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When I was a kid and living in California my family would travel across this desert on our way to Oklahoma. As soon as my dad got home from work on Friday night we'd take off and drive all night across the desert. Those cars of the 40's and 50's would easily overheat traveling during the day. In those days it was common to see cars on the side of the road with the hood up and steam rising. Remember those burlap water bags travelers would hang on the front of the cars to keep water cool? On the trip we would eat sandwiches that my mother had prepared or stop at a store for bread and lunch meat. I don't know if we were really that poor or just saving time. There were five of us kids in a '47 Buick, frustated by the heat (no car A/C back then), picking on each other, while my dad threatened to turn the car around and go back home. Of course I was always the smart aleck who said, "Yes, please do!".

This is highway 68 between Kingman, Az and Laughlin, NV. It's an area known as Golden Valley. Just 30 years ago we traveled this road often and there were no dwellings in the valley. Now look at it.
This is the view from Dorothy's sister's front yard.