Tuesday, January 6, 2009

The Extraaaaaterrestrial Highway

Day 2.... and a lot more time in the car!  I'm finally in Vegas (where my mobile broadband works, yay!), but it was another long drive from Reno to get here.  Fortunately, there were some beautiful & interesting sights along the way. 

I convinced the boys to take a slightly longer route along Highway 375, better known as the Extratrrestrial Highway, which runs along the east side of the USAF's Groom Lake flight test center... aka: Area 51.  We stopped in the solitary town along this route, Rachel, to eat dinner at the Little Alie-inn...  a cafe/bar/motel/gift shop that is sustained by the UFO mythology of Area 51 & those devout enough to visit.  (For the record, I'm not one of those people...  just couldn't resist going to say that I've been there.)  

After leaving Rachel, night had fallen, so we had the opportunity to look for UFO lights....  I did see a flashing light above the hills, but I'm guessing that probably was something belonging to the Air Force, and not the ET's.  All the sky watching wasn't in vain though...  out in the boonies, away from the glare of the city lights, the stars were absolutely incredible to look at.   Still, after a 500 mile drive, I wasn't complaining one bit when the bright lights of Vegas came back into view!!

Walker Lake

Snow in the sagebrush... gotta love the high desert!

Caution... dancing bulls!

On Highway 375... the lady's voice on the Garmin called it the Extraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaterrestrial Highway.

Watch out for low flying aircraft near Area 51!

It was a long, flat expanse of road, with not a soul to be seen around... 

So... what's a girl to do but let fly a little?!?!  (Hypothetically, of course.  I'm not actually admitting to any type of traffic violation here....)  ;-)

Even the state of Nevada acknowledges this stretch as the Extraterrestrial Highway.

The Little Ale'inn, in Rachel, NV.

Special of the Day - Alien Legs & Eggs...  (I didn't even ask...)

Eek, stay outta there!

The lights of Vegas on the horizon at last.... aaaah, civilization!

1 comment:

Bill and Tonya said...

Sounds like you all are having a blast! I'm jealous! Bill and I are big on road trips. Give Travis and John a hug for us.
Hugs.... Bill & Tonya (tbwhitfield.blogspot.com)