Baker, NV - Whimsey With Serious Undertones

We’re staying in a gravel lot in back of a Sinclair gas station in Baker NV, a town of 100. This is the only gas station in town so we see quite a few people stopping if we look out of our windows. Several mornings ago, we saw this contraption come rumbling down the road, pull into the station followed by a swarm of state trooper cars. Wow, quite a show. We expected some trouble since there were 8 state troopers there but they were actually escorting this vehicle with a huge oversized load down the road. It is actually a wind turbine cap for a turbine in a wind farm back down the highway towards Ely. We passed a wind farm yesterday and suppose that this is going there.

Here’s a picture of the whole rig and, trust me on this, it is all hooked together: front truck, wind turbine cap and rear truck. If you think a semi is long, try passing this baby on a highway.

There’s a truck in front then the long carrier for the turbine top and another truck in back being towed. The truck in back is probably for managing the load and keeping it from swaying across the lanes. Gary went out to take pictures of this and was speaking with one of the drivers of one of the lead trucks. She is actually the owner of the company and asked if he could send her a picture of the whole rig and operation since she’s always been in the parade and never had a chance to take a picture.

Actually, we think they all stopped here to use the bathroom. But it was pretty exciting for this small area.

Every now and then in our travels we stay in what I’ve always called a ‘quirky’ town. However, I guess that the word ‘quirky’ has a bad connotation so I think I’ll start calling them whimsical. Bisbee and Quartzsite, Arizona are both whimsical along with Borrego Springs, CA. Neat spots to visit and I suppose what makes them so whimsical is that many artists live in them. All of the 3 spots mentioned above have lots of public art around the town and I’ve put pictures of this in my previous journals.

Baker also has lots of interesting art around and about. The road from Baker up to Great Basin NP is lined with various artistic creations. Here’s a sculpture of Bob and Barb Wire.

Here is the entry sign for the Rollin Springs Ranch.

Here’s a guy with an opinion.

Here’s a street sign I liked.

The restaurant / convenience store, etc where we spent some time is also whimsical. It is called the Lectrolux Restaurant and here is the outside and then a picture of one of the art pieces hanging from the ceiling

Whimsey aside, there is a very serious undercurrent to Baker. Firstly, it is very difficult to make a living here in this small town. Several businesses which were open last year have closed now. Here is one of them.

Another problem is that Las Vegas wants to tap into its water supply. Las Vegas seems to use more water than they have down there. Now, I’m not talking about the water for washing, for cooking, for all those normal tasks of everyday life. However, I would ask, how much water evaporates in the hot desert summer sun in the Bellagio fountains, in the canals around the Venetian or in all the other fountains and pools dotting the area? Another question is, are golf courses and lawns viable in a desert? Obviously the people of Baker feel that they don’t have enough to share with Vegas fountains and golf courses and are protesting the diversion of their water to Vegas.

Here is a sign posted on the main road that the citizens of Baker put up. It is a pipe that would be used to ship their water to Vegas. A pretty big pipe.

Meanwhile, while we were in the National Park, we heard some heavy equipment sounds and the Park Superintendent told us that they are exploring the water table in the area to see just how much water they have. He suspects that they do not have enough to ship any acre feet to Vegas but wants facts to back himself up.