Fallon, NV

I was up and out of Placerville early, immediately starting a long climb. This was followed by a pretty steep descent, then the "real" long climb to Echo Summit over 7,000 feet. Darth performed spectacularly -- dialed in at 50 mph, 2000 rpm and 35 lbs of boost! -- and we rarely had to pull out to let fast cars pass. Sadly, none of the pull-outs were at good viewpoints, so you'll have to settle for a decent DashCam shot of the pretty, alpine scenery.

We blew right through South Lake Tahoe and continued over another pass, then steeply down to and through Carson City. In a matter of minutes, the terrain had dramatically shifted from forest to desert, and the road became flat, straight and hot.

The actual roadway has been excellent -- smooth pavement, little slope, etc. -- and we were really cruising when we pulled into Fallon, NV. The heat of the day and the long distance to the next possible stop-over combined to make Fallon my home for the night.

I arrived early enough that after parking my rig I had time to visit a number of the local attractions, including the excellent -- by any standards -- little museum. My favorite display is this old guy and his dog on the wagon. I envy him having a dog, but there's no way I'd trade Darth for his rig!

This part of US Hwy 50 being "The Loneliest Road in America" is a theme that's guaranteed to be beaten to death by the time I've finished it. I did pick up my "Loneliest Road" passport and survival guide, and we'll just have to see if I get it stamped at all the requisite places and send it in for an "I Survived…" certificate. (Bets, anyone?)

It may be a "dry heat" but it's still crazy hot for me, so I'm hanging out in my Arctic Fox camper -- there's a joke in there for sure -- with the air conditioning on. I plan to push east tomorrow, either 100+ miles to Austin or 250+ miles to Ely, depending on stops, sights, camping options and, of course, the heat. Stay tuned!

PS -- Just for fun, I'll try to remember to post my GPS coordinates so you can click to see exactly where I am on Google Maps.