There's gold in them thar hills
Trip Start
Unknown
1
8
14
Trip End
Ongoing
Lone Pine,
California,
United States
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Time seems to be disappearing fast, we are now about half way through our trip.
Cool foggy day so off inland for some stunning weather. Stopped early to camp at a place in a grove of redwood trees, pretty place to catch up on chores.
Tues. 19th sept.
Not one of our better days. Brian wanted one last look at the Pacific coast so we decided to head there and breakfast out on the way. We took the "scenic route" through the mountains but it looked ok on the map. It was the tiniest, twistiest, narrow mountainous trail there could be. There was no way to turn round and more important, no sign of eateries
At lake Tahoe
. It took us about 1 hour to get to the coast and another one and a half hours to reach civilisation at Fort Bragg, not even a sea otter in sight to make it worthwhile. The town was also very unprepossessing. However, we did get breakfast. Then it was back over a slightly different route, easier than the first. So after 3 hours or more we were just about back where we started from! Camped by Clear Lake (that's what it was called not what it looked like). Chatted to the guy next door who had just retired from being " a line man for the county" a la Glen Campbell. He was on his own and very chatty, we couldn't get rid of him, but he was very nice.Wed. 20th Sept.
BRIAN- Typical camp dog owner next door, and so many have small dogs. Dog comes at me " she wont bite, never has". Hand down to stroke it, like you do, and the damn thing bit me. Dog now comes near my ankles, I back off, she advances. I say I'm sorry to keep back but she bit me. So she hits the dog who by now has no idea why. I'm sorry for bewildered dogs.
Heading for Grass Valley via a windy central plain and then mountains. As we approached, ran into wildfire smoke. Fed up with travelling so chanced staying. Good one as the wind cleared the air. Spent a good afternoon overlooking a lake. Brian went for a swim, a big pool for one person. Camp empty and more isolated than a state park. Avoided smoke all day and then started a BBQ ! Ironic.
Thurs 21st Sept
Into Grass Valley for an excellent self guided walking tour of historic town
Brian in his swimming hole
. Once the most prosperous of the gold mining area. Lots of original frontier architecture of the 1850s. Lots of them brothels, not now, then. Many miners were Cornish immigrants, and brought the pasty with them. Famously still on sale today so we bought a veggie one. Brilliant. Then a tour of the last and largest gold mine in the US, Empire Mine, closed in 1956, but could reopen if price gets high enough. Great video about the history of mining in this region. Walked around the derelict offices and headgear.
Up the Hwy 80 to Lake Tahoe. Climbing to 6500 ft constantly swapping places with trucks, and through further evidence of smoke. Stayed at Sandy Beach Campsite , which did what it said on the tin. Lake Tahoe is one of the highest, longest and deepest in the US. Very alpine look to it. Almost expected Julie Andrews to burst out with "The hills etc". If she could sing at this altitude she is a better woman than Hazel is.
Fri 22nd Sept
Altitude beginning to make itself known to Hazel, so decided to decamp to lower climbs. But which route to choose, One way was to retrace our steps and then go on a long boring route inland. The other was short but over the mountains via an 8000 ft
Detail of RV missed off last entry 1
. pass to spend a night in the valley at 4000ft, which she can cope with. We took a dash at the high road as if Indian warriors were chasing our wagon train, and with only one wagon we couldnt form a circle like you're supposed to! Fantastic scenery over the Sierra Nevadas, Breathtaking, literally in Hazels case. Camped at a little oasis of a place just outside Bishop in the foothills of the mountains.Sat. 23rd. Sept.
Beautiful warm sunny day, Hazel's breathing fine so had a small walk up a man made trail. Along the way were exhibits of local rocks and minerals plus random pieces of old rusty mining equipment so probably was once a mining camp. Saw some little lizards, very strange grouse like birds and deer poo! Then off again, down the Owens valley running between the White mountains and the Sierra Nevadas. Absolute magic. Stopped at a great camp just south of Lone Pine (how western does that sound?) A lovely little old town that requires further investigation. The camp, Boulder Creek (see what we mean) has glorious views of Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the lower US. At 14,494 ft. and some idiots even climb up it! The camp had everything we needed and more besides, so we decided to have a little mountain holiday and stop here for a few days to see the sights and for some well earned R & R.!
