Driving "The Loneliest Road in America"

[Old Henry]

Wife went to her annual 5 day state quilt festival so Pepe and I decided to drive "The Loneliest Road in America" - US Hwy 50 from Delta, Utah to Fallon, Nevada - a 410 mile stretch of old two lane highway with only three towns in between. We'd already done the two highest and the lowest road so this was the next step. This is our story.

We got on Hwy 50 in Delta, Utah and knew it was going to be lonely as we left Delta. Although we would get gas at a service station on the border we would not see civilization again for 153 miles 'til we got to Ely.



Before getting to the Nevada border we drove by the old Sevier Dry Lake bed, a remnant of old Lake Bonneville that covered most of Utah millennia ago and which Great Salt Lake is the only water left.



Then we just drove and drove and drove and drove across Nevada. (Collage video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZqrS0zIYE)



Our first destination was the ghost town of Osceola, Nevada, a mining boom town that hit a population of 1,000 in the 1870's before the mine played out and it became a ghost. Now the total population is one old mobile home where an old miner lives next to the old Assayer's office, the only remaining structure in town. (Video of driving up to the trailer and office here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vh-eeE9GN0) Osceola is not on the current Hwy 50, it is on the old part of the highway that goes over the mountain that is now bypassed by Sacramento Pass.



You'll note in that short video that it was starting to rain. It not only rained but snowed thoroughly challenging my vacuum wipers. See video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzaz7laBsRE

First night we stayed in Ely, Nevada, a town rich with mining history. As we left the next morning we saw this great road sign Nevada has put up along the route.



It was then 73 miles to the next town along the way - the semi-ghost town of Eureka. It was also a mining boom town that maxed out at 10,000 residents in the 1870's before the mines played out. But the railroad came to town about that time and it was a substantial railroad town for some time. Now the population is just 2,000. (Video of drive through here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcUBxCtoWz0)



One of the first residences in Eureka:



The Tannehill brothers, who first discovered precious ore in the area, built this cabin as their residence in 1864 and lived there about a year before selling their mining interests to a New York company in 1866.

Eureka Courthouse.



Old abandoned general store in Eureka:



Gotta throw in a shot of Pepe snoozin' by the lap top with the GPS on it. I've just gotta say how extremely and totally relaxing it was to just be cruising along steering with my left hand with my right hand resting on Pepe and maybe stroking him gently. What a great traveling companion.



In another 70 miles was Austin, a town that boomed to a population of 10,000 in 1862 when a horse kicked up a piece of quartz containing silver and lead. 192 people now live there. (Drive through video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AmjQJ-xkAc)

One of the abandoned shanties (it's actually a duplex with two separate residences)



One thing Austin is famous for is its three great old rock churches. All three are seen in the video. This is the third one.



Just outside of town on the crest of a hill overlooking the valley west of town is what is currently known as Stokes Castle. Mr. Stokes actually called it a tower. Ansom Stokes was a mine developer, railroad magnate, and member of a prominent eastern family who built the tower in 1896 to resemble a Roman tower he'd seen in Italy as a summer home. It was only ever used in the summer of the following year and has been unoccupied since.



It was another 111 miles before we got to the next town of Fallon, Nevada where we left Hwy 50 and turned south toward our ultimate destination of Virginia City, one of the greatest and most famous ghost towns in the country. Yes, this is the same Virginia City that was next door to the Ponderosa ranch from the T.V. series. After discovery of silver there in 1859 it quickly boomed to a population of 15,000 before the mines played out and it now has a population of 855. Most of the town burned down in 1875 and was quickly rebuilt with most of the buildings now standing, particularly the business buildings on the main street and the old mansions built with the exorbitant mine wealth. (Drive through video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb4qsoIuTKU)

The Silver Queen (formerly Molinelli's) Hotel where we stayed. A most grand old hotel kept in it's original condition with the exception of bathroom added to each room and electricity.



The courthouse that was rebuilt in 1876 after burning down the previous year designed by a San Francisco architect.



