Strange Days... Indeed - #180
|
Scott Robbins In
Rachel Nevada
|
|
March 16th 2002 |
 |
|
Scott at the famous
'Black' Mailbox
|
|
'Strange Days... Indeed' carried a live-segment from Rachel, Nevada with Scott Robbins, Co-Producer of the program and Pat & Joe Travis of the Little Ale' Inn .....As for my Rachel, Nevada - Little Ale' Inn overnight experience, Pat Travis insisted that I stay due to the 1/2 inch of snow that fell that evening and icy conditions that would be encountered, on both Hancock and Coyote Summit, on the way back to Las Vegas. Also of concern were the 700 to 1000 head of free-range cattle owned by Steve Medlin ('Black Mail Box' owner) that have a habit of roaming the highway at night, waiting to claim unsuspecting cars and drivers. And, of course, the cocktails were flowing in the bar and even 'parsimonious me' bought the house a round of drinks.
I am aware of some rather negative reviews that have been posted on the Web about The Little Ale' Inn and the overnight accomodations provided. I would like to set the record straight. Rachel, Nevada sits in the middle of nowhere in a mountain valley at a height of about 5,000 feet. It announces it's presence with a few dots of white light that appear on the horizon of a highway on which you can't see your hand in front of your face on a moon-less night. Rachel, Nevada is a town of about 65 people. It's homes are mobile-trailers. The Little Ale' Inn provides breakfast, lunch, dinner and entertainment for both locals and guests 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., 364 days a year. The place is run by Pat and Joe Travis (well known in ufological circles) and it doesn't take much coaching to get Joe to pull out the guitar and orchestrate the evening sing-along. The walls are covered with UFO memorabilia, pictures, stories and of course, lots of souvenirs ready for you to take away.
I can certainly see how big city types might take an hour or so to relax their shoulders and drop their airs and join in on the fun, but Pat, Joe and the smattering of locals you'll find in the bar are wonderful, friendly people and really make you feel at home. We had lots of laughs and even though there weren't any name-brand ufology-types present (aside from Pat and Joe), everyone got to know each other and it turned out to be a very memorable evening.
As for the overnight accomodations? If you're expecting the Marriott Inn, then I would suggest you give your head a shake. The Little Ale' Inn is a series of mobile-trailers. The washrooms and sleeping quarters are clean and orderly. The beds are made, the sheets are clean and fresh and there are plenty of towels to throw around. There is no TV reception but each room has a TV and VCR and there is a video library in the bar that is free for the sampling. On colder nights, the forced air heat responds quickly and I actually had to get up in the night to turn it down. The room is $40 for two and an extra 5 bucks for a third. Breakfast is served in the bar at 8 a.m. sharp with Pat and Joe's smiling faces there to greet you along with the locals who start the day there as well. As I sat on a stool eating my 3 egg-omlette, rye toast and homefries, noted Area 51 researcher and Rachel local Chuck Clark walked in and sat down at my left elbow and thrilled me with a lengthy conversation about his life and times. I bought his area 51 guide book that is on sale in the bar and got him to sign it. I also got Joe Travis to sign his picture in my copy of David Darlington's Area 51 Dreamland Chronicles... and then, after many hugs and handshakes, it was time to head out back to Las Vegas through some of the most spectacular desert country side you'll ever see. I have experienced The Little Ale' Inn and an overnight at Rachel, Nevada. I have made friends and I will go back and explore further. I can only conclude that anyone who has anything at all negative to say, must be the kind of person who would show up at the bar, sit in the back corner with their sunglasses on and wait for Rachel, Nevada to come to them. Scott Robbins - Co-Producer Strange Days Indeed
|
