Rural Rest Stops
One thing in this world that truly unites us all is the need to stop occasionally when traveling to use restroom facilities. World travelers especially know that things can get awkward despite this universal need.
The word restroom itself is cause for debate, according to the teenage son of my friend from Scotland. As soon as he debarked from the plane, he taunted us with the fact that Americans call such amenities by a euphemistic word that covers up the true nature of its purpose. "Why don't you call it like it is? A toilet." As we did most of the time with this fourteen-year-old philosopher, we ignored him.
When driving through the rural western U.S., when one comes upon a restroom, it is a relief and therefore a rest. What may cause concern, however, are the conditions of these rural water closets. While most restrooms in small town casinos and cafes can be fairly decent, there are a few we have encountered during our forays into the Great Basin that are … well … bizarre.
Here are just a few:
Likely, CA
is a tiny hamlet on Highway 395 between Susanville and Alturas. According to the 2010 Census, the population stood at 63 inhabitants. Because that figure may not have changed much since then, perhaps the Census Bureau didn't do another census count in 2020. At least, I couldn't find it. The town does have a rather large school, a good general store selling everything from groceries to jeans, and a nice café. I recall the food was good, I think, but what really stuck in my memory were the toilet facilities.
The ladies room enters from the main dining room without a barrier wall, but is well-lit with natural light pouring through a couple of huge windows. There are no curtains on these windows. What's more, there are no doors on the stalls. At the time of our sojourn, there were firefighters camped in the little park just outside those windows. Perhaps since Likely is so small and offers few if any entertainment choices, the café ladies room is the best show in town.
Austin, NV
is literally the geographic middle of the state, and possibly nowhere. COVID killed the Toyabe Café in 2020, and the International Café has a strange and varied reputation as per Google reviews. Our daughter stopped in the International a few years ago. Walking up the narrow stairway and hall into the restroom, she discovered the bartender following right behind her. So, despite the lack of ADA compliance, apparently there's an escort service who will have your back.
There's the minimart gas station at the west end of town and a lovely little park at the east end to give a traveler food and relief, although don't be surprised if the park's toilets don't flush properly. There's always something, isn't there? At least they are relatively clean.
Anyway, while teardrop trailer camping in a small RV park behind a church one dark and rainy night, we were granted permission to use the church facilities. I walked in and found a solitary toilet sitting in the middle of a large storeroom. There were doors at each end of the room. I was lucky it was in the middle of the night instead of Sunday during services. Holy merde!
Eureka, NV
My daughter and I checked out a brand new restaurant that was still ironing out the wrinkles in their service and setup. They served a good lunch, though. When my daughter came back from the ladies room, however, she was flush with shock and giggles.
"Mom, you won't believe what I just saw in the restroom. Go take a look!"
Well, who can resist that invitation? I go in and there are two toilets sitting side by side. No stalls nor is there much room to build them. One toilet was useable and the other was wrapped in plastic; thus, I figured there was still some work planned for this amenity. Ahem! I hope so. And maybe a lock on the door, too? You know, small towns are pretty chummy. Everybody knows everybody else, especially in Eureka. But if you're going to provide necessities for travelers, you really need to see beyond the hometown expectations.
Kanab, UT
This town is a happening place. It's big enough for not only the huge Mormon ward house in the center of town, but several other churches, too. And there's a robust compliment of taverns as well. Because Kanab is in the midst of several National Parks and other tourist spots, there are lots of motels. This was where a lot of Hollywood stars stayed while filming movies there.
We stopped one night at a motel/café that looked fairly well-appointed, maybe even flashy to compete with the others. The funky factor arose when my husband saw the toilet in our room. Being an accomplished DYI guy, especially where plumbing is concerned, he had to say something to the proprietor.
The toilet had an oval bowl shape but the toilet seat was round. He couldn't wait to ask the owner if it was so hard to get a seat that actually fit the bowl? With the amount of business in Kanab and movie star expectations, he couldn't say, "we're just too out-of-the-way for such things." I dare say the man was too lazy to bother. He was glued to his TV behind the counter while his long-suffering wife waited tables in the café. She served us breakfast early the next morning, but had closed the place the night before. I asked her if she actually went home to sleep. She merely gritted her teeth in a smile and topped off my coffee. Bless her heart.
