Dear Lonely Nevada State Highways,
I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting when I decided to pay you a visit. Maybe that’s the key: to not have expectations. Because, let’s face it; if I had any sort of expectations of you, they would have been blown away like an older sibling trying to “help” their younger sibling blow out their birthday candles. Prior to last weekend, we’d never met. Shoot, I didn’t even think twice about you to be honest.
My limited knowledge of Nevada was the stretch of I-15 between Stateline and Mesquite, which is constantly broken up by casinos, cops, semis, and party buses. Trust me when I say that Sin City can be glamorous when she wants to be, but come the morning after…? Woof. To quote Cher from Clueless: “She’s a full-on Monet…It’s like a painting, see? From far away, it’s OK, but up close, it’s a big old mess.”
And sure, some of my favorite driving moments have been watching the sun rise on that stretch of highway. Granted, I was parked next to a few dozing semis and a minivan making an unscheduled pit stop into whatever container they had in the trunk. But you showed me the most awesome sunset; the sky was on fire.
But OUR introduction was much more memorable than that. We met at night, when my friend Ashley and I chose the road less traveled within the Wendover, Nevada city limits. Coming off of a high from the Bonneville Salt Flats (my 3rd visit so far), we began our friendship on the dark pavement of Highway 93. I knew right away that you were something special. The cloud covering in the sky made our vision impaired, but you were gracious enough to have reflector sticks to guide our way into Ely. How thoughtful you are! Although, I started to notice my cell service waning…maybe we need to talk about that.
From Ely, Ashley and I were then introduced to Highway 318, via Highway 6, and it was love at first drive. Within the first mile, I whipped my phone out to record our journey through a small gorge, which had me singing “Just Around the Riverbend” from Pocahontas. Silly, I know.
As soon as we emerged out of the small gorge, you let your true colors shine. With every turn, with every mountain passed, you took our breath away. Exclamations of “Wow” and “Dude” became a part of our standard drive vernacular. You provided ample space on your shoulders for Ashley and I to pull off and take pictures to our hearts’ desires. If we had the time, we would have probably stopped every 30 feet or so, just to take in the dramatic contrasts in landscape. Since that wasn’t an option, we’ve etched the vistas in our minds forever.
The towns you run through are quaint and movie-set-quality, but we could have done without them. I do have to say, slowing down to 25 mph was not always a welcome activity…especially when Ashley and I would find ourselves behind a random semi, hauling who-knows-what. Totally killed our momentum, dude.
You’re also very sneaky. Ashley and I had to double back to find the start of Highway 375, known as The Extraterrestrial Highway. It crept up on us as we passed Hiko, but gave us an opportunity to make some new friends: Dixie, the owner of a cute little store, and a whole posse of bikers who ended up thinking that we were driving the semi that was parked right next to us.
Yeah, like I can double-clutch. Please. Maybe I’ll put that on my bucket list…
The western section of Highway 6 was a mistake that turned into a blessing in disguise. Who knew that Tonopah was going to be our oasis? You don’t have gas stations for hundreds of miles in each direction, which made potty breaks and refueling a desperate treat. Maybe next time we meet, Nevada, I’ll take care to plan that out better.
Doubling back on Highway 375, the Extraterrestrial Highway, wasn’t something that we had initially planned on. After our unscheduled stop in Tonopah, we decided to retrace our steps for some more pictures and a few last stops. As the sun began to drop in the sky, I had to be very alert behind the wheel. You see, it was my turn to drive. Ashley had been a trooper and driven the entire way up until then, but it was her turn to have a break, take some amazing pictures, and marvel at the beauty all around.
On our return journey, we appeared to be one of the select few who deigned to grace you with our presence. Can I just tell you how happy I was? We didn’t have to share you during our photo shoots; we were free to stop where we chose for however long a duration. The sky was turning that soft pinky-blue that I’m sure you see almost daily. We took advantage of your expansive scenery, your long stretches, and gentle inclines to achieve some phenomenal photos.
Even though we were in the middle of nowhere-Nevada with absolutely no cell service, I felt at peace with you. Safe. Maybe it was the landscape you chose to call home. When we stepped out of the car to take pictures, I left your side for a moment. The purple mountains were calling my name and I needed to be closer to them. The silence that surrounded us was deafening, and we drank up our surroundings. When did I ever think you would be so irresistible? I have learned since then.
In conclusion, my dear Lonely Nevada State Highways, you have bewitched me. I am no stranger to the magic of a desert. I knew that there was beauty all around, but you kicked it up a notch. There is serenity in your solitude. There is elegance in your vast prospects. There are hidden gems around every corner…all I had to do was look.
Until we meet again,
Rachelle
PIN ME
