The rocky road to excess

Back in town, I book in to the Saddle West, one of many basic Nevada hotels connected to a casino. For road-trippers, this type of accommodation is a steal. Room rates and campervan sites are rock bottom, presumably to encourage gamblers to stay. Saddle West has a package including dinner at Pahrump Vallery Winery and a personalised bottle of wine.

Not knowing what to make of a vineyard in the desert, I end up blown away. Seven free tastings at the cellar door are followed by a feast of crab cakes, steak and a chocolate platter.

The winery took a decade to become successful - its original vines were raided by wild horses. Eventually, the first harvest resulted in a 2005 zinfandel that won gold at the Pacific Rim International Wine Competition.

Pahrump didn't have electricity until the 1960s, but as it developed, a few famous characters moved in, including former madam Heidi Fleiss. It may look sleepy but the residents know how to have fun.

A local newspaper quotes the town manager Bill Kohbarger: "Pahrump is probably the only municipality in the country where you can drive a Corvette at 180 miles per hour, then learn how to shoot a gun, then play a round of golf at a famous golf course and then go to one of the casinos and gamble, all in one or two days." He doesn't mention the brothels.

The next morning I head two hours north before taking a detour to Rhyolite ghost town. Founded at the turn of the 20th century, near the aptly named Death Valley, this mining settlement rapidly grew. But after the richest ore ran out and the US was hit by the 1907 "financial panic", the mine shut down and the gold-seekers left.

What remains is a crumbly collection of half-collapsed buildings and a ghoulish outdoor art gallery. One installation is a spooky recreation of Jesus' Last Supper; another is a lone ghost riding a bicycle - the exhibit is known as the Goldwell Open Air Museum, created by a Belgian artist.

Returning to the highway, via Beatty, there are two options for a driver-reviver: Death Valley Nut & Candy Company or Bailey's Hot Springs, where private bath-houses are hired by the hour.

Two hours further is Tonopah, known as the Queen of the Silver Camps. Halfway between Vegas and Reno, the small town is a popular rest stop. Tonopah also declares itself home to the darkest skies in the US, making it awesome for stargazing. More than 7000 stars are visible on a moonless night.

On first impressions, I assume it will be an uneventful stopover, with the old mining park and Central Nevada Museum its main attractions. The Mitzpah Hotel piques my curiosity, perhaps because it combines the themes of Pahrump and Rhyolite. The historic hotel is notorious for being haunted by a local call girl, murdered by a jealous boyfriend in the 1920s. Old miners are also common apparitions in the basement. The large space is creepy and cobwebby; alas, no ghosts.

Later that night, however, white shapes float outside my window and I wake up with a chill down my spine. The entire valley is covered in snow. Roads are inaccessible. I have to dig out my car with a broom.

By 11am, the melt is sufficient to get going safely, and I set off towards Virginia City. Another former mining town, where Bonanza was filmed, this one has kept the buzz alive with authentic saloons and stagecoaches. By far the most fun location along my trip, "VC" is my pick if you only have time for an overnight stop.

The gold- and silver-mining booms turned this community into one of the world's richest and most important industrial cities of the 19th century. Its millionaire residents helped fund the American Civil War, and they went on to build empires such as San Francisco.

It was the kind of place where anything could happen.

A well-known former writer for the Reno Gazette, Ty Cobb, bought a three-storey house on a hilltop, which has since been converted into a B&B. Cobb Mansion, built in 1876, does its part to preserve the local history.

The present owners, Paul and Jeff, have painstakingly restored the home into a flawless Victorian-era delight.

When I pull up outside, the Southern Cross is billowing over the front door to welcome me. Paul and Jeff like to fly the national flag of each day's new guest.

They proudly show me the kitchen's wood-fired stove, Aga oven and the 19th-century porcelain sinks.

On South C Street, lined with authentic timber board sidewalks, I check out Delta Saloon and after a banquet at the Chinese restaurant, I have a few beers at the Red Dog and Ponderosa saloons.

Virginia City is known for its nightlife, especially the live music, which draws in revellers from far afield. One of the best regular gigs is at the Bucket of Blood, where the Comstock Cowboys perform most summer weekend afternoons.

