4-2-2018 Our notes help us to remember our adventures, we
share with friends and family too. You may or may not be aware of these nouns
(people/places/things), so enjoy and please share your own experience!
On April 1st, we finished our assignment at Lake
Cahuilla and headed over to LA for a visit. Saying goodbyes to the delightful
people we work with is grim but we look forward to seeing 4them again.
We took a scenic campsite at Dockweiler Beach RV Park, on
the Pacific Ocean, west of LAX, a perfect location for exploring LA. Sister
Rose joined us at LAX, for our ten-day LA visit. We had a splendid time in LA,
visiting our selected points of interest. For transportation, we drove, took
the Metro, UBER, and bus tours. First, we took an all-day, city-wide, narrated
bus-tour of the LA area. Very informative and lots of fun! Next, we visited
lots of the LA attractions and sights. Our favorites were; Getty Museum,
historic Downtown, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Griffith Park, Getty Villa, Santa
Monica, Malibu, Getty Villa, Adamson House, baseball at Dodger Stadium (got on
the Kiss-Cam), numerous restaurants, and morning coffee at Marina Del Rey. We
had loads of fun and we all have great memories of our experiences.
Leaving LA, we drove down to San Diego, for a week at the Circle
RV Resort in El Cajon. In San Diego, we drove to our points of interest and
found convenient parking. First, we took the narrated trolley-tour, which has
hop-on, hop-off stops at numerous historic and scenic sights, around the city.
On the narrated Harbor Cruise, we got a unique perspective of the points of
interest, along the south and north harbor. Our favorite San Diego experiences
were; Old Town, Balboa Park, Point Loma, Navy Yard, Coronado Island, Mission
San Diego de Alcalá, scrumptious seafood, and fantastic weather.
After a week at San Diego, we headed north, toward our
summer assignment, at Flathead Lake, in northwest Montana. Along the way, we
intend to explore eastern California, and western Nevada, along the Sierra
Nevada Chain, dropping sister Rose at some airport, for her return home.
POST
We took US 395(the old El Camino Sierra), off I-15 to
Adelanto (Altitude 2871) for lunch, then across the western Mojave Desert,
continuing up into the Owens Valley. Adelanto is a city in San Bernardino
County, California, in the Victor Valley area of the Mojave Desert, known as
the northern region of California’s “Inland Empire”. We had lunch, did some
research, planned some sightseeing, and headed north on a warm day, through the
arid desert.
We followed US 395(the California Gold Rush corridor) up the eastern side of California, exploring
the towns and attractions, as we traveled north.
Kramer Junction, located in the Mojave Desert at the
intersection of U.S. Route 395 and State Route 58, is a large
commercial/industrial area. We saw a huge solar electric generating station,
taking advantage of the desert sun by capturing heat from the sun. These gigantic
solar-collecting arrays look like a large shinning-sea in the sands of the
desert. Very curious!
Red Mountain/Johannesburg/Randsburg: Johannesburg was
founded to support gold and silver mining operations at Randsburg. In addition
to providing rail access, the region's first wells were operated by companies
located in Johannesburg. During the first half of the 20th Century, the Rand
Mining District was the principal gold producing region of California. Activity
centered on the Yellow Aster Mine, discovered in 1894. In 1919, the Rand Silver
Mine was discovered east of town on Red Mountain. The Rand Mine produced more
silver than any mine in California. The evidence of massive mining projects is
still clearly visible on the slopes, in the form of mine tailings, old
abandoned equipment, and weathering structures.
Johannesburg was named by miners who had previously worked
in the gold-producing region of South Africa. Containing the city of
Johannesburg, South Africa, this region is in the Witwatersrand, and is
frequently referred to as "the Rand." The California mines are
replaced with commercial/industrial businesses but descendants of these early
worker-immigrants are still paying California taxes!
Ridgecrest(2290-ft), adjacent to the
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, provided us with an RV site at the County
Fairground. Nothing fancy, but a quiet and peaceful rest. I recall a 1977 visit
to the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, when I was working for the Navy in
Seattle. They sent me on a project, incorporating raster imaging into digital
text documentation, and it was so hot that the air-conditioned offices were
even uncomfortable. Ridgecrest is surrounded by four mountain ranges; the
Sierra Nevada on the west, the Cosos on the north, the Argus Range on the east,
and the El Paso Mountains on the south. Solar Energy Generating Systems sites,
SEGS III-VII are located less than a mile to the northwest.
