Saturday, July 4, 2009

The Long Way Home

The Silver Jack Cafe and Motel (renamed Electrolux Cafe) is located in Baker, Nevada. It is unique institution and known as the Bagdad Cafe of the desert. Located near the juncture of Hwy 50 and Hwy 21, near Great Basin National Park, it is a "must stop" for those traveling the loneliest roads of Nevada.

Terry Marasco is the proprietor of the Electrolux Cafe and Motel. He has owned and operated the business for 5 years and serves healthy homemade meals he makes from scratch. Wonderful food at reasonable prices. The operation is more than a eatery but also a library/bookstore of eclectic and off-beat literature - everything from western themes, nature photography, hiking and mountaineering, and mystical/spiritual subjects. The cafe becomes a movie house at night showing classic movies.

Terry is also an artist and photographer and many of his works are showcased on the cafe walls. Unfortunately, Terry is in poor health and needs to sell his business so he can be closer to a hospital. I fear that this unique business will not be the same without his personal touch. We were lucky to have spent one night in Baker to experience his personality, the cafe/motel ambience and grounds, and his simple, yet superb cooking.

The Electrolux Cafe is chock full of funky George Jetson vacuum cleaners, artwork, photographs, library of unique literature and serves tasty healthy food

Sunset over the sand dunes of Baker

Odd funky art is found on the motel grounds

Hwy 50 gets all the notoriety of being the loneliest highway but in reality Hwy 21 between Baker and Milford is even lonelier

On the long drive home, we need to take a break and brew up some strong Peets coffee to keep us alert.

The famous Shoe Tree on Hwy 50

Hwy 21 is the loneliest highway in Nevada. See ya' Frank, have a nice walk home!

Click on pic for wide-view

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