We’re on the road

By Matt Hufman

Sunday, Sept. 15, 2013 | 8:30 a.m.

Day 1 of the Nevada Heartland trip; morning update

This morning, Mike Smith and I are on the road to start the Finding Nevada project. We were up early (too early, in my opinion, not early enough in Mike’s), and we loaded the Land Rover. (The Land Rover is an amazing vehicle – a 1997 Defender with a spare on the hood. It has a turbo-charged 4-cylinder diesel. Mike wants me to add more details for his fellow gearheads, but we’ll get to that later. Stay tuned.)

We’ve headed northeast toward the ruins of St. Thomas, the town that was flooded when Lake Mead was created.

We’ll take a scenic route and go along what was known as the Arrowhead Trail or Arrowhead Highway. It was what the motorists of the early 1900s would travel going between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. It would essentially go up along what is now Interstate 15 before heading east toward the Valley of Fire. Then, it was on to St. Thomas and across the Muddy River, which is obviously no longer possible.

It’s a good way to start this project because it puts us back in time a bit. And it’s beautiful.

After a stop there, it’s up to Overton and then up U.S. 93. We’ll let you know what we find as we go (or when we have a signal). And if you see us on the road – you can’t miss us – tell our wives and families we’re OK. Stop and say hello. And please, don’t pass on the right. (It’s a pet peeve.)