My uncle and I made the trek to Rachel, Nevada in hopes of grabbing a glimpse of unidentified flying objects, getting as close as possible to top secret Area 51 base, exploring the tourism attractions and most of all document the entire journey with two Nikon cameras.  We headed east through Las Vegas a week before Christmas.  Snowfall had just subsided, but all through Las Vegas the ground was pale.  Beyond Las Vegas, well to the north-east of Las Vegas, there really isn’t much to speak of.  Mostly barren land with the random ranch etched between.   The barren and desolate place was beautiful in the same sense.  Not another human for miles.  The thought crossed my head time and time again, if you had to hide something this would be the place.  We drove just outside of Rachel, NV, which is the famous location of the Little Ale Inn and lies just beyond the turn off to Groom Lake, where Area 51 supposedly resides.  We explored the next day, pulling down random dirt roads, stopping photographing, then moving on.  Late morning, we headed down Groom Lake, possibly thinking we might meet our maker… Anyway, it’s a  dirt road, nicely grated, that goes for miles through nothingness.  It’s a apprehensive, excited feeling driving down the road, because really not sure what is going to happen and you’re constantly aware that there is a sign, that if you pass this sign, you will surely be arrested and detained — and I wasn’t ready to be on any terrorist list just yet.  We arrive after about 30 minutes driving time to the famous sign telling us not to cross, private property, restricted, no cameras, ect.  We flip a “u,” and head out as fast as we headed in.  As we head out, looking to the left and right of us is a truck sitting on top of the one of the bluffs and sensors of some sort on other hills–like stalkers just waiting to pounce when we crossed the ominous restricted area sign.  Overall it was uneventful–well at least the drive, but when you’re in a place as desolate as the Nevada desert, you begin to appreciate the place and see it for all the beauty it offers.  Anyway, why do I bring this up, some information was declassified about Area 51 and the LA Times did an article interviewing 5 former government officials associated with Area 51 and it answered a lot of questions, but opened up a few too.  Check it out “The Road to Area 51″ by Anni Jacobsen.

Also check out the photage from the Nevada Trip