The Desert Changes Everything.(Column)(Column)

Byline: Cory Farley

You can get used to anything, they say, and it's probably true. Otherwise I wouldn't have been admiring the subtle shades of off-puce in the desert landscape.

By subtle, I mean subtle. In photographic terms the range is between about 18 percent gray, the standard for light meters, and 15 percent gray. We offer a number of things in Nevada, but contrast isn't one of them.

Space, however, is. From countless peaks it's easy to scan 10,000 square miles. In the wide basins separating the mountain ranges, oncoming headlights can take 15 minutes to arrive-with both cars going 80 mph. A friend once broke his Jeep north of Winnemucca and hiked off toward a ranch house in the distance. Three hours later, the ranch apparently no closer, he was picked up by a passing cowboy who drove him the remaining nine miles.

"I figured it was 45 minutes away,'' my friend said. "It was weird.''

In this emptiness, trip preparation has an importance it lacks in, say, Rhode Island. Even on U.S. 95, the main route between Las Vegas and Reno, experienced travelers pack water ahead of cell phones. You can't count on a phone, but thirst never fails.

It's beautiful out there now and in April. The rest of the year you'll find it under "inhospitable.'' Temperature swings of 50 degrees in a day or 100 in a season don't raise an eyebrow.