US6 Tonopah s(u) by Bicycle - Velo

US6 Tonopah(sh)

Tonopah is a kind of American version of a hilltown in the dessert. Three major roads converge here, and all of them have to travel uphill to meet here. The official Tonopah Summit on maps refers to the point on I95 immediately south of the town. This point at the junction of US6 and I95 is very close. But location and elevation are different enough to consider it a different point.

Approaches

From North. There is nothing, approaching even a single degree of directional correction, as US6 crosses Ralston Valley, after having traversed over 100 miles without what cars need most - gasoline. Traffic is very light on this road, and cars and trucks passed me at full speed (around 70 or 90 miles an hour), hugging the other side of the road. It was loud, but I got used to the experience.The last part of the climb itself, finishing up into Tonpah, does have a few degrees of curvature. The highest point is reached after passing a collection of trailers, that would be fun to model in a model railroad setting, with all the piles of stuff, dead cars, and other undescribables. From the highest point another road leads to a microwave tower that promises an even better view of this amazing hilltown below.

Looking around Tonopah, I have never seen so many burned down trailers and houses, that have never been cleaned up. Or have these been burned down on purpose ?

From South. (described downwards) Immediately after the high point the road descends a short distance and merges onto two laned I95. Taking a left here and climbing another several dozen feet leads to the official Tonopah Summit. The profile goes right and follows the main street through Tonopah.

One of the more interesting points in Tonopah I found is the cemetery. It adjoins the west side of I95, jammed between the Clown Motel and several leftover trailer wrecks, and a few other structures that once housed something. "Come discover the history of our permanent residents" states a tourist pamphlet in a gazebo. From here you have a great version of this unusual view, overlooking regularly spaced wooden crosses over an acre of dirt.

At the end of town, a truck stop chain is building a large gas station complex, in the attempt to make this unique town a bit more like all the others, that line Interstate highways in deserted areas. On the bike the next thing that happens, is another gigantic alluvial fan decent into Big Smoky Valley. Unfortunately the shoulder is rumble stripped down the middle, soon after the road crosses the county line. This completely ruins an up to now great ride. From here on a ride on I95 is very dangerous for bicycles. I was also the only one on a bicycle in Tonopah during my visit. "All the other guys have motorcycles" commented a woman, in a funny sardonic way" while I ate my lunch on a town bench. "Yes - I noticed"