Rachel, Nevada

[Bounder]

Yassas, people.

How many of you have been fortunate enough to visit that barely-even-a-hamlet of a spot called Rachel, 80 miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada?

I went for a week in August, 2009.  Stayed three of the nights in my own little tin singlewide.  It had 70's-circa UFO photos in frames on the wall -- allegedly bequeathed by a defunct Florida UFO museum.  They were gorgeous, film-era shots.  Mostly South America, as I recall.  The desert terrain absolutely besotted me -- I had pictured trackless waste baking in an unrelenting sun and found instead a rich and highly diverse ecosystem, literally buzzing with life.  Quite apart from the humans abiding in the town itself, characters all.  The little "A Le Inn" there is a cosmic Grand Central Station.  I actually sat a barstool down from Steve Medlin, once, the guy that picks up his mail at the Black Mailbox. 

Bob Lazar, George Knapp, Stanton Friedman, the ID4 cast, every nobody that was ever somebody in UFO-dom and more has passed through that place and posted an 8x10 glossy on the wall (so it seemed).  I tell you, I could reach out and touch the history there.  And then, nights -- since this was August -- I and a stranger or two would sit to watch the Red Flag dogfights striping the night with sound and fury.  Flare drops, sonic booms, the works.  Like all of the Atomic Age concentrated into a two-hour show.

When I was there a contractor had come up from points south and set up a little office modular next to the Inn.  He was, we discovered, supervising the installation of some new dormitories at "the site" -- just over the mountains -- but as a civilian hadn't been granted permission to pass the inner gate.  Wow!  Suddenly, real.

Just wonder how many others out there have experienced this wonderful little world.  I'd love to hear your stories.

[MV/Liberace!]

great imagery, bouonder.  i've never been to that town, but it sounds great.  i have a strong desire to live in the southwest, but my wife is originally from morocco and has no desire whatsoever to live in the desert.

[Usagi]

Why is there a giant picture of Colonel Sanders when you look at the Google map of this place?

[Fly By Night]

Bounder, how close to Groom Lake did you get? Close enough to see any camo dudes?

[GuerrillaUnReal]

I love me some Rachel, NV. Driven through there a few times on my way back from Vegas to Seattle. Absolutely beautiful and haunting country out there. Driving through that desert late at night while listening to C2C was one of the most pleasurable experiences of my life. Took my picture at the black mailbox. And I have to say... the burgers at the Little Ale'Inn are fantastic. I'd love to spend a few nights or even go explore out there a bit but I just haven't had the time yet.

[Bounder]

You have to at least visit, Michael.  I've a fondness for most terrains that can be lived in but the sun's own country is difficult to deny.  Something purifying, out there.

Usagi: Colonel Sanders is, I was told, a ghost -- an out-of-date satellite shot of what was once a real-life rubber-mat mosaic placed there by KFC.  I looked for it, too.  What you can't see from space are the rows of fading, flaked-paint Union Carbide bus fleets, from Rachel's glory days as a prosperous Tungsten Mine boomtown.

Fly By Night: I got right up next to the gate, twice!  On both occasions I encountered The Dudes.  Both instances were fully creepy.  The angle they're at on the hill, off to the right, you can't make out details -- only silhouettes.  The second time I was there, a whole gaggle of international tourists was also present, and one of them stepped too near one of the horribly inadequate perimeter marker-stakes -- triggering a headlight flash from the Dudes' 4x4.  The entire (long) drive to the outer gate, if you look for them, you notice tiny steel wires sticking straight up among the contorted Joshua Trees -- according to several guides, these are vibration sensors to alert the base of any approaching vehicles.  The gate itself is easy to miss, except the USE OF DEADLY FORCE AUTHORIZED sign.  I asked what might happen if one were to accidentally slip past and get to the inner gate -- apparently this happens on a not-as-infrequent-as-you'd-expect basis.  The minimum penalty (as of 2009) is a mandatory $700.00 fine and one night in the Lincoln County jail.

GuerrillaUnReal: When I went, it was an absurdly low $45/night to basically have an entire mobile home to myself.  Pre-loaded with coffee.  Factor it in next time you're out to Las Vegas, you'll love it.

[Usagi]

How does one pronounce "Little-Ale Inn"?

[Bounder]

A as in "ladle," Lee rhymes with "free," and Inn sounds like "pin."

[Usagi]

Thanks.  That's how I assumed it was pronounced, but I realized I didn't know for sure.

I'd truly love to go out there sometime, to the Southwest in general.  Something certainly strongly draws me to it, but I feel like I need to wait for the right time in my life to go. 

I went to Vegas once for some corporate fun a number of years ago, but it was a fly in-fly out long weekend, so I don't feel like I can say I've actually been to the Southwest.

[JustOneFix]

Why is there a giant picture of Colonel Sanders when you look at the Google map of this place?

Your post had me curious- sure enough there's the Colonel!!!!!!!

[C110]

Post some pics!

[DoYouThinkItWasAngels]

From time to time I check out the trip reviews at http://www.dreamlandresort.com/ I'd love to see that part of the country, but I'm afraid there might not be too much to do.  However, I guess there's nothing like Red Flag anywhere else.

[Bounder]

If you like stories and people, there's plenty to occupy your attention at Rachel.

Some pictures!

[Lunger]

First went to Rachel in '96.  Ate at the Little A'Le'Inn, which had the best chili that I ever had, and saw the black mailbox.


Got a flat and limped back to Vegas

[Fly By Night]

Nice Pics!