Nevada

55

mikemjensen History, Road Trip, Useless Observations Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

Remember when road trips took forever? Whoever thought 55MPH was a good idea, never had to drive across Nevada. Especially between Reno and Salt Lake City. We did it at least once every year.

I-80 was the name of the road, but it wasn’t finished for years. When the Interstate approached the small towns of Lovelock, Winnemucca, Battle Mountain, and Elko; the road ended and all traffic was diverted through the middle of town. In addition to the slower speed limit, these diversions made the trip go even longer. What now takes maybe 8 hours, used to take 12-14 hours.No_55

We covered 300 miles today in 5 hours. Mostly 2 lane roads, some with passing lanes, we still traveled faster than the old 55.

And with air conditioning. Good air conditioning. I’ve crossed that desert a few times without it but I can do without that merit badge.

Traveling has changed a lot in my life time. Some of it I miss, like actually seeing the small towns you zoom pass now, but most of it do not. I think on this subject, progress has served us well.

What’s the line from the Billy Joel song- “The good old days weren’t always that good, and tomorrow isn’t as bad as it seems.”

Because, in the words of another song, but this time by Sammy Hagar; “I can’t drive 55.”

 

Post 3-106

Sunday Thought- Psalms 1: 1-3

mikemjensen Sunday Thoughts, Uncategorized Tags: , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

Don’t cave to peer pressure you know is wrong but do what is right, and it’ll work out for you in the end.

Psalms 1: 1-3:

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

tree%202-%2025

The photo was taken of my favorite tree, growing outside of Battle Mountain, Nevada on one of our family trips to Carson City. I hiked from the frontage road, through the sage brush to get the right shot. I had this scripture in mind when I took it. I picked the stickers out of my socks for the rest of the long drive that day. This picture has brought me joy ever since.

Day 34

 

A Ticket By Any Other Name

mikemjensen Interesting Stuff (to me anyway), Vanity Tags: , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Hey Kids,

I saw today that Nevada is considering a speed limit change on some of their more remote highways. They are proposing an increase to a posted 85MPH.

I like Nevada and don’t find the landscape as god-awful as many others will decry, but I do think the faster one can move from one point to another in the long stretches of the high mountain desert, the better. It’s always best to leave people wanting more. However, I do feel slighted by this change.

Back in 1984, I received a ticket for going 68 in the posted 55 outside of Elko. There are some who still feel that 55 is the right speed limit, but those people have never traveled I-80 form Salt Lake to Reno. The fact that I could contain my speed to 68 is actually amazing. I say ticket, but in reality it was a citation. A non-moving citation. Let me explain.

The state of Nevada knew that 55MPH was a mistake, maybe borderline cruel. Everyone knew it. Unfortunately, Nevada also knew that if they did not adhere and enforce the Federal mandated inane speed limit, they would cease to receive highway money. So someone, either the Nevada Highway Patrol or maybe state elected officials, created another option.

Instead of issuing tickets for every offender, tickets that could be costly and added points onto the driver’s record, NHP officers could, under certain guidelines, issue a Waste of Fuel Citation. It meant that they were enforcing the speed limit as mandated but without the heavy handed penalties. If one really wanted to, you could rack a few of these up and go a little faster. My citation cost me $15. Had I been going 70, I would’ve got a ticket.

It still irks me that on a stretch of highway now posted for 80 and possibly 85 soon, I had to pay $15 for speeding. I was making a teenager wage of $4.25; it was not chump change for me at the time. Afterwards, I kept the speedometer in the 1977 Camaro 64 or under and avoided any additional legal entanglements.

Maybe I was safer for it. Maybe I saved fuel. Maybe I wrecked the planet a little less that day. But it made for a long drive back to California.

 

I Can't Drive 55

I Can’t Drive 55

Day 15