Looking for ET….

We stop at the little town of Alamo for gas and a bathroom break which is about all this town has: a gas station/convenience store!  We opt to drive on before having lunch thinking there must be a pull out somewhere along the road.

We choose the alternate route preferred by the Truckers and turn onto Hwy 318. This route is about 40 miles shorter.  This is also the road with almost no towns–180 miles or so and only 2 towns.  The 110 miles between gas stations gives you an idea of how uninhabited this area is. We settle in for a long drive with no towns. It is still quite warm but noticeably cooler and somewhat more comfortable. Driving on keeps us watching the scenery and always on the lookout for the possibility of a UFO sighting or at least any spaceships that may have been left. This is the Extra Terrestrial Highway and home of AREA 51!. 

The scenery doesn’t change much for a long time, then suddenly there are some interesting rock formations and we curve through a small canyon of sorts

emerging to a grand vista of an expansive valley with hay fields cut into the desert sagebrush

We are looking for someplace to have lunch and nothing with shade is available in fact no pullouts even. Finally after some ranches come into view, there is a Rest Stop with covered picnic tables and a lovely view of the valley. Here the temperature is plenty warm with a strong wind which helps cool us off. We have definitely climbed in elevation. We laugh at the expansion in our bag of chips that looks like it is about to explode!