One of the mine supervisor's mansions preserved in its original condition now available for tours.



The old school house that has been restored and is now a museum.



A mine office that doubled as the supervisor's residence and later his mansion.



Another old mine office that has been preserved.



The next morning we headed home north to Reno and then I-80 to Utah and home driving 550 miles that day. On the way home when we stopped to gas up in Elko for the stretch home it was starting to get dark so I thought I'd put the magnetic reflectors on the back for a little better visibility since I would be going 60 mph in an 80 mph zone but decided to arrange them in sort of a smile to get people's curiosity up when seeing it from the distance. So, here's the view from behind of the 4 license plate bolt reflectors, the two blue dot tail light lenses, and the three magnetic reflectors I stuck on temporarily.


So, my take on "The Loneliest Road in America":

In July 1986, Life Magazine ran a very negative article about Nevada State Highway 50 titled "The Loneliest Road." An AAA spokesperson had described Nevada State Highway 50 route through Nevada in these words: "It's totally empty. There are no points of interest. We don't recommend it. We warn all motorists not to drive there unless they're confident of their survival skills." To combat the article's negativity, the White Pine County Chamber of Commerce in Ely suggested calling highway 50 "The Loneliest Road in America." Later, the Nevada Commission on Tourism developed the now popular "The Loneliest Road in America, Official Highway 50 Survival Guide." You get the guide stamped by certain businesses in each of the 5 towns along the route then send it in to get a certificate and hat pin. I went for it, got it stamped, and am looking forward to getting my pin to add to all of the others from previous trips.

The road roughly parallels the old pony express route across Nevada. It is also known as the historic Lincoln highway, the first intercontinental highway across the country.

As far as that 410 mile stretch of road being the "loneliest" in America, I guess if you love driving the California or Washington D.C. freeways where you can reach out and touch your fellow drivers anytime you want to and stop at a Chevron and McDonald's every few miles, that stretch of highway 50 would seem very lonely indeed. But, for me, I found it, rather, the "most peaceful", "most serene", "most spacious", "quietest", "most open" road in America. Often many minutes would go by without seeing any other car. Hardly ever saw a semi. It was no where near as boring as the 500 mile drive back on I-80. It crosses 14 mountain ranges as it crosses Nevada and 18 mountain passes. So, the drive is a mix of long straight stretches of flat land across a large valley always heading for another mountain range in the distance with the old winding road up and over it then descending down the other side for another stretch of straight. I even found it most restful to turn off the music I had playing and most of the time just listen to the rush of the wind and the soothing rumble of the flathead. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Total distance 1,171 miles, on 80.6 gallons of gas = 14.53 mpg. Average gas price for lowest octane at best stations - $3.63. Total gas cost $293.10 = 25¢ per mile.
Never opened the tool box.

Previous road trips:

Mt. Evans in August 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=115013

Canada in June 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109872

Monument Valley in March 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99523

Bryce Canyon in February 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97822

Milford, Utah in December 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=93137

Nevada and Idaho in November 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89080

Rocky Mountain National Park in September 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83966

Yellowstone National Park in May 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72864

Death Valley in February 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62705

Pike's Peak in July 2011(POST #15 AT): https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19141

Route 66 in April 2010: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57511

[mfagan]

Great saga! We just made it back to Texas from
Hershey in about 25 hours pulling a 24 ft. Trailer,
Not as exciting a trip as yours, but one we will
remember a long time!

[Thaplumbr]

Always enjoy seeing your trips,and YouTube videos,looks like a lotta fun,very peaceful!

[Willit Stop]

If only I had as much faith in my car as you do in yours.I can't seem to break out of that magical 5 mile radius from the garage.Thanks for sharing.

[Bob G/Spanaway]

My wife and I have traveled Hwy 50 from Carson City east into Utah and found it just like you say. Nice scenery and very peaceful and easy going.
Freeways are a drag...BORING!
We tried to get from Tacoma, Wa. to the east coast staying on two lane roads and made it most of the way.
If we had known our way around back east better we probably would've made it all on back roads.
We've been in all 50 states mostly in an old VW bus.

