Hwy 50, the lonely one, Nevada

[Roy_Lynne]

We are heading south this winter and mostly plan to boondock/dry camp. The last leg of the trip will be going east to west on Hwy 50 through Nevada, eventually hooking up with 395 in California, but not finding a lot along Hwy 50. Its advertised as lonely but that shouldn't mean empty. Anyone have a secret places we could camp for a day or two.

[profdant139]

Just left Sacramento Pass last week -- if you can, snag a site near the equestrian campground -- further away from the highway. Astonishing stars at Great Basin!! Great fall color, too.

We've been boondocking east of the Tetons for a week -- now on to central Colorado.

Nevada is under-rated, in my opinion. Someday, the Ruby Mountains. Maybe even Jarbidge, if I can persuade poor DW to sit through hours of bad gravel roads to get there.

[pnichols]

Here's what I believe: I had my compass slightly off, but when one is getting "up there in years" ... how about beautiful but remote places like these Northwest of the Black Rock Desert without communication beyond cell towers and Plans A, and B, and maybe C with regards to the unexpected when out and about in an RV:

[ppine]

pnichols wrote:

ppine wrote:
You have a false sense of security about helicopters, Good Sam and AAA.

Maybe your relatives would drive 10 hours each way to help you.

Have you ever tried calling for a helicopter? I broke my femur about ten years ago in eastern OR in a mule wreck. I had several people out trying to find phone reception. There were no helicopters available. We drove 100 miles on dirt roads to a ranch air strip and a fixed wing Cessna with EMTs and first morphine after 8 hours.

Remote country is different and that is my point.
"money will buy anything." In Nevada it buys prostitutes, dope, alcohol 24 hours a day and gambling. Good luck getting a tow truck.

Sorry ... but you're mostly wrong.

My InReach Iridium system satellite device will fetch (medical) emergency help in most of the world if I push a button - including of course little ole' Nevada. That's what it's for - used by outdoor workers, explorers, and outdoor enthusiasts for emergency rescue and text communication.

My daughter bought it for us because we RV rockhound sometimes way out there and she got tired of not knowing exactly where we were at all times - and yes ... she'd take days off and drive personally to Nevada in her AWD SUV to find us once I texted her for help if there were no other way. My brother (ex AF Lt. Colonel) would do the same, and so would my son, and so would my BIL.

I'll bet if I had enough headroom on my credit card I could find a 4X4 Class 5/6 truck wrecker to tow my Class C out of, say, the canyons West of the Black Rock Desert ... or at the very least find a mechanic to drive his 4X4 out there, drop my gas tank, replace the electric fuel pump, and refill the tank with enough gas to get rolling again. I hope we never have to test this, though.

For what it's worth, on cable TV I've seen what huge 4X4 wreckers can do in Alaska in the winter to rescue semi trucks. All it takes is money (or credit) ... and communications not dependent on cell towers.

I used to work for mines all over the state, in every county. I drove Route 50 at least once a month for several years. The Black Rock is in Washoe County, the most populous part of the state except for Las Vegas.

Believe whatever you want to.

[ppine]

2gypsies wrote:
ppine: I wouldn't advise you to take a trip to Alaska.

I used to work in the bush in SE Alaska. I have traveled there more than 10 times.
There are no roads and no trails except the ones made by bears and moose. All of the work was supported by float planes and helicopters.

[2gypsies1]

ppine: I wouldn't advise you to take a trip to Alaska.

[pnichols]

ppine wrote:
You have a false sense of security about helicopters, Good Sam and AAA.

Maybe your relatives would drive 10 hours each way to help you.

Have you ever tried calling for a helicopter? I broke my femur about ten years ago in eastern OR in a mule wreck. I had several people out trying to find phone reception. There were no helicopters available. We drove 100 miles on dirt roads to a ranch air strip and a fixed wing Cessna with EMTs and first morphine after 8 hours.

Remote country is different and that is my point.
"money will buy anything." In Nevada it buys prostitutes, dope, alcohol 24 hours a day and gambling. Good luck getting a tow truck.

Sorry ... but you're mostly wrong.