Traveling north we left the desert and entered the
increasingly-higher elevations of the Owens Valley.
Google says: Owens Valley is the arid valley of the Owens River
in eastern California in the United States, to the east of the Sierra Nevada
and west of the White Mountains and Inyo Mountains on the west edge of the
Great Basin section. The mountain peaks on either side reach above 14,000 feet
in elevation, while the floor of the Owens Valley is about 4,000 feet, making
the valley one of the deepest in the United States. The Sierra Nevada casts the
valley in a rain-shadow, which makes Owens Valley "the Land of Little
Rain." The bed of Owens Lake, now a predominantly dry endorheic alkali
flat, sits on the southern end of the valley.
The 400-plus-mile, Los Angeles Aqueduct delivers water from
the Owens Valley to LA. The gravity-flow aqueduct can be seen along the entire route,
flowing from the high-north to the low-south, and continuing down to LA. Taking
the majority of water to LA!
At Lone Pine (3727-ft) we admired the visually-stunning Alabama
Hills and Mt. Whitney, highest mountain in California and the lower 48 states. Ironically,
the lowest point in North America is just east, in Death Valley. Both Mount
Whitney on the west, and Death Valley’s Panamint Mountains on the east, are
visible from US 395, at this point. We took a drive into the Alabama Hills and
up to 8-thousand feet, in the Sierra Nevada before the snow blocked the route. (a
high OMG road with a terrifying turn-around) The colorful, rounded contours of
the (foreground) The Alabama Hills contrast with the sharp, sawtooth ridges of
the (background) snow-capped Sierra Nevada, to the west, in an indescribable
scene. Now we know why so many western movies were filmed on this location! We took a campsite at Boulder Creek RV Resort,
a quiet, comfortable spot, for a nice rest. Two things just humbled us:
1. The RV
Park keeps native, giant Tortoise Turtles, some very old
2. In the
morning, with clear skies, the Alabama Hills in the foreground of the towering,
snow-covered Sierra Nevada Range, presented a surreal, breathtaking sight.
We also observed the dramatic strike-fault line, where
seismic activity had caused a dramatic vertical and horizontal shift in the
geography, exposing some impressive layers of earth. Just north of Lone Pine,
the highway passes by Manzanar National Historic Site, a concentration camp
where Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. The streets and
some building foundations remain from the old camp but we felt the unfortunate
circumstance that prevailed here. I admire the Japanese Americans who suffered
here, but quietly returned to their American homes, to resume their lives as
American citizens.
At Independence (3930), we observed the Pacific Crest Trail,
following the mountains from Mexico to Canada across California, Oregon, and
Washington.
Nearby is where the Los Angeles Aqueduct is tapped from the
Owens River; with more vegetation visible north of this point. We could readily
detect the difference water makes, as the valley became fertile and green,
north of the aqueduct intake. We admired the vast green alfalfa, onion, wheat,
and other ag fields along the route. In this portion of the valley is Big Pine
and the Big Pine Indian Reservation.
Big Pine(3989) has a significant geologic feature (an
earthquake scarp) related to the 1872 Lone Pine earthquake. A fault scarp is a
small step or offset on the ground surface where one side of a fault has moved
vertically with respect to the other. At some points, the offset was very
dramatic. We experience frequent quakes in the Coachella Valley but it’s hard
to imagine what this massive quake would have felt like.
At Bishop(4150-ft), on the north end of the Owens Valley, we
loved to see this attractive little tourist and recreation town, offering
summer and winter outdoor activities. We loved seeing the rustic town, with its
neat, attractive, historic shops, public buildings, and residences. No wonder
this was the location for numerous “western movies”. What a scenic location to
visit! Some historic visitors were: Jedediah
Smith, Joseph Walker, John C. Fremont, Kit Carson, all passing here on various
expeditions.
This quaint, old-west area, was the ancestral lands of the
Paiute Indians. The valley became large cattle ranches, and with the loss of
water to LA, developed a serious economic conflict. Now tourism is the main
economic enterprise. Beautiful place.
Mammoth Lakes(7880-ft) provided a nice picnic area for us.
Set in a grove of Ponderosa Pines, we lunched, walked, and read the information
boards, describing the area. Our picnic site was surrounded by acres of forest
and is bordered by the Ansel Adams and John Muir Wilderness Areas.
