Travelogue

ST 1100 at Cumberland Knob Recreation area overlookAfter two nights on the road, I was beginning to get into a bit of a rhythm. The "laundry", consisting of a pair of e-officio underwear, wool socks, and a long sleeve wool shirt which were washed in the sink with shampoo, and dried overnight using the motel rooms heater. Nourishment in the form of 2 packs of Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal and a mug of coffee were prepared using hot water from the microwave or coffee maker.

My clothes were contained in a black waterproof "river bag" that was strapped on top of a waterproof black Ortlieb bag which contained all the soft camping gear. (Big Agnes UL3 Tent, Mountain Hardware Ultralamina 32 sleeping bag, luxurious X-Ped large sleeping pad, and a Kermit camping chair.)

The rest of the bike was packed as follows...

• Left side saddlebag inner compartment - Nalgene water bottle, Jetboil cookset and Jetboil stove, Starbucks Italian Coffee, and a Nissan thermos.
• Left side saddlebag outer compartment - Propane, Bagels, Peanut butter, Quaker instant oatmeal, and a partial roll of paper towels
• Right side saddlebag inner compartment - Small soft cooler with beer, water bottles, wine in Arizona green tea bottles
• Right side saddlebag outer compartment - Progresso canned soup, purple mist Gatorade, Triscuits, Knorrs Rice Sides, Mountain House dinners, and a bag of cashews
• The rear Givi bag contained my Canon G12 camera, a Go-Pro, a small laptop, AAA maps of the country by state, and my Gerbing Heated Jacket when it was not needed to be worn.
• The tankbag contained my chargers for the phone, headset, and GPS, as well as a cover for the entire bike. A map for the current section was visible in the top clear pouch.

My pre-flight routine had also been refined somewhat.

• Start the bike and let it warm up while finishing the packing process
• Get Google Maps on the phone positioned to the next destination, start the Strava application to record the gpx track, and create a playlist for the day on Google Music
• Check tires, lights, and all controls
• Plug in heated jacket and adjust the vents on my Aerostich Darien Jacket for the forecasted temperatures in the early morning.

Bad Helmet Hair SelfieToday would be a great ride. I was heading down some of the most scenic parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Lorry had convinced me that I should treat myself with a few days in Ashville so I could visit the Biltmore Estate. Living in NJ we had often visited the Mansions of Newport Rhode Island, but had not yet visited the largest of the Vanderbilt Mansions. I wished that Lorry could be here with me, but I promised to take a lot of photos so she could vicariously enjoy the tour with me.

On the road one again, I enjoyed the two lane Blue Ridge Parkway that meandered down the ridge of the mountains past rolling hills and occasional farm fields. After 45 minutes I pulled over at the Cumberland Knob Recreation area overlook and photographed my trusty steed with the mountains in the distance.

Biltmore EstateAs I continued on, I got a call from Lolo with a suggestion for lunch. She had grown somewhat concerned with my diet so far on this trip, and had found what she thought might be a more healthy fast food alternative. By tracking my projected progress she directed me to a Chipotle in Boone, N.C. At the time I had never eaten in a Chipotle so I headed off the parkway to enjoy a "healthy" mexican style lunch. I have to say that it was tasty,, but by the time I had finished adding sour cream and other embellishments I am sure it was a high caloric meal of with dubious health qualities. (This was before the recent norovirus outbreak would have made this choice of dining venue even more questionable.)

Fueled up, I headed back to the Parkway and almost immediately pulled over to stroll around the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. A few photos, and the next pullout was at the Hefner Gap Overlook at elevation 3067 where a "bad helmet hair" selfie was taken. I had already been over the Pilot Ridge Overlook with an elevation of over 4000' so the heated jacket was dialed up even though I was in North Carolina and had thought I would be enjoying warmer weather.

Biltmore Estate GardensThe Ridge Junction at 5160' was the next stop and then off to the Craggy Gardens Visitor for a quick pee break. I met a couple of older guys there on BMW GS 1200's that were on their way to a BMW camping event so they could ride the "Tail of the Dragon" near Deals Gap. For those unfamiliar with this road, with "318 curves in 11 miles" it is considered one of the top 5 rides in the world, and one that I would try to get to in a few days.

After a few more miles I managed to navigate to the Super 8 in Ashville where I would spend the next two nights, allowing for a "rest day" where I could tour the Biltmore estate.

Up early in the morning I rode for the first time on this trip, without the extra burden of all my extra luggage. It felt liberating and simpler even as I navigated my way to the ticket area of the Biltmore Estate. Lorry had researched this and already purchased my ticket for a Tour of the Mansion at 11:30.

Women in Period Costumes at Biltmore EstateStrolling the beautiful gardens and the interior of the mansion I started to feel a bit lonesome for the companionship of my lifelong partner. When riding long distances on the motorcycle I have no longings since I know that Lorry would not actually enjoy the experience as much as I do. However, I know that she would enjoy a good Mansion Tour and stroll in the gardens so I had to make do with a phone call where I tried to give her the best virtual description I could.

The Mansion was as impressive as expected, but the volume of tourists made it a bit crowded. Also, I had become accustomed to going my own way as a solo traveler and now had to adapt to being just another of the many cattle herded around from room to room.

Afterwards I had a stroll in the gardens and sat down on a bench by the lake for a snack. My phone rang and Lolo asked me how I was enjoying the view (she could see me location on Google maps). That cheered me up a bit as I described the scene in front of me.

I took a bit of a detour while leaving the estate to enjoy the grounds, stopped at a Trader Joe's in Asheville to replenish my stores, and got back to my room in time to rest up for the next days journey west.

Travelogue

Herb with Honda ST1100 at Bacon Hollow OverlookWith the aid of a few beers that were still cold from home, I managed to have a pretty good first nights sleep in my frugal motel. Upon awakening, the coffee maker yielded enough hot water for an instant oatmeal breakfast, and enough coffee to fuel me and my thermos for the day.

Today promised to be a good one. The weather was overcast, and I was poised at the start of the Skyline Drive in Front Royal. Yesterday had been a day of mostly congested highway traffic trying to get out of the NY and Philadelphia metropolitan areas. This should be the start of the "fun part" of the trip without the congestion of the northeast, and into the pretty twisting road that l had imagined when I first planned the trip.

It would have been easier and shorter to just head to San Francisco on I80, as we had done numerous times before in the Lazy Daze, but this was to be a motorcycle trip. One where I could enjoy all the twisty narrow roads on 2 wheels instead of fighting them in the 6 wheels and 7 tons of the motorhome. Besides, I this was probably my last opportunity to motorcycle on the east coast and I didn't want to leave without trying some of the "classic best motorcycle roads" that had escaped me for the last 40 years.

Mabry MillSpeaking of tonnage, my fully laden steed probably tipped the scales with a full tank of gas at close to 800 lbs. Once moving, the weight magically seems to disappear, but it would immediately return when stopping and/or attempting a slow speed turn. In addition, it was nearly impossible to push backwards up the slightest of inclines so I would have to be careful that I always parked the bike in a spot where the gradient would work in my favor when departing.

I headed out before nine and managed to ride for 1.5 hours to arrive at the Harry F. Byrd, Sr. Visitor Center at milepost 51 for a long anticipated pee break. It was great riding, but it felt good to get off of the bike and stretch a bit. The road was beautiful, but twisty and the posted speed limit kept my average speed well below 40mph.

After 20 more miles I stopped at Bacon Hollow Overlook for a few photos of my bike with the misty mountains in the backdrop. Someone notice me taking an awkward selfie with the phone, and I was able to have him take a real photo with my Canon G12 of myself with the bike.

I soon ran out of Skyline Drive and headed west to Staunton where I could get on I81 and make up some time going south to the better parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Technically, the Blue Ridge Parkway starts pretty much at the end of Skyline Drive, but I had read the the best parts of 469 mile park were actually the southern section, so in the interest of time efficiency I bypassed this section and barreled south on I81 past Roanoke, and south at Christiansburg towards the Mabry Mill in the Meadows of Dan.

Disturbing Morning Selfie in Country View InnFrom earlier research I had found that the Mabry Mill at milepost 176 is considered one of the most picturesque locations on the entire parkway. As an amateur photographer, it was a location that I did not want to bypass.

The Mill did not disappoint, and I spent some time there composing the usual Mill shots, and some arm's length selfies. The cloud cover gave great diffused lighting and spirits were high.

As I rode south I would occasionally come across signage on private farmland extolling me to Repent, and/or otherwise seek forgiveness for my sins. This seems to be a shared sentiment among many farmers throughout the country though I had never seen it in this part of the south before. While I am not personally involved with any organized religion, I did try to understand why some portions of the country and perhaps farmers in particular are more demonstrative in their religious beliefs.

Meanwhile, I soon needed a place to stay for the night, and Lorry had found the the Country View Inn in Fancy Gap which was just off the Parkway. I rolled into the parking lot, checked in, and was soon sheltered in a cozy room, complete with Bible opened to Hosea 9-11. I tried not to take it personally.

Travelogue

Up the Block to Start the TripAs an electrical/computer engineer of Germanic descent, it might be obvious that I would be a bit of a perfectionist, maybe a bit stubborn, and one who prefers to "do it all yourself", instead of depending upon the supposed expertise of others. I also have almost a clinical fear of failure and/or being made to feel like a fool.

As such, once the idea of this trip had been solidified, I started the process of trying to maximize my chances for a safe, uneventful, and enjoyable journey cross the continent. Both the bike and myself would need to be in top condition. I had the month of March and most of April to finalize my preparations.

My own physical condition was basically sound, as both Lorry and I regularly exercise daily throughout the year. However, I do have some spinal challenges. My lower back L4/L5 when misaligned can develop severe sciatica down to the left toe, and my neck C3/C4 vertebrae result in numbness in two fingers of my right hand. Sitting on a motorcycle without much opportunity for exercise could certainly aggravate both conditions.

Spelunker Burger DinnerSo,,, for the 5 weeks prior to the trip I would take extended rides once or twice a week on my bike into the Catskills and along the Delaware river from our home in northern NJ. I started off with just a hundred miles, and worked up to 350 miles prior to starting the trip. Fortunately, I had a Gerbing heated motorcycle jacket and heated grips on the bike that allowed me to ride even when the temperature dropped below freezing. I even had to dodge a snowstorm once in the Catskills before returning the the relative safety of I95 and the slab of highway for the ride back home.

My Bike, a Honda ST-1100 with a water cooled V4 engine that I purchased new in 1996 also needed to be in top shape for the trip. While it had over 40K uneventful miles on the odometer, there were still a few things I needed to take care of before this trip.

First on the list of bike maintenance was the brakes. This particular bike, especially when ridden over salted winter roads has a tendency to develop corrosion in the aluminum brake calipers where the piston seals are seated. As such, the brakes may seize in the ON mode at the most inopportune time, resulting in continuous breaking and possible overheating of the brake disks. Don't ask me how I know that it costs $450 for a replacement front disc. Anyway, I did a complete rebuild of all brake pistons, seals, and front and rear calipers.

I also changed all brake and clutch fluids, rear differential fluid, and cooling fluids. Spark plugs, air filter, and battery were also replaced. Finally, the rear drive shaft gearing was lubricated and wheels removed for new tires and balancing at the local Honda motorcycle dealership. FWIW, tire changes where the only maintenance items that I had performed by a dealer in almost 20 years of ownership.

I also put together a comprehensive repair kit of tools, spares, and even tire compressor and patch kit that I hoped would keep me on the road in case of mechanical failure.

Scottish Inns RoomI put together a packlist and organized my gear in both side saddle bags, the rear GIVI bag, front tank bag, and two waterproof duffle bags that held clothes and camping gear. The plan was to motel it most days, but camp out whenever a beautiful warm opportunity presented itself.

When the day of departure finally arrived it was with a mix of excitement, anticipation, and mild fear that I kissed Lolo and started riding up our block towards the west coast. We had rarely been apart for this length of time during our 30 years of marriage so I was uncertain if loneliness would be a factor. Fortunately, modern electronics once again would help. I had a new Sena motorcycle audio system with which I could use the cell phone to both navigate, play music, and also call Lolo periodically for updates. In addition, we were location sharing on Google Maps so that Lorry could literally track my progress on computer monitor. This would prove to be quite useful when crossing Texas.

Day one went pretty much as planned. I rode from our home south down 287, across the Delaware River on 78, to 81 past Allentown PA, Harrisburg PA, and eventually to the Scottish Inns in Front Royal, VA. This was primary interstate highways which Lorry and I had done once before so it was pretty uneventful. It did serve the purpose however of positioning me at the start of the scenic Skyline Drive which would be the highlight for tomorrow.

Travelogue

Lolo with Szukalski’s "Last Supper"Rhyolite is just 35 miles from Furnace Creek, with no big mountain passes to cross, so it’s an easy side trip from Death Valley.

As I mentioned, Herb had been here about 3 weeks ago when crossing the U.S. on his motorcycle, but he thought it was worth repeating so that he could see it with me. I thought that was so sweet. He won some spousal points on that one.

We went first to the Goldwell Open Air Museum, an outdoor sculpture museum in the middle of nowhere. We’ve been to so many outdoor sculpture gardens before, but this one’s setting in a dramatic desert landscape certainly ruled out the term sculpture “garden.”

However, it was precisely this stark setting that attracted a group of Belgian artists in the 1980s to choose this location to create their art in the first place.

Szukalski’s "Ghost Rider"There are seven monumental sculptures spread out across the landscape. My two favorites were both by Albert Szukalski, and they both involve an unusual technique he developed in which a live model is draped in plaster-soaked burlap and has to remain still until the plaster dries enough to stand on its own. I can’t even begin to imagine how uncomfortable this must have been for the models. It gets really, really hot here.

Szukalski’s largest work is entitled “The Last Supper,” and it consists of 12 white ghostly shapes arranged as in Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the same name. The shapes have no faces or bodies – just drapes hanging around an invisible form.

My second favorite was aptly called “Ghost Rider.” As in Szukalski’s other works, a ghostly draped figure – minus the body inside – stood beside an actual real bicycle, as if it was getting ready to go for a ride.

Fred Bervoets' "Tribute to Shorty"We went inside the small visitor center and chatted with the gentleman who was the caretaker of the museum. He told us that he was an artist himself and pointed out a series of 10 small paintings he had done, underneath which was the caption, “What if some favorite artists had visited the Rhyolite of today…what would they have painted? Can you recognize them all by their styles?” It would have been better if we had already been to the ghost town, because many of the scenes were taken from there, but it was really fun trying to guess what artist’s style he was trying to imitate in each of them.

Herb and I are both art buffs and a bit competitive with each other, so we immediately started blurting out “Van Gogh,” “Edward Hopper,” “Grant Wood,” “Cezanne,” “Seurat,” etc., trying to beat the other to the answer. We did pretty well, if I say so myself, and declared it a tie.

Rhyolite Train DepotA short distance up the road was the Rhyolite Ghost Town, which we had gotten a preview of in the Goldwell visitor center.

In addition to art, Herb and I love history. Having lived on the East Coast our entire lives, we know lots about Pilgrims, the Revolutionary War, Civil War battlefields, etc., but not so much about the irresistible allure of gold and how its discovery could create towns out of nothing within an instant, only to disappear just as quickly when the gold dried up.

