Off to Southern California, via Sacramento
and
El
Dorado
(up to
Placerville,
South Fork American River,
Strawberry
Canyon,
Meyers
Grade,
a
supply
stop
at
South
Lake
Tahoe),
over
into
Nevada
briefly
(Douglas County -- Stateline,
the
Kingsbury
Grade
descent
into
Carson
Valley,
in
view
of
Job's Peak,
zig-zagging north -- the only inefficient option,
then
south
on
395
to
Topaz
and
back
across
the
border through Mono
(Antelope
Valley,
Centennial Bluff,
the
circuitous
course
of
Walker
River Canyon,
Sonora Junction,
Devil's
Gate,
Huntoon
and
Bridgeport
Valleys,
the intersection to Bodie,
Conway Grade,
descending
rather
circuitously
steeply
to
Mono
Lake's
tufa
formations
and
Craters,
the crossroads of
June
Lake
Loop,
Obsidian Dome,
Mammoth
Mountains,
Long
Valley,
Mt
Crowley Lake / McGee Creek,
Owens Gorge / Tom's Place,
down
the
Sherwin
Grade)
and
Inyo
(White
Mountains,
Owens
Valley,
Bishop,
the
High Sierra
down
to
Big
Pine
in
increasing shadows
Independence
(an ironic appelation, given the ensuing),
Manzanar
National
Historic
Site,
Lone
Pine,
Alabama
Hills,
Whitney
Crest,
Owens
Lake,
Olancha,
Haiwee)
to
San Bernardino,
arriving chez John Browning and company late.
High home, on the 98th day of summer, a toasty 105 -- highest of year and first above the century mark (34th 80+, 7th at 90-or-better)... elsewhere: South Lake Tahoe - 82, Lone Pine - 94, Yucaipa - 96...
