Long roads and endless skies were my expectations for a photography trip I took through Las Vegas and Reno. I wasn't expecting it to turn into something mildly supernatural or ghostly.  

Driving towards Vegas I came across a solar energy field. It looked like something out of the Martian movie or a portal into another dimension. It even had a light ball suspended in mid air.

Las Vegas feels like another dimension usually so it's fitting this site is close by.  It's a wildest dream driving yourself through all the glitzy lights and casino hotels, lined with all you can eat buffets and breakfasts. 

North along the I95 is Area 51. We drove through and stopped at the alien center. There are always hidden gems to find along the road.  Still there was no sign of any abnormal activity just yet. 

Just over the halfway mark is Tonopath. The town is known as the Queen of the Silver Camps and has a rich history in mining. Away from the cities it boasts some of the clearest skies around for star gazing in the region and was once voted  #1 star gazing destination by USA today. That's not all it's famous for. 

The Clown Motel lies to the far edge of town and as the name suggests is completely clown themed. Not the best place to stay if you've a clown phobia but I quite like them. Their reception area is crowded with clowns and visitors bring their own to add to the collection.  What makes this motel even more interesting is that it sits next to the Tonopath Cemetery. I'm not going to lie, it was a little creepy, especially when talk from the town filters in of ghostly apparitions. 

We caught up with a long term resident who stays at the clown motel for months at a time while he works at a nearby energy field similar to the one I drove past. He tells us of his experiences of strange knocks at his door in the early hours of the morning but each time he answers, nobody is there. 

About five hours drive from Vegas and two hours from Reno is the area of Hawthorne. Endless rows of what look like underground bunkers go on for miles. The sign reads "Naval Undersea Warfare Centre" but the only water we are near is Walker Lake, miles from the any sea. Some sites say these are ammunition bunkers, where ammunition is made, tested and stored. 

The site certainly felt significant amidst it's isolated location. For a small state Nevada has a lot going on it in and some of it a little wacky. I put my foot down on the accelerator and drove off into a full moon.