The next morning, before departing for my final destination, I regret those last couple of drinks when I try the stagecoach (10 minutes for $US12 ($11.50)). The operators have kept the horse-drawn vehicle as it was in its heyday, with wooden wheels and no suspension, so it's a noisy, body-rattling ride.

Arriving in Reno, known as "the biggest little city in the world", I am distracted by the Sierra Nevada mountain range. I wonder if this magnificent setting is the reason such a casino-riddled district has never grown to challenge Vegas. How could you stay glued to a poker machine when so much beauty exists outside?

I check in to the luxury Atlantis Casino Resort Spa for some post-road-trip pampering.

Its labyrinth-like day-spa becomes my sanctuary for several hours as I move around various jacuzzis and plunge pools.

These facilities cost only $US45 to use for the day. The signature Pantai Luar treatment costs an extra hundred or so. But after days of driving, drinking, gambling, ghost towns and brothels, I reason that it's a much better bet on a massage table than a roulette table.

The writer travelled with assistance from Travel Nevada and United Airlines.

Trip notes

Getting there Qantas (13 13 13) flies from Sydney to Los Angeles or San Francisco, with connections from there to Las Vegas on United Airlines, united.com, Virgin America, virginamerica.com, or American Airlines, aa.com.

Driving there The drive from Las Vegas to Reno is less than 800 kilometres but is best paced over three or four days. A rental car can be picked up from Vegas airport and dropped off at Reno airport.

Staying there Saddle West, Pahrump, has rooms from $US72 ($69) plus tax and motorhome sites for $US25 a night, including wi-fi. saddlewest.com.

Mizpah Hotel, Tonopah, is priced from $US79 (plus tax) including internet. mizpahhotel.net.

Cobb Mansion, Virginia City, is priced from $US99 (plus tax) including internet, breakfast and a city tour in a vintage car. cobbmansion.com.

Atlantis Casino Resort Spa has rooms priced from $US59 (plus tax) in the atrium tower to $US280 in the concierge tower with VIP check-in, butler service and an exclusive lounge. The spa facilities can be used for $US45 a day.

Pahrump Valley Winery offers free wine tastings every day; dinner reservations are recommended in the restaurant. pahrumpwinery.com.

More information travelnevada.com.

More great American road trips

1 Route 66 Known as the Mother Road, this is the classic 1950s US time-warp road trip via kitschy diners, motels and the Grand Canyon. Only scattered segments of the old highway remain, but one of the longest surviving sections starts in Arcadia, Oklahoma. From Chicago to Santa Monica, Route 66 is not shown on modern maps so be sure to download directions from national66.org.

2 Pacific Coast Highway This two-lane highway stretches from the north-west tip of the country, at Olympic National Park, almost all the way to the Mexican border. Best avoided during the crowded summer months, the route passes through forests, seaside towns and Californian wineries. Other highlights include Redwood National Forest, Big Sur and the wild Oregon coast. roadtripusa.com.

3 Great River Road Follow the Mississippi River from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana. This drive takes in eight more states: Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Wisconsin, alongside forests, prairies and swamps. Music fans will enjoy the lively scenes of Memphis, Clarksville and New Orleans. experiencemississippiriver.com.

Tripologist's tips on US car hire

Hiring a vehicle in the US is cheap and easy, but there are a couple of facets that most foreign drivers overlook. According to the US government's own website (usa.gov), you need an International Driving Permit.

While it is true that your car hire operator will not ask to see your IDP, if you happen to prang your vehicle, in the absence of an IDP your insurer might decide you are not a legally licensed driver, and further misfortune will follow.

Similarly, if you are stopped by the constabulary, in certain states you will be fined if you are without an IDP.

The second thorny issue is insurance. In the US, you need Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) and Supplementary Liability Insurance (SLI), which covers you against claims by an injured person or for property damage caused by your hired vehicle. Unlike the rest of the world, it is not unusual for vehicles hired in the US to come without any cover, which means the hirer is liable for the full replacement cost of the vehicle, any damage caused to another vehicle if they are at fault, plus any third-party damage.

You can buy all the insurance cover you need from your car-hire operator, but this will typically add $20-30 a day to your bill.

Another option is to hire through an agency with full insurance built into the price. Britain-based rentalcars.com is one that includes full damage protection and third-party liability with zero excess for foreign drivers. Readers of Travel's Tripologist column have also recommended traveljigsaw.com.au and carrentals.co.uk.