Trip to California 2

Today’s driving was through dozens of dry valleys with the road disappearing over the next pass. I went the width of Nevada, which has surprising bits of civilization and many abandoned buildings. Some day I’d like to photograph these relics, some of which are interesting.When I got to the Lee Vining grade up to Tioga Pass I was looking forward to more curvy mountain roads. A tourist going about 30 gave me brief pause, but I dropped down to second gear and revved to 6,000 RPM to get around him before I ran out of road. That made the rest of the grade much more fun. I seemed to be the only other uphill vehicle, though many were going East (downhill).

Camping at Saddleback Lake campground. I got this lead from Joe, who travels between Davis and Taos regularly. When I arrived it is already 32° F outside, but I have my heavy sleeping bag and will sleep in the back of the van. My GPS says that I am at 10,167 ft above sea level.

Walked down to the “resort” store to get ice and see when I could get coffee in the morning, but they are only open 8-5. I’ll get both at Tuolumne Meadows in the morning. Snow flakes on my walk down. Guess it will be cool tonight.

Awoke to 24° F outside. No wonder I was chilly during the night. Since I know there is no coffee here, I’m hoping for coffee at Tuolumne Meadows, but discover that the lodge has closed for the season. There is also no fuel there.

I stop at White Wolf Lodge, where I worked two summers 60 years ago. It has been spiffed up some, but basically the same layout. I remember the two big pine trees out front where some tourist had her little children pose with a bear. We chased the bear away before the mother (lurking nearby) could do any damage. The mother was as pissed at us as we were at her for putting her kids in danger.

So it is downhill to Crane Flat, where there is a gas station. However, only their automated pumps are working — no coffee here, either. So on down to the Merced River valley outside the park, where I finally get breakfast.

There was a huge rock slide that completely closed the road into the park on the south side of the river. The original roadbed — a single lane carved out of the rock on the north side of the river (picture left) — was refurbished to provide a temporary detour around the slide, with help from two big Bailey bridges — a remarkably useful invention. “The success of the Bailey bridge was due to the simplicity of the fabrication and assembly of its modular components, combined with the ability to erect and deploy sections with a minimum of assistance from heavy equipment.”Driving through the Central Valley was basically a bore, except to notice all the various crops being harvested this time of year. After Los Banos (should be Baños) I noticed the once-familiar brown grass-covered hills with live oak trees in the valleys.

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