High Desert Chronicles

My favorite New Mexico 🏃🏻‍♂️ destination - San Antonio Hot Springs. 105 degree water heated by the still active Valles Caldera on the side of the canyon above San Antonio Creek.

They look same because they are the same.

Oops.

A sweeping view from a high desert overlook captures the dramatic, looping bends of a deeply carved river canyon at sunset. The scene shows a series of massive, rounded rock formations—steep, terraced mesas shaped like layered domes—formed by the river winding sharply back and forth hundreds of feet below. The water appears narrow and shadowed, reflecting only a faint glimmer of light as it snakes through the dark, vertical cliffs of reddish-brown rock. The canyon walls display distinct horizontal strata, each layer revealing ages of geological history. Warm golden sunlight spills across the rim in the foreground, illuminating the rough, cracked sandstone and a few tufts of dry desert grass, while the rest of the landscape recedes into cooler shadows. The horizon is flat and expansive, washed in pale light, giving the entire scene a sense of vastness, isolation, and ancient stillness.

Goosenecks State Park, Utah. 2016

A cluttered, warmly lit wooden wall packed with car memorabilia, performance parts, and hundreds of autographed dollar bills. Two gold Ford SVT alloy wheels dominate the center and lower-right of the scene, each scuffed, signed, and mounted like trophies. To the upper left hangs a set of golden, serpentine exhaust headers—twisting metal tubes that look almost sculptural—also covered in signatures. Beneath them is a framed photo of two women posing with a blue Ford SVT Mustang, placed slightly askew among the collage of bills. Near the bottom center is a black Ford GT supercharger intake manifold, labeled with handwritten specs in white marker: “3-30-04,” “0–60 mph: 3.3 sec,” “205 MPH,” and “550 HP.” Surrounding it are small stickers boasting “Powered by SVT,” racing logos, and cheeky comments. To the right of the top wheel is a mounted connecting rod and piston, displayed like a relic, its metallic surface reflecting the warm cabin lighting. Every inch of the wall—between parts, behind them, even in distant corners—is covered in dollar bills taped flat, each one personalized with names, inside jokes, road-trip notes, crude humor, initials, and dates. Some are sun-faded, some fresh and dark inked, creating a patchwork of overlapping greens and tans that serve as the chaotic backdrop. The overall feel is that of a beloved roadside bar or garage shrine dedicated to car culture, horsepower worship, and decades of handwritten stories layered on currency.

Inside the old Sourdough Saloon. Beatty, Nevada. 2019

A wide, sunlit view of Yosemite Valley under a flawless, vivid blue sky. On the left rises the massive granite face of El Capitan, its sheer vertical wall glowing a pale silver in the morning light. On the right, Cathedral Rocks tower above the forest, with Bridalveil Fall streaming down a narrow chute in a bright white ribbon that contrasts with the darker stone. The valley floor is lush and green with meadows and tall pines, and the Merced River flows gently across the foreground, its rippling surface reflecting hints of sky and foliage. The whole scene feels open, quiet, and impossibly clear—classic Yosemite in perfect weather.

Yosemite National Park, California. 2024

A two-lane desert highway curves gently into the distance under dramatic early-evening light. To the left, a faint rainbow rises out of a sun-lit expanse of rocky desert floor, its colors muted but visible against storm clouds. Ahead, a curtain of rain falls from dark gray clouds over a distant mountain range, while patches of blue sky break through on the right. Warm golden light from the low sun casts a glowing orange hue across the landscape, highlighting the barren terrain. A single red vehicle is visible far down the road, emphasizing the vast emptiness of the desert.

Death Valley National Park, California. 2019

Lander County, Nevada. 2025

Rachel, Nevada. 2016

YouTube video by Edison Motors You’ll own NOTHING and be happy?

An important message:

youtu.be/S45rLuY48w4?...

That’s a big deal.

What ban?

STOKES CASTLE Anson Phelps Stokes, mine developer, railroad magnate and member of a prominent eastern family, built Stokes Castle as a summer home for his sons. After the castle (or the tower, as the Stokes family always referred to it was completed in June 1897, the Stokes family used it for two months. Since then, with one possible exception, the structure has remained unoccupied. Stokes Castle is made of huge, granite stones, raised with a hand winch and held in position by rock wedging and clay mortar. The architectural model for the castle was a medieval tower Anson Stokes had seen and admired near Rome. This building originally had three floors, each with a fireplace, plate glass windows, balconies on the second and third floors, and a battlemented terrace on the roof. It had plumbing and sumptuous furnishings. Stokes Castle has served for decades as an iconic Nevada building often photographed by enthusiasts of Western history.

STOKES CASTLE Anson Phelps Stokes, mine developer, railroad magnate and member of a prominent eastern family, built Stokes Castle as a summer home for his sons. After the castle (or the tower, as the Stokes family always referred to it was completed in June 1897, the Stokes family used it for two months. Since then, with one possible exception, the structure has remained unoccupied. Stokes Castle is made of huge, granite stones, raised with a hand winch and held in position by rock wedging and clay mortar. The architectural model for the castle was a medieval tower Anson Stokes had seen and admired near Rome. This building originally had three floors, each with a fireplace, plate glass windows, balconies on the second and third floors, and a battlemented terrace on the roof. It had plumbing and sumptuous furnishings. Stokes Castle has served for decades as an iconic Nevada building often photographed by enthusiasts of Western history. STATE HISTORICAL MARKER NO.59 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AUSTIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

STOKES CASTLE Anson Phelps Stokes, mine developer, railroad magnate and member of a prominent eastern family, built Stokes Castle as a summer home for his sons. After the castle (or the tower, as the Stokes family always referred to it was completed in June 1897, the Stokes family used it for two months. Since then, with one possible exception, the structure has remained unoccupied. Stokes Castle is made of huge, granite stones, raised with a hand winch and held in position by rock wedging and clay mortar. The architectural model for the castle was a medieval tower Anson Stokes had seen and admired near Rome. This building originally had three floors, each with a fireplace, plate glass windows, balconies on the second and third floors, and a battlemented terrace on the roof. It had plumbing and sumptuous furnishings. Stokes Castle has served for decades as an iconic Nevada building often photographed by enthusiasts of Western history.

