December 5th 2006 12:37 pm
[ Leave A Comment ]

Sat Oct 7

Today Dad and I explored the Nevada desert. We left Fallon and headed south on US 95 to Walker Lake. This is a large lake sitting in the middle of the arid desert rather like a pretty jewel! Dad and I both walked for a bit around the lake but it was much too chilly to do any swimming. We continued on down US 95 passing thru the small town of Hawthorne. There is an Army base here and the orderly rows of Army buildings contrasted with the brown desert mountains rising behind them. We saw raised mounds of dirt here also with cement doors. I thought that this was where the Army dogs stored their biscuits, but Dad said that there was probably ordinance stored inside.

At Tonopah, we headed east on US 6 to Warm Springs. There`s not too much to the town of Warm Springs save a deserted gas station. There was a small stream here and when Dad stuck his hand in it sure enough it was warm! No surprise as to the town`s name. There is a sign across US 6 from the abandoned gas station which reads "Extraterrestrial Highway". Nevada route 375 starts here and traverses the empty desert crossing a rugged mountain and passing the " Little Aleinn" where there is a model of a UFO outside. The whole stretch of highway is so remote that Dad and I felt as if we were traversing the Iraqi desert! It`s easy to imagine a UFO setting down here! There was a brisk wind all day today and the desert was refreshingly cool. We ended the night in Cedar City, Utah planning to visit Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and the North Rim of Grand Canyon the next day.