Planning the trip on a road map of the Western states.
Nevada is perhaps one of the most spectacular states that are ever so often overlooked as a vast wasteland that must simply be passed through on the way to Oregon. However, this vast wilderness of basins, deserts, forests, and more is a place that will ever stand close to my heart as home. I was born in Reno, one of the largest cities in the state, raised as a young child in Stateline (near Lake Tahoe), and then brought down to the vast Mojave where the great city of Henderson and Las Vegas are which I currently call home. As a young child I explored this state, something that I still try to do into adulthood, each time uncovering something new. Yet, in recent years there have been times where I have felt out of touch with who I was or the heritage that I called my own. Recovering from major depression, this journey is one of not only of personal growth but of rediscovery of the person who I strive to be so very much.
Over 2,000 miles planned through the state on our trusty map.
With the aid of my longtime friend Celeste, we planned a route cutting through two of the major US highways cutting north and south of Nevada, and loaded up an old Ford Explorer pickup truck with the basic necessities, camping equipment, and photography gear to document this amazing voyage. Our route will take us from Henderson Nevada along US-93 up to Great Basin National Park, up into Idaho for a quick stop in Boise, down through Owyhee and Elko onto I-80, through Reno and up through Tahoe, and finally a long drive back on US-95 appropriately nicknamed the “Nevada Silver Trail.” For this next week, I ask that you follow our journey for 6 days and over 2,000 miles on the road and live and learn about a place where the spirit of the West and all its beauty never really died, and hear about the stories and people who keep this great place such an amazing and vibrant place to be.