Bodie State Park

Just a few mile from Lee Vining was the road to Bodie, CA.  The ghost town of Bodie.  The dry climate has helped the preservation of the structure in this town.  The state has turned in into a state historic park.

It was very interesting to see this old town in the mountains of California.  Walked part way in town, until my legs were telling me to turn back because I still have to walk back to the parking lot.  Did take s rest and visited for a California local before the return walk.

Drove the mountain roads to South Lake Tahoe.  Too early to find and check into my room.  drove the roads around the lake.  Took at some photos on the California side of the lake.  Back in S. Lake Tahoe, it was time to find my room and settle in for the night.  By the time I got into my room, I was too tired to think about finding food.   Processed the day's photos and crashed into bed.

On to Reno and my Army Reunion...

Lake View Lodge

 While it was an expensive room for my budget) it was a nice, large room

Sandwich , salad, & brew at the Epic Cafe.  Just what I needed to end the day in Lee Vining, CA.

Mono Lake

Had a full breakfast (eggs, sausage, hash browns, toast & coffee between trips to the car reloading from the room.  Was going to have a dinner last night, but just too tired from the boring drive.

The drive today wasn't much better until I get closer to the mountains and Mono Lake.  Checked out the view at the first view area along Rt 120.  Not to see there.

A little further down Rt 120, I found the South Tufa area of the lake.  Was ready to pay the $3 fee, when they asked if I had any of several card (like my National Park Seniors Pass).  Was a bit of a hike to view the formations.I grabbed my walking stick and headed down toward the lake.  Exhausted by the time I was back to the car.  Glad I also was wearing my knee braces.

Room was not ready, yet.  Treated myself on to a ice cream (soft-serve) cone.  Also drove a little further North from the village of Lee Vining to see if there were any other formations I could see and photograph.  Thought of driving over Tioga to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite, but the pass was closed because of the high snow pack received this year..

Got to my room.  It's the last down the end of the hotel, closet to the cafe.  That worked well for me.  Settled into the room and walked pver to the cafe.  Had a bottle of local brew, Black Forest ham sandwich with Caesar Salad.

Special Event Station W5B

High Desert Amateur Radio Club will be operating Special Events Station W5B during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.  The Fiesta opens on Saturday, October 1st and runs through Sunday, October 9th.

At this time, we are planning to operate 40 M or 20 M SSB band conditions permitting.  I understand the first weekend is also the California QSO Party, so we may have some competition on the bands.

If bands are terrible (as they have been) you may find us on 20 M digital JT65.

I am scheduled to work the station/booth/display mornings on Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.   If you are at the balloon fiesta, stop by and visit.  You will find us in the NE corner of the grounds near gates 31 and 32.  If you have your license, you may be able to operate the station.  For my friends in Iowa/Nebraska, look for us on the air.

Photo:  Ed (KC2LM), looks on as Club President Jerry (K6LIE) and Dave (N0LVA) check out the antenna.

Relaxing Day on the Mountain

Today, the day was spend on the mountain in Idyllwild and Pine Cove.  Slept in.  Finished up the coffee available in the cabin. Finished up my pizza from the other night.  Still tasted good warmed up for breakfast. 

In Idyllwild, stopped in the drug store to pick up a book about the town.  At the grocery store, it was loading up the car for snacks during the drive.

Chuck's rental car needed some work.  we went to the Red Kettle Cafe for coffee.  On the menu I saw "Boysenberry Apple" pie.  i commented that sounded like a good combination.  The waitress corrected me that they were 2 different pies, but if I wanted, she would serve my a 1/2 slice of both.  I took her up on the offer - with ice cream (of course)!

When we got to Nancy & Rick's place, Nancy was reading one of my writings and doing some suggested edits.  I was very happy when she said while she is not a cyclist, my writing about how I plan my trips kept he interest,  She thought that in the booklet form I was looking at, it would have commercial value.  We discussed other issues with possible publishing my works.

Next it was back to Pine Cove.  I loaded most of my stuff into the car ready for departure early morning.  David, Rick, & Nance came over to Chuck's place (the main house where I am occupying the cabin).  Visited while they baked bread. 

Made my travel reservations to Albuquerque.  Sent out the notices to my friends I am planning to see there.  Today's photo of Hyw 243 through Idyllwild.

Orange Empire Railway Museum

Tuesday we made a drive down to Perris, CA to tour the Orange Empire Railway Museum.  The museum has locomotives, street cars, and freight cats of various vintages and gauge. Many of them are operable.  As the docent said, "we put in many hours working at the museum, we like to play with the fruits of out labor".

I would have like to see more current equipment.  they had few pieces and what we saw was about all I could handle in one trip.

From there, My friend and i went over to Palm Desert to meet another friend for dinner.  Ate at La Tavlita for Mexican food.  This was a mistake.  It took forever for out food brought to our table.  When it arrived, it was not very hot (just warm).  My order was wrong.  And, there was a musician playing in the small restaurant, so loud that we could not talk and I got a headache.

Stopped at a local bar to continue out coversation.  Long drive back up the mountain and crashed into bed when I got to may cabin.

Up To The Mountain

Saturday was the day to move my activity up the San Jacinto Mountains to Idyllwild-Pine Cove.  Woke up in the middle of the night Friday night.  Took the opportunity to finish photos from Joshua Tree National Park.  Wrote the blog posting.  That was enough activity that i was able to go back to sleep.

