The End of the Road

It ain't easy livin' at the end of the road, if you will excuse my Palinism. The folks in Empire and Gerlach, Nevada are finding this out because the little store in Empire that serves both tiny communities has closed due to a dispute.

Now folks have to drive to Reno or Fernley. Reno is 117 miles from Gerlach, over two-lane road, thru Indian reservations where the speed limit dips to 20. There are frequently cows on the road, because the land is open range. The shoulders are soft. Speed at your own risk.

Open range means no fences. Don't Fence Me In. How many of you have driven across Open Range.

If you got a really early start you could get to Reno by 9:30 a.m., spend an hour or more (better have a good, long list) at the supermarket, lug everything into the car and be back in Northern Nevada--Gerlach or Empire or one of the little ranches in the big Area Beyond Reno by 1:00 p.m. if you didn't stop for lunch or coffee or do some other shopping.

Of course if you made it all the way to Reno you might want to go to the drug store, the hardware store, buy a pair of socks and have a bite to eat--there's only one restaurant, Bruno's, in Gerlach (none in Empire) and while Bruno's rocks, a Mexican or Italian meal--a little variety might be good. Of course you would also want to get your teeth cleaned, buy a CD, take Fido to the vet--there are lots of things that aren't available in Gerlach. Did I mention haircut?

Holy freakin' crap! Can all this be done in one day? The end of the road engenders strong people and animals, too.

Is this Palin country? I don't know of any 4th of July parades. There is a kind of live and let live attitude, but people do look out for each other. No more than they would do in a city. Where did this city vs. small town rivalry come from? Guess Caribou Barbie doesn't read the NYTimes Talk of the Town. Of course, she doesn't read much of anything from what we know. Talks like it, too. But onward.

I don't know of Boosterism, at the end of the road, although the high school has a car wash for vehicles leaving Burning Man. This year there was a community garden. Stuff grows in the desert if you water it. You can pick Empire and Reno out ten miles off because there are trees, which bear fruit if you water them. Trees in the desert. A little oasis, and then Gerlach has the restored water tower, compliments of (mostly) city folk who actually do care.

It costs about $45.00 in gas for a round trip unless you drive a vehicle that gets 10 mpg and then it costs $90.00.

Maybe the folks should start a dairy herd and a bakery. And a big greenhouse. I feel sorry for the seniors, and those on disability checks which make up a big part of Gerlach. Empire is a US Gypsun town, but the isolation is still complete. It's a beautiful drive up from Reno. The hills and mountains and weird rock formations and the dry lake beds and little roads to nowhere or mines or ranches--it's a land of mystery and hardscrabble living.

Of course it's hard to eat mountains and beauty and mirages and jack rabbits and someone elses cows.

Life is hard at the end of the road. Read about it in the Reno Gazette.
http://www.rgj.com/article/20081012/NEWS/810120360

From The End of the Road to the Boston Post Road

When I left Gerlach yesterday morning, I drove for 20 minutes before passing a single vehicle. Kind of scary. No coyotes or antelope either, but driving by Pyramid Lake, I saw the most amazing flock of pelicans swirling in the sky. The way the sun glinted off their wings, they looked like silver.

What I ate yesterday: 2 pcs. banana chocolate chip cake.
1 granola bar
3 chicken fingers with barbecue sauce
1 small bag peanuts
1 package cheese crackers
2 glasses orange juice
1 glass cranberry juice
4 glasses water

Hey, is this a diet or what? Yech.

En route I made a tactical mistake and carried a not-too-large duffle bag without wheels. Way too heavy. Decided to check it on the way home, but since I had ditched 4 books and 2 chocolate bars and other assorted stuff, it seemed lighter. Well, it seemed lighter until the flight from Reno was at the far end of the terminal. I knew I had a hell of a hike in Last Vegas from one terminal to another. Bad decision.

And yet, there was some meatball shuttle from terminal B to C which did not drive as the crow flies and I guess we never "technicallY' left the secured area, so that worked out all right and then the plane landed in Providence at the fartherest gate, but I sucked it up and thought, "let's burn a few calories," not that I had actually ingested that many.

So, I was awfully glad not to have to wait for luggage. Sat next to a nice old couple who liked McCain but not Caribou Barbie. I said a few good words for Obama, but they weren't buying it. Oh well.

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The End of the Road

So here I am on Mother's Day at the end of the road in Northern Nevada on an unspecified mission. (mystery!)   Yesterday in Reno I finally made it into St Vincent's Resale Shop, mentioned multiple times in Festival Madness.  There was a really cool Mission desk for $50.00, but whatchagonnado?

Saw lots of wildflowers yesterday, none of which I could identify.  Cool pelicans all over beautiful blue Pyramid Lake.  Swallows darting over the road. 

Saw the Mother of All coyotes yesterday morning en route to Reno.  Big critter.  Must have had a belly full of rabbits.  

Lots of folks smoking in Reno, and funky old western buildings, sleaze, hot sun.  People are friendly, and I've been gone from the West for so long that this takes one aback.  Sad, really, to be startled by friendliness.  Very sad.   

I drink rum and sit on the porch in the evening, listening to the birds and petting a friendly cat.  So things are good at the end of the road. 

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Pryamid Lake, the Magic Place

Here is a view of Pyramid Lake between Reno and Gerlach, a lake so blue you think it must be a mirage. There are never any boats on the Lake, and campers seem to eschew the lakeside campgrounds. Maybe because they are close to the road. The lake is what remains of a vast inland sea, and it is springfed. Stocked with trout, too, but I'm not sure when fishing season is. Clark Gable fished here, in case you want to know.

One needs a permit to camp, picnic, boat, whatever, but it's only $5.00.

The lake is so beautiful you think you must have stepped into a dream. There's a wildlife viewing area just off the high to Gerlach. The nearest town is Nixon, an Indian village with a museum and a store. Nixon has no casino but looks fairly prosperous. Don't speed through town, by the way, or you will help make the community even more prosperous. The pryamids sticking up in mid-lake are truly incredible. And how many people have even heard of Pryamid Lake? A well kept secret.

UPDATE: Dear Lovers of Pyramid Lake,The Paiute Tribal Council has decided to close Pyramid Lake to overnight camping effective Oct. 1st due to graffiti and other disrespectful actions that have occurred there. The Council is open to receiving letters about this decision. If you have been touched by this sacred sanctuary and wish to share your love for it,thankfulness for being able to spend time there, ideas for protecting the lake/ guardianship actions, requests for reconsideration of the decision to prohibit camping in the future, or any other comments about your experiences there or otherwise, please send your comments to: Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal Council, 208 Capitol Hill, PO Box 256, Nixon, NV 89424. Please forward this to Captain Robert and all others who love the lake!Namaste,Deborah Dove

S.O. and I set up the Mystery Writers booth at the New England Independent Booksellers Association (NEIBA) today in Providence. A book show with a whole convention floor full of books is another dream. Zowie! One could go crazy. We have books spilling all over the house, but that is a good thing.

Last night I liked Kerouac better until Dean acted weird again. They are just across the border in Mexico, and clueless as usual.

Onward, onward,

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