Governor kicks off Discover Your Nevada campaign

RENO -- Instead of paying too much for gasoline on long nationwide trips this year, Nevada's two top elected officials asked residents Thursday to explore their own state.

To kick off the Discover Your Nevada campaign, Gov. Brian Sandoval and Lt.. Gov. Brian Krolicki plan in April and May to take three road trips: one to the Black Rock Desert area in Northern Nevada, the second to Fort Churchill in central Nevada and the third to Rachel and the Extraterrestrial Highway (U.S. 93) area in Southern Nevada.

Their itinerary has not been finalized. They want Nevadans over the next two weeks to offer their favorite spots to visit at discoveryournevada.com. They will read the responses and might stop there, too.

Computer users also can vote on the best places to stop and decide Nevada's five top treasures.

Sandoval intends to blog and tweet about their journeys. He referred to the coming jaunt as their version of the road movies featuring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, calling it the Road Through Nevada.

The governor believes he has visited just about everywhere in Nevada and hopes residents can give him some fresh ideas.

Sandoval added a favorite "staycation" he and his wife take each year before Christmas with their family is to the Ione-Berlin area outside Gabbs, where they cut down their Christmas tree. He noted he always has a permit.

Krolicki named a lot of places where he enjoys visiting, particularly in the Jarbidge area in far northeastern Nevada. To get there, he said you can take a 90-mile trip on dirt roads if you dare.

Jarbidge, he added, is the scene of the last stagecoach robbery in the United States (in 1916) and is a town that keeps Mountain time.

Sandoval said he might be the only governor candidate ever to campaign in Midas, population 24, reached by 45 miles of dirt road in Elko County.

What they are doing is no more than the tourism version of the "buy local" campaigns used by businesses, said Krolicki, chairman of the state Tourism Commission. If Nevadans take more trips across their state, it will boost tourism.

Besides, "it will be a lot of fun," Sandoval said. "Why go to a faraway place on an airplane?"

He noted that the Discover Your Nevada campaign is the beginning of a three-year effort to celebrate Nevada, which will have its 150th birthday on Oct. 31, 2014. He introduced legislative lobbyist Neena Laxalt, daughter of former U.S. Sen. Paul Laxalt, as co-chairwoman of the anniversary celebration.

If the two Brians get lost on their jaunt through the back country, they only need to pick up a free Nevada map. The maps have Sandoval's picture on the back.