Cultured Cowgirl

Backroads

During its short time in business, the Pony Express created some of the most colorful legends and lore in Western history.

I admit, I’m not a typical traveler. A vacation to me is not about relaxing, but rather creating adventures, seeing historical sites and taking in slices of Western life not visible from the Interstate, a resort or a tropical island.
On a recent trip to Nevada, I could’ve easily taken I-80 from Elko to Reno, and probably saved time, but instead I drove south to Ely and started a colorful, yet barren, journey along Highway 50. The deciding factor to take this route was a free, pocket-sized booklet I picked up called The Official Highway 50 Survival Guide. Inside, it dared me to discover the adventure along the 287-mile stretch of blacktop dubbed the “Loneliest Road in America” by Life magazine. Even more appealing, I could stop in five towns along the way and have my book validated with a stamp, and at the end of the trip send in the postage-paid postcard inside the booklet and receive a souvenir certificate to commemorate my adventure. What a deal!
Maybe it’s a product of my rural upbringing, but as I proudly hold my certificate, I really don’t think most people need a “survival” guide to Highway 50, just a little common sense. For example, water and a half-tank of fuel are essential, as well as plenty of toe-tapping tunes, podcasts or audio books. Cell service is a little sketch for most of the trip. For fellow Western road warriors out there, here are five things I found fascinating about Highway 50. Some are quirky and some are obvious, but all are uniquely part of Western heritage. I hope you’ll follow in my tire tracks and enjoy the trip, too. And, please let me know the sites and scenes that most interested you.

1. Sand Mountain. About 32 miles east of the town of Fallon, the sagebrush terrain transforms into a surreal, two-mile long mound of sand, like the landscape you’d expect to see in Egypt. This area was once the coast along Lake Lohantan, which dried up thousands of years ago. The sandy spot is a popular recreational area for riding ATVs and sandboarding, which is much like surfing in the sand. Cowagunga! Ironically, that term allegedly was first used by gauchos to express excitement at tipping a cow.

2. Pony Express and Overland Stagecoach corridor. Continuing east, between Fallon and the historic mining town of Austin, you’ll retrace portions of the Pony Express and Overland Stagecoach sites. Stop and ponder what it’d be like to be a young mail carrier riding hundreds of miles solo, across the brutal desert terrain, not knowing what might be over the next hill. Now, I could see a survival guide for those men. Three spots along the route–Cold Springs, Middlegate and Sand Springs–are designated with historical markers worth stopping to read. Old formations and foundations still exist on the sites.

3. Stokes Castle. Located in Austin, this abandoned rock tower rises above the trees and overlooks the quaint community. Built in 1897 as a summer home for Anson Phelps Stokes, a wealthy mine owner and banker, the castle is just one of the buildings that retains this town’s nostalgic feel. At one point, the castle was almost moved to Las Vegas, but Molly Magee Knudsen, a New York socialite and cousin of Stokes, purchased the property and a Nevada ranch to boot.

4. Eureka. This historic silver-mining community has been well-preserved for passersby. The old opera house and courthouse, both built in 1879, are examples of beautiful architecture from the past. Eureka Sentinel Museum, which houses regional relics, is also worth a look-see.

5. Great Basin National Park. The eastern end of Highway 50 is the gateway to one of the most diverse national parks I’ve encountered in my journeys. Here, high desert meets glacial mountains, open space collides with hidden caves. Although I didn’t get to explore the area for long, I see that trail riding, hiking and camping opportunities abound. I’ll definitely be returning for an environmental encore.