Go Together Life

It all started with a gas station. Not a majestic canyon, a famous landmark, or a life-changing hike. A gas station. And not just any gas station, but the Horizon Market in Pahrump, Nevada (yes, it’s real, and no, we didn’t make it up).

We had flown into Vegas and, in an act of bold optimism, decided to start our road trip to Death Valley before the sun came up. Fleeing the blinking neon and slot machine soundtrack of the Strip, we hit the road hungry and hopeful, planning to find breakfast somewhere a little less… sensory.

Enter: Pahrump. Just an hour later, we pulled up for gas and breakfast, which we enjoyed standing outside on the glamorous cement forecourt like true road trip connoisseurs. The scene? Picture a dusty expanse, slot machines inside the gas station, and what we can only assume was a car graveyard off to the side. Bleak? Sure. But also… oddly charming.

It was here, in this unlikely paradise of caffeine and questionable jerky, that our very first trip challenge was born: crickets (don’t worry, we’ll get to that horror show later). Even more shocking? Our usually health-conscious crew was set loose to buy any snack they wanted. No rules, no regrets. The kids (and let’s be honest, the adults) went full goblin-mode, piling snacks into carts with the kind of chaotic joy usually reserved for puppies off-leash.

What followed was a chaotic blend of sugar highs, snack-related regret, and the dawning realization that our trip might be both magical and mildly unhinged. Thus, two sacred traditions were born: (1) rating at least one gas station on every trip, and (2) creating ridiculous family challenges that spiral out of control almost immediately.

So without further ado:

Gas Station: Horizon Market, Pahrump
Vibe: Post-apocalyptic desert chic with a twist of slot machine nostalgia
Snacks: 11/10 for volume, 5/10 for nutrition, 13/10 for pure joy
Gas Price: Honestly? Who was paying attention
Bathrooms: Surprisingly not haunted

This one makes our gas station snack stop top five, not because it was the best, but because it was the weird, wonderful, junk-food-fueled birthplace of two of our beloved traditions. Pahrump, we salute you.

Know of any great gas station stops we should consider? Let us know in the comments.