We are traveling on Highway 50 across Nevada. About 20 years ago a reporter from Life Magazine, after traveling this highway, dubbed it "the loneliest road in America". He said it was "so remote, so desolate, so lonely that one should be prepared with survival skills before testing their fate in Nevada." There are only a few communities along the highway, with populations in the hundreds, and they decided they liked the moniker and began to challenge travelers. You can even get a certificate from the governor if you have a booklet stamped in the towns along the highway.
Our first stop was Fallon, which originated during the pioneer days. Situated along the Carson River, it was an oasis for the pioneers who had just traversed the deadly 40-Mile Desert stretch of the Emigrant Gap. The water in the river is muddy but we could imagine the people and animals immersing themselves with a huge sigh of pleasure.
LIke most of the towns along Highway 50, Fallon was part of the gold and silver rush of the mid 1800s. It is now known for two things: its "heart of gold" cantaloupes (sweet, juicy, yummy and a real treat) and the Naval Air Station (NAS). The NAS is the home of Top Gun in the United States. Thousands of miles of empty space surround Fallon, especially to the east, and it's a perfect environment for training in desert warfare. We had hoped to see planes in the air but there weren't any, perhaps because the Reno Air Races are this weekend.
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