07/06 Baker, NV

As planned we rode 70 miles today to the community of Baker, NV. So today we entered another new state and the Pacific Time Zone. It was a fairly fast ride as there were three downs and only two ups to deal with. I don’t think I have ever been in a place that seems both so vast and empty of any sign of human presence. When you stop riding it is perfectly quiet if the wind is calm. At times no vehicles pass for half an hour in either direction. With the time zone change we were in the destination town before noon. That was particularly fortunate since Great Basin National Park is nearby. We had a nice lunch in the park’s Visitor Center and then drove up the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. Wheeler Peak is the highest mountain in this small range at just over 13,000 feet. As you drive up you go through several climate and vegetation zones from the salt flats in the basin to pine and aspen forests with lakes and streams. We took a hike up to the Bristlecone Pine grove. These are short stunted trees that have adapted to the harsh conditions at timberline and live for amazingly long periods of time. Some of these trees are 2000 to 3000 years old. Bob went a little further on the trail to view the “only glacier in Nevada” in an alpine bowl beneath the east face of Mt. Wheeler.

Tonight we are staying in the Border Inn on US 50 just inside Nevada. It is a combination RV Park, motel, café, gas station, and of course casino. It has a long storied history starting as an inn for the local sheep herders. It is the only commercial establishment offering services on US 50 for miles in either direction. As Bob is writing this blog post, Sally is in the casino working on paying for this trip.