Virginia City, NV
This town still lives very much in the19th Century, but it still has modern plumbing. While some of those toilets are wedged into tight spaces in the saloons, they are clean and in working order. One tavern had a couple of these 'water closets' hiding behind a sturdy barrier wall for privacy. Beyond that, the stalls were hung with floral curtains. How festive! This would be okay, sort of, because we're all adults and drunks never do anything stupid, right. Virginia City, however, is famous for its ghosts. A cadre of famous ghost hunters have made their way to this town and ghost tours are an economic boon. At the end of one tour, we were warned that this tavern has a mischievous spirit who likes to peek behind those curtains just for fun. Well, I just had to see for myself and guess what? (sigh) Nothing happened!
Middlegate Station
Some rest stops along Highway 50 are little more than settlements rather than towns. An old stagecoach and Pony Express station surrounded by a dozen or so trailers could very well offer the best hamburgers ever, but beware of the rustic nature and humor. Middlegate is such a place. They've just erected a historical marker out front revealing a long story of women who owned this café. One woman claimed to have replaced the floors in the structure, which is well over a hundred years old. I have my doubts, though, as the floor teeters at different levels under the ancient carpeting and slopes slightly here and there. It might remind some folks of the Fun House at the carnival. Autographed dollar bills from dozens of countries are stapled to the ceiling, as is a custom in western bars and some Basque restaurants. It's truly an Old West piece of history and a fun place to rest for a while.
The restrooms are fairly decent too, although I can't vouch for the Men's. What's funky is the signage on the doors. Two road signs, usually posted on Nevada highways to warn drivers of open range, depict a cow on one and a tempestuous bull on the other. I'll bet most of my readers are smart enough to figure out which sign would go on which doorway. Alas, one little boy, about ten years old, stood in complete confusion. When he asked Mom which one he should use, she seemed uncomfortable explaining those animals to him. I stepped out on the limb and pointed to the bull. "That's the one you'd use, Hon." He nodded and off he went. Mom couldn't make eye contact. Such things are just too embarrassing. Or maybe she didn't know. She appeared to be fairly well-heeled and urban … and probably drinks almond milk anyway.
One caveat about some 'settlements': if the "café" with trailers behind it has a pretty woman talking to a biker out front, or there are lots of semi trucks parked nearby, or it's in the vicinity of an air base, or it's painted a garish color, OR there's a windsock and long strip of dirt close at hand, it's undoubtedly a bordello. That place will surely bring you comfort of all kinds. Be advised! Oh, and as far as I know, Middlegate isn't one of these.
Duck Valley Reservation
The most recent travelers' rest stop we found was near Owyhee, NV on Highway 51 between Mountain Home, ID and Elko, NV. Truly the loneliest road in the country. The sign just outside Owyhee states "No services for 100 miles." Even Highway 50, which is known as the "Loneliest Road," has a town of some kind every 30-50 miles or so.
When we pulled in to town hoping to top off the gas tank, we noticed the trail of signage along the front of the grocery/general store there. "Restrooms" with a big arrow pointing the way. There were about five of these, but they stopped at the end of the walkway. If I'd been alone, I would've been lost. Now what? Is it behind the store? I was looking to the right, but My Beloved looked to the left. "Oh, there it is."
Near the road entrance was a small building where the men's and women's rooms were located. After using restrooms like the ones listed above, I held little hope. Surprise surprise! They were modern and clean, with hand dryers reducing the usual paper mess we'd often find even in nice facilities. It was lovely. So, if you're in the vicinity of Duck Water Rez, and it IS a beautiful oasis indeed, you'll be able to sit down to rest a spell in comfort and cleanliness. Thank you, Western Shoshones, for your consideration of travelers in need.
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I loved this post, Sue! I've encountered a few unique rest stops in and around the Great Basin as well. The rest stop at Donner's Pass in the Sierras has a wonderful view and a perfectly grizzly historical marker. Our family once stopped at a cafe on the outskirts of Elko and found Asian-style squat toilets in the bathrooms instead of the typical western toilets.
But my favorite one is a rest stop somewhere between Lovelock and Winnemucca on I-80 (I think) that was facing a biblical plague of Mormon crickets and the critters covered the ground like a carpet. My mom declared nobody was to leave the car, but my little brother was car sick and the rest of us kids wanted to get away from him. We all bolted to the bathroom, the insects parting for us. and took care of our business. Dad followed us and Mom stayed in the car, resolute. We then left, none of us having been bothered in the least by the bugs, except Mom who as we merged onto the highway found two of them suddenly in her lap.
This could be a LONG, ongoing series. I'd buy the book if it were a collection of these. Thanks, Sue. This is close to my heart and NOT simply because it's close to my bladder, as well. Please do more of these.