travelled this highway many, many
times.
BIG PICTURE
Nevada is not for wimps. It’s rug-
ged and unforgiving to the ill-pre-
pared. It is also a land of extremes.
Each season on Highway 50 presents
quite different challenges and re-
wards. For motorcyclists, that means
you can taste Highway 50 afresh each
season with new eyes and new expe-
riences.
In spring, your ride is dominated
by the vibrant greens of sagebrush.
Its delicious scent permeates the
scenery. After a rain, it saturates the
air and dives deep into your lungs
as you glide along. Fall brings the
golden yellows of cottonwoods and
rabbitbrush to the lower hills and
valleys. They glow as you crest the
summits and descend mountain
passes clad in pinion pine and juni-
TRAVERSE 72
per. These are my favourite seasons
to ride Highway 50.
Summer is good, too. The Great
Basin is one of the driest places in
North America and it can and does
get hot. Fortunately, this is the high
desert. Most of your route will be
between 4,000 and 6,000 feet (1200 to
1800 meters) above sea level. You’ll
cross about a dozen mountain passes
that are significantly higher. I some-
times wear a heated jacket liner, even