2007 03 Eastern Nevada

2007 03 07 Truckee to Ely

Today I drove from Truckee CA to Ely NV. This is about 350 miles and takes about 6 1/2 to 7 hours, depending on stops made and road conditions. Generally it is an easy drive. From Truckee to Fernley NV is on I80, which is relatively boring and is the usual sort of high speed interstate travel. From Fernley to Ely is all on US50, which is quite different. Very little traffic, not enough to support billboard advertising once east of Fallon NV. It's a very serene drive.

The first snap shows a spot on 50 where the Pony Express trail was crossed by the highway. The Pony Express only operated about a year, from 1861 to 1862. It was made obsolete by the invention of the telegraph and the first cross country telegraph line.

It was a brilliant sunny day, and the smell of sage was strong in the air. There was snow in the mountains down to about 5500 feet.