Rhyolite is just one of many examples of that purely western phenomenon. Prior to 1904, the population of the area which became Rhyolite was about 5, consisting of Old Man Beatty and his family, who lived in a ranch about five miles away.

Rhyolite Train Depot DetailThen, as the story always goes, two gentlemen – one named Shorty Harris (they always seem to have cool names like Shorty) and E. L. Cross – discovered quartz covering a nearby hill. Since secrets about gold are rarely kept, word got out and thousands of gold-seekers descended on the area, settling in the sheltered desert basin that is now Rhyolite.

By 1908, the town’s population grew close to 5,000, and with all those people, you need the infrastructure to keep them supplied and entertained. At its height, Rhyolite had hotels, stores, a school for 250 children, an opera house, a railroad depot, an ice plant, an ice cream parlor, two electric plants, foundries and machine shops, and a hospital. Rhyolite even had a red light district which drew women from as far away as San Francisco.

Rhyolite Cook BankRhyolite’s heyday lasted less than 10 years. The financial panic of 1907 made it more difficult to raise capital, and soon mines began to close and the banks to fail. By 1910, production had significantly slowed and there were only 611 residents left in town. In 1911, the mine and mill were closed down and by 1916 the light and power in the town were turned off.

Today, there is not much left of this once lively and boisterous town. Not nearly as much to explore as there is at Bodie State Historic Park near Bridgeport, California, where we really got a feel for what life must have been like in one of these boom towns.

All that remains intact in Rhyolite is a beautiful, old railway depot and the Bottle House, a home made from 50,000 beer and liquor bottles. The most photographed image in Rhyolite is of the ruins of the old three-story Cook Bank. In fact, it is the most photographed ruin in the entire state of Nevada.

Rhyolite had been a very interesting stop and a good escape from the oppressive heat of Death Valley. Here it probably only hit a mere 97 degrees. Time to get back to the pool.

Description

The small town of Rhyolite is located just off Highway 394, near the eastern edge of Death Valley National Park. It is only 35 miles from the Furnace Creek Visitor Center.

For such a tiny, remote town, there are two very interesting sights, which make it a very worthwhile side trip from Death Valley:

Goldwell Open Air Museum

Sofie Siegmann's "Sit Here!"The Goldwell Open Air Museum is located just off State Highway 374, near the Rhyolite Ghost Town. The museum, which is open to the pubic 24 hours a day 7 days a week, has seven monumental outdoor sculptures that are colossal not only in their scale, but in their dramatic setting amongst mountains and the Mojave Desert.

It was this dramatic setting that led a group of prominent Belgian artists in the 1980s to choose this location as a place to create art freely. The museum was organized in 2000 after the death of Albert Szukalski, the Belgian artist who created the site’s first sculptures. His unusual technique involved molding shapes by draping plaster-soaked burlap over live models until the plaster dried enough to stand on its own. His largest work, “The Last Supper,” consists of 12 large white ghostly shapes arranged as in da Vinci’s painting of the same name. Another one of is pieces entitled “Ghost Rider” is a plaster figure getting ready to mount a bicycle.

Today artists continue to create in this spectacular and challenging landscape as part of an art residency and workshop program.
An on-site visitor center with exhibits is open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Saturday. In summer it often closes by 2:00 pm because of the heat. Admission is free.

Rhyolite Ghost Town

Like many western towns, Rhyolite sprang up from nowhere when in 1904 Shorty Harris and E. L. Cross discovered quartz on a nearby hill. Soon thousands of gold-seekers flocked to the area, settling in a sheltered desert basin which was named Rhyolite because of the silica-rich volcanic rock in the area. By 1908, the population grew close to 5,000, and the town had hotels, stores, a school for 250 children, an opera house, a railroad depot, an ice plant, two electric plants, foundries and machine shops, and a hospital. Rhyolite even had a red light district which drew women from as far away as San Francisco. One enterprising miner named Tom T. Kelly built a Bottle House, made from 50,000 beer and liquor bottles. That house is one of the buildings that still remains today.

As with so many other boom towns, Rhyolite declined as quickly as it rose. The financial panic of 1907 made it more difficult to raise capital, and soon mines began to close and the banks to fail. By 1910, production had significantly slowed and there were only 611 residents left in town. In 1911, the mine and mill were closed down and by 1916 the light and power in the town were turned off.

After 1920, Rhyolite became a tourist attraction and a setting for motion pictures. Today visitors can see several remnants of the town’s glory days: the railway depot, the Bottle House, and the ruins of the three-story Cook Bank and an old jail.

Travelogue

San Francisco Botanical GardensSince we were booked on a red-eye flight that night, Herb and I had an entire day to spend in San Francisco before we had to get to the airport.

Since I had become quite familiar with the city – at least the part around Golden Gate Park – when I spent 3 days here at the beginning of this trip while Herb was motorcycling across the country, I took charge of the day and pretty much took Herb on a repeat tour of how I had spent my first day. It’s funny how much more fun things are when doing them with someone you love and seeing it through their eyes.

The following is a very brief summary of our day:

We started at the Cinderella Bakery, a block from Andrew’s apartment, where we both ordered coffee and spinach croissants and sat at an outdoor table watching people go by.

Then we continued on to Golden Gate Park, stopping first in the courtyard between the de Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences to watch all the people doing their morning Tai Chi.

Lolo Ascending Arched Drum BridgeFrom there we went to the Japanese Tea Garden, where there was no one collecting money at the gate. Apparently, it is free every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday before 10 am. As we wandered along its lovely stone paths, I excitedly showed him my favorite spots – the tall red pagoda, the peaceful zen rock garden, my koi friends, and the arched drum bridge, which this time I had the courage to walk over.

The next stop was the Botanical Gardens, which I had gotten in free last time because it was a Tuesday, but was $7 today because it wasn’t. Herb is much more skillful than I am with a map, so this time I really did get to see each of the gardens of the many world ecosystems that they are able to recreate so beautifully.

I probably should have been a little more original in my tour, but I admit to wanting to show off my new-found knowledge of this wonderful city, even if in reality I only knew a little piece of it.

Red-Eye Flight HomeSo, I marched Herb east through the park, passing through the National Aid Memorial Grove, out onto the panhandle, up the crazily steep Masonic Avenue, up to the top of Corona Heights where I allowed Herb a brief photo break, back down and up to the top of Buena Vista Park and another photo stop, then through the Haight and back to the park.

By this time, Herb was starving and begging for mercy, so we stopped at Velo Rouge Café for sandwiches and beer. Then I gave Herb free time on the lawn by the Conservatory of Flowers, where he immediately passed out under a tree. Okay, maybe my itinerary was a bit aggressive.

After lounging and reading our Kindles for a while, we walked back to Andrew’s apartment, showered, packed up, and called an Uber car to take us to the airport for our red-eye home.

I thought that if I made the day exhausting enough, we would sleep on the plane, but that never seems to happen for either of us on a red-eye. Exhausted but happy we were back home by 6:00 the next morning.

Description

Tai Chi in Golden Gate ParkThe following is in no way meant to be a comprehensive guide to San Francisco, as there are entire guide books devoted to just that. However, the following is a brief description of some of the sights in and nearby the city that Herb and I enjoyed during the last day of our vacation.

Golden Gate Park is to San Franciscans what Central Park is to New Yorkers. Its 1,017 acres make it 20% larger than Central Park. It is over three miles long (from east to west) and half a mile wide (north to south). The park design was the result of an 1870 competition, won by 24-year-old William Hammond Hall. Park highlights that I visited include:

• The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park is the oldest public Japanese garden in the United States. Originally created as a one-acre Japanese Village for the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition, the property was eventually left to the care of Makoto Hagiwara, a renowned Japanese landscape architect, who expanded the garden to its current size of 5 acres. For decades, Mr. Hagiwara poured his wealth, passion, and creative talents into creating the garden until he and his family, along with approximately 120,000 other Japanese Americans were placed in internment camps. He was never allowed to return. Today, the garden is one of San Francisco’s most popular attractions, featuring pagodas, an authentic teahouse, an arched drum bridge, stepping stone paths, plants from China and Japan, and a serene koi pond and zen garden. Admission is $8 for non-residents and $6 for residents. On Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays it if free if entered by 10:00 am.
• The San Francisco Botanical Gardens has 55 acres of both landscaped gardens and open spaces, showcasing over 8,000 different kinds of plants from around the world. The Bay Area's mild temperatures, wet winters and dry summers, coupled with that famous coastal fog, provide a range of climatic conditions that exist in few other botanical gardens in the world. As a result, the Botanical Gardens are able to recreate climatic conditions from round the world, such as those found in an Andean Cloud Forest, a Chilean Garden, Mesoamerica, Southeast Asia, etc.
• The National AIDS Memorial Grove, located in the eastern end of Park, is a 10-acre living memorial honoring all who have confronted this tragic pandemic can gather to heal, hope, and remember.

Corona Heights is a hill in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco with one of the best views of San Francisco. Its prominent red outcrop is visible from many parts of the city. In the late 1800s, Corona Heights was quarried for brickmaking materials by the infamous Gray brothers who had a brick kiln on States Street. The steep, exposed rock faces and the “crown” we see today at Corona Heights are the result of this quarrying.

Buena Vista Park, in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco, is the oldest park in the city, established in 1867 as Hill Park. Its name was later changed to reflect the spectacular views from its 575-foot summit. The park features secluded winding trails and one of the city’s few remaining coast live oak groves.

Travelogue

Salt Point State Park Coastline WildflowersThe vacation had entered its final stages, and in four days we would be back home in New Jersey. The only remaining event was a dual birthday celebration in Sebastopol for Celeste’s dad and me.

We left Lee Vining and headed back to Petaluma via the South Lake Tahoe route rather than driving across Tioga Pass. The drive back and the following day of RV maintenance and packing were uneventful. We tried to get everything that needed to be done completed on Friday, so that we could leave the entire weekend open to celebration, family time, and fun.

On Friday night, we moved the motorhome up to Sebastopol to park in Celeste’s parent’s driveway so that we could be close to all the action. Andrew and Celeste would be arriving later that night after driving up from San Francisco.

Salt Point State Park Sand EyesSaturday was Paul’s big day – his 60th birthday, although his activity level puts most people half his age to shame. The big question was how to spend it. He had already decided that a hike with good food and friends was the way he wanted to celebrate, but the weather wasn’t exactly cooperating. Heavy fog and drizzle was forecast for the coast, which was Hilda’s first choice for a venue worthy of this important milestone.

We debated back and forth as to whether to play it safe and stay somewhere inland, or take a chance and head to Salt Point State Park along the northern Sonoma coast. The consensus, although not unanimous, was to” go big or go home.” Determined to have a good time, and to prove Celeste (the one dissenting vote) wrong, we headed out in two cars towards the Salt Point.

There were eight of us –Herb and me, Celeste and Andrew, Hilda and Paul, and their dear friends Leanne and Guy – the most enthusiastic and fun group any birthday boy could ask for.

Salt Point State Park SurfThe drive was typical for the northern California coast – steep, twisting, a bit foggy, but stunningly beautiful. For us New Jerseyites, battling carsickness on a casual weekend drive was part of the event – a rite of passage if we ever hoped to be accepted when we moved.

I am so glad we went to Salt Point rather than an inland hike, not just because the sun came out, but because it was so very amazing. The entire northern California coastline is stunningly beautiful, but this place was particularly unique.

After a delicious birthday celebratory picnic atop a bluff, we set off along a rocky promontory overlooking the crashing surf below. As beautiful as the sea was, the rocks stole the show. Weathering and the sea had outdone itself in creating fantastical formations, like the three heads and another large rock that looked exactly like a pig. However, the most unusual and beautiful feature along the sandstone cliffs is the intricate honeycomb-like network called tafoni, formed by the salt in the sea spray crystallizing and interacting with the sandstone. They reminded me of the huecos we had encountered when rock climbing in desert areas such as Smith Rock in Bend and again in Bishop.

Climbers Bouldering at Salt Point State ParkIt must have reminded Andrew and Celeste as well, because they had a great time clambering on the rocks as if they were at an outdoor climbing gym.

The day was perfect. The only thing that could have made it better is if we had been here at low tide, when a vast array of tide pools is exposed. That’s okay. That gave us an excuse to come back another time.

The next day was my birthday – not quite as traumatic as Paul’s hitting 60, but pretty darn close. We had a delicious brunch at Peter Lowells, an organic cuisine in Sebastopol – is there anything but?

Since our flight was tomorrow night, we decided to take Andrew and Celeste up on their offer to stay at their place in San Francisco tonight so that we didn’t have to deal with the logistics of getting to the airport from Petaluma tomorrow. Plus that way we could go rock climbing at Planet Granite for my birthday.

Description

Sebastopol

Salt Point State Park CoastlineSebastopol is a charming town in Sonoma County, 52 miles north of San Francisco and about a 20-minute drive to the coast. Sebastopol is known for its apples and hosts an annual Apple Blossom Festival in April and the Gravenstein Apple Fair in August. Today, however, the apple orchards are becoming vineyards as wine-making moves more and more into the region.

Every Sunday, from April to mid-December, there is a Farmers market in the downtown plaza, where people congregate to enjoy delicious fresh regional food, live music, and dancing.

Sebastopol is home to the artist, Patrick Amiot, known for his whimsical, cartoon-like, junk-art sculptures. There are over 200 of his wacky, found-object works scattered throughout Sebastopol, especially on Florence Street.

Side Trip from Sebastopol

Salt Point State Park

Salt Point State Park Coastline WildflowersSalt Point State Park is a 6,000-acre park along the rugged northern California coast, about 90 miles north of San Francisco on State Highway 1, named for the cliffs and crevices where salt spray from the sea has crystallized in sandstone depressions forming intricate honeycomb-like network called tafoni.

The park features 6 miles of rocky coastline, line with jagged rock and steep ocean cliffs, including Salt Point which juts out into the Pacific Ocean. During low tide, these rocks provide an array of tide pools to explore. The park also encompasses one of the first underwater parks in California: Gerstle Cove, where fishing is prohibited.

There are two campgrounds and more than 20 miles of hiking trails in the park. Activities in the park include hiking, camping, picnicking, tide pooling, fishing, scuba diving, and rock bouldering.

Travelogue

Day 1 – Death Valley to June Lake

June Lake BeachBefore leaving Death Valley for the last time, we took advantage of the Furnace Creek Ranch hot springs pool for one more time. It isn’t often you come across such a lovely resort-like setting when camping.

Our goal was the June Lake and Mono Lake area back on the other side of the Panamint and White Mountains, but we wanted to get there with the least amount of harrowing mountain passes. A ranger at the Visitor Center suggested that we go out the east entrance of the park towards Beatty, Nevada and then take 95 north up to Tonopah and then head west. It meant adding a few miles and repeating our drive to Rhyolite the day before, but we didn’t really care if it meant we would have a more relaxing drive.

The ranger was right, and this route was much less nerve wracking than our way in. There was only one steep twisty part near Benton Hot Springs, but after that, the drive along Highway 120 (also called the Mono Mills Road) west into Lee Vining was beautiful.

Oh! Ridge Campground CampsiteWhen we got to Lee Vining, we headed south on Highway 395 with the intention of camping along the June Lake Loop. There are several forest service as well as commercial campgrounds along the loop, but it was a Saturday, so we hoped we wouldn’t have a problem.

