Old Timers In Nevada Took Advantage Of Natural Building Materials In The High Desert ~ ROCKS (I Love Rocks) This is one of several that I found that was built into the bluff. Even has a two car garage built out of rocks.

This sign almost came home with me, I know a good location for it. It may be duplicated at a later date. It was located at a Rest Area, surely glad they tested the water and posted it. I have to wonder how many people stop there at night and do not see the sign?

The business community of Granby, Colorado also provided me a couple of days of humor.
I do not know who is in charge of their marketing, but one would think that one of these businesses should not be sandwiched between the other two. "Hey, kids go in and buy yourself a "Happy Meal" or a Foot Longer", I am going into this store and buy myself a "Happy Jug"! As big as the parking lot is, surely there is room for a "Pawn Shop" or perhaps a good location for an "Adult Gift Store" next to Burger King and Taco Bell.

In all seriousness, if you enjoy history or old buildings, spend sometime exploring Nevada from Las Vegas north to the Oregon border. It is a great place, desolate and miles of straight highway, but unique in it's own rugged way. I will explore it once again, perhaps my bucket list for next year.
Goldfield, Nevada which is located on Highway 95 just a few miles from Death Valley in California. It is a living ghost town. At one time, it was the largest City in Nevada during the gold and silver days, population 25,000 to 30,000. Today, ten or twelve blocks of empty buildings sit vacant, boarded up, remnants of the turn of the century. There is a two story hotel that takes up a half city block, peeking through the dusty windows, I could make out the lobby furnishings, including the front desk with the ornate wood trim. It was beautiful and sitting idle for many years. There is only a handful of businesses in Goldfield today, most of them doing business in antiques. I did find a little corner grocery store. Very little inventory but they did have a coffee pot. A lady was operating the store as I made my way to the coffee bar. There were two men much senior to me standing by the coffee bar, enjoying a cup of coffee. Both very helpful, showed me where the cups and sugar was at and even poured me a cup of coffee. I would place them in their late 80's perhaps early 90's. Both dressed in slacks, a dress shirt and pull over sweater. We struck up a conversation from my questions I posed to them about Goldfield. They were raised there as youngsters and have lived there throughout their life. One asked me if I had family, I replied that I did and told him of my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. One of them replied that they had outlived their families. They recalled the glory days, the bars, saloons, brothels, and gunfights in the street. When I had came in, they were having a discussion on country western music with the lady that worked in the store. One of them asked me if I liked harmonica music. I replied that I did, that I had a friend in Alaska that played the harmonica but Bob had passed away. He asked me if I would like to hear a piece of music, as he reached into his pocket and pulled out this harmonica. His eyes stared into mine and he said, "I don't play that country stuff, I play classical harmonica". He commenced on his chosen piece of music, I watch his hand movements and lips coordinate the music that transpired, every once in awhile he had to pause long enough just to get some air into his lungs to continue. The entire time he played, he never look away from the eyes of his friend, as if he was seeking approval of how he was doing. Being classical, it was a very long piece of music, a good seven or eight minutes. Afterward, as we visited he asked me if I had recognized the piece, I got lucky as I did not know the piece, but I knew if had come from the "Big Band Era". He smiled, "young man, you are right, Tommy Dorsey made it popular, but the original composer was ..........." He told me all about the European composer who had written the piece. As I walked to the front counter to pay for my coffee, they followed me. At the counter, I shook their hands and once again thanked him for playing for me, it was very enjoyable. As I turned to leave, his friend came up beside me and whispered "thank you for taking the time to listen to him play and for the kind words that you said about him, you have made him happy man today." I considered myself the lucky one to have had the opportunity to meet them.
This is just another one of those reason's that I do not drive the Interstate Highway System, I do not want to be in such a hurry that I cannot spend a forty five minutes of my time visiting people like this.