Travelogue

Afton Canyon Campground by MoonlightOne long day of driving without any fun is okay, but not two, so we started looking for something to entertain us along route.

The Mojave National Preserve seemed interesting, but a few phone calls confirmed my suspicions that camping there was not going to be easy. The one developed campground was not easily accessible from the north, and the primitive roadside camping on sandy roads didn’t sound like a great idea with an RV with car in tow.

However, our reliable “Moon West Coast RV Camping” Book gave us another option – Afton Canyon, just 25 miles west of the entrance to the Mojave Preserve. Not only did the Canyon seem interesting in its own right, but it would also allow us to explore Mojave the next day en-route to Las Vegas.

Afton Canyon was only 3 miles off of I15, but it was a very bumpy 3, which made us question a bit the wisdom of our decision. However, the guide book did say that the campground accommodated RVs up to 30 feet, so if they could do it so could we. Just to be safe, we decoupled the car from the motorhome and did the final stretch separately.

The campground was small, only 22 sites, and had only one other occupant. It was pretty desolate, but in a good way. The scenery was nice – colorful canyon walls on one end and an old railroad bridge on the other.

There wasn’t a whole lot to do here, but the guide book did describe a nice hike to a pair of caves in the canyon walls. Unfortunately, the directions for the hike were to follow the Mojave River, which in normal seasons flows above ground through Afton Canyon. However, this was not a normal year, and California’s multi-year draught had taken its toll and the river along with it. We wandered around aimlessly for a while, following what we thought was a dry riverbed, but finally gave up and wandered over to the picturesque railroad bridge and took some photos.

I was a bit frustrated on our failed hiking attempt, but still it was a nice stop – much better than our Flying J the previous night.

Travelogue

Afton Canyon WallsOn long driving days with no particular fun destination in mind, we often just pull into a Flying J to spend the night. The price is right. They let trucks and motorhomes stay overnight for free.

Another reason we like Flying J’s is that there is a lot of activity going on all night, so they are generally safe. This one, however, had me a bit nervous. Before we even got tucked into our parking place for the night, I had a bit of a scare. Herb was filling the motorhome with gas, and I was walking around looking for a good place to park for the night. As I was crossing the lot, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a guy sort of heading towards me. I changed direction a bit, trying not to make it too obvious that I was trying to avoid him, and headed back towards Herb and the gas pumps.

I heard him mumble, “I’m not gonna kill ya” over and over again -- not Herb, but the strange guy in the lot. Well, that was certainly good to know. I told Herb about the incident and we decided to park under a light with plenty of other RVs around.

That was the first time I was ever nervous sleeping in a Flying J. The next morning, the guy was still wandering around the parking lot mumbling to himself. He was obviously homeless and probably either a drug addict or mentally disabled. I felt really sorry for him.

As we pulled out of the Flying J that morning, we got to experience a bit of what the California draught has done to the Central Valley. A thick haze blocked the sun, reminding me of those pictures you see of the pollution in China -- but it was just dust. “The Grapes of Wrath” came to mind. They better get some rain soon.

Travelogue

Half Dome from Sentinel BridgeI would have to say that the Petaluma is beginning to feel a little bit like home. Since the summer of 2013, when we helped move the boys out West, we have been storing our motorhome here and flying back and forth to it for our west coast adventures.

The first two days of each of our trips is now spent prepping and stocking the motorhome for a few weeks out on the road. Whenever I start complaining about having to waste two days of potential fun time doing domestic stuff, I am reminded of that long 5-day drive across the U.S. that we no longer have to take.

So, we did our chores, and were ready to hit the road Wednesday morning. We had to be in Las Vegas by Friday night to pick the boys and Celeste up at the airport, which left us a few days to explore along the way.

Travelogue

Thanks to Andrew's delivery of us to the airport, our transition from west to east coast was an easy one.

Travelogue

Lolo with Oakland Twisted TreeOur drive back to Petaluma was uneventful. After all we had been through with the motorhome, uneventful was good.

The next morning we brought the motorhome back into the repair shop to have the calipers replaced, hopefully avoiding future issues through mountain passes.

To kill time while we were waiting for the motorhome repairs to be finished, we strolled along Petaluma’s Historic Riverfront. As with most old manufacturing towns, all the action was along the river, and fortunately many of its pre-1906 Earthquake buildings and Victorian homes have been preserved. The Historic Downtown was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. There is also a theater district and many interesting shops and restaurants.

Petaluma is one of the towns we are considering moving to when we eventually head West, so it was really a shame that the weather that morning was so foggy, cool, and damp. Herb loves hot and dry, and would be very content living in a desert. I, however, hate the heat, and have been trying to convince him of the merits of living in Northern California. It was almost noon before the fog finally cleared and Herb stopped mumbling about hating the cold and damp.

