Stopped for gas near here on the way down to Phoenix

[Tom]

http://scribol.com/a/travel/clown-motel-in-nevada-desert-creepy-as-hell-tonopah/   

[fotoguzzi]

right next to the motel is an eerie cemetery, abandoned over a century ago.
is that all there is to the story? lame, where is page 2?

[travelingbyguzzi]

Stopped there with Richard Caulkins in 2010 on our way to the AZ rally.
Didn't see any ghosts, but the desert is full of weird humans.

[oldbike54]

 Yeah , those clowns with their big red noses are horrible scary creatures , and abandoned cemeteries , don't even get me started 

 Dusty

[ITSec]

The story really didn't get into the fact that the Clown Motel is one of two haunted hotels in Tonopah (supposedly). The other is a more traditional and older hotel in the downtown area.

And yes, the current living inhabitants of the town and surrounding area are often more strange than anything that walks through the walls.

I ride through there probably a dozen times a year.

[oldbike54]

The story really didn't get into the fact that the Clown Motel is one of two haunted hotels in Tonopah (supposedly). The other is a more traditional and older hotel in the downtown area.

And yes, the current living inhabitants of the town and surrounding area are often more strange than anything that walks through the walls.

I ride through there probably a dozen times a year.

 So like on moonless nights little clown cars drive around in the parking lot , stopping every so often to disgorge an endless number of ghost clowns ?   

 Dusty

[Tom]

right next to the motel is an eerie cemetery, abandoned over a century ago.
is that all there is to the story? lame, where is page 2?

Uh....dunno.    Gotta be on the way in and way out.  One of the more boring rides.  One few places in the U.S. that you should pay attention to the "last gas for 100 miles" sign. 

[fotoguzzi]

So like on moonless nights little clown cars drive around in the parking lot , stopping every so often to disgorge an endless number of ghost clowns ?   

 Dusty

good one!

[ITSec]

So like on moonless nights little clown cars drive around in the parking lot , stopping every so often to disgorge an endless number of ghost clowns ?   

 Dusty

Naw, that'd be the Shriners during Mardi Gras! 

[oldbike54]

Naw, that'd be the Shriners during Mardi Gras! 

 Careful , we'll be accused of Shriner bashing 

 Dusty

[Arizona Wayne]

I've stopped at that motel many times on MC/scooter trips.  Never found anything spooky about it except I have to go get my ice if I want some.   Definitely biker friendly. 

[rboe]

Sunday: "We'll meet up at
Wildflower Bread at Loop 101 and Frank Lloyd Wright at 8:30 for
coffee/breakfast/conversation. "

If you have time you are more than welcome to join us.

[Muzz]

Uh....dunno.    Gotta be on the way in and way out.  One of the more boring rides.  One few places in the U.S. that you should pay attention to the "last gas for 100 miles" sign. 

Hope that is not bitter experience speaking there Tom.

[Nic in Western NYS]

Had an office lunch with a nice bunch of medical assistants and front office folk, and the topics of conversation was: CLOWNS.  People around here are scared of clowns in the woods, for real.

[oldbike54]

Had an office lunch with a nice bunch of medical assistants and front office folk, and the topics of conversation was: CLOWNS.  People around here are scared of clowns in the woods, for real.

 Dang Nic , they must REALLY be afraid of Bigfoot  Wonder how long until this nonsense dies down, hopefully before there is a clown hunting mob and they kill one of their own , or worse , an innocent bystander  Don't laugh , we had an incident here where 3 geniuses went Bigfoot hunting after some sightings . Unfortunately only 2 returned , yep , the 3rd one took a bullet .

 Dusty

[Tom]

Hope that is not bitter experience speaking there Tom.

Nothing bitter about it.  Just boring for a long ride.  Makes you compare this ride to others.  SW Nevada desert is different.  Must be because it's a high plains one.  Sonoran desert or AZ desert is better looking and not as desolate.

[Sasquatch Jim]

Dang Nic , they must REALLY be afraid of Bigfoot  Wonder how long until this nonsense dies down, hopefully before there is a clown hunting mob and they kill one of their own , or worse , an innocent bystander  Don't laugh , we had an incident here where 3 geniuses went Bigfoot hunting after some sightings . Unfortunately only 2 returned , yep , the 3rd one took a bullet .

 Dusty

Well, at least they didn't go home empty handed like so many hunters.
BTW,  John Wayne Gacey was a clown.

