Is that a covered wagon up ahead?

Today was a long hot and arid day of riding but overall safe and interesting. I left the town of Ely, Nevada and headed due west on the "Loneliest Highway in America", US Route 50. It really is astounding how many miles between small towns you go. One wouldn't want to get stranded without water along this route, to be sure.  Much of this highway is the actual Pony Express trail and the highway crosses over it a lot between Ely and Fallon and it is mostly well marked for historical enthusiasts. One of my favorites today was the Cold Springs Pony Express Station where you can pull over to get a refreshment in modern comfort but just down the road to the west are the actual ruins of the station. I have newfound respect and admiration for what kind of hardships these horses and men endured in their 18 months of service.

Similar to yesterday's ride, there were miles and miles of open straight line of road with very few cars, stopping as often as I could to hydrate and be thankful I wasn't on a horse. I arrived in Fernley, Nevada for the evening after stopping briefly in Fallon to visit the impressive Churchill County Museum.

The mystery of the man on the mule train was solved because of the power of social media when one of my friends posted this link explaining the man named Randy Boehmer and how he's going around the United States since 2008, spreading the word of God.

mule team and signs on the side of the wagon about Jesus

imagine my confusion when this was a speck on the horizon -- "what the heck is that?" I thought to myself

one can start to hallucinate a little with all the sameness in the dry desert

the sign for the Cold Springs Pony Express modern day store

the ribbon of road goes on seemingly into infinity

evaporation vest is a godsend on days like this

a selfie in the Churchill County Museum in Fallon ~ appreciating that I wasn't a woman in 1870