Wednesday, August 8, 2012

"The Way West"...Day 55...Monday, August 6, 2012

I'm expecting a great drive today. I'll be heading down the eastern side of the Sierra Mountains...south out of Nevada and into California. Almost all of it will be at 5000 feet and above.
And...since it's only 250 miles or so, I can take my time this morning before checking out of the hotel. Over the last three days, I have hauled a lot of stuff out of the Explorer/camper...and this morning, I'm packing it all up and repacking it for the today's trip (including my clean laundry). At 10:00AM, I'm on the road, heading south on U.S. 395. It's a beautiful drive along the Sierras...lots of great mountain views. I pass the eastern entrance to Yosemite...but you have to drive over Tioga Pass (9950 feet) to get to the main p[art of the Park...no thanks. At one point, I get to the top of Conway Summit (8150 feet)...and there, from the top of the Summit, I can see a huge lake (Mono Lake) as well as the continuation of U.S. 395...all about two thousand feet below me...very impressive.
I also stop for a half-hour or so at a place called Manzanar...site of one of the major Japanese-American "Internment Camps" during World War II. A sad and unfortunate time in our country's history.







Around 5:00PM, I arrive in Lone Pine, California...now in search of Lone Pine Campground up in the mountains. The Visitor's Center is closed, and I spend a half hour or so driving around looking for the turnoff to the campground. I finally stop to ask for directions and, soon, I'm driving up Whitney Portal Road...up a thousand feet or so into the "Alabama Hills" at the foot of Mt. Whitney.
It's hot here. Over on the western side of the mountains, it's warm (not hot) by day and cool at night. But, over here on the eastern side, I'm in high desert...and the temperatures are are in the 100's by day and 80's at night. I know that you've all been suffering from extreme heat back home. But, for me, most of this trip has been in cool (sometimes cold) weather...and, now, the heat is kicking my butt.
Lone Pine Campground, however, is high enough in the mountains to lower the heat level...high 80's when I arrive, low 80's after sundown.
It's a beautiful place to camp. There's 14,500 foot Mt. Whitney behind me to the west and a low range of mountains in front of me to the east. And the Alabama Hills, themselves, are full of low craggy peaks and massive boulders strewn about over a surreal landscape...awe-inspiring.
I'm feeling lazy tonight...too lazy to cook a big dinner. So, I eat some pistachios, a small bag of chips, a piece of chocolate cake...and a few cold beers.
The Campground Host stops by to take a look at the camper, and we chat for a half hour or so. There are bears around the Campground, he tells me, so keep food secure and watch yourself after dark.
There's a magnificent sunset down over and behind Mt. Whitney...casting shadows on the mountain range to the east. And, at nightfall, the stars are out...all of the stars...crystal clear on this night.
I feel like staying up...watch the stars and have a few more beers...but every crunch of gravel...every rustle in the bushes...has me thinking "bears". So...around 10:00PM, I barricade myself in the camper for the night...off to sleep.




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