US 95 is the Silver Road in Nevada. Small mining towns access the highway all the way to Fallon. It is desolate barren desert country with dry lakes and salt flats and unexpected surprises.
Seemingly out of nowhere acres of grave like structures emerged. This was not a mirage but Army and Navy ammunition storage bunkers dating back to the 1920's. Nearby was a huge recreation area around Walker Lake not described in any brochures that I could find. Signs advised to look for wild life particularly mountain sheep though I suspect the wildlife if it existed was from the nearby military base. This is also the area training center for the Air Force Top Gun. Signs warn of low flying aircraft.
The barren desert finally gives way to wild horse preserves and agriculture and horse country. Open range cattle roamed on US 50, nick-named the loneliest road, before reaching Carson City, capital of Nevada.
Nearby is historic Virginia City and the mines of the Comstock lode which I regret I didn't visit. From the many books I read about life in the mining towns, I feel like I have been to Virginia City. The towns were busy and eclectic and full of life and people searching for the American Dream. One journalist described the Comstock in the 1880's "...some of the brightest men of the country were working as well as having fun... Lawyers,adventurers with keen wit and empty pockets...it was a city of men. If they were poor that troubled them not at all, for they expected to ne rich next week... Everyone was rated for what he was not what he had.
Not to be a man of sense, frank, free-handed and without prejudices, was to find oneself a second or third grader. The men most distinguished for ability were the best fellows, the heartiest roysterers, the most democratic".
This male high spirited egalitarian independent open and fun loving atmosphere surrounded all the rough and tumble hardworking mining towns and came to exemplify the Western spirit.
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