the loneliest highway in America

We drove east toward Ely. 

The hills were filled with wildflowers. 

Indian paintbrush and tiny daisies 

and pretty orange flowers. 

Highway 50 is called the loneliest highway in America for a reason. 

We pulled into East Ely for my first ride on a steam train. 

This is a great place for train geeks

The trains are powered by coal and staffed by volunteers. 

Out the window we saw Ely through a different lens. 

We rode all the way to Keystone canyon, where gold and copper were mined at the Ruth mine. 

Did you know more gold is mined in Nevada than anywhere else in the country? And that gold mining is high tech and pays well? Elko has a large, diverse mining workforce. 

We pulled back into the station after a slow, relaxing ride. I wasn't the only one who fell (briefly) asleep. 

And then it was off to the Utah border, to look at the stars, and Mars, and watch basketball. 

An incredible day in a remote part of the west.