PAGE 53
SPRING 2020 ISSUE 01 / VOL . 05
Ohio can be Indiana , which can be Illinois , which can be Missouri . U . S . Route 40 was always the “ National Road ” and Route 66 the “ Mother Road .” But U . S . 50 is not without its moment in the sun . Back in the 1990s , “ Time ” magazine devoted nearly an entire issue to this highway , calling it “ The Backbone of America .”
Beyond its few marquee cities you ’ ll find a plethora of anonymous little towns . In truth , like every other highway , U . S . 50 belongs to those who live along its edge stripes or its tributaries . It ’ s how they get to work , go for groceries or go to church , or on weekends head for the big city .
The view as you ride west from Ohio follows sweeping turns and places where there ’ s often a flora canopy , trees overhead creating a wonderful , cooler tunnel . It has an airy , timeless quality . Being primarily rural it calls for an awareness of what might be . Trucks making their rounds slow things down . A recalcitrant farmer , moving along in his pickup truck 15 mph under the speed limit makes his choice yours . Hit the wrong stretch and a line of cars , or more commonly pickup trucks , can back up traffic for quite some
It ' s called the Loneliest Road in America for a reason . Over its many Nevada miles the author rarely saw more than a few vehicles on any expanse ; even motorcycles were rare .