I've done 50on a motorcycle with a couple of friends, very interesting scenery. Make sure you fill up and bring water with you. I would do 50 just for the experience.This was 13 years ago, doubt it's changed much.

I drove it last year, caught it in Utah, then drove all the way to Reno. I was driving a dually Dodge with a gooseneck trailer.

Remote isn't the word. It is a desolate stretch, interspersed with windy turns, and quaint towns (some with no gas stations, watch your gauge).

Drove back on I-80, hauling a load, so seemed quicker, and safer.

If you have nothing to do, and want to see nothing, 50 is ok. After a few hours of "wow, this is boring," I don't think I would do it again. Direct, yes. Time saver, not quite.

If you travel East-West Highway 50 or North-South Highway 95 across Nevada, be prepared for lots of nothing.

Open highway, no radio. Good time to think. I'll do an extra careful inspection of tires, check the spare, oil, etc, when road-tripping. Makes it official.

In May I sought out the 2-lane highway. 425 miles of 2-lane from Russell Kansas to Springer New Mexico.

Leaving Yellowstone over the Beartooth on 2-lane all the way into South Dakota. Some vehicles going west, but didn't see a single vehicle going east unless I stopped for pictures.



On occasion I find myself on US-50 a few miles to the east. Within whiff of the Atlantic.

US-60 through New Mexico is another lovely desolate highway.

Beware the sign stating "next gasoline 180 miles"...they mean it.

It sounds like it'd be an interesting route to take... once.

Probably spotty cell coverage, at best, if you get into trouble. That's what would concern me most.

Stephen King wrote a novel about some people driving along that road through Nevada once. Didn't end well for a lot of those people. Some scary stuff out there.

But seriously, that's a road I've been wanting to take since I've moved out to Utah. I've done I 80 just never that one. One day for sure.

Well, I think we're going to do it. If you don't hear from me in a couple of weeks, send out search and rescue.

I have done it twice on a MC going east out of CA, I love it, be prepared there are some long empty stretches. Not sure kids will find it interesting but there are a lot of historical things along the way, abandoned buildings, mines and old pony express outposts.

I've done it on a motorcycle a few times. Always recall the April we drove through the cricket/locust swarms. WOW!

At first as I heard the first few little, clunks on the bike...I thought...Ooh...A big grasshopper! then it got more frequent, then incessant. So many big, brown crickets on the road I slowed for corners.

There's a cool Crater along 50 IIRC, or it might be RT 375 out of Rachel?

I drove it once from west to east circa 2002. It is lonely and desolate, but I like lonely and desolate. Heading east, from approximately Fallon, the speed limit is 70 mph on most of it. You will cross several mountain ranges; the road is narrower and twistier over the passes. You join up with US 6 in Ely, NV. Routes 50/6 become really lonely between there and Delta, UT - no services of any kind for ~120 miles.

I've driven to Great basin Nat Park numerous times, and to that point it has some very interesting scenery.

Lehman Cave is a very interesting spot for kids if you can spare a couple hours. Lots of wild life along the road, including coyotes that are as big as wolves.

two places I'd recommend a stop to look about:

In the middle about, is Ely. IIRC there's a rail road museum there;

on the eastern flank of Nevada, on the road W out of "Desolation Mountains" (so marked on my map) is that 'Lehman Cave' complex. You can spend a couple hours in guided tour underground in the dark if you like.

A single trip across Hwy 50 'Loneliest Road in America' gives a whole new appreciation for the determination of those migrating in wagon trains from somewhere worse to their fantasy world only a few hundred miles to the West.

I-80 is pretty damn lonely as well, but fast if you do it right!!!

RMD

Strange you should ask, I just saw that highway on a tv show yesterday. Looked like a good bucket list item to me.

I do wonder how many bodies are long forgotten about not too far from either side of the road.

quote:

Originally posted by 4x5:
Well, I think we're going to do it. If you don't hear from me in a couple of weeks, send out search and rescue.

Well, I vote yes. Like you I've done the Sacramento-Provo/Orem roundtrip probably 50 times in my life.

When we were coming home from Lake Powell, we adventured west on Hwy 50. It was fine. Just gas up as needed. You'll survive and have some cool stories to tell.

I have read, but not seen myself, that US-6 from Tonopah to Ely is actually even "lonelier" than 50. I have only been on this route between its beginning in Bishop, CA to Tonopah.

Pack more water, more gasoline, and more motor oil than you think you will need.