Last Stretch of the California Trail

The picture above is of I-80 in Nevada where Hastings Cuttoff rejoins the Californai Trail for the last stretch of the journey west. For those who aren't familiar with it, Hastings Cuttoff was a proposed short cut that cut off almost 300 miles from the journey to California, saving travelers nearly a month of time. It is also a huge part of the reason for the Donner Party's ruin, as they were one of the first groups to take the trail, and in its fairly unexplored status, they had many setbacks.

Nevada is a lovely state. We were talking the other day about population growth and other matters, and the question of where we'd go to live to get away from people was posed. Malcolm said Alaska, but I don't want to be so far from family. My answer was Nevada.

Nevada is empty and remote. Perhaps that's why I like it. I read the other day that it averages 24 people per square mile, but they must all live in Las Vegas and Reno. In fact, according to a website, 2/3 of the states population lives in Las Vegas and 86% of the state's land is owned by the federal government! I'm convinced you could walk out across these hills for miles and miles and only the occasional fence and dirt road would give testament to human settlement.

From Hastings Cuttoff on west, I-80 follows the California Trail, traveling along the route of the Humbolt River.

Water is sparse in this environment. It is a land of sage brush, scraggly grasses, and rock. Harsh winters, dry summers, its a rugged land that appeals to rugged souls.

These wide open spaces are the homes to ranches, but from observation, it seems the bulk of the towns are mining towns, just as they have been for decades, since the discovery of silver in western Nevada in 1859. The Comstock Lode opened the doors to Nevada's future as a mining state. Everything from silver, gold, copper, lead and more has been and still are mined here! Mining remains a successful industry in this part of the country. In 2004, Nevada accounted for 8.7% of the world's gold production!

Driving through Nevada, especially when we get off the interstate and hit the back roads, I always feel a little bit like I've gone back in time. I think of Nevada as having never grown up from the old west. The rest of the western states "civilized," at least partially, but Nevada kind of held on to its western ways. Every space is so empty and rustic and rough. What few towns you run across are small and weathered. Bars are more prevalent than churches, and whore houses are easy to locate.
(I know because they openly advertise on the CB radio. As you approach almost every "major" town, the girls are on the CB chatting with the truckers and giving directions. )

A man (or woman) could lose themselves out here. Pack supplies on a mule and walk off into the hills and never have to deal with society again, except on rare occasions when you come back in to resupply. I honestly think there are a number of people out there that have done just that! I've heard that prospecting is still active here. And the Walmart in Winnemucca has an entire shelving unit dedicated to bulk dehydrated foods. Even if they aren't being hermits, stocking up is apparently a big must around here.


A mill at Toulon, NV used to process tungsten and precious metals. It was in use from 1892 into the 1930's.

At Lovelock, the trail splits again. One path went north to finish the journey. The other is now the path that I-80 follows, through Reno, past Donner's Lake where the wagon train spent that awful winter, across Donner's Summit and the Sierra Nevada mountains, and into California's rich fertile lands.

sunsets in Nevada are almost as spectacular as they are in Montana

We end up on this stretch of I-80 pretty often, and every time I find myself thinking about those earlier pioneers. How they must have struggled to cross this land, and were the rewards at the end of the trail worth it? They must have thought so. I still prefer the Nevada side of the mountains to the California side. So I'm always a little relieved to get our business done in CA and head back over the mountains, back into the remoteness, where I can breath a little easier, stretch out a little, drive in a more relaxed state, because I don't have very much traffic to worry over. Its just me and the road and a handful of other trucks making our way to the next destination, which in this case was home.

We're home for a couple days, waiting to deliver more sunflower seed in Fargo on Monday. I have forced myself to sit here and blog because I wanted to share these pictures and my thoughts on Nevada. The girls appreciate your attention because they have enjoyed my stillness. I have one wrapped around my neck, one curled up on the blanket near me, and the third....she's sitting in the sun on the back of the couch where Malcolm's asked her not to be. Well, its just for a momen so I'm leaving here there. She's happy.
But I'm done blogging now, and I'm going to sneak outside to absorb some fresh Montana air, sunshine, fall flavors, and a horse hug or two..or three..or...