We left Tonopah later than we wanted, because the altitude gave Elsa a nosebleed which 
Range cattle
needed to be conquered - it was, but it made us late for breakfast. The Best Western where we have been staying gave us a good breakfast again, with the same menu we remember from pre-Pandemic times. The weather is slightly warmer, and the sun was bright.
The route, U.S. 6, deserved the title of Loneliest Highway more than U.S. 50, which we had traveled from Ely to Austin two days ago. We continue to alternate between basin and range, with many high passes. All of the countryside is dry; even the sparse desert shrubs seem dry and thin. We found a couple of dry lakes which ordinarily have some water in the winter, but today we saw only dry desert landscape in the basins.
Alien gift shop
About 50 miles east of Tonopah, in Warm Springs, we turned south on the Extraterrestrial Highway, Nevada route 375. We began to see signs for range cattle, and at one point a cow strolled onto the road in front of us. We slowed to a stop. She stopped also, turned her head, and apparently considered what she should do. After a minute she slowly moved on across the road.
In Rachel, Nevada, we found the Little A Le Inn, with decorations to illustrate the idea. Some other businesses have included spacemen and spacecraft in their outdoor décor. We did not try to get to Area 51 but we did spot, later on, some military aircraft. Farther 
Western Elite landfill rules
down the road, a black mailbox interested us. It was decorated with Ufology messages and illustrations.
In Crystal Springs we left the Extraterrestrial Highway and picked up U.S. 93, which we had travelled earlier this trip between Jackpot and Ely. With lakes and a small river, this was the location of many prosperous cattle ranches, and a lot of heavier traffic. Another 50 miles brought us to Western Elite, a private landfill where hundreds of truckers daily bring truckloads of waste from booming Las Vegas to neighboring Lincoln County. The owner 
Ryan Henge
has taken some of the profits to build a park-like improvement between his ranch home and the mountainous landfill.
Open to the public and called Ryan Henge, this development includes a concrete chessboard, sundial, and a world map surrounded by a pillared wall somewhat suggestive of Stonehenge. Other exhibits include a walking labyrinth like the ones found in Europe, with a pattern similar to one in Chartres Cathedral; railroad cars, fire engines, and a large menagerie including, among others, zebra, camel, water buffalo, llama, and donkey.
Menagerie at Ryan Henge
Western Elite has severe restrictions and does not take household waste. The landfills are quite high and growing. As we continued on our way South towards Las Vegas, we passed almost a dozen semi-trailer trucks bringing in more waste - in just one hour.
We're staying at Sam's Town, a 650-room resort located far from the Strip built by independent developer Sam Boyd in 1979 and expanded eight times since. It was pleasant to find 70-degree weather this afternoon. The hotel is not busy, even though this is a national holiday weekend. Our room is comfortable and attractive and since our last visit in the 1990s has expanded to a ten story rectangular building with an enormous and elaborate central atrium featuring tropical plants and trees with a laser light water show performing several times daily (we watched from our hotel room). Bob's charm enabled us to get a room close to where we had parked!