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Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

Driving 1915 Lincoln Hwy West Of Ely, Nevada


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After camping at Illipah Res, 40 miles east of Ely, Nevada, I dicided to take the old way to town. Started near Mooreman's

Ranch and drove across Jakes Valley, nice old road looked like this:

 

http://www.wtv-zone.com/cwit/pics/LincolnHwy1.jpg

 

Starting into the climb the road was still good:

 

http://www.wtv-zone.com/cwit/pics/LincolnHwy2.jpg

 

Another picture going up hill:

 

http://www.wtv-zone.com/cwit/pics/LincolnHwy3.jpg

 

Saw the first making heading east since leaving new hwy 50.

 

http://www.wtv-zone.com/cwit/pics/LincolnHwy4.jpg

 

At about 7000' ran into the first pine trees:

 

http://www.wtv-zone.com/cwit/pics/LincolnHwy6.jpg

 

Not far after that, arrived at Jakes Summit:

 

http://www.wtv-zone.com/cwit/pics/LincolnHwy8.jpg

 

Road downhill wasn't bad, but neaded high clearance:

 

http://www.wtv-zone.com/cwit/pics/LincolnHwy9.jpg

 

After a nice down hill ride of 4 or 5 miles, came to mine property. The road for the next couple of miles ran

on top of a dike they made. After leaving the dike the road got worse. Lucky, there were more sign here.

The road had steep up and down hills, some over solid rock making 4x4 a must. The road ended near Ruth.

 

I didn't see Reipetown or Kimberly. Don't if the last section was made after the mines dug up these town or not.

 

Dale

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Dale,

 

Wonderful photos!

 

If I haven’t mentioned it, don’t miss the University of Michigan Lincoln Highway photo archives at

 

http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/image-idx?c=linchigh

 

Here is a shot from their collection of Jake’s Valley, 6 miles east of Moormans. Look familiar?

 

ARJakes.jpg

 

 

Your intuition was good. The road between the base of Jakes Summit and Ruth is “new.” The old road was destroyed by mining operations

 

Great photos! I was practically riding along!

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Dave

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Dale,

 

Wonderful photos!

 

If I haven’t mentioned it, don’t miss the University of Michigan Lincoln Highway photo archives at

 

http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/image-idx?c=linchigh

 

Here is a shot from their collection of Jake’s Valley, 6 miles east of Moormans. Look familiar?

 

http://www.pair.com/davepaul/americanroad/ARJakes.jpg

 

Your intuition was good. The road between the base of Jakes Summit and Ruth is “new.” The old road was destroyed by mining operations

 

Great photos! I was practically riding along!

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Dave

 

 

Dale,

 

Here is another of the University of Michigan shots on Jake’s Summit.

 

ARJakes2.jpg

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Dave

 

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Nice shots Dale, you captured the essence of the old road. That's a section I hope to drive someday.

 

Where you able to make it all the way into Ely or did you have to double back?

 

When you're out in the middle of nowhere its nice to have those Lincoln markers to confirm that you're on the right road, isn't it?

 

Roadhound

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Thanks to all of you on your nice replies.

 

Dave,

After downloading my tracks to Delorme Street Atlas I could see how the road would have gone straight

across and the 4x4 section was a way to get around the mines.

Thanks for the links.

 

Here is another picture at Jakes Summit looking in the direction of your picture. Lot more trees now.

 

http://www.wtv-zone.com/cwit/pics/LincolnHwy10.jpg

 

 

Roadhound,

We were able to hit the paved road a mile or less from Ruth and drive into Ely for lunch. It is a nice section to drive, other parts

are wide graded roads now and don't have the feeling this part has.

 

DennyG,

Didn't want to stop and take pictures of where 4x4 was a must. For a long time I thought high clearence 2 wheel drive was you needed.

Edited by DaleS
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Great pictures - as I looked at them I began to wonder if this was one of the routes that the Hudson drivers took when they made the record breaking trans-continental run from Frisco to New York City and back in 1916. I have one picture that shows the car crossing the Sierra Madre mountains headed west for Frisco - but that would be west of where you went.

 

It's interesting to note that the 1916 Hudson trans-con's were done, in both directions, in around 5½ days each way!!!! The average driver today, on the interstates, would be hard pressed to do it in that time. Even giving the great (if somewhat illegal) Cannonball racers their due - the record across the U S, set during the 1979 Cannonball race, currently stands at 32:51 set by Dave Heinz and Dave Yarborough in a XJS Jaguar, if I read the chart correctly.

 

But another point to think about - in 1921, I think it was, the Hudson Motor Car Company turned 4 Essex touring cars loose - 2 headed east from Frisco and 2 headed west from NYC. The idea was to set a transcontinental record, which they did, doing it between 4 and 5 days. These runs are the more impressive when you look at Dale's pictures and realize the road wasn't much better in 1915!!!

 

Hudsonly,

 

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

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A couple of us went on about same ride today on our dirt bikes. We went through the buildings (new trailers) at Mooreman's Ranch from the west of there.

A Lady came driving out in a pickup and didn't want us to go though their property. :angry: Made us ride down the pavement 3 miles to a public road and come in the way I took Sunday.

 

We only went as far as the dike in the mining area, no sence in riding the bypass road to Ruth and come back short on gas.