The sun did come out, however, and once it did, it became a beautiful warm, sunny day. The volatility of California weather – just within a single day – is so different from what we are used to in New Jersey.

Lolo and Andrew on way to Oakland PicnicAfter picking up the motorhome, we spent the rest of this beautiful sunny California day packing up to go home and hanging by the campground pool.

Usually when we leave to fly home, we take a cab to the Petaluma Fairgrounds and then the Sonoma County Airport Express to the airport. This time, since we were flying home on a Saturday, Andrew invited us to spend Friday night in their new apartment, so he could drive us to the airport the next day.

Sounded great, but first we had to figure out how to get down to San Francisco after we put both the motorhome and Subaru in storage. We worked out a rather convoluted plan, where on Friday we drove down to Oakland to see Andrew’s office and take him out to lunch, which was a very nice thing to do. Then we took his car back with us to the campground, stored the vehicles, and drove his car, packed to the brim with our stuff, back down to San Francisco. From that point on, we could just relax and enjoy our last evening on the West Coast.

We met Andrew and Celeste at Planet Granite, their rock climbing gym and spent a few hours climbing. Surprisingly I am really starting to like climbing and have been working really hard at it at the gym at home. Andrew and Celeste even noticed how much I had improved from the last time here – or maybe they were just being nice to me.

Oakland SkylineAfter climbing, Andrew suggested that we have dinner at “Off the Grid,” which is a mobile street fair, complete with dozens of food vendors and live music. Each day of the week, it is in a different location. Friday nights were on the waterfront by Fort Mason.

When we got there, our first stop was the beer vendor, who definitely could have used some help. The line was really long and moved slowly, as this one poor guy tried to keep things moving. Finally, his partner came back and things started to move

There were so many different food vendors that Herb and I didn’t know where to start. So, we just followed Andrew and Celeste’s lead and had some kind of Thai burrito or something. Whatever it was, it was delicious.

Despite the crowds, we managed to find a table which made juggling our beers and burritos a bit easier. By this point, the live music had started and I was feeling pretty good and happy. This was fun. Then Herb had to say, “Look around you. We are the only ones here over 30.” Thanks, Herb for pointing that out, just when I was feeling hip.

That night we slept on Andrew and Celeste’s new IKEA Futon that opened up into a much more comfortable bed than I would have expected. The next morning, Andrew got up early to drive Celeste to her Soccer League game and came back with delicious fresh pastries. I was starting to like this B&B, and the price was certainly right.

After helping Andrew with a few home repairs (Herb that is, not me), we left for the airport, picking up Celeste from her game on the way.

It really was a much more civilized departure than our usual scramble to store the RV and get to the airport from Petaluma.

Travelogue

Vikingholm Mansion Dining RoomOne thing we didn’t take into consideration when we were wandering along the Eastern Sierra, like two free spirits without a care in the world, was it was Labor Day Weekend, and we didn’t have camping reservations in the Lake Tahoe area, our next destination.

I got online and tried the state parks along the lake, but they were all booked. Finally, I was able to get a site at KOA South Lake Tahoe, about 5 miles south of the lake. This is one of the Catch 22 situations where you want to find a campsite, but wonder what’s wrong with any you find. I guess this one was still available because it was a few miles from the lake. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be too bad.

Our drive from Bridgeport to South Lake Tahoe took us north along US 395 and then northwest on the highly scenic and highly stressful US 89. This was the first really steep and windy road that we encountered since our nail biter out of Yosemite. We took advantage of every pullout there was, but still the brakes managed to overheat, so we spent a lot of time just sitting and letting them cool off to be safe. By the time we arrived in South Lake Tahoe, Herb was pretty much toast.

Herb Lunching on Rubicon TrailThe campground was okay. It had a nice pool, but our campsite was pretty small and unlevel. Fortunately, once we got the motorhome situated and on leveling blocks, we wouldn’t have to move it for a few days.

The woman that checked us in at the campground office suggested that we not go anywhere near the lake that afternoon or evening because there was going to be fireworks over the lake and that always resulted in huge traffic jams, as early as 4:00 in the afternoon. We should have listened, but not having anything else to do, we ventured out anyway with our goal being the Emerald Bay Scenic Overlook. As soon as we got anywhere near the lake, traffic was completely stopped as people vied for roadside parking – any legitimate parking was already long gone. Finally, we gave up, made a U-turn and returned to the campsite.

Vikingsholm and the Rubicon Trail

Cliff Diving on Rubicon TrailThe next morning, however, we set out again for the Emerald Bay Lookout, this time to hike down to the lake to the Vikingsholm Mansion and the Rubicon Trail. Although the parking lot was full, there was plenty of turnover, since most people were just walking out to the lookout and back. We found a car that was pulling out, and the gentleman in it was kind enough to not only give us his space, but also his $10 parking fee ticket.

