Rachel/Area51
January 4, 2008
During the recent break in Vegas, we took a trip out to Rachel. It’s somewhere I wanted to go, but never really had the time or had a reason. As Vegas itself is getting a little boring now (pretty much done all the interesting things on or near the strip), it was a great opportunity for a day trip.
First off, Rachel is quite a distance from Las Vegas. Also, it’s in the middle of nowhere. I sort of knew this already, but getting out there really did bring it home. The stark high-desert scenery is spectacular, but other than a few small towns you go though on the way, and a couple of ranches/homesteads, there seriously is nothing around. If you head out there expecting anything, then you will be disappointed.
Obviously the place is famous for the “secret” test center at Groom Lake, otherwise known as Area51. I’m not one that subscribes to the conspiracy theory that UFO’s are housed/reverse engineered/tested there - it’s clearly somewhere that the US military goes when they want to be alone (the remoteness and geography virtually guarantees this) to develop and test new aircraft, like the F-117 (stealth fighter) and B-2 (stealth bomber), which although was unveiled to the public in the late 80’s, were being developed in this very place as early as the 70’s. This is what is really interesting, to me at least; the cutting edge research and technology being done here.
However, a trip out that far certainly warrants a little bit of tourism, so a quick drive down Groom Lake Road was in order, which I wouldn’t advise in anything less than a SUV - although it’s supposedly a “reasonably well maintained dirt road”, it was still too rough for us in our little Prius to drive the 13.8 miles to the border (just to take a few pictures of warning signs that we couldn’t get out and go next to anyway because they are inside the border perimeter of the facility, and although there’s no “fence”, go anywhere past the orange poles and there’s a good chance of getting arrested!).
A quick stop off at the “Black Mailbox”, and it was off for something to eat and drink at the Little A’Le’Inn.
Once again, if you are expecting a lot here, then I guess you might be a little disappointed - it is after all a trailer in a tiny desert town. However, it’s a fun down to earth place (which is ironic as a most people headed out this way are probably UFO nuts) and Betty, who was the only staff on duty (this time of year is very quiet she told us) was really friendly and served up good coffee and their signature Alien Burger 
After a little bit of shopping for tourist tat, it was back to Vegas.
Posted in Trip Report