My InReach Iridium system satellite device will fetch (medical) emergency help in most of the world if I push a button - including of course little ole' Nevada. That's what it's for - used by outdoor workers, explorers, and outdoor enthusiasts for emergency rescue and text communication.

My daughter bought it for us because we RV rockhound sometimes way out there and she got tired of not knowing exactly where we were at all times - and yes ... she'd take days off and drive personally to Nevada in her AWD SUV to find us once I texted her for help if there were no other way. My brother (ex AF Lt. Colonel) would do the same, and so would my son, and so would my BIL.

I'll bet if I had enough headroom on my credit card I could find a 4X4 Class 5/6 truck wrecker to tow my Class C out of, say, the canyons West of the Black Rock Desert ... or at the very least find a mechanic to drive his 4X4 out there, drop my gas tank, replace the electric fuel pump, and refill the tank with enough gas to get rolling again. I hope we never have to test this, though.

For what it's worth, on cable TV I've seen what huge 4X4 wreckers can do in Alaska in the winter to rescue semi trucks. All it takes is money (or credit) ... and communications not dependent on cell towers.

[ppine]

You have a false sense of security about helicopters, Good Sam and AAA.

Maybe your relatives would drive 10 hours each way to help you.

Have you ever tried calling for a helicopter? I broke my femur about ten years ago in eastern OR in a mule wreck. I had several people out trying to find phone reception. There were no helicopters available. We drove 100 miles on dirt roads to a ranch air strip and a fixed wing Cessna with EMTs and first morphine after 8 hours.

Remote country is different and that is my point.
"money will buy anything." In Nevada it buys prostitutes, dope, alcohol 24 hours a day and gambling. Good luck getting a tow truck.

[pnichols]

ppine wrote:
Even if you can communicate with someone, they are not going out there to help you.

We have children, relatives, and close friends who would make happen for us whatever had to be done if we were to text them using our satellite communication device regarding help. They would know exactly where we were at due to the satellite route tracking that we activate through the device when we turn it on at the beginning of every RV trip. They can also text us back through the device.

Of course the device has an emergency rescue button (under a protective SOS cover) that will bring in a helicopter to anywhere for medical emergencies.

The above is in addition to our Good Sam Travel Assist membership and membership in a couple of ERS programs.

Money will buy anything ... so we might have to figure out how to pay afterwards for unusual $$$ help we receive.

All of this is well and good ... but what scares me most is a failed in-tank electric fuel pump out in the middle of nowhere. I WISH Ford offered a double fuel pump option for their E450 chassis used under motorhomes. 😞

[ppine]

pnichols wrote:

ppine wrote:
For the group without spare tires, I would suggest going around Nevada except for I-80.

As an RV'er gets old enough such that they no longer consider theirself as immortal and/or invincible ... perhaps a help-access technology based on satellites instead of cell towers just might prove beneficial in Nevada, too. 😉

Even if you can communicate with someone, they are not going out there to help you.

[pnichols]

ppine wrote:
For the group without spare tires, I would suggest going around Nevada except for I-80.

As an RV'er gets old enough such that they no longer consider theirself as immortal and/or invincible ... perhaps a help-access technology based on satellites instead of cell towers just might prove beneficial in Nevada, too. 😉

[ppine]

For the group without spare tires, I would suggest going around Nevada except for I-80.

[4runnerguy]

As mentioned, there's camping at Great Basin NP. Near Ely, Cave Lake SP is nice. Bob Scott outside of Austin is right off the highway and easily accessible. Depending on how early in the spring you are going, it might be still closed.

Do be aware that early spring along US 50 can bring tough driving conditions. Ely and Eureka are both above 6500' and once you get off the main highway, you can find snow packed roads.

[rocmoc]

One of our favorite Drives!

rocmoc n AZ

[2gypsies1]

The "Lonely Road" was of yesteryear. No more!

[pnichols]

ppine wrote:
For people that think US 50 is a lonely road, I would not recommend trying the secondary roads in Nevada.

Or even worse yet ... out in the middle of nowhere on tertiary roads in Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming!

A few times we've gotten way out there in our Class C looking for rocks. 😉