[rheltzel]

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Wonderful pictures!!

[Ol' Ron]

Thanks Henry
I don't have the ability to drive an old ford through all these back roads, But I do have Google earth and can ride down most of then in street view. Back in 06 Rumble seat gave me a tour of most of the back roads of Colorado. It was the most memorable trip I ever made.
Thanks for sharing.
Ol' Ron

[Russ/40]

That was really fun. Nice job on the photos and videos. Enjoyed the trip. You are a tru flatheader. Driving them - YES!

[Vic Piano]

Wow, another outstanding adventure and excellent American History lesson and pictorial, thanks for posting.

[Bruce in southern OH]

Also enjoy looking at photo's and your stories, thanks

[oldford2]

Professor,
Thanks for sharing your trip with us. Fun to follow your fearless adventures. No comments on the engine so she must have run like a top (can tops run?). How did you record the great videos? Hold your camera out the window?
Thanks again
John

[ford3]

wonderfull story and interesting pictures, thanks for taking your time to post, but to me the lonliest road is the one im on with out my friends and family, no matter which one or where its at

[ora masters]

thanks HENRY you are the best how is the rebuild on your flat head i look forward to your next trip

[Barry-ct]

I love your travelogs!

[Old Redneck]

Henry you need to go on the Moonshine tour. You would love it. I am leaving next Thursday hope to get lots of pictures. Might bring a couple of quarts home to kill the weeds around here.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by oldford2

Professor,
How did you record the great videos? Hold your camera out the window?
Thanks again
John

That's another part of the story I didn't tell.
I left home without the use of my left arm for much at all. A week before I'd stepped out of Old Henry, he'd rolled backward, knocked me down and injured my left shoulder so it was in a sling not worth much at all. Had quite a time relearning how to start the car, release the hand brake, close the door, turn the lights on and off and roll the window up and down all with my right hand and arm. I almost always steered the car with my left arm resting on the window sill and holding the camera with my right hand. Couldn't do it this time. All I could get my left arm to do was rest on the window sill and hold the little point and shoot up and out the window so that's how most of the videos were shot. I was surprised at the quality of the videos although the sound was not as good as my HD video camera I've used before. It did not record the nice rumble of the flathead, especially out the window where it was pretty much blown away by the wind. That's why most of the videos just have music as sound.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by oldford2

Professor,
No comments on the engine so she must have run like a top (can tops run?). Thanks again
John

I just had one weird little mechanical thing on the trip. On Thursday I checked my oil in Eureka. It was down about a quart so I added one. I'd checked it before leaving and it was almost down a quart so was not alarmed. Then, the next day on the way home, just before getting to Wendover I noticed the oil pressure had dropped from it's usual 25 psi to about 5 psi at highway speed. Hadn't seen that before so when got to Wendover to gas up checked the oil and it was 2 quarts low. Added to quarts and the pressure was back up to normal. Wondered how I could have lost two quarts in so short of time. There was no oil in the water and I couldn't see any real obvious leak other than a little around the bolt holding the oil filter cover on. I concluded that the Jiffy Lube guy that put that cover on hadn't tightened it down enough and that's where the oil left. I was able to tighten it down quite a bit so that made sense. Time will tell. I'll certainly keep my eye on the oil gauge and oil level for a while.

I was a little surprised that the low oil actually showed up on the oil gauge. I do wonder how that was. As I understand the whole oil pressure thing, as long as there is enough oil for the pump to pump it's going to create the same pressure whether the oil level is actually high or low and that the pressure would not be affected until the oil got so low that none would pump at all. Still wonder how that is.

[louisb]

Thanks for sharing your trip. Great read!

--louis

[turnpikecrusier]

Thank you for the awesome story and pictures ! You are a true inspiration! Some day I hope to have the courage to follow you in your driving adventures.

[Talkwrench]

Thanks for sharing.. I always love a good adventure.. Keep rollin' !