That's what the sign said. Really. I wish I had been quick enough to take a picture of it as we whizzed by on I-80.

But, all I got was this one.

Ever since we first drove by (well pre-bus), on one of our trips to see Tim’s family in Reno, I’ve been fascinated with the place, largely because it epitomized what I saw as the idiocy of the Western custom to brand their peaks, no matter how peak-ed. I never saw this phenomenon in the East, but out west it seemed that any town with even a pimple of a hill felt the compulsion to slap a large letter on it. Why? Did they fear the mount would wander into a rival town’s pasture? So, it’s become a sort of tradition every time we pass Battle Mountain, that I take a picture of…

Battle Mountain was once crowned the “Armpit of America” by the Washington Post. See the article by Gene Weingarten here. It’s one of the funniest things I've ever read. Made me spill more Diet Coke out of my nose ruining my keyboard than Morty ever has walking on my desk. If that isn't enough incentive for you, you'll find out everything you've ever wanted to know about Battle Mountain - and so much more.

When we read Jeannette Walls wonderful bestselling memoir, The Glass Castle, in our book group, I was so tickled to learn she and her family spent a year there during her crazy childhood. I became the maven in our group for all things BM. Quite an honor. Even for a Queen.