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<\/a>\n Nope, this is not the Great Salt Lake – this is the Bonneville Salt Flats in winter, when there is a thin layer of collected rain and melted snow… and people drive in it.<\/p>\n
\n Tiny houses, colossal mountains. Somewhere in Nevada at sunset.<\/p>\n
\n Well past dusk, near Battle Mountain, Nevada.<\/p>\n
\n Donner Lake, the next morning.<\/p>\n
\n Clouds over the east bay. The view from I-680; and yes, that part of California is greenest in … January.<\/p>\n
\n Heading out on old US-40 into the mountains just west of Salt Lake City. Just after dawn.<\/p>\n
\n this alignment of 40 turns into a road that services an industrial concern, and thus gets rather lousy rather fast.<\/p>\n
\n We probably shouldn’t be going this fast… but we are.<\/p>\n
\n Uh oh, road dead-ended. Time to get out of here. This speed is not all that impressive – except for the fact that we are going
\n Unusual warning signs of the world.<\/p>\n
\n Salty old sign on US-40, pointing (as amended), both<\/i> directions to the east … because, while Wendover is indeed to the west, the on-ramp to I-80, the freeway that replaced US-40, is to the east, just like Salt Lake. The sign goes back to the early 60s, and every year it lists just a little bit more. It was once green and white – now it is white and green. The green background got covered in salt condensation from the Bonneville Salt Flats, while the white letters with reflectors just plain fell off.<\/p>\n
\n Mountains reflecting in the salt wash.<\/p>\n
\n Whatever it is … that’s what it is. Somewhere next to I-80 in western Utah.<\/p>\n
\n More trails in the salt. More fun.<\/p>\n
\n Where cars go to go fast.<\/p>\n
\n And this is how far my rental car went. I can’t remember what it was – some kind of Chevy. Malibu maybe?<\/p>\n
\n We’re in Nevada now. Mountains near Wells.<\/p>\n
\n A distant airplane, over an old, unplowed US-40 alignment.<\/p>\n
\n A river – again near old US-40.<\/p>\n
\n Mountains starting to glow in the last rays of sunset.<\/p>\n
\n Peaks and valleys.<\/p>\n
\n Orange clouds far overhead.<\/p>\n
\n Pretty in pink.<\/p>\n
\n Sun’s gone, but the clouds remain a bit longer.<\/p>\n
\n Heading west on highway 80.<\/p>\n
\n Oddball of a highway sign in Reno, Nevada.<\/p>\n
\n Some ’57 spec I-80 shields float around Reno. Here is one. In fact, I’ll tell you exactly<\/i> where it is!<\/p>\n
\n US-395 around Reno is interstate 580. Why they sign it only on the paddles, I will never know.<\/p>\n
\n The only embossed sign ever put out by California’s Division of Highways. This example sits on the wall of the snowplow depot in Floriston, serving I-80 and Donner Pass.<\/p>\n
\n Old US-40 approaching Donner Pass.<\/p>\n
\n Climbing up Donner Pass.<\/p>\n
\n The view from Donner Pass. Donner Lake down below.<\/p>\n
\n Clouds, as seen from I-80 coming down from the mountains.<\/p>\n