Everything Changes

E

verything changes. Yes, it does.

I was reading another blog called World Nomad News. Their magazine is called Get Lost at emag.getlostmagazine.com They are a much bigger than Storyteller. They usually suggest places to travel to and what to do when you get there. I think they publish monthly, mostly because the site is very content and picture heavy with multiple subjects and topics.

The latest edition happens to contain a long piece about Nevada and other places to go and see besides Las Vegas. They suggest starting your trip in Reno. That’s near and dear to my heart because that’s the last place my parents lived. They are buried the national cemetery at Fernley. I’ve been traveling to Reno since I was about 15 years old.

Most of the locations were familiar to me, including Tonopah, which to us was always a junction along Highway 95. Bear left and head towards Reno, turn right and go to Duckwater and eventually Utah.

There is a hotel in Tonopah called the Mizpah. During my time of passing through it was of those lesser hotels. It’s undergone renovations a couple of times since then.

Today.

It’s been completely restored. It costs, at a minimum, $200.00 a night. It features 800 thread count Egyptian sheets, handmade soaps and other sundries. Every room is furnished in some old western style. The cafe is called The Pittman. The basic breakfast of two eggs “your way,” sausage or bacon, hash browns and toast. All that for just $15.95.

Meanwhile across the street at Fred’s Fine Foods (I’m made that up. but you know the place) the same meal costs $5.95. It might be greasier but it’s road food. I want greasier.

There is a cemetery, a mining museum and a history park. And, a Texaco. A Shell gas station too. To be sure, there’ kind of downtown too. But, it’s not a place most people stay for very long.

So, why is a $200.00 a night hotel there?

I don’t know but further research — well Googling — reveals that rooms are on sale all summer long for $139.00 a night. Compare that to the Best Western Hi Desert, located almost next door, to their summer discount rate of $199.00 and my choice is clear. I’d rather stay in a historical hotel than a sterile cookie cutter hotel. Or, not stay at all.

I still don’t know why Tonopah seems like a destination when it all ever was for us is a place to refuel or grab a bite to eat.

All I know is that everything changes. This reminded me of that.