From the parking lot, we hiked a very short distance to a lovely view of Lake Tahoe and its only island – Fannette Island, a stubborn block of sparsely timbered granite that refused to be pushed along by the glacial ice that gouged out this Bay more than 12,000 years ago. Its very existence is what makes Emerald Bay so picturesque.

Boats in Calawee CoveFrom the lookout, we took a steep, one-mile trail down to the lakeshore to the Vikingsholm mansion, which is part of Emerald Bay State Park. There is no vehicle access to the lakeshore of Emerald Bay, so the only way to get here is on foot or by boat.

I love going on mansion tours and seeing how people lived in different times and places. We have been on our fair share of them over the years, our favorites being the grand “cottages” in Newport, Rhode Island and, of course, the Hearst Castle. When Tommy was little he used to hate these tours. He called them “butt tours,” because he was eye level with the rest of the tour groups’ butts.

Well, today we would go on a butt tour of the Vikingsholm Mansion, one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in the world – or at least, outside of Scandinavia. It is a replica of a 1,200 year old Viking castle, built with materials native to the Tahoe Basin area.

Lolo approaching Calawee Cove for a DipThe castle was built in 1929 by Mrs. Lora Josephone Knight, with the help of about 200 workers. Mrs. Knight furnished the house with Scandinavian antiques and hired artisans to build period reproductions.

As you might expect from a Viking-inspired designed, there are intricately-carved dragons throughout the house, especially along the roof ridges and beams. During the 11th century, when Christianity was first introduced to Scandinavia, they were a little skeptical that it would be entirely effective. So, to hedge their bets, they carved dragon heads in church entrances to provide a little extra protection against evil spirits.

Another interesting feature of the design is the sod roof, which covers both the north and south wings. It would be lovely to be here in spring, when the roof sprouts with colorful wildflowers.

Unlike other mansion tours we have been on, this one emphasized the architecture more than the person that lived in it. However, during the tour and afterwards, I did find out some interesting facts about Mrs. Knight:
• She was not Scandinavian, but English
• She also owned Fannette Island and built a “Tea House,” which looks like a miniature castle on its summit
• She was extremely kind and generous to her servants
• She and her husband were the primary financial backers of Lindbergh's non-stop solo flight across the Atlantic in 1927.
• She must have been a smart investor because she managed to hold onto the house and the servants, despite the Stock Market Crash and the Great Depression.

Lake Tahoe Old 1916 LighthouseAfter the tour, we hiked along the shoreline of Emerald Bay on the scenic Rubicon trail, which goes all the way to Rubicon Point in D.L. Bliss State Park 4 ½ miles away. The trail pretty much traces the shoreline, sometimes at lake level and other times rising high above for sweeping views out over the lake and mountains.

From Rubicon Point, we hiked down to Calawee Cove Beach, which was pretty crowded – this was after all Labor Day. The water was a little chillier than we were used to, but we jumped in anyway, to cool off before our hike back.

The Rubicon Trail is really an out-and-back hike, but there is a spur trail from Calawee Cove to the old 1916 lighthouse, one of four navigational lights on Lake Tahoe. I love lighthouses, and I am not sure what I was expecting, but this one really cracked me up. I actually thought it was an outhouse. When I think lighthouse, the words tall, majestic, and visible come to mind, but this one was short, undignified, and hidden in the trees. Maybe I’m a New England lighthouse snob, but seriously.

Okay, enough picking on the lighthouse. We continued on eventually rejoining the main Rubicon Trail. On the way back we stopped at the boat-in campground in Emerald Bay State Park and took another swim near the campground dock.

Then it was back past the lovely Vikingsholm and up the steep trail to the parking lot. It was a very robust hike, 11.9 miles and a 600-foot elevation gain at the end, but thankfully tomorrow would be a rest day.

Secret Cove and MacDuff’s Pub

Lolo on Rock in Secret CoveFor our final day in Tahoe, and really our final day of vacation – the rest was just driving back to Petaluma and storing the motorhome – we decided to drive along the eastern shores of Lake Tahoe to one of its most beautiful beaches, Secret Cove.

Secret Cove is one of a series of pristine beaches located along Highway 28 on the remote Nevada eastern shore, many of which, including this one, are clothing optional. It’s a little difficult to find, and even more difficult to find a parking space in the small and infrequent pullouts along the Highway.

Since the highway is quite high above the lakeshore, we had to lug our beach chairs, cooler, etc. down a steep ½-mile or so trail to get to the beach. I had suggested bringing the tubes along as well, but Herb looked at me like I was nuts.

Sailboat in Secret CoveWhat we found when we finally reached the beach is that Secret Cove is not all that secret, and there were already dozens of sunbathers, most of them exercising their “option” to be au naturel. The rock-strewn beach and cove was absolutely stunning. We tucked ourselves behind one of the larger boulders, which provided us with some degree of privacy.

