Author Archives: Erika
Major’s Place route 50
Not long after crossing the border from Utah into Nevada on route 50 about 15 minutes before Ely is a road-side place called Major’s Place. It’s a bar and grill with decent burgers and fries and nice company. It seems like a hole in the wall, but a lot of people have passed through from all over the country. You can sign a dollar bill and they’ll let you staple them to the wall. I saw dollars from Germany and Australia even. The bar tender and owner, Don, said Jason and I have brains in our heads. ” I get people bicycling from Maine and some even walk across country dragging carts that weigh a ton! They always seem to stop here.” He told us he was originally from Cincinnati, so we had a nice conversation about 5 way chili. He said, “Oh man! You guys had Skyline chili! I sure miss that chili!” Unfortunately, Don’s about about to sell his place to a guy sitting at the end of the bar. He said he didn’t like the cold winter.
Crossing Utah
Moab Utah
We just descended that canyon
Shafer Trail
Shafer Trail ahead
stormy desert
stormy desert
Colorado River below
Musselman Arch
stormy desert
rain in the desert
Canyon puddles
Wet Canyonland
ascending Lathrop Canyon
Muddy Jeep
Moab Utah
We decided to take a break from the highway and spend a day in Moab, Utah. I’ve never been to the desert, so the photographer in me wanted to click some off. J had recommended renting a Jeep and off-roading the Shafer Trail to the White Rim Trail to the Lathrop Canyon down to the Colorado River. We rented a Jeep until 6pm, so we decided to go as far as we could and turn back at the halfway point.
The trails were described as intimidating to some but safe with the right vehicle for off-roading.
They were dirt rocky roads with a dramatic drop off on one side. If I kept my eyes on the road my vertigo wouldn’t be tripped. But I couldn’t help looking with that view.
Just as we were about to reach the Colorado River, we had to turn back. We would’ve run into a flash flood anyway, a big storm opened up and dumped a ton of rain on us.
Now we had a muddy jeep to wash to avoid the fines, but we had a blast !
We ran out of time to see Arches National Park. There’s so much to see and do, we really needed a week to get it all in. Now we have an excuse to return some day.
Entering Utah
Moab, Utah
Moab, Utah
Me in Moab, Utah
Moab, Utah
Moab, Utah
Moab, Utah
Near Dillon Pinnacles
Near The Dillon Pinnacles
The Dillon Pinnacles
Autumn in The Rocky Mountains
I don’t really have much to say about the Rockies other than they are as beautiful as people say. I definitely recommend visiting in mid-late September when all the birch trees are turning yellow.
All the kids are back to school so the summer vacationers are gone and the ski season is a couple of months away. So lodging is slightly cheaper. We ended up staying a night at a hot spring resort to ease our weary bones. 
I didn’t think I’d get altitude sickness, but both Jason and I woke up feeling hung over. I definitely felt as if I had just run a mile when all I did was walk up some stairs to get a few shots at The Continental Divide.
Now it’s onward to the Moab Desert, but with a lot of beautiful scenery along Route 50 to keep us company.