Woke up again about 7 am, showered and dressed for the day.  Had some coffee and started packing the room. Checked out of the room. My Palm Springs friend dropped by and we went out for breakfast. 

The valley between Palm Springs and Banning is covered with wind turbines!  Great to see so much power being generated with the source.

Thanks to directions, I was able to find my way up the mountain to Pine Cove and a friends has a house and guest cabin. So many folks in a big hurry driving up the mountain - some even tail-gating.  When I could, used a turnout to let cars pass me - I was not in any hurry.  Stopped to take a couple photos climbing the mountain. It was overcast and trying to spit rain when i got the my destination.  Settled into my cabin.  My friend's sister and brother-in-law stopped by.  Then it was time for a nap before supper.

The Sylvan House and Sylvan Cottage are both available for rent. 

For supper we decided on pizza and beer - two of the main food groups.  Had great pizza at the Idyllwild Pizza Company washing them down with a pint of beer and water.  Short visit back at the main house.  Then I walked over to the cabin and crashed into bed.

Joshua Tree National Park

When I stuck my head out of the room Friday morning, ! found it a little cool and wet morning.  Drizzling rain and in about the 50s.  Went to the hotel office for coffee & sweet roll. Obvious, this will not a good day for a bike ride.Coming from Iowa, it still felt it was shorts weather.

Made plans to drive to Joshua Tree National Park.  On the way there,  stopped in a state visitor's center.  Picked up some more information about the park and the area.  On up the park visitor's center in the town of Joshua Tree. More local info and a couple purchases.

No food, drink, or serves were available in the park.  Stopped at a little store for some Gatorade and candy so I could make it through the day.

Started my driving tour of the park.  Up at the park, the weather had turned worse.  Temperature was in the 40s (higher altitude), and periods of a heavier drizzle.  Wet ground, rain, and cold was not conducive for a hike - even a short one.  Took most of my photos near the car.

Word is that there is a great view at the Keys View.  I did not walk up to the top view area - too cool, damp, and windy.

Decided to exit the park from the Cottonwood entrance - at I-10.  On the way through the park, besides many Joshua Trees, there were various species of succulents,  Most interesting was the garden of Cholla Cactus.  Interesting that so many of these plants had established themselves in just in this area. 

Boring drive along I-10 getting back to Palm Springs.  When I got back in the room, I showered and started processing photos taken at the park.

An Iowa friends (vacationing in Idyllwild0 called me, confirming meeting up there. Met a friend in Palm Springs.  We visited and went out for some food at Carrows, a local restaurant..  Called it a day about 8pm.

Mohave National Preserve

I was hoping to wear shorts for driving today, but it was just too chilly in Cedar City, UT.  When I went into the breakfast room, the coffee was not ready and the waffle iron was still heating up.  Finished putting my stiff into the car,  Had some breakfast and was on the road.

It was a chilly 38 degrees when I left Cedar City, just bit cool for wearing shorts. Opted for jeans.  By the time I was to St. George, the temperature in the 50s.  Topped off the gas tank in at the Nevada/California state line.  It was the most expensive gas - $2.899!

Dropped off the interstate and drove in the Mohave National Preserve.  About 20 years ago I was in the preserve at Kelso, CA for locomotive radio interference.  Wanted to check out changes in the area.  Wanted to see if the Cima store was still there.  While working in Kelso, heard the the depot was going to be restored.

The section of the preserve I was driving through getting to Cima if loaded with Joshua Trees,The Cima Store is boarded up.  The old Kelso Depot is now a beautifully restored building, serving as the preserve visitor center.  .Heading South towards Palm Springs I saw a sign to Kelso Dunes.  There's a large sand dune in the middle of the preserve.

It was a lonely, boring drive on 2-lane roads getting to 29 Palms.  There was no state visitor center at the California state line where I could pick up a highway map.  I used the National Park Service newspapers for Mohave National Preserve and Joshua Tree National Park.

Ran across a section historic Route 66.  As I got near 29 Palms, I drove through an area called the Wonder Valley.  About only thing out here was sand, scrub, and a few buildings (most abandoned).  Abondoned buildings  (think they might be called houses, but very small) continued populating the landscape as I entered 29 Palms.  I believe that 29 Palms is still an active Marine base, but the area his seen better days.

Was thinking of scoping out Joshua Tree National Park on the way to my hotel in Palm Springs.  By the time i was in the area,  I was just find my hotel and settle in.  Checked in the hotel and moves some stuff into the room.

Palm Springs has a free trolly that runs past my hotel.  Took the trolley to Smokin' Burgers and Lounge.  Had a cheeseburger and 2 pints of Firestone Pale Ale.  The food and brew hit the spot.  The bartender was did not seem friendly.  He acted that he was too busy to talk with his customers, except the little needed to do the job.

Back at the room, i started processing photos, but bed was calling.  Got up in the middle of the night finished that task and wrote this blog entry.  Some of my dinner came back up.  No idea if it was too much food, the 2 pints was too much or (most likely) something on the burger did not agree with my stomach.  Once I was over , I was feeling fine.

Photos with this posting are of Joshua Trees in the Mohave and the restored Kelso Depot.