The first lake we encountered on the Loop was Grant Lake, which is the largest of the four lakes along the drive. It was terribly low, and the whole southern section was bone dry. The multi-year drought in California was certainly taking its toll.

When we got to Silver Lake, we pulled into the Silver Lake Resort, a commercial campground right across the road from the lake by the same name, to inquire if they had a spot for us for the night. While the woman was hesitating about whether she wanted to give us a spot for just one night, we had a chance to look around and saw that the motorhomes were packed in like sardines. Before she got a chance to turn us down, we told her never mind and continued along the drive. I think the term “Resort” is used far too lightly.

Herb on Panum Crater HikeNext we pulled into the June Lake Campground, a forest service campground which was much nicer, but small and totally full. I was starting to get a bit concerned - we were almost to the end of the June Lake Loop road.

We saw a sign for the Pine Cliff RV Resort – oh good, another resort – and turned in. While I was waiting on line at the office to inquire about a site, Herb walked over to the nearby Oh! Ridge forest service campground. Although there was only one man ahead of me on line, it took the poor woman, who must have been a trainee, literally 20 minutes to check him in. It was a good thing, because before she got a chance to wait on me, Herb ran into the office and said, “Don’t do it! I found something much better.”

He was right. The Oh! Ridge campground was beautiful – spacious sites and beautiful views of the lake and mountains.

When we took a walk through the campground later that evening, we ran across our new friend Bill with the Lazy Daze motorhome, whom we had met a few days back at the Boulder Creek Resort in Lone Pine. He and his friend had had quite a successful day fishing in the lake and were planning to get up early to do some more of the same.

Day 2 – Panum Crater and Parker Lake Hikes

Panum Crater Rim TrailIt was a beautiful day for a hike, so we set out towards Panum Crater on the southern end of Mono Lake, not too far from Navy Beach and the South Tufa Reserve where the spectacular “tufa towers” are. Since we have seen the tufas several times, both from land as well as from our kayaks, we were ready for something new.

To be honest, despite having been here several times, I never even knew this crater was here. It was only when scanning our California hiking book for ideas that I found it. Herb and I love a good crater. We have become volcano groupees since the boys moved out West and we spend lots of time traveling between San Francisco and Seattle. Eventually, we hope to collect them all.

This one, which is a perfect example of a rhyolitic plug-dome volcano, is pretty small by volcanic standards – 220 feet high and 2,000 feet across. It last erupted in 1325 AD.

Lolo on Panum Crater Rim TrailFrom the parking lot at the end of a dirt road off Highway 120, we hiked up to and along the crater’s rim. The entire hike around the rim is about 2 miles, and the views along the way of Mono Lake and the Sierra are really beautiful.

About 1 ½ miles around the rim (if you are going counterclockwise), there is a short side trail down into the lava dome at its center where there are bizarre rock formations and huge chucks of obsidian everywhere.

The entire hike, including down into the dome, is about 2 ½ miles and takes about an hour and a half. The best thing about a short hike is that it allows enough time to do another one, and this time we chose one of a different sort – the hike to Parker Lake.

Parker LakeAlthough Park Laker is one of the lakes in the June Lake Loop area, it is not located along the road, but rather in a small canyon high above it. Most people driving along the loop, never even notice the sign for the turnoff to the trailhead. I don’t think we would have either, if we hadn’t been specifically looking for it. It’s located about 1.3 miles from the north end of the June Lake Loop. From there, we had to drive about 2.4 miles on a bumpy dirt road to the trailhead.

There were only two other cars in the small parking lot, which meant that we would pretty much have this trail to ourselves, which was nice. From the trailhead, we hiked through a sagebrush plain and then into a lovely forest of quaking aspens and Jeffrey Pines, with pretty Parker Creek flowing alongside us on our right.

After about a mile, we met one other hiker on his way out. He told us that it was possible to walk all the way around the lake as long as we were willing and able to scramble across logs and rocks to get across several stream crossings. We would have to see about that.

Herb and Lolo at Parker LakeAt 1.9 miles, the forest opened up and revealed a beautiful, crystal clear, deep blue lake at the foot of 12,861-foot, snow-covered Parker Peak. Wow! There was a lot of bang for our buck in this hike – so much amazing scenery for so little effort. I guess it helped that we had been in the Sierra for awhile and had gotten acclimated to the altitude, because the lake itself is at 8,318 feet.

We started scouting out whether there was an acceptable way for me to cross the fairly deep and rapid creek so that we could walk around the lake. I wasn’t exactly excited about it, but I wasn’t about to be the reason we didn’t, so I used my usual awkward, 5 point method, where I slithered on my butt across the logs and branches.

Once I finally got across the stream, we traced the shores of the lake, but there really was no clear trail to follow. We couldn’t get lost because the lake was right to our left, but we did have to bushwack a bit on the overgrown trail and get our feet wet several times. I don’t think many people do this. There really is no need to as the best views are from the shore that we first encountered at the end of the real trail. I guess it had to be done though.

Lolo Demonstrating 5 Point Creek CrossingThe hike back out was easy, and it wasn’t long before we were back at our campsite at Oh! Ridge, sipping Chardonnay and gazing out over June Lake below.

It had been a great day with two great hikes. I am always amazed when we are out West how much variety there is in such a small geographical area. One minute we were hiking on cinders and ashes along a treeless volcanic crater rim and the next we were hiking through a beautiful forest of quaking aspen and Jeffrey Pines on our way to a pristine mountain lake – and they were only, 10 miles away from each other. In New Jersey, I can barely get from one shopping mall to the next in that short a distance.

The hikes did have something in common though -- those beautiful snow-covered Sierra always in the background. I’m going to miss them when we go back home.

Day 3 – Lundy Canyon and Travertine Hot Springs

Lolo and Herb at Lundy CanyonAlthough we were at the doorstep to Yosemite and tempted by all it has to offer, we had not yet even come close to exhausting the wonderful hiking opportunities in the wilderness areas just outside its eastern boundary.

For today, we chose to do one of the classics – the hike to Lundy Canyon in the Hoover Wilderness Area, known for having some of the best waterfalls in the Eastern Sierra.

From the town of Lee Vining, we drove 7 miles north on 395 and then turned left on Lundy Canyon Road. After 5 miles we passed Lundy Lake and continued for another 2 miles on a dirt road to the trailhead. We were very lucky to get the last parking spot in the small lot. Most of the people in the lot were getting ready to set off on a multi-day backpacking trip, as the Lundy Lake trail is the backdoor into the 20 Lakes Basin Area, and many people use this as their starting point.

The girls that were parked next to us were packing up to take a group of teenagers on a backpacking trip to Saddleback Lake, about 6 miles up through the canyon. They had extra food that needed to be left behind and were concerned by the lack of bear boxes at the start of the trail, which was rather unusual since we were in black bear country. One of the girls told us that she had already had her car door ripped off 4 times by bears trying to get at the food inside it. She had no desire to go for a fifth, so she actually got back in her car to go look for a place where her food could be safely stored while they were away. Before setting out, we did a double check to make sure that there was nothing that would be tempting for a bear left in our car.

Lundy CanyonWe followed the trail through a grove of quaking aspen and in about a quarter of a mile came to a pond with a lovely view of Lower Mill Creek Falls and the snow-covered peaks of the western end of Lundy Canyon. Fortunately there was another couple there, so we took turns taking photos of each other.

At about ¾ miles we came to the Lower Mill Creek Falls, the first of the two waterfalls we would get to that day, and the one we had used as a backdrop for our picture at the beginning of our hike.

The trail traced Mill Creek for much of its way, and there were several spots where we had to cross it, hopping over rocks and logs. There were also several impressive beaver dams, which have created small ponds within the creek. .

After about another mile and a quarter of easy hiking through forest and meadow, we came to our turnaround point and the Upper Lundy Falls, the second of the two waterfalls on our hike. From this point, the trail rises steeply and somewhat treacherously up the canyon wall. Our hiking book warned about this section of the trail being steep and slippery with loose scree, making it possible to take a serious fall, especially if wearing a heavy backpack. Most day hikers turn back at this point, and we would as well. We did, however, go a short distance along the canyon wall, mostly so I could get to a little snow pile and make a snowball.

Lolo Hiking Lundy CanyonOn our way down, a nice, flat rock ledge above the Upper Falls called out to us, so we answered and sat for awhile enjoying the beautiful scenery and our picnic lunch.

The entire hike, out and back, was 4.4 miles with a 1,000 foot elevation gain and an awful lot of awesome scenery along the way.

We still had the whole afternoon ahead of us, so we drove north on 395 for about 17 miles to the turnoff for Travertine Hot Springs in the town of Bridgeport. Last summer, this had been the site of our first natural hot springs experience, and it had set the bar very high in terms of ease of access and a beautiful setting.

We knew enough to pass right by the partially-developed pool at the edge of the parking lot and continue down a short trail to the main pools, which are fed from water trickling over the edge of a colorful, “travertine”-stained rock formation that rises above them. Rock piles separate the water into three separate pools, with water flowing from one pool to the next, decreasing in temperature as it goes along. The rightmost pool, which has stone sides to sit on, is about 105 degrees; the middle pool also has stone sides and is about 100 degrees; and the leftmost pool has a mushy mud bottom and is about 90 degrees.

Lolo with Lundy Canyon SnowballThere is always someone in the rightmost pool, but the others are sometimes available. I’m not sure what the etiquette is in terms of joining people already in a pool if another one is empty, so I tend to not join. Herb takes the privacy thing a step further and goes across the field to a primitive pool that he likes to think of as his own. The whole area around the springs is very active geothermally, so new springs are continuously erupting forming new pools. However, “Herb” pool was here when we visited last year.

A gentleman, who was just leaving “Herb” pool, showed us how to regulate the temperature by using a rock to either block or open up the flow of spring water into it. It was surprising what a difference it made. Although I love sitting in my beach chair by this pool looking out at the Sierra and the town of Bridgeport below, I am not a fan of its muddy bottom. So, I kept watch over the three main pools, and when I saw the middle one free up, I would go there to soak for awhile. Just like in the “Three Little Piggies,” for me the middle pool was “just right” – good temp and stones rather than mud to sit on.

That evening we returned once more to our campsite at Oh! Ridge on June Lake and discussed the plan of attack for the next few days. We tried to sit out in our beach chairs to have a glass of wine and watch the sun set over the lake, but it was just too cold and windy. Oh! Ridge is, after all, at an elevation of 7,600 feet. Herb hates the cold and is terribly offended if he can’t sip wine outside in the summer, so, we agreed that the next day we would move to the Mono Vista RV Park in Lee Vining, which is at 6,300 feet, to see if that was any better.

Day 4 – Dog Lake, Lembert Dome, and Tuolumne Meadows

Dog LakeThe next morning we implemented our plan of moving our base camp from Oh! Ridge Campground on the June Lake Loop to the Mono Vista RV Park, just 15 miles up 395, but 1,300 feet closer to sea level.

Now we were just too close to the Yosemite entrance to resist its lure any longer, so we dropped the motorhome off at its new home and drove the Subaru into the Park. Every bit of elevation we lost driving down to Mono Lake, we regained and more. Beautiful Tuolumne Meadows sits at 8,600 feet, which is why even in late spring and early summer, the Tioga Pass Road sometimes closes due to snow.

We have done many day hikes and even a backpacking trip from Tuolumne Meadows, but for some reason we have never done the classic hike to the top of Lembert Dome. While Tuolumne Meadows is full of domes, Lembert Dome is probably the most iconic and the one that dominates the eastern end of the meadow.

Lolo Hiking Lembert DomeLike most domes, Lembert Dome has a steep face, which rock climbers like to play on, and a more gentle, yet still steep, backside that hikers can scramble up. I think we parked in the climbers’ rather than the hikers’ parking lot, because what we were looking at hopefully wasn’t its gentle backside. However, the trailhead did say Dog Lake and Lembert Dome. We would just have to hike a little longer to get to the backside, which was fine.

After hiking for about a mile along a trail along a wooded slope, we came to a trail junction – Dog Lake 0.4 miles straight ahead, backside of Lembert Dome 0.5 miles to the right. We went straight and soon came upon the south edge of Dog Lake, with views of Mount Gibbs and Mount Dana in the distance to the east. Although not as dramatic a setting as some of the other high country lakes we have hiked to, it was still a very lovely and peaceful spot.

Lolo Approaching Lembert Dome False SummitWe continued along the lake’s shoreline on an obvious path –much easier than our bushwhacking / stream crossing experience the other day at Parker Lake. Soon we came upon a nice sandy beach, which someone had already claimed. If it had been a little later in the summer season, I would have loved to have gone for swim, but the water was still too chilly, at least for me.

After our trip around the lake, we hiked back down to the trail junction we had passed earlier, took a left turn towards Lembert Dome, and after a half mile came to a sign pointing us to the right to ascend the backside of the dome. There is no official path to the top, so you have to figure out your own way up the steep granite slabs. I chose to follow a large crack, because it gave me the security of grabbing onto something if necessary.

Lolo on Treacherous Descent from Lembert DomeAlthough a little bit intimidating, it was nothing compared to going up the backside of Half Dome. There it is so steep that they have installed cables to hold onto as you ascend. Still even on this dome, there were more people choosing not to go up to the summit than did than to do so, which was good in that it gave us the top to ourselves. From the summit there is a wonderful panoramic view of the Cathedral Range to the South, the Sierra crest to the east, and Tuolumne Meadows to the west.

In retrospect, I really hope that we made it to the true summit. I read afterwards that there are several false summits, plus our Strava mapping of our hike seemed to show us a little bit to the right of the summit. I don’t know how that could be though. There was nowhere else to go up. I am going to officially count it as having reached the summit.

As always, the going down a steep surface is much scarier than going up. Going up you can at least reach your hands out and touch the rock for security, but going down you feel much more exposed. I admit to resorting to my trademark five-point contact method where I use my butt, hands, and feet to maneuver down the steeper parts. I didn’t care what I looked like.

Tuolumne River and MeadowOnce back on flatter ground, we continued back to the trail junction, turned right, and hiked about 0.3 miles down to the road to a parking lot that I think was the one that we should have to do this hike. From there, it was a long walk back to our parking lot (1.2 miles according to Strava) along a trail that ran alongside the road.

All totaled, our hike was 6.1 miles with an 900 foot elevation gain, but believe it or not, 600 of that elevation gain was made getting to Dog Lake.

Before returning to Lee Vining, we drove west a bit further along the Tioga Pass Road as far as beautiful Tenaya Lake, looking for a place to set out our beach chairs to just relax and enjoy the scenery. The lake was pretty busy with picnickers, so we found a quieter place where the Tuolumne River runs through the meadow. It was lovely.

The drive back to our campsite at Mono Vista RV Park in Lee Vining was only ½ hour. Although we much prefer staying in the Park, it was good to find a viable base camp alternative for future visits to Yosemite.