Knowing me all too well, Herb knew exactly what I was looking at – no not the naturists, but the plethora of tubes and floats that people had dragged down the trail to the beach. So, good husband that he is, he made the long trek back up the steep trail to the car, blew up the tubes, and carried them back down to his adoring and appreciative wife. They were very fun to float in and I very much appreciated Herb’s efforts at keeping me happy.

Secret CoveA little after lunch, the conditions in the cove changed dramatically, without any noticeable change in the weather. The water, which had been like glass in the morning, was now quite rough and choppy. There were even white caps in the cove. We were told by other beachers that this usually happens in the afternoon. Tahoe is a very big lake, and as the day goes on, the seas build up and create these conditions, especially on the north end of the lake along the eastern shore. Almost like clockwork, every day from 2:00 to 8:00 pm, the Tahoe Zephyr (you know it’s not good when it has a name) blows from the west, reaching wind speeds of 10 to 15 mph, with 20+ gusts.

I have this tendency of not letting reality get in the way of my good time, so, much to Herb’s amusement, I floated about in my tube, desperately trying to appear relaxed, all the while being buffeted into the rocks by the waves. Finally, I gave up – just too rough.

Lolo Tubing in Secret CoveOn the way back to South Lake Tahoe, I used the Yelp app on Herb’s phone to look at restaurant reviews. We really find this very helpful when in a place we know little about, and it has rarely steered us wrong. MacDuff’s Pub had by far the best reviews and even more importantly, the most reviews. Although not on the lake, the outdoor patio was lovely, and we very much enjoyed the food and the service.

It was a nice way to close a wonderful vacation – well, at least the fun part of it anyway. The rest was just driving back to Petaluma, dealing with more motorhome repair issues, putting it back in storage, and flying home – all stressful stuff.

For now though, we looked back rather than forward, reminiscing about the amazing places we had seen and the wonderful people we had shared them with.

Travelogue

Bodie State Historic ParkAfter a wonderful kayaking experience on Mono Lake, we headed north on US 395 for about 50 miles to set up base camp at the Willow Springs RV Park in the town of Bridgeport. As I mentioned in a previous post, setting up of a base camp, and then using our tow vehicle to get around was really working for us. It was very liberating not to have to drag the motorhome with us everywhere we went.

One of the reasons we chose Willow Springs RV Park was that it is close to the two places we were interested in visiting in the area: Bodie State Historic Park and the Travertine Hot Springs.

The next morning we set out for Bodie State Historic Park, the turnoff for which was just a mile south of our campground. From there it was 13 miles through what really looked like cowboy country. The last 3 miles were on a bumpy, dirt road, so once again we were grateful that we were driving a Subaru rather than a Lazy Daze.

View from Doorway at BodieWe actually arrived before the park opened, so we got in line behind two other early birds at the entry booth. At 9:00 am sharp, a Park Ranger strolled over to the flagpole, raised the California flag, returned to the booth, and greeted us with a hardy, “Welcome to Bodie.”

Getting there early was a good idea, because ghost towns feel more ghostlike when you have them to yourselves rather than sharing them with a lot of other tourists, which did happen about an hour later.

Before coming here, I kind of expected one of those touristy manufactured cowboy towns that you encounter in the West, but this was the real deal, a genuine gold-mining boom town that had gone bust.

I always find visiting a place much more meaningful when I know its history, so I diligently read the informative brochure, and this is what I learned:

Gold was first discovered in the area (actually by Mono Lake) in1859 by W.S. Bodey, who unfortunately froze to death before he got a chance to enjoy his new-found wealth. The town, with a minor spelling change, was named for him. After a slowdown in the 1860s, in the mid-1970s an even richer strike was made by what became known as the Standard Mining Company, and thousands of prospectors hoping to make it rich rushed to Bodie. By 1879 the town had a population of about 10,000 people and more than 2,000 buildings, primarily general stores, dance halls, and saloons to keep the miners supplied and entertained. Bodie soon developed a reputation for wildness and lawlessness.

Bodie Rusted BicycleIn addition to the miners, hundreds of Chinese workers also flocked to Bodie and profited from the boom by providing for the needs of the miners with wood, charcoal, vegetables, laundries, and more. The Chinese created a town within a town so that they could maintain their own customs and traditions. There is an old Chinese residence still standing in old Chinatown at the end of King Street.

However, by 1881, the mines were depleted and miners and business people left Bodie to follow the next strike. By 1886, the town’s population had fallen to 1,500 people. In the 1890s, the use of electricity as a source of cheap power made mining here profitable again and temporarily boosted it. However, a fire in 1932 destroyed 90% of the town.

Bodie Rusted Car with CabinBodie faded into a ghost town in the 1940s. Fortunately, in 1962, the town was designated a National Historic Site and a State Historic Park. The town has been preserved in a state of “arrested decay.” The interiors of the buildings are maintained as they were left, still furnished and stocked with goods.