Austin, Nevada. 2025

DM if you need specifics. Happy to help.

Time for a new mod.

A wide desert plain stretches toward a distant mountain range beneath a dramatic, storm-filled sky. The foreground is a network of dusty tracks crossing a flat, sandy surface dotted with low sagebrush. On the left, a wall of dark, heavy clouds rolls in, creating a sense of weight and impending weather. On the right, the sky opens into pale blue and soft pastels, where sunrise or sunset light paints the snow-covered mountains in glowing pink and coral tones. Low clouds cling to the peaks like a thick blanket. The landscape feels vast, remote, and quiet—an empty high-desert basin framed by shifting light and powerful sky contrasts.

Home means Nevada.

I did it from Reno to Utah a few years ago. I wouldn’t recommend it in anything other than a high clearance 4x4 you know well and trust a great deal. Even then, solo would be very risky.

An oval, mustard-yellow outdoor sign is mounted against vertical wooden planks. At the top, in large serif letters, it reads “The Pony Express.” Beneath the title is a faint, weather-worn map stretching across the entire sign. The map outlines the western and central United States, including California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and Colorado. A thin, reddish line traces the Pony Express route from Missouri to California. Many tiny station names are printed along the route, though most are faded and difficult to read. A few patches of blue—representing lakes or worn-off paint—appear around western Nevada. Near the middle of the route, a small red marker reads “YOU ARE HERE.” At the bottom center of the sign is a simple compass rose pointing north. The overall surface shows scratches, sun fading, and minor discoloration, emphasizing the sign’s age and exposure to the elements.

Fascinated by the PX.

Truly. Nightmare fuel.

Both.

Southeast of Austin.

A lifted, black Ford Raptor sits parked on open desert ground under a dramatic, cloud-filled twilight sky. The truck’s rooftop tent is deployed above the bed, its interior faintly glowing with a soft white light, while vivid red camp lighting spills down from beneath the tent platform. The red illumination washes over the truck’s tires, ladder, surrounding sagebrush, and the dirt below, creating a striking contrast against the dark vehicle and moody sky. In the distance, a faint outline of snow-dusted mountains stretches across the horizon. Two small rocks lie on the ground near the camera, partially glowing in the red light. The overall scene feels remote, cinematic, and quietly intense—an overland camp set against an approaching storm.

Lander County, Nevada. 2025

Credit for the facts above:

A printed pamphlet titled “Did You Know? Nevada Fun Facts” is shown open on a table. The layout uses blue text and playful fonts. On the left page, bullet points explain that Nevada is the 7th largest U.S. state at 110,567 square miles, that Reno is farther west than Los Angeles, and that Reno and Las Vegas are 440 miles apart—comparable to distances like New York to Cleveland or San Diego to San Francisco. Another bullet notes that Las Vegas to Los Angeles is 270 miles, while Reno to San Francisco is 220 miles. On the right page, a headline reads “Nevada is the most mountainous state in the U.S.” followed by facts stating the state has more than 300 named mountain ranges and clarifying the local pronunciation of “Nevada” (“nuh-VAD-uh”). Another section highlights Nevada’s dramatic elevation range of 12,670 feet: the lowest point is 481 feet above sea level on the Colorado River, and the highest point is 13,147 feet at Boundary Peak. Additional text describes the state’s terrain, from Mojave deserts to high-desert valleys, alpine lakes, and mountains. The page has a vertical crease where the pamphlet folds, slightly distorting some text.

Nevada is full of surprises.

Me too. Truly excellent food. I stop every time I come out this way.

A warmly lit bar interior with a ceiling completely covered in overlapping U.S. one-dollar bills, each scribbled with names, messages, and doodles from past visitors. The bills form a dense patchwork tapestry, and across the center a large hand-painted mural stretches over dozens of them, showing a cartoonish, tough-looking wildcat standing with arms crossed inside a circular outline. Above the character, bold black letters read “ANYTIME BABY!!” and below it “TOMCATS 2004.” More layers of signed bills extend across the rafters, some curling slightly with age. Below the ceiling, the top shelf of the back bar displays an eclectic lineup of vintage figurines—musicians, miners, and old-west characters—standing among glowing bulbs and old glass bottles labeled with words like “Poison.” Behind them, the wall is covered with an assortment of weathered Nevada license plates, postcards, and other memorabilia. The entire scene has a nostalgic, cluttered, saloon-like feel, rich with personality and decades of visitor contributions.

Middlegate Station, Nevada. Now

I think this is particularly relevant for these times.

I got to watch the Space Shuttle Endeavour fly into retirement at Ellington Field, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas thirteen years ago. My video tribute.
youtu.be/otVghTZNVnQ?...

I’ll probably put it on the roof rack and run the exhaust to exit well below the tent. CO is heavier than air, so theoretically…