Category Archives: travel

Jackpot

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Places that you may never have heard of

As I travel the country I often pass by places that have interesting names. So when I pass through a place named Jackpot it piques my interest.

A drive from Reno to Yellowstone takes me through some very barren desert terrain. One of the loneliest stretches is when I get off interstate I-80 in Wells, Nevada and head north towards Twin Falls, Idaho. At Wells the highway US93 sign reads “Jackpot – 68 miles”

For the most part this highway is a well-paved two lane road traversing badlands and buttes. As far as I can tell this section of the country in uninhabited.

At 70mph it’s an hour drive until I’m asked to slow down as I enter the town.

The first thing I see are signs for food and gasoline services
As its name suggests Jackpot is home to several casinos tempting visitors with a penchant for gambling.
There are several casinos here. Jackpot sits on the Idaho state line and is the first stop for gaming for visitors traveling from the north.
My guess is that the north south distance of Jackpot is no more than a mile. At north end of town is this sign as you leave Nevada.

So there you have it. An appropriate name for a hopefully lucrative stop off for gaming. Good luck to you.

Still Interested in other places?

These are a several more places that you may never have heard of:

Argenta, Nevada
Aragonite, Utah
Beowawe, Nevada
Dunphy, Nevada
Mercury, Nevada
Rhyolite, Nevada
Vedauwoo, Wyoming
Wamsutter, Wyoming

Rhyolite

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Places that you may never have heard of

I’m a dyed in the wool traveler. In my travels I sometimes run across a place that bears a “funny” name – a place that has an unfamiliar moniker.

Not long ago after taking in the scenic wonders of Death Valley National Park I pointed the rental auto towards my destination: Las Vegas

Shortly thereafter I encountered one of the places with a strange name.

I turned onto a side road and followed it a couple of miles to find a ghost town. Judging from the many weathered foundations here, Rhyolite must have been fairly active years ago.

The Overbury Bldg opened in 1905 housed offices.
The Rhyolite schoolhouse built about 1910 for 250 children
The Cook Bank was first occupied in 1907.
An artistic silhouette of miners at work

When I returned home I spent a few minutes to find out the history of Rhyolite.

The rhyolite mineral is a volcanic substance containing quartz. About 1904 rhyolite was discovered in the area and a large number of prospectors moved to the area in hopes to strike it rich. When electricity came to Rhyolite a large mill was built to mine and process the ore. But the 1907 financial panic soon affected the town, businesses and residents. The mines and mill slowed production and workers left. By 1916 the town was effectively shut down.

If you’re interested you can visit this ghost town by driving from Las Vegas to Beatty, NV and then driving on NV-374 west about four miles.

Still Interested?

Here are a few more places that you may never have heard of –

Argenta, Nevada
Aragonite, Utah
Beowawe, Nevada
Dunphy, Nevada
Jackpot, Nevada
Mercury, Nevada
Vedauwoo, Wyoming
Wamsutter, Wyoming

Watch for the Robots

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A few at CES

I stopped by several of the booths demonstrating robots as the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month.

They come in all sizes and are aimed at various audiences.

Take a look at how they move around.

Rola Mini Pet Monitor

This companion robot lets you observe your pet while you are at work or away from home. This model is $150. A different model can feed your pet.

Visit Enabot

Stealth X30

Industrial grade moves like a dog. With multiple sensors it can walk, run, climb stairs and can operate in harsh environments. Cost is about $65,000.

Visit Deep Robotics

Mirokai

Billed as a “social” robot it can be used in a variety of settings: restaurants, hotels, malls, etc. This programmable character is friendly. Cost is about $16,000.

Visit Enchanted Tools

From the several versions of robots that I saw at CES, they’ll be soon coming to you in droves.

Written by:

Arnie Lee