We spent an enjoyable two hours, especially the one before everyone else arrived, wandering the deserted streets, peeking in windows, and reading the informative brochure that explained each building. It really was a very poignant experience imagining the lives of those that lived, played, worked, and died here so many years ago.

After leaving Bodie, we headed north on US 395 towards the town of Bridgeport to soak in the Travertine Hot Springs. It wasn’t too hard to find – just a right onto Jack Sawyer Road and then left again on a marked, but somewhat rutted, dirt road.

Although Herb and I had soaked in pools fed by hot springs– Ouray, Banff, and Bend come to mind – we had never been to a “natural” hot spring, so we were pretty excited about adding a new experience to our list.

Bodie Interior Couch with Window ViewThe first hot spring we saw was adjacent to the parking lot. This one was partially developed with a man-made lining and rugs placed around it to cushion the hard surface. I had no intention of sitting at the edge of a parking lot, so we strolled down the trail a short distance to the lower pools, which are fed from water trickling over the ridge of a colorful rock formation. The rock was stained with beautiful tan, cream, and rust streaks from the “travertine” limestone that is continually being deposited by the mineral-laden hot springs above.

There were three pools below, with water flowing from one pool to the next, decreasing in temperature as it went along. The pool on the right had stone sides to sit on and was about 105 degrees, the pool in the middle also had stone sides and was about 100 degrees, and the pool on the left was mostly mud and only about 90 degrees. Each of the pools’ bottom were covered in soft, mushy mud, which felt rather soothing to the skin.

There were two couples already in the rightmost pool, so Herb and I tried each of the two on the left. I wasn’t crazy about sitting directly in the mud, so I chose the middle pool, which was also warmer than the muddy one. This one was “just right.”

Travertine Hot Spring with HerbWe weren’t the only ones that thought about coming here today, and throughout the afternoon probably at least 30 people or so passed through – some just to look, but most to sit for awhile in the warm sulfuric waters.

When it got a bit too crowded, we walked a short distance to find a more private, primitive pool. The whole area around the springs is very active geothermally, so new springs are continuously erupting and new pools forming.

Although I liked the middle pool by the rock formation where I didn’t have to sit directly in the mud, Herb preferred having his own hot spring to himself, where he could also soak up the beautiful views of the Sierra in the distance.

It had been a lovely day, much more relaxing and less physically demanding than the prior two weeks had been. The slower pace felt good, at least for awhile.

Travelogue

Lolo Kayaking among the Tufas of Mono LakeFor anyone traveling through the Eastern Sierras, a stop at the Mono Lake South Tufa Reserve to see the “tufa castles” is a must. It’s a place like no other.

Mono Lake is definitely not your typical lake. Besides being over a million years old, and probably the oldest continuously existing lake in North America, it is 2 ½ times saltier than the ocean and 80 times more alkaline. This is because the water that flows in from the Sierra streams, carrying trace amounts of salts and minerals with it, has no way to leave the lake other than evaporation. So, the concentration levels of these salts and minerals keeps building up year after year. I think it’s the same reason that the Great Salt Lake in Utah is so salty. However, although the Great Salt Lake might be more famous for its saltiness, Mono Lake does have one it doesn’t—“tufa castles.” Tufa, not to be mistaken with “tofu,” are calcium-carbonate deposits that form in lakes with high calcium contents. Normally they would just be hidden beneath the water, but as lake levels dropped, they became exposed, some of them rising as high as 30 feet above the surface—and they do look like castles.

Lolo Exploring Paoha IslandOne of the best places to see the tufas is at the Mono Lake South Tufa State Reserve along the southern shoreline of the lake. Back in 2007, it was from this very shoreline that I was brave enough to swim with the tufas, allowing my body to be coated with salt and brine flies, while my wimpy family just looked on from the shore.

This time, however, our plan was to launch our kayaks and paddle through and around the tufas and out to Paoha Island. Herb and I had been dying to use our kayaks, which are now stored out on the West Coast with our motorhome, and this was our first real opportunity to do so this trip. We had thought about paddling around Tenaya Lake in Yosemite, but the day we were there was cloudy and cold, so we hiked to stay warm instead.

The best place to launch a kayak on Mono Lake is from Navy Beach, which is just ½ mile east of the South Tufa area by water, but a fairly longer drive along a bumpy dirt road to the launch parking lot. From there, you have to carry your kayak and gear about 30 yards down to the water.

Paoha Island ShorelineBesides us, there was a group of about half dozen a kayakers that were part of a guided tour. We seemed to be the only ones venturing out on our own.

It was a perfect day, extremely calm and the water was like glass. Very fortunate for us, because often the winds on the lake are so strong that kayaking is strongly discouraged. Mornings are usually calmer, with winds picking up in the afternoon, so fortunately we had gotten an early start and would just keep an eye out for changing conditions in the afternoon.