[oldbike54]

Well, at least they didn't go home empty handed like so many hunters.
BTW,  John Wayne Gacey was a clown.

 Yeah , the two "survivors" panicked , hid the body , through the gun in a pond . National press shows up , starts asking the sheriff in that county , Scott Walton , about all of the bigfoot sightings. Walton stared into the camera and in a slightly bemused tone , said , "there is no such thing as bigfoot" . After the 3rd time the national press asked the same stupid question re the sightings , Walton became very stern , "There is NO such thing as bigfoot" 

 Dusty

[rodekyll]

I was in the Burlington WA stores last week and saw that in one store (fred meyer I think) had a full section of adult, male clown attire.  It was directly across the aisle from the pre-teen frilly dresses and candy cane tights.  I thought that was a little creepy, considering the not-funny clown stories in the news recently.  I called it the "pedophile department".  The store 'associate' walking the floor there was not amused.

[edited to correct an auto-correct]

[LowRyter]

I been warped by the rain, driven by the snow
I'm drunk and dirty don't ya know, and I'm still, willin'
Out on the road late at night, Seen my pretty Alice in every head light
Alice, Dallas Alice

I've been from Tucson to Tucumcari
Tehachapi to Tonapah
Driven every kind of rig that's ever been made
Driven the back roads so I wouldn't get weighed
And if you give me, weed, whites, and wine
And you show me a sign
I'll be willin', to be movin'

I've been kicked by the wind, robbed by the sleet
Had my head stoved in, but I'm still on my feet and I'm still, willin'
Now I smuggled some smokes and folks from Mexico
Baked by the sun, every time I go to Mexico, and I'm still

And I been from Tucson to Tucumcari
Tehachapi to Tonapah
Driven every kind of rig that's ever been made
Driven the back roads so I wouldn't get weighed
And if you give me, weed, whites, and wine
And you show me a sign
I'll be willin', to be movin

[oldbike54]

 Was Lowell a clown before putting together Little Feat ?

 Dusty

[rboe]

Nothing bitter about it.  Just boring for a long ride.  Makes you compare this ride to others.  SW Nevada desert is different.  Must be because it's a high plains one.  Sonoran desert or AZ desert is better looking and not as desolate.

That is why Jim and I trailered the bikes to Dayton. From Phoenix, for a one day drive/ride, this time of year - we could not look forward to it. Sitting in the truck has now spoiled me. 

[Tom]

That's what Richard told me when we stopped for gas/water at the Chevron.    Was good to hang with you guys.  I was glad to cross over into AZ.     No problems with the SP. 

[rboe]

Same here. Glad to finally meet you in person. Safe travels.

[Tom]

I'll be back in the PHX area in Spring.

[Nic in Western NYS]

Dang Nic , they must REALLY be afraid of Bigfoot  Wonder how long until this nonsense dies down, hopefully before there is a clown hunting mob and they kill one of their own , or worse , an innocent bystander  Don't laugh , we had an incident here where 3 geniuses went Bigfoot hunting after some sightings . Unfortunately only 2 returned , yep , the 3rd one took a bullet .

 Dusty

I'm heading out to Robbinsville in Graham County this afternoon for a retirement party for a doc.  I'll check on the clown situation up there in Tail of the Dragon country. 
 

[Tom]

Quoting the Firesign Theater.  "I think we're all Bozo's on this bus!"       

[Sheepdog]

Back when I worked for the guh-ment, I frequently visited Tonopah (there is a test range nearby). There were only a couple of hotels back then (in the '80s/90s). The one we usually stayed in was the Tonopah Station. The other hotel was downtown...it was called the Mizpah as I recall. I stayed there once, but it was pretty run down and a little too "nostalgic." The coolest things to do in Tonopah are watching missile shots and seeing herds of wild mustangs running around the desert. Apart from that, there is only gambling, drinking, mediocre food, and legal prostitution...

[Tom]

Back when I worked for the guh-ment, I frequently visited Tonopah (there is a test range nearby). There were only a couple of hotels back then (in the '80s/90s). The one we usually stayed in was the Tonopah Station. The other hotel was downtown...it was called the Mizpah as I recall. I stayed there once, but it was pretty run down and a little too "nostalgic." The coolest things to do in Tonopah are watching missile shots and seeing herds of wild mustangs running around the desert. Apart from that, there is only gambling, drinking, mediocre food, and legal prostitution...

Definitely a stop over to Vegas from Hawthorne.  Fortunately, there's little speed enforcement by the Nevada Highway Patrol.