Highway 50 Nevada: The Loneliest Road in America

In July 1986, Life magazine dubbed the Nevada stretch of U.S. Route 50 the "Loneliest Road in America". With few signs of civilization along this quiet stretch of desert tarmac, the name stuck. It may seem strange to want to photo journal a road known for a lot of nothing, but there is something awe-inspiring about the extreme quiet and starkness of wide open space.

After heading east from Fallon traffic dropped off almost instantly. Soon there were no fences, no homes in the distance, even power lines became scarce. After driving for a bit I pulled off the road to admire the vast nothingness and was surprised when two military helicopters appeared from behind a nearby hill and buzzed overhead. I was aware there was a military base near Fallon, but hadn't expected to see that. Highway 50 was otherwise quiet, but knowing how varied my road trip was about to become, I knew this drive would only emphasize the contrast.   

Two military helicopters passed me along the way.

A photo posted by Luke Fandrich (@editingluke) on Jan 25, 2017 at 8:11pm PST