We started out to the west towards the South Tufa Reserve. So did the guided group, as this is where the action is. It was surreal paddling amongst these extraordinary tufa castles, so very different from any kayaking experience we have had to date. Herb must have taken about 100 photos in the first 15 minutes.

Paoha Island View of Lake mit LoloFrom there we headed out towards Paoha Island, which according to the Ranger was a little over 3 miles from Navy Beach. Herb has a much longer kayak than mine, which goes a lot faster, so he got quite a bit ahead of me. I didn’t mind though. It was so quiet and peaceful being alone. Sometimes I would just stop paddling, lean back, and just gaze at the mountains and the clouds.

There’s something very deceptive about distance on the water, especially when you are far from the shore. I kept paddling and paddling and the island just never seemed to get any closer. That’s when I started to get a little annoyed that Herb wasn’t by my side. I couldn’t even see him anymore.

Finally, the island cooperated and stopped moving away from me, and I paddled up onto a beach – fortunately, the same one Herb had paddled up on, probably a half hour ago. It felt like I was landing on the moon.

Mono Lake SkyEverything was kind of a chalky white and crunched under your feet when you walked. Sometimes my feet broke through the crusty surface, which was primarily comprised of calcium carbonate, like the tufas.

Life so many features in this area of the country, this island had volcanic origins. Normally, I would classify volcanic eruptions as a bad thing, but they are responsible for so many beautiful wonders that they can’t be all bad. I just hope they do their work when I’m not around.

In the case of Paoho Island, the eruptions were quite recent – just 350 years ago. Before that this island did not exist. At that time, volcanic eruptions on the lakebed pushed sediments and volcanic material above the lake surface, forming this island, which rose 290 feet above the lake.

Lolo with KayaksIt was so desolate that I felt a bit like Robinson Crusoe or Tom Hanks in Castaway, except that we had kayaks to leave whenever we wanted. However, we didn’t want to leave just yet, and I am not sure if Herb ever wanted to leave. Besides heat and sun, Herb’s favorite thing in the world (besides me) is solitude, and today he had an abundance of all three. He was in heaven and declared it a trip highlight, an honor sparingly bestowed.

We even went for a swim and discovered, as we had in the Great Salt Lake, that the higher salinity really does make it easier to float. I could even raise my hands above the water and still stay afloat. The only downside was that after we got out and dried off, we were completely covered in a white film of salt.

Kayaking Back from Paoha IslandThe water was still calm, but I didn’t want to press my luck. The thought of paddling those endless three miles in windy conditions was not a pleasant one. So after about 2 hours of playing Castaway, we began our paddle back to Navy Beach. Once again, Herb got way ahead of me. At first, I struggled to keep up, but then I thought, what the heck, I am going to enjoy this at my own pace, so I went back to my routine – paddle for awhile, rest and gaze at mountains and clouds, paddle again, gaze again, and so on. It was wonderful.

What a great day and our timing had been perfect. By the time we got to the Visitor Center in Lee Vining, the winds had picked up and were gusting over 20 mph. That would not only have been strenuous, but unsafe as well. So far, with the exception of a few clouds and cooler temps in Tuolumne Meadows, the weather had really been cooperating beautifully.

Travelogue

Devils PostpilesAlthough we had been to Mono Lake before, we had never explored the Eastern Sierra in any depth, so we decided it was definitely time to fill in this gap in our western travels.

Rather than drag the motorhome along for each of our stops, we decided to set up base camp at the Mammoth Mountain RV Park in Mammoth Lakes and set out on day trips in our Subaru. Towing a car has definitely been a very liberating experience.

The drive out through the very steep Tioga Pass had been a bit stressful, to say the least, with the uncertainty of the status of our brake calipers, so when we got to the campground, we decided to just relax there for the remainder of the day. Also, this was the first time that we had access to a laundry in two weeks, so hanging out in the hot tub in between wash loads was about all the physical activity we were up for today.

Devils Postpile National Monument and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest

Lolo Hiking on Top of Devils PostpilesHowever, the next morning we were refreshed and ready to see new sights. Our first destination was the nearby Devils Postpile National Monument, an unusual rock formation comprised of hexagonal basalt columns. From mid-June through mid-September, cars are not allowed into the Monument after 7:00 am, and visitors must take a shuttle bus from the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center. We briefly toyed with getting up early enough to drive into the park, but then we came to our senses and decided to take the shuttle instead. The tickets were only $7 and the bus driver gave an interesting talk and pointed out things to see along the way, such as the impressive Minarets.

The shuttle has about 10 stops in the park, but we got out at the Devils Postpile Ranger Station (Stop 6) near the trailhead for the Devils Postpile and Rainbow Falls.