 

Dale

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This is a picture of Jakes Summit now. Quite a difference from the one that Dave posted. Tried to take it in the same place.

 

http://www.wtv-zone.com/cwit/pics/Jakes_Summit.jpg

 

Dale

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This is a picture of Jakes Summit now. Quite a difference from the one that Dave posted. Tried to take it in the same place.

 

http://www.wtv-zone.com/cwit/pics/Jakes_Summit.jpg

 

Dale

 

Dale,

 

The only thing missing is the snow on the mountain in the background!

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Dave

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Great pics, looks like it would be a fun trip, be it by 4 X 4 or by bike. Question, I am trying to find the area on Google maps (quickly as I am at work, so I may have overlooked it). What town or landmarks would I look for to locate that area? Additionally, can anyone recommend online resources for tracing the 1915 route (again I just started looking, figured I save some time by asking).

 

Thanks,

 

Jason

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Great pics, looks like it would be a fun trip, be it by 4 X 4 or by bike. Question, I am trying to find the area on Google maps (quickly as I am at work, so I may have overlooked it). What town or landmarks would I look for to locate that area? Additionally, can anyone recommend online resources for tracing the 1915 route (again I just started looking, figured I save some time by asking).

 

Thanks,

 

Jason

 

Jason,

 

Give me a couple of minutes and I'll get you the coordinates. Dale is nothwest of Ely, Nevada, and south and east of the present US 50.

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Dave

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Most recently Dale has been in and around the area east and north of Ely, Nevada. I have shown it in green on the map below from Moorman’s ranch on the west to Ruth on the East, and over Jakes Summit.

 

He has wandered further afield, but that is the general location of the most recent postings.

 

I’ll answer your question about directions in a minute.

 

Oh, and if Dale is around today he will certainly correct my errors!

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Dave

 

ARJakesSummit.jpg

 

 

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Thanks Dave,

 

That helped tremendously, was able to go back to Google and pull up the satellite view, zoom in and presto, "Old Lincoln Highway" appeared labeling the road near Jakes summit. Being a Midwesterner I haven't familiarized myself with the maps out that direction yet. I'll keep working at it, Thanks for leading the blind!

 

Jason

 

 

 

Most recently Dale has been in and around the area east and north of Ely, Nevada. I have shown it in green on the map below from Moorman’s ranch on the west to Ruth on the East, and over Jakes Summit.

 

He has wandered further afield, but that is the general location of the most recent postings.

 

I’ll answer your question about directions in a minute.

 

Oh, and if Dale is around today he will certainly correct my errors!

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Dave

 

ARJakesSummit.jpg

 

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Thanks Dave,

 

That helped tremendously, was able to go back to Google and pull up the satellite view, zoom in and presto, "Old Lincoln Highway" appeared labeling the road near Jakes summit. Being a Midwesterner I haven't familiarized myself with the maps out that direction yet. I'll keep working at it, Thanks for leading the blind!

 

Jason

 

Jason,

 

Very happy to help!!!

 

I’m not sure that there is an on line source for the 1915 Lincoln Highway, but we can make some available. Kind of ironically, I had made up a map of the route Dale was following using Google Earth when Dale was in Hamilton, but erased it a couple of days ago!

 

Assuming you don’t find the maps on line, (and I doubt you will) what do you need? When you toss a bone to an old map guy like me, you need to narrow it down a bit!

 

If you are looking for a detailed description of the entire road, I would suggest you contact the Lincoln Highway Association as I believe they have something on CD now.

 

If you just need the general route nationally you will probably find it with a search on “Lincoln Highway” and if not, I can scan a map for you.

 

On the other hand, if you want me to lay out the route in eastern Nevada I can probably do that for you using a Google Earth or Delorme base. If you want a 191X map, I can probably provide it, but that isn’t terribly useful since you won’t know (at least in detail) how it relates to modern terrain and roads.

 

Finally, if you are not certain just what you need, share your thoughts and interests and someone here will have a suggestion where to look to satisfy them.

 

Thanks for the interest and post…now you better get back to work because this stuff can be addictive! B)

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Dave

 

 

 

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Sorry to have interested in other things the last week and not checking in, I was at the Bonneville Salt Flats watching the motorcycle land speed meet.

 

I have made up a picture of my tracks:

 

http://www.wtv-zone.com/cwit/pics/Jakes.jpg

 

Started on a dirt road off hwy 50, 3 miles east of Moorman's Ranch (They wont let you go through the ranch) and ending on the paved road near Ruth.

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Sorry to have interested in other things the last week and not checking in, I was at the Bonneville Salt Flats watching the motorcycle land speed meet.

 

I have made up a picture of my tracks:

 

http://www.wtv-zone.com/cwit/pics/Jakes.jpg

 

Started on a dirt road off hwy 50, 3 miles east of Moorman's Ranch (They wont let you go through the ranch) and ending on the paved road near Ruth.

 

 

Dale,

 

Thanks! Iy is good to have "for the record!"

 

Are you going to follow the Lincoln in Utah and east of Ely?

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Dave

 

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Dave, no I am not going to follow the Lincoln Hwy in Ibapah this year. Doesn't look like much of it is old road. I may next year.

Heading south for the winter, at Pioche, NV now looking at old mines.

 

Dale

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