2018 Mojave Desert Road Trip Part 8; Leaving Las Vegas (The High Roller, Seven Magic Mountains, and wreckage of Mervyn's)

Upon returning to Las Vegas from the Hoover Dam it was time to close out the first major road trip of 2018. Saturday night I walked over to the High Roller which is the largest Ferris Wheel in the world at 550 feet. The High Roller was opened in March of 2014 and is located essentially directly east of The Flamingo. Rides on the High Roller are about 30 minutes in length from start to finish. What I found interesting was that the Ferris Wheel never stops moving and you literally jump-on/jump-off. There is a giant catch net under the Ferris Wheel pods, unfortunately I didn't get ask if anyone actually fell in.

Sunday afternoon heading out of Las Vegas south on I-15 I turned off onto Las Vegas Boulevard in Sloan. Seven miles south of Sloan is the Seven Magic Mountains which is an art display out in the waste above the Jean Dry Lake. Apparently the colored rocks are 25 feet and were assembled in May of 2016. According to the website the "mountains" will only be on display for two years (so, does that mean someone comes and knocks them over?).

After returning to I-15 I took it south to California State Route 58. A solid tip of advice is to never drive home from Las Vegas on a Sunday afternoon since you'll be competing with all the drivers from Los Angeles and San Diego going home. Suffice to say I was a little too tired to really capture the Hinkley Bypass on CA 58 but it is a pretty solid alignment that really helps mitigate backups at US 395 in Kramer Junction. The Kramer Junction Bypass seems to be in the initial stages with some earth moved to widen out CA 58.

West of US 395 I encountered an oddity I've observed on CA 58 since 2012, a derelict Mervyn's trailer.

Mervyn's was a somewhat large California based clothing retailer that was once owned by Target Corporation and went bankrupt in late 2008. According to local lore I've heard in Victorville the Mervyn's trailer on CA 58 showed up on the side of the highway after the bankruptcy was declared back in 2008. Given there isn't really a fence line CA 58 between Kramer Junction and Boron there might be an ounce of truth in the story, but then again who really knows?

On the way back to Fresno I was able to get a decent CA 202 shield finally for my photo collection. All my previous attempts to obtain a CA 202 have been blurred up or I just haven't around with enough light to capture a moving picture.

Comments

Former US Route 50 and the Pioneer Route Lincoln Highway on Johnson's Pass Road

Johnson's Pass Road is one of the oldest highway corridors in California. Johnson's Pass was part of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road as it was completed during 1856 over the Sierra Nevada. The pass would later be incorporated into the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway in 1913 and US Route 50 in 1926. Johnson's Pass Road would be bypassed by a new alignment of US Route 50 over Echo Summit in 1938. A replacement of the Meyers Grade east of Johnson's Pass would be opened to traffic in 1947. Johnson's Pass Road remains accessible to traffic and is still signed by the Lincoln Highway Association. Pictured as the blog cover is the view from the top of Johnson's Pass Road overlooking modern US Route 50 and Lake Tahoe. Part 1; the history of Johnson's Pass Much of the history of what become the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road is discussed in the September 1950 California Highways & Public Works during its Centennial Edition. The or...

Former US Route 50 and the South Lincoln Highway from Folsom east to Placerville

The corridor of Folsom of Sacramento County east to Placerville of El Dorado County has been a long established corridor of overland travel dating back to the California Gold Rush. The Folsom-Placerville corridor was once part of the path of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road which became the first California State Highway and later the South Lincoln Highway. In time the South Lincoln Highway's surface alignment was inherited by US Route 50. The Folsom-Placerville corridor also includes the communities of; Clarksville, Shingle Springs and El Dorado. Part 1; the history of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road, South Lincoln Highway and US Route 50 through Folsom-Placerville Folsom is located on the American River/Lake Natoma of eastern Sacramento County. That lands now occupied by the City of Folsom were part of Rancho Rio de los Americanos prior to the finding of gold at Sutter's Mill during 1848. During the California Gold Rush the lands of Rancho Rio de los Americanos were p...

Old NC 10 - The Central Highway: Old Fort to Black Mountain through the Royal Gorge

A unique way of tracing the remnants of the Central Highway is through the mountainous terrain of Eastern Buncombe and Western McDowell Counties. From the east on US 70, you reach the base of Blue Ridge Mountains at the town of Old Fort. Old Fort is a tiny rail town that the old Central Highway and now US 70 goes through. The Central Highway can be followed via a right onto Mill Creek Road from US 70. Follow the highway as it takes you closer to the mountains. When Mill Creek Road bears right to head towards Andrews Geyser stay straight until the road ends at a gate. The nearby Piney Grove Church can be used for parking. At this point, the old Central Highway began a 3.5 mile climb of the mountain to Swannanoa Gap. NC 10 and later US 70 travelers followed this road for over 30 years until a new and modern four lane US 70 was built to the south. This same four lane road would eventually become Interstate 40. The Centra...