From the trailhead, we walked along a very pleasant, level path that traced a section of the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River. In less than a half mile, we came upon the Postpile, which definitely was different from any rock formation we had ever seen. Probably the closest thing to them that we have seen are the basalt cliffs along the Columbia River Gorge.

Rainbowless Falls at Devils Postpile National MonumentThe columns were so uniform that they really appeared to be man-made rather than by the forces of nature. But as we have learned over and over again in our travels, nature has created some pretty miraculous sights. These uniformly-shaped basalt columns were formed over 80,000 years ago when basalt lava erupted in the area, cooled, contracted, and split into symmetrical, hexagonal columns, one of mother nature’s favorite shapes.

The view from the top of the cliff, which you can reach by walking up a short, steep trail around the back, really accentuates their hexagonal shapes and made me even more amazed that they were created through a natural process. It looked like someone had laid down hexagonal floor tiling, with the occasional pentagonal tile thrown in here and there.

From there we hiked back down the formation and continued along the trail another 2 miles until we reached Rainbow Falls, where the San Joaquin River plunges 101 feet over a cliff of volcanic rock. The falls got its name from the rainbows that sparkle in the mist when the sun is overhead.

Bristlecone Pine TreesUnfortunately, we were here too early in the morning to have the proper lighting either on the falls or on the Devils Postpile. We thought about waiting around until the afternoon so that we could get better lighting for photographs, but decided that instead we would rive down to Big Pine to hike through the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest.

So, we hiked back to the Red Meadow Shuttle Stop and returned by shuttle to the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center.

The drive to Big Pine took us along the Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway (US 395) through the quaint town of Bishop, where we had stopped back in 2007 to visit the very impressive Galen Rowell photography gallery. This time we would visit an equally impressive Bishop establishment, the Erick Schat’s Bakery, known for its delicious pastries and other baked goods. We were only three feet in the door before I picked up an Apple Pullover, the size of a football, to purchase. Funny, how when driving into town, I thought how quiet it was. Now I know why –everyone was in this bakery. It was absolutely bustling. We bought two sandwiches made with their famous sheepherder bread and ate them on the outside patio.

Lolo Hiking in Bristlecone Pine ForestFrom there, we continued on US 395 south to the town of Big Pine and turned east on State Highway 168. After 13 miles, we turned left onto White Mountain Road and followed that for another 10 miles to the Schulman Grove Visitor Center. We were very grateful we were in our Subaru rather than the motorhome, because the road was very steep and windy. We stopped at an incredible viewpoint just about a mile shy of the top.

From the Schulman Visitor Center, we took the Methuselah Trail, named for the oldest documented living tree in the world which lives along this trail. It is estimated to be over 4,750 years old. Unfortunately, although we would most likely see it, we wouldn’t know when, because its location is kept a secret, for fear that someone might cut it down or harm it in some way. How sad is that?

The trail was lovely, winding its way for 4 ½ miles through bristlecone pines, both ancient and new – some of the baby ones were probably only about a thousand years old. These trees were very photogenic, each of them individually sculpted by thousands of years of wind, ice, and extreme exposure to the elements. Their twisted and contorted shapes are evidence of their ability to not only survive, but to thrive in adverse living conditions. It’s funny how the harshest growing conditions produce trees that live the longest. There’s much to be said for tough love.

It had been quite a robust day, with hikes in two very interesting and unique areas.

Mammoth Mountain Bike Park and Inyo Craters

Herb with GoPro at Trail Juncture in Mammoth Mountain Bike ParkOur boot camp of a vacation continued the next day with plans to mountain bike down the trails of Mammoth Mountain. I was definitely going to need a vacation from this vacation.

We drove the short distance from our campground to the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center and purchased our Bike Park tickets. Our choices were $41 for two rides down the mountain, or $49 for all day. Of course, the economically minded Herb went for the $49 value and planned to make the most of it.

There was nobody there, so we able to get on a Panorama Gondola right away. You could tell from the set up though that they were prepared to handle a crowd. The very courteous liftees took our bikes and loaded them on a gondola for us, and then we got in the one behind. The views from the gondola were awesome. Why couldn’t we just ride this thing up and down all day? – I didn’t say that aloud, but I did think it. At the top, the liftees politely removed our bikes from their gondola and set us on our way. Very civilized so far.

We were now atop the summit of Mammoth Mountain at an elevation of 11,053 feet, where the 360 degree views were incredible. I think I could see all of California from here. I took note of the Top of the Sierra Café where I intended to reward myself with lunch if I made it back up here again.

Lolo on Inadequate Hardtail BikeWe rolled our bikes down the staircase from the gondola – the cool kids ride them down, but I was just getting warmed up. The cool kids also wear full-body armor and ride full-suspension bikes. I was a 58-year-old woman in a running outfit wondering what the heck I was doing up here.