Day 5 – Black Point Fissures, Buckeye Hot Springs, and Travertine Hot Springs

Lolo Hiking to Black Point FissuresToday we decided to explore another one of Mono Lake’s volcanic features – the Black Point Fissures atop a flat-topped volcano along the north side of the lake. Black Point last erupted about 13,000 years ago when it was still beneath the water of what was a much deeper Mono Lake. When the cinder and lava cooled and hardened under water, the top split open to form several hundred-yard-long cracks, or canyon-like fissures, measuring from 20 to 50 foot deep and only a few feet wide. When the waters of Mono Lake receded after the Ice Age, Black Point became a peninsula. It is the only fully exposed underwater volcano on earth.

It is the fissures that make this place so interesting, but since they lie below the surface of what is now a rather indistinct flat-topped volcano, they are not that easy to find. If fact, even getting to the trailhead was a bit of a challenge, though not nearly as bad as the ranger in the Mono Lake Visitor Center had described it.

Mono Lake Islands ViewFrom our campsite in Lee Vining, we drove 5 miles north on 395 and turned right onto a paved road marked County Park. We stopped briefly at the park and walked along a boardwalk to the north shore tufa area and wetland. The lake has receded quite a bit over the years, so there are several tufas left stranded on the shore. There was a very large, bright white one just alongside the boardwalk, so close that I could have touched it, but didn’t because I thought that might not be good for it.

After the park we continued along the road, which eventually became dirt, for another 3.4 miles and then turned right on another dirt road signed for Black Point. Then it was 3 miles more along dirt to a parking lot marked for Black Point.

From the parking lot, you couldn’t really see much of anything, or for that matter, where you were even supposed to go. Unlike other volcanic features that rise above its surroundings, these fissures were below the surface and not visible until you were at their edge. All we saw was a gently sloping hill covered in ash, cinders, and sagebrush.

Black Point FissuresSince there is no official trail up to the fissures, we just followed the footprints, wherever they lead, but all too often there were footprints in every direction. As long as we kept going up, we figured we would be getting closer. Eventually we left the sagebrush behind and reached a rocky promontory, which appeared to be the highest point.

While we were trying to figure out which way to go from here, we sat on the rock and looked out at the spectacular scenery -- Mono Lake and the snow-covered Sierra. From this vantage point we had a great view of the lake’s two islands – Negit, the black island which erupted 1,700 years ago and Paoha, the white island which erupted only 250 years ago. When we visited Mono Lake last year we kayaked the 3 miles from the lake’s southern shore to Paoha and spent half a day exploring it. We didn’t realize at the time how lucky we were to be able to do that. Usually the lake gets too windy by early afternoon to be out on it.

We saw people to the southwest of us where there appeared to be rocky cliffs, so we headed in their direction. Finally we came to a large crack in a rock that dropped down about 30 feet into a narrow canyon. The entry was gently sloping enough for us to easily enter and come out again at a later point.

Lolo Hiking Black Point FissuresWe thought this was pretty cool and that we had finally found the fissures. I guess we did, but there were much better ones a little further – I wish I could say where, but we have no idea how we got to them. These were deeper (maybe 40 to 50 feet high), narrower (only a couple of feet wide), more colorful, and had walls covered with unusual knobby features that were attached to the walls like barnacles.

I don’t know if we saw all the fissures, but I think we saw enough to have made the trek searching for them worth it.

The way down was much easier to navigate as we could see our car in the parking lot. Good thing, because it was easy to get distracted by the expansive views before us of Mono Lake and the surrounding mountains.

Rather than return to Lee Vining, we continued north on 395 towards the town of Bridgeport to soak in Buckeye Hot Springs, another natural hot spring that we had read about in our guide book.

Herb Soaking in Buckeye Hot SpringsThis one was a bit harder to get to than Keough Hot Ditch or Travertine Hot Springs. We drove past the turnoff for Travertine Hot Springs and after passing through the north end of Bridgeport, we turned west onto Twin Lakes Road and continued for seven miles. Just past Doc and Al’s resort, we turned right and crossed a bridge going over a creek. From there, we continued on a gravel road up a hill, past the Buckeye Campground, to a parking area at the very top of the hill.

There was one pool located under a tree near the parking area, but it was not very inviting – too cool and slimy. The main pools were located right alongside Buckeye Creek, but required going down a short, steep trail to reach them. I made Herb scout it out first to see if it was worth me going down as well and whether we should bring beach chairs. He came back up and said no to the beach chairs but yes for me.

We grabbed towels and a cooler and hiked back down. These pools were very different than Keough and Travertine in that they were directly next to a creek, separated from its chilly waters only by man-made rock piles. The source of the spring was on top of the grassy hillside that we had just climbed down. The water emerged from the spring at about 140 degrees and flowed down, cooling along the way, until it cascaded over a cave into the largest pool, forming a nice little waterfall. Additional rock piles separate the hot water area into three separate pools, varying in temperature from 95 to 110 degrees.

Lolo Soaking in Buckeye Hot SpringsI chose the pool with the waterfall, and squished back as far as I could against the cave wall, so that I could enjoy the waterfall cascading down in front of me without getting pelted in the face. It was nice sitting in the warm pool and listening to the babbling brook, but we prefer the more expansive views we had at Keough and especially at Travertine. So, after a little while, we trekked back up the hill and drove to Travertine, which was on the way back to our campground anyway, and spent an hour there enjoying our soak with a Sierra view.

That evening we went out on the town for dinner at our favorite gas station restaurant – in fact, I believe it is our only gas station restaurant. Although technically located in a Mobil station, Whoa Nellie’s Deli is in a separate building and has quite an exotic menu. For example, Herb and I ordered Lobster Taquitos on a bed of Brazilian black beans and Wild Buffalo Meatloaf cooked cowboy style. You can even get wine and beer. The place was bustling. I highly recommend it to anyone coming into Yosemite via the east entrance.

Description

The Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway, officially known as Highway 395, runs the entire length of the Sierra Nevada Range, from south of Lone Pine to Carson City. The scenery along the way is breathtaking and full of variety – snow covered mountains, incredible lakes, ancient bristlecone forests, natural hot springs, and so much more.

I have broken up our journey along the Scenic Byway into two stops:
• South - from Mammoth Lakes to Lone Pine
• North - from June Lake to Bridgeport

The following is a description of a few of the stops we enjoyed along the Eastern Sierra northern section:

June Lake Area

The June Lake Loop, also known as Highway 158, loops away from Highway 395, just north of Mammoth Lakes, follows a horseshoe-shaped canyon for 16 miles, and then returns to 395 just south of Lee Vining. Along these highly scenic miles, it passes four lakes – June Lake, Gull Lake, Silver Lake, and Grant Lake -- each with dramatic mountain backdrops. There are campgrounds at each of the lakes. Activities along the loop include: world-class trout fishing, swimming, boating, hiking, rock climbing, and photography.

The major community along the loop is June Lake, which lies two miles from the south junction of Highway 395. The small downtown offers a number of lodges, shops, restaurants, and taverns. The lake itself is about one mile long and a half a mile wide, and is served by two marinas. At the northeast end of the lake there is a swimming beach, a private campground, and a national forest campground called Oh! Ridge. Oh! Ridge is located on a hill above the swimming beach with beautiful views of the lake and surrounding mountains.

Lee Vining Area

Mono Lake

Mono Lake is located just off Highway 395 near the town of Lee Vining, California, 13 miles east of Yosemite National Park. Mono Lake is extremely unique. First of all, at over 1 million years of age, it is one of the oldest continuously existing lakes in the continent. Secondly, it is about 2 ½ times as salty as the sea and about 80 times as alkaline. This is because Sierra streams flow into Mono Lake bringing trace amounts of salts and minerals, but the lake has no outlet other than evaporation. As a result, the concentration levels of salts and minerals keeps growing each year. Thirdly, and the main reason Mono Lake is so popular, are the hundreds of spectacular “tufa towers” that rise from the lake. These intriguing calcium-carbonate sculptures were formed beneath the water when carbonates in the water combined with calcium from freshwater springs feeding into the lake. As lake levels dropped, these extraordinary-looking knobs, spires, and minarets became exposed. Most of the towers visible in the lake are from 200 to 900 years old and rise as high as 30 feet above the water.

Panum Crater is a small, dormant crater located just south of Mono Lake and east of Highway 395. The Crater, which last erupted in 1325 AD, is a perfect example of a rhyolitic plug-dome volcano. A marked and maintained trail leads around the rim of the crater, with spectacular views of the Eastern Sierra, Mono Lake and the Mono Basin. The crater is about 2,000 feet across. A side trip leads down into the lava dome at the center of the volcano where there are bizarre rock formations and huge chunks of obsidian everywhere. The rim and trail into the dome is about 2 ½ miles long with a total elevation gain of about 200 feet.

Black Point is a flat-topped volcanic hill on the north side of Mono Lake. It last erupted about 13,000 years ago beneath the waters of what was once a much deeper Mono Lake. As the cinders and lava cooled and hardened under water, the top split open to form several hundred-yard-long cracks, or canyon-like fissures, measuring from 20 to 50 foot deep and only a few feet wide. When the waters of Mono Lake receded after the Ice Age, Black Point became a peninsula. It is the only fully exposed underwater volcano on earth.

There really is no trail to the Black Point Fissures, and they can be challenging to find because they are not visible until you are standing at their edge. The best thing to do is to start at the BLM trailhead and follow the lines of footprints up the gently sloping butte across cinders and ash to the level plateau on top of the point. The fissures can be found about 800 feet beyond the small rocky promontory near the southeast corner, radiating northwards away from a small line of cliffs along the south edge of the summit plateau.

All the fissures have sloping sides so they can be entered without much difficulty. Be sure to do so to see the unusual knobby textures and colors along their walls.

On the way down, expansive views of Mono Lake and the Sierra lie before you.

Lundy Canyon is located about seven miles north of Lee Vining, along the eastern boundary of Yosemite National Park. The Lundy Canyon trail is the backdoor into the 20 Lakes Basin area of the Hoover Wilderness and along its way are some of the best waterfalls in the Eastern Sierra. The trailhead is located at the end of Lundy Lake Road, about 2 miles past Lundy Lake. Although the entire trail goes to Saddleback Lake (in 6 miles), most people turn around at 2.2. miles when the trail becomes much steeper and treacherous alongside a steep wall of unstable shale. For much of the hike, the trail rises alongside Mill Creek, passing several beaver ponds, lower Lundy Falls near the beginning of the trail, and the Upper Falls near the turnaround point where the trail begins to climb out of the canyon.

Yosemite

Lembert Dome is a granite monolithic dome that dominates the eastern end of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park. Its summit can be reached either by rock climbing its face from the parking lot just off Tioga Road, or by hiking around to its back side and scrambling up along low angle slabs. From the summit there are magnificent views of the Cathedral Range to the South, the Sierra crest to the east, and Tuolumne Meadows to the west.

Bridgeport Area

Travertine Hot Springs

There are many natural hot springs in the Sierra, but the Travertine Hot Springs are one of the prettiest and the easiest to get to. They are located just south of the town of Bridgeport along Route 395. To reach the springs, turn onto Jack Sawyer Road, then left again onto a marked, but somewhat rutted, dirt road.

There are several pools at Travertine. Right next to the parking area is a developed pool, which is the hottest of the pools in the area. There were even rugs placed around it to cushion the hard surface.

A short way down the trail are the lower three pools, which are fed from water trickling over the ridge of a colorful rock formation that rises above them. The beautiful tan, cream and rust colors of the rock are the result of a form of limestone, called “travertine” that is deposited by the mineral-laden hot springs. The water flows from one pool to the next decreasing in temperature as it goes along. The first pool is about 105 degrees, while the last, which is the largest and shallowest, is only about 90 degrees.

A little past the main pools there are a few more primitive pools that are much more private. The whole area around the springs is very active geothermally, and new springs are continuously erupting.

There are wonderful views of the Sierra while you bathe in one of its pools, sitting along a rocky ledge or in the mud that lines their bottoms. The mud is slightly sulfuric and soothing to the skin.

The area is designated “clothing optional,” but most people wear bathing suits.

Buckeye Hot Springs, near Bridgeport, CA, are considered by some to be the most beautiful pools in the eastern Sierra. The pools are quite unique in that they sit directly next to chilly Buckeye Creek. The two main sources emerge from the side of a steep grassy hillside at about 140 degrees and flow downward, cooling along the way before cascading over a cave in a mini-waterfall formation into the largest pool. The hot water is captured by man-made rock piles alongside the creek, creating three pools of varying temperature in the 95 to 110 degree range. Since the creek water cycles through the pools, they are cleaner than those at Travertine. The trail down to the creek from the parking lot is quite steep. As with most hot spring pools in the Sierra, this one is clothing optional.

Travelogue

Herb Enjoying Furnace Creek Ranch PoolAs I mentioned in the previous stop, I was not particularly thrilled about heading into Death Valley where the forecast was 105 to 110 degrees for the next few days. But it wasn’t just the oppressive heat that made me want to avoid this place. It was the horrible memories I had of losing our brake lines on the way out of the park in 2007 on the very road we would now be driving in on.

Route 190 into Death Valley from the west is extremely steep and twisting and doesn’t have just one mountain pass to cross, but two. However, we had just had the brakes completely redone again in 2014, so Herb felt confident that with proper downshifting we would not have a problem, and he was right. We didn’t. It just was a little nerve wracking. Plus, unless we planned to live in Death Valley, we would have to come out again.

Don’t get me wrong. I love Death Valley. It is breathtakingly beautiful and can be a wonderful place to explore – under the right conditions. The operative phrase is “right conditions,” and last November we had them – beautiful sunny skies with daytime temperatures in the upper 70s and lower 80s, dropping into the upper 50s at night. We were hiking and photographing all over the place.

Lolo Relaxing in Furnace Creek ResortNow, however, the air felt like you were being blown by a giant hairdryer on maximum heat. Fortunately, the Furnace Creek Campground where we would be staying the next two nights (it was originally three, but I negotiated Herb down to two) had a lovely warm spring fed pool, surrounded by palm trees and mountain vistas. It was truly lovely.

Within 10 minutes of checking in, we were at the pool and I had absolutely no plans of leaving it except to eat and sleep. Fortunately, we were able to get two lounge chairs that were at least partially in the shade.

Although I might have thought this was the absolutely worst time of the year to be here, European tourists do not. In fact, they prefer it because they want the “real” Death Valley experience, so the hotter the better. There were lots of them at the pool, looking a lot happier about it than I was. I would say that at least 80% of the people at the pool were speaking German, another 10% French or perhaps another European language, and then me and Herb.

The next day, there wasn’t even the slightest possibility of going on a hike, so first thing in the morning we hurried to the pool and grabbed our two favorite lounge chairs in the shade.

I have a hard time just sitting for long periods of time, so we tried to figure out something that to do at least for part of the day. A drive would be fine because we could be in air conditioning, so Herb suggested we go to Rhyolite, Nevada, just outside the eastern boundary of Death Valley -- a place he had been to on his motorcycle journey a few weeks back, but that I had never seen. He explained that there was a ghost town there as well as an outdoor art museum, two things he knew would tempt me.

Rhyolite was pretty amazing, so much so that I thought it warranted the dignity of its own trip stop, which follows this one.

What we didn’t know at the time we visited Rhyolite was that we would actually pass this way again the following day when leaving Death Valley for good, because a ranger told us that it was the least white-knuckling of the Death Valley exits. So what if that put us in Nevada. At least we wouldn’t have to drive the harrowing 190 through Stovepipe Wells and Panamint Springs again.

