22/04/2013

Day One, the Loneliest Highway

Day one. on Twitpic
Headed east, looking back. 

When Life magazine named Nevada's Hwy. 50 the "Loneliest Road in America"  back in 1986 its uninitiated urban editors meant it as an insult. They missed it all, the terrestrial beauty, the staggering silence and untamed sky. We took Hwy. 50 east this morning and, having spent a lot of summers past exploring the Great Basin, it was sweet like coming home. It is a place to disappear in. But today was not a time for that. Today was Day One of our cross-country road trip. Our first main stop will be New Vrindaban, West Virginia, two nights. I lived there many years ago. I am going back to reclaim my ghosts.

7 comments:

Roy said...

OK then. I have Googled both ends, and forced Google to put you on 50 Highway (not its first choice.) So far so good.

Roy said...

BTW, it is going to snow here today. WTF. Weatherman says it will not stick to the asphalt. Good deal, except for the part where it's STILL WINTER.

Don said...

Lonlinest?

Repeating Roy's exercise of staying on U.S. 50 was fun, being as I now live less than half a mile from that esteemed highway and want to drive its length someday.

asha said...

Roy, now I've learned something about Hwy. 50 too. Thanks. I didn't realize it went all the way from Sac to DC. Now that you wrestled Google to the ground I hate telling you that we jump onto Interstate 70 in Colorado at Grand Junction. Sorry.

Don, we've always laughed about Hwy. 50 because it's so not the "loneliest road" but now it looks like the heir apparent to good old Route 66.You're right. Looks like a fun trip.

Don said...

There's a sign in West Sac I see now and then where 50 starts, says "Ocean City, MD 3073". I wanna go. I wonder if it would make a good photo essay / blog / book. Well, of course it would, if it was written particularly well.

Roy said...

I, too, live near hwy 50, though it piggybacks various interstates through town. I do cross I-70 most days, or actually travel on it. As Bilbo Baggins said, there is only one road ... Or something like that.

Roy said...

One should always check their email periodically when on the road.

And, believe it or not, the Robo-check is "COFFEE ntseCo"