Ron Tello of Montello

I took a little 420-mile drive around the Great Salt Lake this afternoon and passed through a curious little town called Montello, Nevada. I ate a Cowboy Cheeseburger at the Cowboy Bar and Cafe, where three teenagers and a 21-year-old teenager (I guess he was 21, since they served him beer, but not as mature as the 14-year-old) were playing pool on the smoky cafe side while about eight guys drank beer and visited on the smoky bar side.













I could tell there were two sides, because between the pool table and bar was a sign that said, "Minors Stop."















Next door on the "strip," was the Flea Market...

...featuring Ron Tello, the Builder-Owner-Operator-Roadie" of the "BIGGEST Drum Set in Nevada." I think he might not be exaggerating. He said the store isn't really open, because he hasn't finished straightening up from the big Christmas bash he held there. But I could walk around the store anyway. This year he's going to build a spook alley for Halloween, which he didn't do last year, but it was a big hit the year before.















Ron Tello played his drums for me. He's pretty darn good.

Ron said about 150 people live in Montello with about 350 people in the area. They're mostly ranchers or homesteaders, who put up cabins here and there. Him? He's a "city boy." He'd rather live here, where there's electricity and all.

No, that is not a concealed weapon on his belt. It's very much not concealed.

I bought a used VHS tape of "Men in Black" for $2. (It was also okay to buy stuff, even though the store wasn't really open.) You can visit Ron's website at www.myspace.com/rontello.

Down the street to the south is a store run by a man and his wife from Fremont, California. He's a graduate of San Jose State University (he was wearing an SJSU sweatshirt, so I asked). They moved here when he found 20 acres of land on eBay for $400 a few years ago. He bought it, having no idea where it was, and they moved. They've since bought the store and hotel.

There are still a few parcels of land available out here, if you're interested.

Be sure to plan your homestead well.

Have you ever listened to a utility pole hum? I was going to lean against this pole to take a picture of a loneseome tree when I heard a loud hum. At first I thought it was a truck coming down the highway; it was that loud. Then I realized the pole was humming. I suppose the electricity in the lines above was causing the vibration.















I stopped to take a picture of a snow-covered mountain with the setting sun shining on it when about 20 deer ran past me. This was in the very northwest corner of Utah.















If you think about it, cows have a better deal than deer. They get fed all winter...and then they die. I guess that's not so good.