Note to self: Only visit Death Valley from October through March!

Description

Twenty Mule Team Canyon RoadIn 1994, the Desert Protection Act added an additional 1.2 million acres to Death Valley National Monument and upgraded its status to National Park, making it the largest national park outside of Alaska. The park is located on the eastern border of a remote section of California with some small portions extending into Nevada. Despite its remoteness, it is one of the most highly visited parks in the national park systems. Many of these visitors come all the way from Europe and Japan to experience the extremes of this stunningly beautiful desert.

Death Valley received its name from the unfortunate forty-niners who were forced to cross the burning sands here in order to avoid the severe snowstorns in the nearby Sierra Nevada on their way to the California Gold Rush. Many perished along the way, and those that survived remembered it as a place of suffering and death. The current names of many of the places in Death Valley reflect its harshness: Dead Man Pass, Funeral Mountains, Furnace Creek, Hell’s Gate, Devil’s Golf Course, Starvation Canyon, etc.

Golden Canyon TrailThe valley itself is over 130 miles long, but only about 12 miles wide, flanked on both sides by unvegetated reddish mountains. From an elevation of about 3,300 feet in the north, the land slopes steadily downward to an elevation of 279 feet below sea level at Badwater, the lowest point in the western hemisphere. In fact, 70 miles of the desert floor is below sea level, accounting for its extremely high termperatures, which can exceed 130°F in summer.

In many ways, not much about the valley has changed since the pioneers first crossed here. Its intense heat, frigid cold, and the driest air imaginable still make it one of the most inhospitable locations on earth. However, today’s visitors can enjoy Death Valley and see most of its highlights from the comfort of their air conditioned cars and stay in comfortable, and even luxurious, hotel rooms at night.

Lolo with Badwater Basin SignThe park is criss-crossed by a network of roads, ranging form washboard dirt ones to paved, well-maintained highways, making the most popular destinations quite accessible. The Furnace Creek Visitor Center, near the center of the park, is a great place to get oriented and to begin an exploration of Death Valley. This greenness of this area is a surprise to most visitors who come to the park expecting to see nothing but miles and miles of sand. Fed by warm springs, this area is a verdant oasis with palm trees as tall as 50 feet. There are also two world-class resorts here: the elegant Furnace Creek Inn and the more down-to-earth Furnace Creek Ranch.

Highlights traveling south from Furnace Creek on Route 190

• About 5 miles south of the Furnace Creek Visitor Center is Zabriskie Point, one of the most spectacular overlooks in the park. A short walk uphill from the parking lot brings you to a panoramic view of Golden Canyon and the surrounding vibrantly colored badlands. The views are particularly stunning in the lowlight of early morning or late afternoon.
• Another 1.5 miles down the highway s the turnout for Twenty-Mule Team Canyon road, a one-way dirt road that rejoins the highway in 2.7 miles. The road winds through Twenty-Mule Team Canyon with close-up views of the same colorful badlands seen from Zabriskie Point. RVs and trailers are not allowed on this road.
• 4.5 miles further south on 190 is a turnoff for Dante’s View (restricted to vehicles less than 25 feet). The road to Dante’s View climbs steeply to an overlook 5,000 feet above the valley floor, where the temperatures average 20° F cooler than in the valley. From this viewpoint, which most consider the most breathtaking in the park, one can see the lowest point (Badwater) and the highest point (Telescope Peak) in the park.

Highlights traveling south from Furnace Creek on Badwater Road

• About 1.8 miles south of the Visitor Center is the turnoff for Badwater Road. 1.5 miles further south on Badwater Road is the parking lot for the popular hike into Golden Canyon. A well-marked nature trail (2 miles RT) leads into the narrow canyon, wedged in by eroded cliffs and the slopes of golden badlands.
• Back on Badwater Road, continue south past Artist Drive (get that on the way back as it is a one-way road going north). Around 9 miles south of Golden Canyon is the turnoff for the unpaved spur road to Devil’s Golf Course. The road leads to an odd and forbidding landscape created by salt and erosion on a lake bed that dried up 2,000 years ago. The result is a jagged terrain of salty white miniature mountains and spires, less than 2 feet high. The name comes from the feeling that “only the devil could play golf on such rough links.”
• About 8 miles south is the Badwater Basin, the hottest and lowest point in Death Valley accessible by car. Surprisingly, its permanent spring-fed pools also make it one of the wettest. Legend says that it got its name from a surveyor whose mule refused to drink it. Although not poisonous, it is similar in composition and taste to Epsom salts. Despite its apparent inhospitableness, it is home to water beetles, insect larvae, and a soft-shelled saltwater snail that slowly adapted to these conditions.
• Turning back north on Badwater Road towards Furnace Creek, in 8 miles you come to the turnout for the one-way, 9-mile paved Artist Drive, which winds through a colorful display of sedimentary and volcanic rock hidden from the main road. It received its name from the rainbow of colors—red, pink, yellow, orange, and brown—that paint these rocky hills. About half-way through the loop is the parking lot for Artists Palette, one of the most colorful areas along the loop. Artist Drive is restricted to vehicles less than 25 feet.

Highlights traveling north from Furnace Creek on Route 190

• About 1.7 miles north of the Furnace Creek Visitor Center are the remains of what was once the Harmony Borax Works. Borax, which the prospectors called “white gold,” was once a big business in Death Valley. In the 1880s, Chinese laborers were hired to rake borax “cottonballs” from the valley floor and bring them to the Harmony Borax works to be purified. From there the refined borax was loaded onto the famous twenty-mule team wagons and transported 165 miles across the desert to the train station in Mojave. From there it was shipped to processing plants where it was used to make soaps, disinfectants, and food preservatives. Between 1883 and 1927, more than $30 million worth of borax was produced in Death Valley. A short trail leads past the ruins of the old borax refinery and some outlying buildings. More information on the mining of borax in Death Valley is available in the Borax Museum at the Furnace Creek Ranch.
• 12 miles further north on 190 is the turnoff for the 1.2 mile gravel road to Salt Creek, home to the famous Death Valley pupfish. When the lake that once covered Death Valley dried up thousands of years ago, the desert pupfish was the only fish that managed to adapt to the harsh conditions here. Isolated from each other in scattered salty pools, springs, and creeks, nine types of pupfish have evolved. A tenth has already become extinct. They are found no place else on earth. The pupfish can often be seen from the short wooden boardwalk nature trail that crisscrosses the stream and marshes.
• About 21 miles north of the Visitor Center, Highway 190 turns west towards Stovepipe Wells and the west entrance to the park. At this point, you can either continue on 190 or head north on the North Highway another 32 miles to Scotty’s Castle, the major man-made attraction in Death Valley.

Highlights along the North Highway (traveling north)

• The drive to Scotty’s Castle on the North Highway is a very scenic one with desert stretching out on the west and mountains rising to the east. About 10 miles north on the North Highway is a pullout with great views of Death Valley’s renowned alluvial fans. These fans are something like an hourglass with debris from the mountains funneling through a narrow opening and spilling out in a wedge shape into the valley. They come in many shapes and sizes. The ones near this viewpoint are smaller and steeper.
• 25 miles further north in the remote Grapevine Canyon looms the unlikely sight of a Moorish Castle. Construction of what was more officially called Death Valley Ranch was begun in 1922 by Chicago millionaire Albert Johnson, whose doctors had advised him to spend more time in a warm, dry climate. However, the mansion is known as Scotty’s Castle, named after Johnson’s unlikely friend, Walter Scott. Walter Scott was a cowboy that had traveled with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show in the 1880s before taking up prospecting. Albert Johnson was one of Scotty’s gullible investors in his “secret gold mine” in Death Valley. After several trips west to see the mine, Johnson realized that he was being duped by Scotty. Despite that, Johnson truly enjoyed his new friend and the tall tales he told. Scotty helped Johnson conceive the idea of this vacation villa in Death Valley and lived in it after Johnson’s death.
• In 1970, Scotty’s Castle was purchased by the National Park Service from the foundation to whom Johnson had willed it. Today the colorful history of the castle is brought to life by rangers dressed in 1930s clothing that welcome you as if you were Scotty’s guests. The one-hour guided tour is excellent, both for its inside look at this unusual mansion as well as for the stories about the eccentricities of the two men that built it. Tours depart every 20 minutes from 9 am to 5 pm. Plan to arrive early because they fill up quickly.
• About 1.5 miles down Grapevine Canyon heading back south on the North Highway is the turnoff for the 8 mile road to Ubehebe Crater. This half-mile wide, 600-foot deep crater was formed by volcanic explosions several thousand years ago. Dark cinders and volcanic fragments cover the surrounding countryside. From the parking area there is a steep trail up to the crater’s rim. Be prepared to battle some very gusty winds.
• Because of its remote location, few visitors get to see the famous Death Valley Racetrack, where rocks mysteriously move across the dry lakebed on their own accord. Although no one has actually seen the rocks move, they are known to move because of the trails they leave behind them. After studying the phenomenon for decades, scientists now believe they have solved the mystery. The surface of the lakebed is a fine clay that becomes very slippery when wet. After a rain, heavy winds as high as 70 mph blow the rocks across the slick surface. A 4-wheel drive vehicle is needed to reach the Racetrack, which is 27 miles past Ubehebe Crater on a rough dirt road.

Highlights traveling west along Route 190 from the junction with the North Highway

• Just west of the junction is the parking area for the surrealistic Devil’s Cornfield. On both sides of the road are odd-looking clumps of brush four to ten feet tall that resemble corn stalks. They are actually arrowweed bushes, whose stems were used by Native Americans to make arrow shafts.
• A few miles further west on 190, pull over on the shoulder by a roadside display where the Sand Dunes come close to the highway. These are the highest of a 14-square-mile field of dunes. Although there are no trails to follow, hikers are free to roam the dunes on their own. The best time of day to visit the dunes is in the morning or late afternoon when the temperatures are cooler and the lighting is more dramatic.
• Two miles further west is the village of Stovepipe Wells, Death Valley’s first tourist resort. The village actually got its name from an historic site about 5 miles north where an old stovepipe was sunk into the sand to form the shaft of a well. For years this well was used by travelers as a source for water. Around 1926 a developer planned to build a small resort near the well. However, his lumber trucks got stuck in the sand before he could reach it. Rather than unload and reload his trucks, he decided to try and dig a well where they were. They struck water and stayed. That spot is the current location for Stovepipe Wells. Today the village has a motel, general store, saloon, restaurant, and campground.

Campgrounds that will accomodate RVs in Death Valley

• Furnace Creek Campground (136 sites, no hookups) – located just north of the Visitor Center. Open year round. This is the only park campground that takes reservations.
• Mesquite Spring Campground (30 sites, no hookups) – located 5 miles south of Scotty’s Castle. Open year round.
• Panamint Springs Resort (40 sites, 12 hookups) – located 30 miles west of Stovepipe Wells on Route 190. Open year round. This campground is privately operated and takes reservations.
• Stovepipe Wells Campground (200 sites, 15 hookups) – located in the village of Stovepipe Wells. Open year round.
• Sunset Campground (1000 sites, no hookups) – located .25 miles east of the Furnace Creek Ranch. Open October through April.
• Texas Spring Campground (92 sites, no hookups) – located near Sunset Campground. Open October through April.
• Wildrose Campground (30 sites, no hookups) – located 30 miles south of Stovepipe Wells off the Trona-Wildrose Road. Open year round.

In addition to the park campgrounds, there are two privately-owned campgrounds in the park:

• Furnace Creek Ranch Campground (26 sites, all full hookups) - located at The Ranch just south of the Visitor Center. Open year round. Guests can enjoy the Ranch’s natural spring-fed swimming pool, shower facility, coin operated laundry, tennis courts, shuffleboard, volleyball, Bocci Ball and basketball court.
• Panamint Springs Campground (37 sites, 12 full hookups) - located at the western end of Death Valley National Park on Highway 190 in the town of Panamint Springs

Travelogue

After leaving San Francisco, we spent the next 10 days traveling up and down the incredibly beautiful Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway, officially known as 395, between Mammoth Lakes and Lone Pine. Much of that time, it was just Herb and I, but the kids joined us in the middle for a long Memorial Day Weekend. The following is a day by day breakdown of our explorations.

Day 1 – Across the Sierra to Mammoth Lakes

Lazy Daze at base of SierraThere is no easy way for an RV to cross the Sierra – it’s just a matter of the lesser of evils in terms of mountain passes. Plus, even in mid-May, the passes are often closed due to snow.

Fortunately, Herb had purchased a book on Amazon entitled “Mountain Directory West for Truckers, RV, and Motorhome Drivers.” It’s pretty expensive – I think Herb paid about $30 for it used, but when you consider the dangers it helps you avoid, it is money well spent. The guide tells you where the steep grades are, how long they are, how steep (%) they are, etc.

For example, Google Maps suggested we cross the Sierra via Sonora Pass, but this book informed us that there are several sections of 26% grade. 8% grade is a white-knuckler. I can’t even imagine what 26% grade would be like.

So, using the information in this book, we chose to go a few extra miles to get a few less % points. The route we chose was 50 East from Sacramento to Lake Tahoe and then 89 South. However, we ignored Google Maps again and rather than continue on 89 through Monitor Pass, we got off 89 and headed north on 88 towards the town of Minden, Nevada. It added a few extra miles to our trip, but who cares. It probably added years to our lives as well.

Alabama HillsThe drive was still no cakewalk, and had its share of steep, windy hills, but it was much better than the alternatives. I highly recommend buying this book. At least, you’ll know what’s ahead of you.

It was a pretty long driving day – about 7 hours and 331 miles, so Herb was very ready to stop in Mammoth Lakes at a campground we were familiar with from last year, the Mammoth Mountain RV Park, just a short distance off 395.

Elevation really makes a big difference in weather, and Mammoth Lakes is always a lot colder than Bishop, its neighbor just 45 minutes to the south. It got to about 40 degrees that night, something that Herb wasn’t very happy about.

Day 2 – Keough Hot Springs

Camping at Keough Hot SpringsWe had a few days to kill before Andrew, Celeste, and Tommy arrived for the Memorial Day Weekend, so we decided to do something that they wouldn’t be interested in, like sitting still in a hot spring. They don’t sit still for more than 5 minutes at a time.

Most of our vacation time with the boys now is centered around climbing, so this time we planned to meet up in Bishop, a premier rock climbing destination. Actually, we had originally picked Truckee near north Lake Tahoe, but the weather forecast was so abysmal that we made a quick switch last week.

Because of the last minute switch, it was a little hard to get a camping reservation, especially since Memorial Day means Mule Days in Bishop, and it is a very big deal. Every campground I called to inquire about a site responded, “Oh no, I am sorry dear. We have been booked for months. Don’t you know it’s Mule Days?” No, I didn’t.

Fortunately, a very nice woman at the Browns Millpond Campground said that she would squeeze me into a site near the storage area – not optimal, but it was literally the only option we had. Besides, we don’t spend much time at the campground anyway.

Lolo with Walker Reserving a Spot for Mule Day ParadeI will explain Mule Days a little further down, when we come back to Bishop and stop in at the Tri-County Fairgrounds to see what it was all about.

For now, we just passed through the town, bustling with Mule fans and drove 7 miles south to the Keough Hot Springs Resort.

