The Extraterrestrial Highway
From the “X Files” to “Independance Day” to “Paul” you know you want to drive this Highway;) The truth is out there, in area 51 Tikaboo Valley. “You can drive up the Groom Lake Road, until they turn you around” the waitress said at the Little A’El’Inn.
The men in black, who? They forever stand watch along with detection devices, listening devices and cameras mounted among the cactus. The signs read, “Top Secret Military Facility, Keep Out, Use of Deadly force Authorized”…
We left The Valley of Fire and headed North through Overton and the Moapa Valley with very stormy gloomy skies. We were spit on a few times but the showers in the distance were what was spectacular! North through Moapa itself and to Highway 93 a long straight corridor of barren but beautiful desert.
We passed the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, we’d considered boondocking here but not this trip. At Crystal Springs you make the turn left onto the 375-The Extraterrestrial Highway. You have to love places that embrace their inner aliens;)
Where else can your GPS tell you this;)
The desert scenery is astounding. The snow capped mountains and Joshua Trees came into view in the Tikaboo Valley. We pulled over to stop and admire the beauty, and gaze towards area 51. It appears that this may be the only place where two types of Joshua tree, namely the Eastern and Western varieties have come together, wish humans could;)
We drove past the black mailbox and on down the road into Rachel, Nevada. Population 54. Population humans, yes, Aliens..?
They have 4 or 5 RV spots with 30 amps alongside some of their rooms and the restaurant /bar/grill serves a mean saucer burger as well as breakfasts, and that is about it in Rachel:) At sunset we were treated to a beautiful rainbow after our burger and friendly conversation with the staff. The Alien blood cocktail was delicious;) One more bumper sticker for Myrtle left with us;)
We woke up to spectacular skies and clouds above the mountains that surround this valley. Surreal beauty at dawn as the moon was setting….and it was cold and windy, 34° flintstone scale!
I wandered about in the cold, trying to get away from the power lines, my arch nemesis they are! Out into the fields. Most of this is BLM land, free range, as a young couple in a pickup truck with a cab over camper found out, after colliding with one in the dark. The truck front end did not look very good to say the least, the bartender was just concerned about the cow “Did ya shoot it?” he was asking the young man, who shook his head and said the Highway Patrol did…life on the range, hard on trucks and cows at night.
Everyone is supposed to have a gun right? You need them to shoot the traffic and directional signs along the highway, what else would one do for sport? But we’ll save that for next time;) Hasta la Vista baby from Rachel Nevada-The truth is out there, we want to believe;)