Lee Vining(6781-ft) and Mono Lake afforded a comfortable
campsite at Mono Vista RV Park. We drove to and hiked the unusual tufa tower formations
created by minerals of the ancient, saline lake. Hauntingly beautiful! Also, a real hotbed of ancient volcanic
activity and the lake plays host to millions of migrating birds. Lee Vining is
the gateway to Yosemite and Tuolumne Meadows, via Tioga Pass, snowed-blocked
until mid-May. Situated at the base of the Sierra Nevada, at 6781-ft elevation,
we were looking for winter clothes immediately after sunset. This old mining
area is now a tourist destination, offering summer and winter sports. The
extensive hiking and biking trails become snow-mobile trails in winter. Small
town, big views!
Bridgeport, (6463), in the middle of Bridgeport Valley and
backed by the jagged spires of the Sawtooth Ridge, Bridgeport is a vast
recreation playground, offering fine trout fishing on the East Walker River.
The area hums with summer and winter recreation activity, a mecca for outdoor
vacationers! We admired the valley and town, where time seems to stand still!
On up into Antelope Valley, Walker, Coleville, and Topaz
are a trio of towns along the wild and scenic Walker River. The charming,
mile-high valley offers visitors art, pastoral ranchland settings, and great
trout rivers and lakes. Referring to my notes, US 395 traverses a number of
high passes, from valley to valley, facilitating some anxious feelings, but
providing astounding views. A beautiful California route!
Continuing north of US 395, we crossed from California into
Nevada and descended into the Carson Valley, to Carson City, Nevada ( Elev
4802). The valley, Walker River, and eastern Sierra-Nevada Range around
Bridgeport and Walker were an awesome sight. It was nice to retrace the treks
of early explorers like Fremont, Carson, Walker, and Owens, to name a few, and
see their names memorialized in features.
At Carson City, we took an RV site a t the Comstock RV
Park, a perfect location for exploring the area. We drove to Lake Tahoe and the
Emerald Bay State Park for some stunning views of the deep, sky-blue waters,
reflecting the snow-capped mountains, and Ponderosa Pines forests. The high,
narrow roads were a frightening experience, but provided priceless overlooks
and views.
Back at Carson City, we cruised around town and admired the
clean, historic old town, buildings, landscaping, and mountain views. We visited
the State Capitol and took a tour of the grounds, building, and historic
artifacts. In the Capitol Building, a striking frieze exhibited the history,
1864 Statehood, industries, and resources of the State of Nevada. The building
and grounds are a fine monument to democracy!
Our next hop was up to Reno, Nevada (Elev 4505) and a four-day,
campsite at Sparks Marina RV Park, a very accommodating resort and convenient
location. Sister Rose made her return airline reservations and we relaxed,
baked, and dined for the remainder of the day.
On Saturday, we explored Reno and the surrounding area. The
city sits in a high desert at the foot of the Sierra Nevada and its downtown
area occupies a valley informally known as the Truckee Meadows, along the
Truckee River. The Truckee is the sole outlet of Lake Tahoe and it flows clear
and cold to the “Great Basin” of central Nevada. Situated along the old
California Trail, Reno offers abundant shopping, restaurants, entertainment,
historic attractions, and lots of casinos. The California Trail was an emigrant
trail of about 3,000 miles across the western half of the North American
continent from Missouri River towns to what is now the state of California.
After it was established, the first half of the California Trail followed the
same corridor of networked river valley trails as the Oregon Trail and the
Mormon Trail, namely the valleys of the Platte, North Platte and Sweetwater
rivers to Wyoming. In the present states of Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah, the
California and Oregon trails split into several different trails or cutoffs.
Reno grew and developed on “Trail trade”, and the “Comstock Lode” led to a mining
rush, including the Virginia City “gold rush”. Reno is a collision of
contrasts, with the valley of outdoor sports, and the majestic mountains, with
alpine Lake Tahoe, all providing spectacular views. Our favorites in Reno were:
Reno Arch, Washoe County Courthouse, Pioneer Performing
Arts Center, World’s tallest climbing wall, University of Nevada, Truckee River
Walk, Bavarian World German Restaurant, overview drive around town.
Sunday, April 29, 2018
This morning, we drove sister Rose to the Tahoe/Reno
airport, for her return flights back to Mississippi. We had a terrific visit
and were regretful to say goodbye.
It’s cold and grey today at Reno (4505-ft elevation). I
spent the remainder of the day doing maintenance, catching-up on notes, and
planning our travels to our summer assignment at Flathead Lake, in NW Montana.