Unfortunately, our timing wasn’t exactly ideal as it was a Tuesday, and every Tuesday they close the pool to empty and clean it. However, on a bright note, their 10-site campground was empty, so we had our pick of sites. It was actually a very nice location with great views of the White Mountains to the east.

We had borrowed a book about hot springs in the West from Celeste’s parents, so we knew that there were also a few primitive, natural pools about a ½ mile down the road from the campground, rather unglamorously referred to as “Keough Hot Ditch.” Since the “Ditch” is fed from the stream flowing from the resort, and therefore further from its 130 degree source, it has had time to cool down to temperatures in the low 90s. This was perfectly fine for me.

Herb Soaking in Keough Hot DitchThe dirt road to get to the “Ditch” was quite bumpy and rutty, but no problem for our Subaru. There aren’t many pools, and some of them were already taken, but we did manage to find a fairly nice one about 8 feet in diameter. It was quite shallow, so we were able to put our beach chairs in the pool and still keep our heads above water. It was very relaxing – kind of like being back in the womb.

Unfortunately, the pools are located under power lines, so there was a constant buzzing sound, which I wasn’t particularly crazy about. Plus, the lines obstructed what would have been very nice views of the White Mountains.

Herb is a much bigger fan of soaking in hot springs than me, so after a while I got restless and went for a run along the dirt road north towards Bishop. This was my first run in a long time because of my ankle, so I was pretty pleased that I was able to cover 5 miles. When I got back, Herb was still happily sitting by, and sometimes in, his little pool.

That evening I discovered that we did indeed have neighbors in our campground, but the four-legged, big-eared kind. As dusk fell, about a dozen jackrabbits came out to feed on the grass near the motorhome. When I went out to take their picture, they all quickly dispersed back into the bushes, but I was patient, and it took only a few minutes of being silent and not moving before they all returned to continue their munching.

Day 3 – Keough Hot Springs and the Alabama Hills

Keough Hot Springs Resort Lap PoolThe next morning we awoke early for the 7:00 am lap swimming session at the resort pool. Herb loves to swim, and when we are home in New Jersey he goes three times a week to the local YMCA, where he swims for an hour and a half. I, however, am uncomfortable putting my face underwater, so I don’t exactly swim very efficiently.

The facility was quite impressive. There was a 100 X 40 foot swimming pool, which for the lap session was divided into 6 swimming lanes. A waterfall of cool water cascaded down into one end of the pool, cooling it off to a comfortable swimming temperature of 86 to 89 degrees. Right next to the swimming pool was a smaller shallow pool meant for soaking. Since it was only 2 feet deep and not meant for exercising, it was kept at 104 degrees.

Lolo with the Lone Ranger and TontoAlthough the facility was enclosed on all four sides, it had no roof, so you could look up at the sky and surrounding mountains – or at least I could because I kept my head out of the water. Herb, however, with his face down in the water was missing the view. At least there was some advantage to my ungainly swimming style.

The swimming lanes were all occupied, but lap pool etiquette encourages people of similar swimming ability to share a lane. I, however, had no peers, so I went and lolled about in the hot soaking pool, while Herb went into one of the lap lanes.

Being as hyperactive as I am, I was not very happy with this situation, so when Herb’s lap partner left, I seized the opportunity and jumped into his lane, figuring he would have to put up with my slower speed. I had already calculated that I would have to do about 53 laps to swim a mile, or 27 to do a ½ mile. Since I got a late start in the pool, there was no way I could do 53, but I did manage to reach my more modest goal of 27. Herb lost count but I am pretty sure he did well over a mile. I tried to explain to him that my form actually resulted in a more intensive work-out because it was so inefficient that I had to do more work to cover the same distance. He thought that was stupid.

We decided to book a second night at Keough, so that we could swim again tomorrow morning, and spend the rest of the day exploring Lone Pine and the Alabama Hills, about an hour south on 395.

Herb with SierraThe trip along the 395 corridor is always a treat, especially this year as the late spring snow had covered the surrounding mountain tops with a nice white topping. This stretch of road was a bit of a repeat for Herb, who had come north along this way just a week or so ago on his cross country motorcycle trip. We passed right by the Manzanar Japanese Internment Camp because Herb had just been there and continued on to the Lone Pine Film History Museum, which he hadn’t visited.

I knew the Alabama Hills had been the setting for many Hollywood westerns, but I had no idea just how many movies, TV shows, and commercials had been filmed here right up to the present. Its dramatic landscape and relatively close proximity to Hollywood (3 hours) had made it a very popular movie set.

The museum, although small, has a vast collection of memorabilia from the hundreds of movies and TV shows that had been filmed here since the 1920s. I hadn’t thought about Roy Rogers or the Lone Ranger since my childhood, and there they were on posters and life-sized cardboard cutouts. Although I recognized a lot of films and its stars, like John Wayne and Gene Autry, much of it was before my time. I think someone our age or older would get a bigger kick out of this museum, because so much of it was part of their growing up. My mother would have loved it.

Lolo with SierraStill, it’s not just about old westerns. Plenty of current day movies, such as Gladiator, Django Unchained, and the new Lone Ranger have the surrounding hills as a set as well.

We watched a very informative 15-minute documentary called “Lone Pine: Where the Real West Becomes the Reel West,” purchased the “Movie Road Touring Brochure” for $1 and then set out to see the real thing.

Most of the locations for the old movie sets are located along the 5.7-mile dirt Movie Flats Road. To get there, we turned onto the Whitney Portal Road and followed it for about 2.5 miles, until we came to a plaque and a turnoff for Movie Flats Road. The plaque, which was dedicated by Roy Rogers talks about the movie history of the area.

The brochure that we purchased meticulously measured out the mileage to get to each of 10 filming locations along the Movie Road. After diligently stopping at the Gunga Din Tent City and the Rawhide Gravesite, and trying to imagine in our minds what the set once looked like, we looked at each other and said, “What the heck are we doing?” We didn’t know these movies and even if we did, there was no set to look at, but just beautiful scenery. And speaking of that beautiful scenery, I was missing most of it because I had my nose in the brochure reading about a movie I had never seen. I chucked the brochure in the back of the car and started looking out the window.

Mobius ArchWow! This was a pretty awesome place, especially if you are a rock climber. There were hundreds of oddly-shaped boulders and towers, just asking to be climbed. To add to the sensory overload, snow-capped Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the continental U.S., loomed in the background.

Several dirt side roads branched off Movie Flat Road and lead right up to the base of many of the formations where people were climbing. Now we’re talking. Too often when we climb with the boys, we have to hike and rock scramble for miles to get to the start of a climb. Here I could practically start from the hood of our car. I would love to bring the boys back here when they arrived this weekend.

No longer obsessed with finding movie locations, we really enjoyed our ride through the Hills. What we really wanted to see was Mobius Arch, the arch that frames Mount Whitney in the iconic photographs of the mountain. We found the turnout for the trailhead and sat for a moment trying to determine just how threatening the ominous clouds marching our way were. Since the trail was short, just a mile or less, we decided to go for it.

Eastern Sierra from CampgroundIt wasn’t long before we came to Lathe Arch, a very unique arch in that it is perfectly flat and doesn’t really arch at all. Just past Lathe Arch we rounded a big rock and were greeted by Mobius Arch, whose window is about 6 and a half feet high. Despite our best efforts of clambering around on the nearby rocks to locate the iconic vantage point, we never quite got the mountain enclosed in the arch. However, I think we captured some other, less familiar perspectives of this very interesting and unique rock formation.

As Tommy says, “Mountains make their own weather,” and this one looked like it was about to make some on us. Although it continued to threaten as we continued along Movie Flat Road, it never did actually rain on us.

When we came to the end of Movie Flats Road, we turned right onto Moffat Ranch Road, which continued on dirt for about another 4 miles before joining 395 just north of Lone Pine. The entire loop from 395 to 395 was about 12 miles, and although dirt and bumpy, very doable even in a regular passenger car.

That night we barbecued back at Keough Hot Springs and watched the jackrabbits peek at us from the bushes.

Day 4 – Keough Hot Springs, Bishop, and Mule Days

Keough Hot Springs Resort Lap PoolWe awoke early again to get to the resort pool for the 7:00 lap session. This was very unlike me. I neither like to get up early nor swim laps, but today I was driven by the goal of swimming a mile.

This time when we got to the pool there was an empty lane, so I quickly jumped in with Herb so that I could flail about with only him to bother. Over the next hour and a half I plugged away at my mission – doing the crawl for 3 laps and breast stroke for 1, pausing at the end of the pool each time to catch my breath.

When I was up to 48 of my 53 required laps, I noticed that everyone was getting out of the pool. Oh, shoot! It was 8:30 and the lap session was over. I snuck in another lap, hoping they wouldn’t yank me out of the pool. I was completing my 50th when they started removing the ropes that separated the pool into lanes to get it ready for the aerobics session. Feeling like an outlaw, I turned and started my 51st lap. Herb, who had completed his mile some time ago and was already out of the pool, came to my aid and explained to the lifeguard that I was trying to finish the last few laps of achieving my first mile swim. I don’t particularly think it was necessary for him to further explain that I was very Type A, so it would probably kill me if I only got in 52. In any case, the lifeguard was nice enough to let me finish.

Mule Days CompetitionFor a non-swimmer that hates to get up early, I felt pretty darn good. We had already had a great work-out, and we still had the whole day ahead of us.

Back at the campsite, we met Liisa and Ed, a very nice couple from Marin County, who when they learned we planned to move to California, were extremely helpful in giving us suggestions about towns and areas we might want to live in. I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but everyone out here seemed so friendly and willing to go out of their way to help us. We exchanged email addresses with them, with the promise of getting in touch when we were ready to move.

It was Thursday, and the kids would be arriving tomorrow, so I was kind of anxious to get over to the Browns Millpond Campground to make sure that we really had a spot for the weekend. As I mentioned, every campground was full because of Bishop Mule Days, but Stacy at the Millpond Campground said she would find a place to squeeze us in.

Lolo with MuleThe Brown family seems to have a monopoly on campgrounds in the area: Brown’s Millpond Campground where we would be staying, Brown’s Owens River Campground, Brown’s Town Campground, and even the Keough Hot Springs Resort.

Since only the Brown’s Town Campground has an RV dump, we stopped there on our way to Millpond to get it ready to handle more company. It cost us $5 to dump. It would have been $10 if we weren’t staying in one of the other Brown’s campgrounds.

When we got to Millpond, Stacy, as promised, gave us a nice site along the little stream that passes through the campground. There was no water or electric on this site – those sites had been booked up months ago. After all, it was Mule Days in Bishop.

We really needed to find out more about this Mule Days thing, so we got in the Subaru and headed into Bishop.

Lolo on Buttermilk HighballI love Bishop. It’s just about the right size to be quaint yet still have enough interesting things to see and do. We stopped in first at Galen and Barbara Rowell’s Mountain Light Gallery, which is probably my favorite photo gallery, rivaled only by the Peter Lik gallery in La Jolla. The stunning, vibrant mountainscapes in the Mountain Light Gallery are both breathtaking and humbling.

After the gallery, we popped into Wilson’s Eastside Sports, the local climbing shop, to get a guide book for the local climbing areas. Neither we nor the boys had climbed in the Bishop area before, so Herb and I wanted to scout out some of the climbing areas before their arrival. Just like everyone else we have met this trip, the staff was extremely friendly and helpful and willing to spend a lot of time describing the various options for climbing. When I told one of the staff that I was a little freaked out by the description of the approach down in the Central Gorge climbing area, he told me not to worry. The trail had been upgraded with some stone stairways, so it was no longer as precarious as the older guidebooks suggested. Since that was the area the boys had already said they wanted to climb, I felt much better that I wouldn’t be cheating death to join them.

Lolo Climbing Central Owens River GorgeMeanwhile, out on Main Street, people were already strapping lawn chairs to the street posts to claim their viewing spot for the big Mule Day Parade on Saturday. There was even a walker strapped to a planter. I’m not sure I understood the thought process. How were they going to get to their walker without their walker?

No self-respecting traveler with a travel blog can come to Bishop during Memorial Day Week and not at least see or smell a mule, so off we went to the Tri-County Fairgrounds where all the action was. Although it was only Thursday, and most of the big events were on the weekend, the fairgrounds were already bustling. There were tents with vendors selling all types of cowboy and mule-related clothing, crafts, and souvenirs. There was even a large area set aside for RV camping, which I guess we could have considered if we hadn’t found Millpond Campground.

I guess the best way to describe Mule Days is that it is part mule show, part test of skills, and part Wild West Show. Over its 47 year history, it has grown from attracting a crowd of 200 to becoming an international world class event bringing in more than 30,000 fans. Over the course of a week, more than 700 mules compete in 181 events including calf roping, steer roping, barrel racing, flat racing, carriage driving, team chariot racing, and even dressage.

Celeste Climbing Central Owens River GorgeTo better appreciate Mule Days, it is important to know a few fun facts about them:

Mules are pretty unique in that their parents come from different species. A mule’s dad is a donkey (or less politely, a jackass) and its mother is a horse. The size of the mule produced by this unlikely pair is completely determined by the mom. For example, if Mom is a Budweiser Clydesdale, the result is going to be one big mule.

The good news about mules is that they are better in so many ways than their parents. They are less stubborn, more intelligent, and faster than their dad, the donkey, and more patient, sure-footed, and hardy than mama, the horse. The bad news is that their chromosomes are a little confused in that they have 63 (a mixture of a donkey’s 62 and a horses’s 64), and an odd number does not work very well in chromosome pairing. Hence, most mules are infertile.

Before this trip, I never knew that mules could come in so many shapes and sizes, or that they were superior in so many ways to horses. I was anxious to see what they could do, so when we were told that there was a free competition going on in the arena, we scurried just in time to watch.

Andrew Photographing Tom ClimbingThis particular competition involved two mules pulling a wagon with two people in it. The mules had to zig and zag their way through an orange cone maze – kind of like they were taking a driving test -- then pause before a platform while the person in the back of the wagon took a barrel from the platform and placed it in the wagon. Then they circled the arena again, once more weaving in and out of the cones before returning to the platform. Then came the tricky part that drove the crowd wild. The mules had to back the wagon up into position alongside the platform close enough for the person in the wagon to pick up the barrel, which they just left there a few minutes ago, and place it back in their wagon. Apparently, backing up is not something easy for mules to do, so when they successfully accomplished this feat, I joined my fellow mule fans and clapped like it was the greatest thing I had ever seen.

Before leaving the fairgrounds, we stopped by the stables to see the mules up close and personal. They were actually very pretty animals. There were several for sale, but I couldn’t convince Herb that we needed one. Maybe when we moved out West.

Day 5 – Scouting out climbing areas, kids arrival

Herb Climbing from AboveIt was the Friday before Memorial Day Weekend, and the kids would be driving in from San Francisco tonight. Once they did, we knew it would be non-stop physical activity, so today we would just take it easy.

We had bought a Bishop ares rock climbing guide at Wilson’s yesterday, so we figured it would be a good idea to check out some of the areas ahead of time. That way we wouldn’t waste time trying to find things when the kids were here.

