I’ve already mentioned Great Basin
National Park a couple of times. It’s
well worth your time and effort to get
there. And some of the best camp-
ing trips I’ve ever experienced have
been in this park. I think you’ll like
it too. On your way into the park, be
sure to keep your eye out for some of
the quirky art many folks miss when
driving by, such as; a scale model of
the solar system made with every-
day objects, The Horse with No Mane
driving a rusted out vintage car, and
the grave of Too Tall Tony.
Much of Nevada is public land and
much of that land is open for unde-
veloped, disbursed, wild camping.
Highway 50 runs right through huge
tracts of land where you can camp
outside of established formal camp-
grounds. You’ll need to be complete-
ly self-sufficient as you won’t find
piped water, toilets, or picnic tables.
But you will find huge views, endless
solitude, more stars than you could
imagine, and a sense of freedom
that you might never have known
before. Contact an office of the US
Bureau of Land Management, or the
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
for maps and suggestions of places to
camp.
This is by no means exhaustive but
with this primer, you have the infor-
mation you need to enjoy a great ride
in my stomping grounds. Once here,
you’ll probably meet other riders who
will point out sights and side roads
they’ve discovered. By all means, try
them out. And let me know what you
discover so you can help me quench
my thirst for Nevada and Highway 50.
VW
TRAVERSE 79
Val Weston is a traveller, photogra-
pher, writer, adventurer and best of
all a motorcyclist. Nothing excites
her more than discovering new plac-
es and meeting new people.
Exploring most of north America,
Val has discovered some real gems,
that most others would not normally
see. Val loves telling of these plac-
es, encouraging others to explore.
While she shares some of her expe-
riences with Traverse, you can find
more at www.valinreallife.com