We drove Highway 50, supposedly the loneliest highway in the US, back across Nevada. Although a good road, it still took considerably time due to the numerous mountain passes the road crosses. Mountain, valley, mountain, valley, mountain, valley...classic Nevada.
To break up the drive we stopped at a couple hot springs on our way. Spencer is an interesting area with a few hot pools scattered across a hillside. The first one we stopped at was hot- on the edge of comfort but the cooler shallow outflow fools below were just the right temperature for a cleansing soak. We shared the pool with a school of goldfish.
Further down the highway we took another detour to Bartine Hot Springs. We found the road out to the hot springs extremely muddy, in some places with large pools of water. Despite 4WD, I still precariously boated my way through these mud pits, only half in control and at time the car sliding almost sideways. Although adjacent to an interesting travertine mound, the hot springs were a let down. Hot water emerges from an old drill well. The plumbing to the nearby tub was faulty. The tub itself was filled with all manners of scum and the cows had made a total mess of the area. So we found it unsoakable. There was a new tub nearby that looked like someone had plans of installing so perhaps there is hope for the future.
Afterward we stopped in Ely for a tasty malt at an old school soda fountain. I really enjoyed this drive across the geologic grain of Nevada.
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