Bishop is a premier rock climbing destination with many options for both “trad” (traditional) and sport climbing, as well as bouldering. Without getting too technical, “trad” and “sport” climbing is done on rock walls using ropes. Some means of protection along a climbing route is used to prevent the climber from falling to the ground. In “trad” climbing, the lead climber carries a rack of gear and places his own protection in the rock, while in “sport climbing,” pre-placed protection bolts are already there. Alternatively, bouldering, as its name implies, is not done on a rock wall, but rather on freestanding boulders. Since the routes tend to be short, rather than use ropes, crash pads are placed on the ground to protect a climber’s fall.

Tom Climbing from AboveAlthough the boys do all three types of climbing, they tend to enjoy sport climbing the most. That was the main reason we chose Bishop. The Owens River Gorge just north of Bishop has 416 sport climbing routes and is the most concentrated sport climbing area in California.

The Gorge itself is over 10 miles long and has many different areas to climb in, but the most popular, and the one the boys had their eyes on, was the Central Gorge. This was also the area which had the precarious approach to it that the nice man in Wilson’s Eastside Sports tried to comfort me about yesterday.

Whenever I am afraid of something, I like to just hurry up and get it over with, so I suggested to Herb that we go check it out today, so that tomorrow when it really mattered, I would be able to do it without being a wienie in front of the kids.

Andrew on LeadThe Central Gorge parking area was only about 20 minutes from our campground – north on 395 for a few miles, then right at the Paradise Swall Meadows, and then left on Gorge Road for 4.8 miles. In fact, that its proximity is why we selected Brown’s Millpond Campground – that plus the fact that it was north of town, so we wouldn’t have to deal with Mule Day Parade traffic.

The drive along Gorge Road was pretty unspectacular – flat and brown with lots of power lines and some very ominous clouds moving our way. Usually when you approach a climbing area, you know it, because you see beautiful rock walls, and it’s exciting, but a gorge kind of sneaks up on you, and you don’t know it’s there until you are at its rim, and even then you might not see much until you hike down into it.

When we got to the Central Gorge parking lot, it started to rain pretty hard. We got out of the car for a peek at the trail which lead down into the gorge, but decided it didn’t make sense to hike down in the rain when the trail might be slippery, especially since the reason I was here in the first place was to convince myself that the trail wasn’t precarious. It didn’t look too bad. I would just deal with it tomorrow when I had to.

Celeste and Andrew Leaving Central CanyonLater that afternoon after the rain stopped, we went to check out another climbing area called the Buttermilks, which is famous for its bouldering. This area was also about 20 minutes from our campground, but in the opposite direction from the gorge. It was a very pretty and unique landscape – hundreds of huge boulders (or more technically, glacial erratics) strewn along a vast hillside with the snow-capped Sierra in the background.

About 3 ½ miles along the bumpy, washboard Buttermilk Road, we pulled into a small pullout on the right to pay a visit to Grandma and Grandpa Peabody, two of the largest boulders in the area, and probably the most famous and popular as well. They were huge – about 45 feet high.

It made me really nervous watching people climbing them. The bouldering pads on the bottom, which are the only thing between the climber and the ground, looked so tiny and inconsequential compared to the rock.

Crowd at Great Wall of ChinaWe continued driving a short distance to the Birthday Boulders parking area, where the boulders were at least a bit more reasonably sized – the kind a mother would prefer her sons to climb on.

Speaking of our sons, they called to say they were on their way and should arrive by around 8:00 pm – oh, and could we have dinner hot and ready then? Fortunately, I had bought a frozen lasagna platter back at the Pasta King near Sebastopol, so their request was an easy one to fill.

They arrived right on time, in very high spirits for the weekend ahead. They had come via the Tioga Pass route through Yosemite, the scenery along which would raise anyone’s spirits, especially these three.

It was great to be together again, even if only for a few days.

Day 6 – Owens River Gorge

Herb on LeadThe next morning, the kids got up bright and early, ready and rearing to go – if only they had been this chipper in the morning and easy to wake back in the days of high school.

We were one of the first ones to arrive at the Central Gorge parking lot. The hike down wasn’t nearly as bad as I anticipated. It was steep, and there was some loose rock, but there were no steep drop-offs, which I dread. It was, however, pretty strenuous on the knees, as steep downhills always are.

Since we were early, we were able to set up on the usually overcrowded, Warm Up Wall, just a short distance to the left when we got to bottom of the gorge. The reason for its name and its popularity is that it has a fair number of easy to moderate climbs in the 5.7 To 5.10 range, which are great for climbers to warm up on. In my case, however, these climbs are not warmups, but rather an amazing achievement.

Tom on LeadThey all took turns leading various 5.9s and 5.10s and I did a 5.7 and 5.8. Climbing can be pretty boring to talk about, but it is really fun to do and watch. Rather than explain the various climbs we did, I will let the photos do the talking.

After Warm Up Wall we walked north along the gorge and crossed the river to the Great Wall of China, another popular wall on the other side of the gorge.

At least there is a river flowing through the gorge now. For decades, the LA Department of Water and Power, which owns and controls the flow of water through the gorge, basically dewatered the Lower Gorge, eliminating one of the best brown trout fisheries in California. After decades of court battles, more water is now being released and the brown trout are returning. Plus, from an aesthetic point a view, a gorge with water running through it is much nicer than one without.

The Great Wall of China had much fewer moderate climbs. Most of them were in the 5.10c to 5.13 range, so there was little for me to do but spectate, which was fine. They did, however, get me to try a 5.9, which although I didn’t complete, I got higher on it than any of them expected, especially me.

Andrew on LeadOnce again, I will let the photos do the talking to show what climbing is like on this wall.

What the photos don’t show, however, was a pretty frightening event. First, we heard a girl scream, and when we looked her way, we saw a big block of rock come off the wall about 100 yards from us. Fortunately, it didn’t hit anyone, but it would have been tragic if it did. Getting hit by loose rock is probably the biggest danger when climbing. That’s why it’s even more important to be wearing your helmet when you are just watching than when you are climbing.

Celeste and Andrew, especially Celeste, never want to stop climbing, so they tried to ignore the big black clouds that were headed our way. I was concerned because I knew I had to climb that steep trail out of the gorge and didn’t particularly want to do so while dodging lightning. Sensible heads prevailed and we quickly hiked through the gorge and up, which I might add was quite strenuous. We got to the car just in the nick of time before the skies opened up and it began to pour.

Still, we had gotten in a very full and fun day.

Day 7 – Owens River Gorge and the Buttermilks

Herb Climbing on Lolo's BelayEveryone thought the Owens River Gorge was pretty amazing and that we had barely touched the surface of all the wonderful climbs awaiting us down there, so off we went once more to the Central Gorge, and the steep descent down into it. I have a feeling no one even gave that steep trail into and out of the gorge a second thought, except me. I kept daydreaming about the Alabama Hills and how you could drive a car right up to the base of a climb. But I kept my mouth shut, because so far, they really don’t think of me as old, and I wasn’t quite ready to give that up.

So down we went once more. Today was a little busier and there was already a decent crowd on Warm Up Wall, but the Negress Wall right to its left had a few routes open – a 5.9 and several 5.10s, perfect for starting the day. There wasn’t much for me to climb there – although I did play around with and got pretty far on the 5.9 -- but they found another way for me to participate – lead belaying Herb.

Lolo's Questionable Belay of HerbI really wasn’t very happy with this idea. It was a lot of responsibility. I had belayed people on top rope plenty of times, but that was much more straightforward. All you had to do was keep pulling rope in as the climber ascended, and if they fell, it would only be for a foot or two. However, with lead belaying you have to feed rope out as the climber ascends, while at the same time being ready to pull it in tightly if they fall. And lead falls can be much longer – twice the distance from their last piece of protection. For example, in sport climbing, which this was, if the climber clipped into a bolt and then climbed another 10 feet before reaching the next bolt and fell, they would fall 20 feet – not hitting the ground, but still having a pretty exciting experience. In fact, there is a term for this type of fall. It’s called a “whipper,” and it’s not too much fun for either the climber or the belayer, who also gets to join in the excitement by being yanked off the ground.

So needless to say, I told them I preferred to just read my book. They didn’t relent though. They said if I was going to consider myself a real climber, and if Herb and I ever wanted to go climbing, just the two of us, I would have to learn. Besides it would be the perfect time to learn, as it was a relatively easy climb for Herb, which he was unlikely to fall on, and they were right there to help me.

Andrew's "Foot Free" MantelIt went fine. No whippers were taken and I successfully fed line out as he ascended and lowered him down when he was done. However, a look back at the series of photos Tommy took during this process didn’t exactly inspire confidence. First there was a picture of me looking down at the rope with a very confused look on my face; then a picture of Herb doing a move on the rock; then back to me looking baffled; then Herb on the rock, etc. I always had him, and nothing bad would have happened, but I just looked really dopey.

Herb actually did take a whipper, in fact twice, later that day, but fortunately not with me belaying. After the Negress Wall, we moved down a short distance to Pub Wall, where they all took turns leading various climbs. Herb was leading one of them, with Tommy belaying, when as I described above, he got about 10 feet above his last piece of protection and fell, letting out a very interesting noise as he dropped about 20 feet, pulling Tommy off the ground in the process. He was about 50 or 60 feet off the ground when this happened, so there was no danger of him hitting the ground, but it was still pretty exciting, especially for Herb, who hadn’t taken a whipper in 30 years. Undaunted, however, and encouraged by his offspring, he tried again, taking another whipper in the very same spot. I give him a lot of credit, because he went for it a third time, this time grabbing a quickdraw to get through the spot where he had fallen twice before.

Tom Yelling Clipping!Afterwards he looked a little shaken, but not too bad. It’s actually good to take a safe fall once in a while to gain the confidence that you need on a lead. However, I think he had about enough practice falling for the day.

I really wasn’t looking forward to that steep hike out of the gorge again, so I convinced Herb to take the longer, and much less steep, trail out through the lower gorge while the kids went the normal way and then picked us up at the Lower Gorge parking lot. I figured it would take about the same time either way. Along the way, we passed the LA Department of Water and Power hydroelectric plant, and then hiked the rest of the way out on a paved road. The timing was pretty perfect -- the kids said they only had to wait for us about 5 minutes.

I would have thought that we had had enough activity for the day, but silly me. They wanted to see the Buttermilks, which is an area southwest of Bishop famous for its bouldering. We stopped first at the campground to pick up some cheese and crackers and cold beers and then drove out to and along the bumpy unpaved Buttermilk Road, which Herb and I had scouted out a few days back.

Celeste on LeadIt really is an amazing place, with an incredible amount of boulders of all shapes and sizes, but mostly big. We showed them Grandma and Grandpa Peabody, the 45+ plus feet pair of boulders whom we had met the last time, and then moved on to the slightly tamer Birthday Boulders area, where there were some more reasonably-sized boulders.

Herb and I were done for the day, but we spent a very pleasant hour or so sipping a cold beer while watching them work on some routes on Ranger Rock, with the sun dipping down on the snow-capped Sierra behind them. The lighting was incredible.

On the way back to the campground, we stopped at the Bishop Burger Barn, a local hangout highly recommended to us by Stacy, our campground host. It was exactly what we needed – great burgers and fries, an outdoor patio to sit on, and the ability to bring your own beer. I, however, went for a tasty chocolate milkshake.

When we got back to the campground, we loaded the pictures from the last two days from all of our cameras onto the computer and relaxed in the back while putting on a slide show. Wow. We had certainly done a lot – and to think we had another full day with them tomorrow before they would have to head back to San Francisco.

Day 8 – Alabama Hills and Volcanic Tablelands

Grandma and Grandpa PeabodyI really wanted to climb at the Alabama Hills today, not just because the approaches to the climbs were short – although that was part of it – but because I thought it was really beautiful and Andrew, Celeste, and Tommy should see it too. At first they objected because it was an hour drive, but we told them it was a beautiful drive and we would more than make up for the lost time in not having to hike in so far to get started.

The climbing area is accessed from the Movie Flat Road where Herb and I had diligently searched for Gunga Din Tent City and other movie filming locations before giving up to concentrate on the scenery. It was hard to believe that that was only a few days ago.

We took the first of many dirt roads that branched off from Movie Road and drove right up to an awesome rock formation, appropriately named the Shark Fin. Now this was my kind of approach – we practically bumped into it with the car. There was even a 5.7 and a 5.8 for me to play on.

Offspring and Celeste Bouldering Ranger RockAlthough those climbs were easy for them, they were very exciting and enjoyable for me -- probably two of my favorite climbs ever. I banged my knee when climbing and left quite a bit of blood on the rock. I still have a scar, which I like to point to, look contemplative, and say, “shark.”

After two days of hard climbing, I think they all enjoyed these climbs on Shark Fin as well. What was not to like? It was so incredibly scenic –interesting shaped rock formations as far as the eye could see and snow-covered Mount Whitney looming down from above.

After Shark Fin we moved on to another rock, whose name I can’t recall. This time we actually had to walk about 100 feet from the car, but I sucked it up. As on the Shark Fins, the routes were in the more moderate range, so Andrew, Tommy, and Celeste took the opportunity to practice setting up anchors for a multi-pitch climb. It made Herb and I more comfortable about their safety in this sport seeing how conscientious they were and how well they worked together, always helping and checking up on each other.

Lolo on Shark FinI go to do another 5.8 as well. For me, this was probably my best climbing day ever, with several climbs that were challenging yet doable. Plus I thought this area was really beautiful.

We drove back out along the rest of Movie Flat Road, stopping at a very scenic spot to take our 2015 Gaidus Family Christmas photo. I think if you look close you can even see my shark scar.

There was still a few more hours of daylight, so rather than go back to the campground to relax like normal people, we sought out another climbing area that we had not yet been to – the Volcanic Tablelands, just across 395 from our campground.

I knew I wouldn’t get through a whole day with them without having to climb up a steep hill, but this one really wasn’t too bad. Like the Buttermilks, this was an area for bouldering, and there were thousands of them, much less intimidating – in size anyway – than the Peabodies in Buttermilk Country.

Shark Fin with Subaru and AndrewClimbers refer to this area as the Happy / Sad Boulders because those are the two areas where the most routes have been established. The Happy Boulder area alone has 418 routes and the Sad Boulder area has 187. We went to the Happy’s, and that is pretty much describes the way I was feeling that evening.

Like the Owens River Gorge, the rock in the Volcanic Tablelands is volcanic Bishop tuff, which is solidified ash from volcanic eruptions. This type of rock tends to be very rough on the hands and features a lot of edges, pockets, and cracks.

Once again, Herb and I sat back and just watched. Bouldering is a lot more cerebral than rope climbing and the routes are even referred to as boulder problems, because figuring them out really is like solving a difficult puzzle. You just have to figure out the sequence of holds that best fits your climbing strengths.

As with last night at the Buttermilks, the scenery got more and more beautiful as the sun got lower in the sky. The walk out, looking out over the Owens River Valley was breathtaking.

This was our last night together, so we loaded up everybody’s photos again so that we would all have them and enjoyed another great slide show.

Boy, were Herb and I going to miss them. They are so full of life and energy that it is contagious. When I look back at the pictures taken over the three days we were together, I can’t believe that all of that could have taken place in such a short time.

Day 9 – Kids Leave, Keough Hot Springs again

Happy Campers at the Happy’sAs always, it was sad to see them go, but Herb and I could not have kept up their pace too much longer. We love being active, and I think from most people’s standards we are extremely active, especially for our age, but we do enjoy the occasional down day in between.

