GOLDFIELD + TONOPAH
Let’s just be real for a second: there’s no real reason you would ever accidentally find yourself in Goldfield, NV considering it isn’t really on the way to anywhere but is in decent proximity to Death Valley.
But we’ll start off here anyway, specifically at the International Car Forest of the Last Church. This is a collection of graffiti’d up cars, trucks, buses, etc. arranged into outdoor art pieces, overlooking trailer park communities and my GOD it is a wonderland.
Now, why the f*ck did I force us all to go to Goldfield on a road trip? Short answer is I watch a lot of Ghost Adventures. Like, “have seen every episode” a lot. So Goldfield was a selfish pilgrimage for me to see the haunted & abandoned Goldfield Hotel.
The woman working at the town gift shop across the street informed me that some Vegas businessman had recently (well, as of 2017) purchased the hotel with an intent to renovate. To my understanding that is still the case though I don’t think this has happened yet. I both love and hate the idea which could be an entire think piece I will spare you from.
Across from the hotel is a “Voice of the Old West” radio station with a speaker to broadcast on the street which, you know, causes the setting to bear an uncanny similarity to Silent Hill.
And as if the below photoset isn’t confusing enough, please know the loose Barbie was found for sale in the gift shop.
Down the street, there’s another outdoor art piece involving more old junk and more old cars. Next to that, another store full of knick knacks where I bought a literal fist full of amethyst for $3 from a man in triple denim. Jeans, shirt, vest. All denim. We’re married in my head.
Anyway, he told us about the artist who made the cars, but very little of it made any sense. From what I did gather, they were initially made for Burning Man and the artist now lives in Reno. He alerted us that if we are ever in Reno, to “look for the man with a bald head and a beard who hears evil voices”. He also suggested I use my new amethysts to knock out Russian spies. And you know what? Probably just some sound advice.
Ghost bonus! There’s a graveyard on your way out of Goldfield towards Tonopah and it’s also a stunner.
A well-known grave here is the headstone that calls out a man for dying by eating “Library Paste” but alas this is something I learned after the fact and didn’t see for myself to confirm.
Drive about 30 more minutes up the road and you hit Tonopah. This is a town I knew immediately I wanted to spend more time in. I mean, is there much to it? I guess not really when driving through, however the Mizpah Hotel (another Ghost Adventures destination) is a total knock out and I NEED to spend a night there.
And juuuust a bit further up the road? Yeah, u know it bb.
On this trip I was pressed for time to get my ass back to LA and startthe M-F grind again, extremely against my will. However I am convinced I could spend a dedicated weekend in just Tonopah and not get bored. In fact, I take that as a challenge.