There were two choices of trails from the summit – Kamikaze and Off the Top. Little hint: If you are at a trail junction, and one of the trail names is Kamikaze, take the other one, which we smartly did. Off the Top was a blue, intermediate trail as opposed to a black diamond. Mountain bike parks rate the difficulty of their trails the same way ski slopes do.

Herb let me go first so he could keep an eye on me – actually not just an eye, but a camera. He GoPro’d my entire first descent – all 10 miles and 1 hour of it. I watched the entire thing afterwards, and am sure that I am the only one that ever will. I was both impressed and amused by my efforts.

The trail was quite steep, but not ridiculously so, and wound its way along dozens of switchbacks for most of the first five miles. We were above the tree-line, so we were on exposed mountainside with uninterrupted views, which I would have seen if I ever took my eyes off my front tire.

Lolo and Lake in Mammoth Mountain Bike ParkAt a trail junction, we continued on another blue trail called Beach Cruiser which flattened out for awhile and brought us to a pretty little lake, called Bud Lake. Afterwards, the trail led through a lovely forest of trees, where we even had to peddle uphill at times.

We made it back to the gondola after about an hour, with no cuts or bruises. Proudly, neither of us had taken a spill.

Still no crowds, so we were able to just hop back on the gondola again. The same guy loaded our bikes on the gondola. I think he was pretty surprised to see that the old lady was back for more.

At the top, I suggested lunch, but Herb, wanting to make sure that we got our money’s worth out of our All-Day pass, suggested that we eat after the next run, thereby guaranteeing that I would have to go for a third.

I reluctantly agreed, and we set off again, this time taking a different trail near the bottom, which brought us to wonderful views of the Minaret pinnacles. The second run was a bit easier, because I knew what to expect, but I was getting a little tired. You would think that going downhill isn’t tiring, but it actually is very tough on the arms and the hands, which in my case were desperately gripping the brakes. Also, even the legs get tired because you have to hold yourself up off the seat most of the way.

Minarets ViewpointSoon, we were on our way up for our third, and what I was suggesting, final run. As promised, Herb did take me to lunch at the Top of the Sierra Café first. By the time we finished lunch, the winds had picked up and were really gusting. I honestly was a bit concerned about being blown over. I didn’t need any more challenges getting through the switchbacks at the top.

I was really pretty tired now and on one of the early switchbacks, I almost did an “endo” – where I braked so hard that the back of my bike lifted up too high and almost sent me over my handlebars. Herb was way ahead. I had told him to go first, because I was much slower, but still I was mad at him now because I was scared and he wasn’t by my side.

From this point on I was totally psyched out, which is very bad, because you really have to ride with confidence to get through this stuff. While I hadn’t fallen at all the first two runs, I must have fallen about 4 or 5 times on this one. It was getting to a point where I would practically throw myself on the ground rather than wait for the bike to do that for me. I even landed in a very cute pine tree. Herb later said that I probably killed a thousand year old bristlecone pine, because they actually do grow on the mountainside. I didn’t care. It deserved it.

Lolo with MammothHerb knew he was in trouble when I caught up with him at the bottom, scratched, bloody, and tearful. Two runs would have been great, but three had really pushed me over the top. We had ridden over 30 miles of some very steep and rough terrain. I had every right to be cranky.

Before returning my weary body to the much-needed hot tub at the campground, we decided to make a quick stop at the nearby Inyo Craters, right off the Mammoth Scenic Loop .

Herb and I had definitely developed, rather late in our national park travels, a keen interest in geology. A few years back, Herb and I discovered TTC (The Teaching Company) videos of various college courses. Every morning after breakfast, we dutifully sit down with a cup of coffee and watch a ½-hour lecture on a particular subject. Last year we completed two entire courses on geology (18 hours each), and are always anxious to go out and apply what we have learned. Tommy’s move to the Pacific Northwest and its many volcanoes features definitely gives us plenty of opportunity to do just that.

Inyo CraterOnce we found the Inyo Craters parking lot at the end of a dirt road off the Scenic Loop, it was just a 1/4-mile walk through a lovely forest to get to the rim of the first of the Inyo Craters. This crater is part of a 25- mile chain of craters that stretches from here all the way to Mono Lake.

This crater and the next one, which is only a short walk away, are about 660 feet across and contain small lakes. The water in them was a beautiful, deep turquoise. There was an observation area even closer to the rim, but because of erosion, access to it was blocked off.

In terms of geological time, these craters were very young – only 600 years old, babies compared to the bristlecone pines we saw the other day. They were formed when magma pushed up into the water table, heated it, and triggered a volcanic phreatic (fancy word for steam) explosion on the summit and south flank of Deer Mountain. The two craters we visited were the ones along the south flank.

We returned to the campground, got a cooler of cold beer, and went and sat it the campground hot tub. It was the right thing to do.