When the boys called that night to say that got home safely, they told us that night that on their drive back to San Francisco through Yosemite, they stopped at Daff Dome in Tuolumne Meadows to squeeze in a climb. They’re crazy.

We weren’t sure exactly what we wanted to do from here. We had 10 days before we needed to be back in Petaluma to celebrate Celeste’s dad’s and my birthdays, so there was plenty of time for some more exploration.

Lolo and Tom Enjoying Happy SunsetToday we just wanted a breather, so after doing laundry and food shopping, we headed back to the Keough Springs Resort and plopped our butts in one of the natural hot springs in “Keough Ditch” for the afternoon.

It was such a nice night that after dinner we returned to the Ditch with a bottle of wine, placed our beach chairs right in the pool, and gazed up at the stars. Herb was totally relaxed. I, however, was a little nervous about the low-flying bats and was convinced they wanted nothing more than to tangle themselves up in my hair. Herb tried to reassure me that that was just an old wives tale and that these bats had a built in sonar system and absolutely had no desire to get stuck in my hair. That sounded logical, but every time one whipped by within inches of my head, I smacked my face down into the pool, and I hate putting my head under water. Herb was quite entertained. I, however, was not.

Day 10 – Keough Hot Springs, Manzanar, Hike to Lone Pine Lake

Lolo Hiking out of the Happy'sThe next morning we arose early once more to swim laps in the resort pool. This time there was no empty lanes, so Herb had to join someone else, leaving me with nowhere to go. Then I noticed that there was an elderly woman in the end lane, going as slow as I do. When I asked if she minded if I joined her, she was hesitant at first because she said she swam slow and crooked, but after telling her that I did the same, she welcomed me in.

I don’t know how I ever did 53 laps the other day, because today I had trouble doing even half of that. I felt like a rock. Oh well. I had fun chatting with my lane partner each time we stopped at the same end of the pool. She had lived in Bishop for over 40 years and gave me the insider’s view of what that was like. It gets pretty isolated in the winter, because there is no easy way to get through the Sierra towards the coast. She thinks that is why Bishop has sort of stood still in time and not changed nearly as much as many other California towns.

Herb and I still weren’t sure how we wanted to spend our next 10 days, but we figured we would start with a hike that we wanted to do at the base of Mount Whitney, and then stay somewhere in Lone Pine.

Manzanar Memorial ObeliskThis would be our third trip down 395 to Lone Pine -- fourth if you count Herb’s ride through here on his motorcycle a few weeks back. It was beginning to feel like a commute, but a very nice one at that.

As we passed the Manzanar National Historic Site, I asked Herb if he minded if we stopped there briefly, even though he had done so on his motorcycle trip. It seems like we both were repeating many of the things we had done alone, because we each wanted our other half to see it as well.

Unlike most of the Historic Sites we have had the privilege of visiting, this is not one that we as Americans can be proud of. This particular facility was one of ten relocation centers set up by the U.S. Government during World War II to forcibly intern Japanese American citizens. During the three years it was in operation, more than 10,000 people were sent to this center alone to be housed and held against their will for the duration of the war.

Lone Pine LakeI always find the films at National Parks visitor centers very informative, so I asked Herb if he would mind he I watched the 22 minute one they were starting shortly. He had already seen it, so he wandered around looking at the exhibits while I went into the auditorium.

There were only about 5 of us sitting in the seats, and one Japanese gentleman in a Park uniform with a Volunteer badge standing before the stage, greeting each of us as we entered. When the time for the film to start arrived, he introduced himself as someone who had once been interned in this very camp. I started mentally calculating in my head. World War II had ended 70 years ago. This guy looked no older than me, and I’m sure his life had been much more challenging than my cushy one.

As we waited while more people drifted in, he asked us if we had any questions before he started the film. Well, apparently we did because for the next half hour, everyone in the room was mesmerized by this soft spoken man who brought us back in time with him into the life on a 9 year old boy, taken with his family from his home and brought to live in this camp.

Herb and Lolo at Lone Pine LakeI thought it was interesting how he answered a question about how he felt when he was brought here and whether he was frightened. He explained that his parents had been tenant farmers, and that he worked beside them on the farm and had very little exposure to other children his age. When he arrived at the camp, there were hundreds of kids to play with. For him, that was pretty exciting. He also told us about their neighbor, who was kind enough to store their belongings until their release. That neighbor even traveled a long distance to visit them at the camp to make sure they were being treated well. However, he reminded us that although not everyone or everything about the experience was bad, what happened to him and his fellow Japanese Americans was a shameful period in our history.

Finally, he had to stop our questions so that he could start the film. The film was very interesting, but there is still nothing that can compare to hearing about an experience from someone that has been through it themselves.

I think during the hour or so that I had been missing, Herb began wondering if I hadn’t been interned myself.

Lone Pine Lake HikeAfter Herb and I found each other again, we drove the car along the 3.2-mile auto tour road through the camp. With the exception of two reconstructed barracks and a mess hall, everything else in the camp has been long gone.

At the far edge of the camp, lies the camp cemetery, where a single, white concrete obelisk stands before the dramatic backdrop of the Sierra. Three large characters on the front of the monument translate to “Soul Consoling Tower.” Colorful ribbons and scarves and other assorted offerings, like coins and even sake, adorn the posts around the obelisk. Every last Saturday in April, hundreds of former internees, their families and friends, and a growing number of young people take a pilgrimage to this site to remember, honor, and reflect on the experiences of the people that were unjustly interned in this camp.

I highly recommend that anyone visiting Manzanar stop at this cemetery for a moment of reflection.

Lolo Hiking from Lone Pine LakeAfter our stop at Manzanar we continued on 395 South and turned right onto the Whitney Portal Road in Lone Pine. This time we passed right by the turnoff for Movie Flat Road and continued on the paved road for 13 miles to its end and the trailhead to the summit of Mount Whitney.

Our objective today was much more modest than summiting Whitney. Even if we wanted to, getting a permit to do so is a difficult task, as the number of people allowed on the mountain at any one time is limited. Even day hikes that enter the Mount Whitney Zone require a day permit. However, the friendly and helpful staff back at Wilson’s Eastside Sports in Bishop had recommended an excellent day hike to Lone Pine Lake that stayed within the John Muir Wilderness and did not require a permit.

We set off on same trail that hikers to the summit take, but passed no one, as it was much too late in the day for people heading to the summit to start. The trail led mostly through forest, but frequently opened up to expansive views of the Owens Valley and the White Mountains to the east. Although the trail climbed 1,700 feet in just 2 miles, the numerous, tight switchbacks made it seem relatively flat.

Lolo Crossing Stream Like a CrabMy problem was those pesky streams to cross, and there were several of them. While Herb agilely hopped along the rocks, I used a rather less graceful method that required five rather than two points of contact with the rock, sort of like a crab. Despite my cautious approach, I still managed to totally soak my feet. Fortunately, it was a warm day, because wet feet at high elevation are not a good thing.

After 2 ¼ miles, we came to a trail junction, and took a short side trail to the left down to lovely little Lone Pine Lake, a sandy lake surrounded by the imposing granite walls of Whitney Canyon. We spent an enjoyable hour strolling the shores of the lake, photographing the reflections of the evergreens, boulders, and cliffs in its clear, placid waters.

The lake is at an elevation of 10,050 feet so it was a bit chilly, but it felt very refreshing and clean. From here back to Whitney Portal it was all downhill, so except for having to cross the streams again, it was an easy hike out.

Andrew on Happy BoulderAfter the hike, we drove back to Lone Pine and checked into the Boulder Creek RV Resort, a nice little campground with a pool, right on 395. We still didn’t have a plan for the next few days, so we figured we would spend that evening looking at options. After much deliberation, we agreed to head to the coast near Morro Bay where we could perhaps use our kayaks, and then drive north possibly stopping in Carmel or Monterey.

Later that evening after dark, as we were taking a walk around the campground, we spotted a Lazy Daze just like ours. Of course, one Lazy Dazer can’t just pass another one without chatting for hours on end about the various merits and advantages of owning this most wonderful of all motorhomes, so Herb called out to the gentleman sitting beside it, “I like your rig,” which must be a secret code recognized only by fellow Lazy Dazers. I think they should come up with a secret handshake as well.

Tommy on Happy BoulderSo that’s how we met Bill, a really wonderful and informative guy from the San Diego area, interested in so many of the same things we are, particularly photography and travel – oh, and of course Lazy Daze motorhomes. He and Herb talked for hours that night, and even found each other the next morning to continue. I practically had to pull Herb away so that we could get on with our plans for the day.

We eventually parted with Bill – he towards June Lake to go fishing with a friend, and we towards the coast – or at least I thought so at the time.

Before heading out, we looked once more at the weather for Morro Bay and saw that the forecast had changed to fog and low 60s for the next few days. For my desert rat husband, this was totally unacceptable and he declared, “We’re going to Death Valley instead.” That was a bit of an extreme shift, and a testament to just how different California is from New Jersey. In New Jersey, we can’t just drive in a different direction for 3 hours and have such drastically different climates. Here you can practically dial in to what you want.

Well, Death Valley wasn’t exactly what I wanted and I want spouse points for agreeing to this. I hate being hot – in fact, our oppositely malfunctioning thermostats are probably the biggest difference between Herb and me. Otherwise, we are uncannily similar. However, good wife that I am, I agreed, especially after I found out that we could stay at the Furnace Creek Ranch Campground and use their pool.

Description

Herb with ArchThe Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway, officially known as Highway 395, runs the entire length of the Sierra Nevada Range, from south of Lone Pine to Carson City. The scenery along the way is breathtaking and full of variety – snow covered mountains, incredible lakes, ancient bristlecone forests, natural hot springs, and so much more.

I have broken up our journey along the Scenic Byway into two stops:
• South - from Mammoth Lakes to Lone Pine
• North - from June Lake to Bridgeport

The following is a description of a few of the stops we enjoyed along the Eastern Sierra southern section:

Keough Hot Springs

Herb Hiking the Alabama HillsKeough Hot Springs is a resort, located in the Owens Valley about 7 miles south of the town of Bishop. The resort, which was established in 1919, has a 100 X 40 foot pool meant for swimming laps and doing aerobics, as well as a 15 X 40 meant for soaking. The hot springs flows from the ground at a scalding 130 degrees and is fed into a spray system that flows like a water fall into the larger pool in turn cooling the water to a comfortable for exercising 86 to 89 degrees. The smaller pool, which is meant for soaking, is kept at 104 degrees and has a depth of 2 feet. Since both pools are free flowing, they have a constant flow of fresh mineral water throughout the day. The pools are emptied, cleaned, and then filled again every Tuesday.

In addition to a few luxury tent cabins, there is a small campground with 10 water and electric sites. Swimming is not included in the camping fee, but is an additional $10 for a day pass.

Outside the boundaries of the resort, and downstream from the resort pool, is a series of primitive natural pools known as the “hot ditch.” The pools, which are quite shallow, have temperatures in the low 90s.

Climbing areas in Bishop

Lolo and Forrester in ButtermilksThe Owens River Gorge is a steep 10 mile long canyon just north of Bishop that is a very popular destination for rock climbing. With 416 sport-climbing and 52 trad routes it is California’s most concentrated sport climbing area. The climbing is on volcanic tuff and features edges, pockets and cracks. Although there is a full range of difficulty level, the best climbs are in the 5.10 to 5.11 range. The most popular walls are located in the Central Gorge – Warm Up Wall, the Pub, the Social Platform, and the Great Wall of China, which feature tons of 5.8 to 5.11 sport routes. Summers get a bit too hot to climb in the gorge.

Buttermilk Country, one of California’s premier bouldering destinations, is located southwest of Bishop along the western edge of the Owens Valley. These massive glacial erratic boulders sit in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada under an impressive backdrop of high peaks just a mere four miles to the west. There are 243 bouldering routes, many of which top out at over 20 feet.

The Volcanic Tablelands, another popular bouldering destination, lie just north of Bishop in an area where the floor of the Owens Valley rises abruptly, forming a 300 foot-high volcanic plateau. Along the southern tip of the plateau there are numerous canyons and washes containing thousands of boulders. The Happy Boulder area with 418 routes and the Sad Boulder area with 187 routes are the most popular. Because of its 4,500 foot elevation, the Volcanic Tablelands are climbable year round.

Lone Pine Area

Tommy Bouldering with an IPAThe Lone Pine Film History Museum houses memorabilia from the hundreds of films, commercials, and television shows that were filmed in the nearby area over the past 100 years. Since the early years of filmmaking, directors and actors have made the 3-hour trek from Hollywood to the tiny town of Lone Pine to use the dramatically beautiful Alabama Hills as the backdrop for their films. Although mostly known for the “westerns” filmed here, with such cowboy heroes as John Wayne, Gene Autry, and Roy Rogers, it has also been the site for early silent, post-war, and science fiction films. The museum has an 85-seat movie theater where visitors can watch an interesting 15-minute documentary, “Lone Pine: Where the Real West Becomes the Reel West.” Admission is $5 for adults.

The Alabama Hills are a range of hills and rock formations, just west of Lone Pine, that lie at the foot of the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the continental U.S., towers over the hills. Although the same age as the sharp, glacially chiseled ridges of the Sierra, the Alabama hills are more rounded as a result of chemical weathering. When the hills were still covered with soil, percolating water rounded the granite blocks and sculpted the interesting arches and potato-shaped boulders you see today. These interesting formations make it a popular rock climbing destination.

The outstanding and dramatic scenery of the hills has also attracted Hollywood filmmakers from the 1920s to the present. Hundreds of movies (particularly westerns), TV shows, and commercials have been filmed here over the past century. The Lone Pine Film History Museum is a great place to learn about the film history of the area. The 5.7-mile unpaved Movie Flat Road through the Hills goes past the filming locations for such greats as “How the West was Won,” “Rawhide,” and “Gunga Din.” A “Movie Road Touring Brochure,” is available online or at the museum.

The origin of its name is quite interesting and surprising. In the 1800s, prospectors in the area sympathetic to the Confederate cause named their mining claims after the confederate warship Alabama, which was wreaking havoc on the Union fleet.

Whitney Portal is the gateway to Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the continental U.S., and the main starting point for treks up to its summit. It is located at the end of the 13-mile Whitney Portal Road, which begins from 395 in the town of Lone Pine. Although hiking into the Mount Whitney Zone requires a permit, there are several day hikes that can be done within the John Muir Wilderness section without a permit, such as the hike to Lone Pine Lake.

The Manzanar National Historic Site marks the site of the former Manzanar Relocation Center, one of ten internment camps into which the U.S. government forcefully interned more than 110,000 Japanese American citizens during World War II. The Manzanar facility operated from March of 1942 through November of 1945, housing and holding without their will over 10,000 Japanese Americans. Today this site, which is preserved and operated by the National Park Service, informs visitors about the legacy of this shameful period in U.S. history. Inside the Visitor Center there are extensive exhibits as well as a 22-minute informative film. Adjacent to the Visitor Center are two reconstructed barracks and a mess hall, the only three original camp structures that remain. A 3.2 mile auto tour takes you past remnants of orchards, gardens, and building foundations, as well as the camp cemetery, located at the foot of the majestic Sierra. Admission is free.