From Lowest to Highest…The Sierra Nevadas

I suspect I would have lingered longer in beautiful Los Angeles with my charming family and friends if it were not for a deadline to arrive in Portland at the beginning of June so I could fly out to Cancun to hook up with my siblings and their spouses and my parents. So I bade farewell to my aunt Madonna and pointed BigBlue to the lowest point in the western hemisphere*–Death Valley–hottest! driest! lowest!

Death Valley rest area on the way to Badwater Basin, the 2nd lowest point in the western hemisphere. Sure! It looks all calm and clear…but within seconds, a sand storm stirred up right after I had poured water over my head! Can you say, “sandpaper hair”?!

Before I started this descent into Death Valley, I stopped at Mojave National Preserve and visited the sites provided there (3rd largest park in the 48 states!). I came across a tortoise crossing the street, and since a ranger station was nearby, I drove there to tell them about it. “Oh, we are so glad you did not pick him up. They get scared and release a year’s worth of water-collection to attempt an escape.” If you look at the surroundings, you can get a pretty good idea how much work lost that would have been!

The north entrance to the Mojave National Preserve where 3 of the 4 48 state deserts converge (Sonoran, Great Basin, and Mojave). This was better than Joshua Tree in my opinion…more diversity throughout the park!

However, the weather was perfect for the sojourn to the hottest place in the USA, still having a spring coolness about it. The valley and the mountains have a rugged beauty. But oh, it doesn’t take long before one starts to yearn for some greenery!

At the lowest point in the north, western hemisphere (Laguna del Carbon is the lowest in the western hemisphere) at Badwater Basin. It is reported to be -282 feet below sea level, but my gps says differently!

On my way to BadWater Basin (the lowest point at -282′ below sea level [tho my gps read -312′!]) I came across a lone coyote that immediately brought to mind Geico’s commercial about “free-range chicken”, because there he was jogging along the roadway taking in the scenery! Turns out I met up with quite a few coyotes within that 5,000+ square mile national park.

One of many coyotes out and about before the sun set behind the mountains. He seems to know traffic laws very well and stayed on his side of the street and made eye contact with any drivers one must navigate about! It is so hard not to feed these “wildlife” critters, but alas!

While at Badwater an elderly french Canadian fellow who is traveling the west in his van, saddled up beside me and wanted to travel together. Needless to say, it was difficult for us to communicate because all I know in french is “I have a big appetite for ice cream tonight with my friends!” and “thanks!” His English was a bit better than that, but not much!

Death Valley’s Natural Bridge in the late afternoon with Jacques from French Canada. Lots of French speaking people here in the valley. But he saddled up to me for company…all I could talk about was creme glase and bon appetite! (He’s the fellow in the red shirt and those are the French speakers in the background that shall come to his rescue!)

So we went walked to the natural bridge together (seems like nearly every park has a Natural Bridge like every town has a main street!) while he was throwing together all the charming words he could dig up out of the files of his vocabulary lessons. The conversation was definitely difficult…until we happened upon some folks visitng from France! Ahh, what joy did he have conversing with them, oh how it did light his eyes! Oh how pleasant it is when you run into folks that know “your language!”

Sea level sign from Badwater basin point…way up there! This area only gets 2″ of rain per year! (btw: the name badwater came from a surveyor who was mapping the area could not get his mule to drink the water from the little that pooled there. So he wrote on the map, next to this place, “bad water!”) and the name stuck!

We then made plans to have dinner and camp together (he was going to make spaghetti). But as we were driving to Emigrant Way, an incredible wind stirred up the sand dunes and created such a storm that we lost somehow lost each other and the road. I made it to the nearest camp site and kept an eye out for him as best as I could, but alas, our paths were never to cross again. So I did not have any of the spaghetti for which I was salivating, instead I had a sand-wich…for everything was coated in sand! It was such a wealth of experience to endure my first ever bonafide sand storm! (and bless the poor folks next to me who were in a tent, and had to then endure a rainstorm in the middle of the night!) Oh the stories they will have to share, when they get home!

Sunset in Death Valley at the tail end of a sandstorm near the Mesquite Flat Dunes near Stovepipe Wells. Jacques and I were unable to find each other, so blinding was the storm! No spaghetti for moi!

Death Valley is expansive and has many interesting sights and views to occupy one for a good number of days, but the next destination was calling!

This is from the west looking back towards Death Valley via Padre Crowley’s viewpint. He was a faithful priest to the people in the whole valley region for about 50 years at the beginning of the 1900’s. I’ll be staying at a lake named after him at the north end of the valley later!

I traveled through Owen Valley towards 395 near the base of Mt Whitney. But alas a storm was brewing in which the fog had it fully covered her, and I never did get full sight of it. But I was able to stop at Manzanar interment camp national Historic Site and take a tour there led by a man who spent a couple of years there with his family when he was seven years old.

This fellow was sent here with his family when he was 7-years old and stayed for two years. He provides tours today at the historical site. He shared that a seven-year-old’s impression of it was vastly different from the sobering reality of what was really happening.

As a child he appreciated it because he lived on a lonely farm before the corralling of Japanese American citizens took place, and it made for immediate friendships. But his father bore the burden in such a fashion that the son didn’t have to feel the weight of the family losing everything that they had worked for and earned. As one looks at the desolation of the camp now, it is a marvel to see what pictures of the gardens and beauty of the community they had made out of it, when there were 10,000 people forced to stay there during WWII. While the conditions were compatible for every day life continuing on on a small scale, it is wonder that such a thing even existed.

Cemetery at Manzanar Internment Camp at the “Soul Tower.” 150 people died there but only 6 remain buried there, the others either being cremated or moved to another burial ground afterwards. The color hanging from the roped rails are bunches of origami swans all tied together in solidarity.

While I was there, the storm that was covering Whitney was dumping 13″ of snow on Yosemite and closed up the eastern pass to the valley. But with good weather being called for the rest of the week, I went ahead and went northward thinking I would be able to wait a few days until Tioga Pass opened back up. Miraculously I arrived at Crowley’s Lake, just east of Yosemite, safe and sound, because the fog was so thick I could hardly discern the road ahead of me. Another night was spent at Mammoth Lake and another night at Mono Lake.

Arriving at Crowley’s Lake on the backside of the storm that dumped 13″ of snow on top of Yosemite. Thank God for gps!

BigBlue after the 2nd night of staying at Crowley Lake…the sky is even clear enough to see the moon! (btw: the lake is behind me…I’m always much more taken with the mountains than anything else!)

The man at the visitor center said it could be a week more before the pass opened. Definitely not what I was hoping to hear. But as I went down to Mono Basin visitor center to take in the sights of the tuftas there, an announcement came over the intercom that Tioga Pass is now open! Well, if there wasn’t a mass exodus from that information station!

I had the Mono Basin Visitor Center all to myself for the rest of the day after they announced that the eastern pass to Yosemite was opened! Everyone headed to Tioga Pass and I stayed on one more day in the basin area!

I stayed one night more before setting out over the Sierra Mountains along the highest autopass in the USA.

One last night at Mono Lake, sporting my new mosquito-net window screens my aunt Joan made for me. Again, sorry the lake has been overshadowed, yet again, by the mountain shots!

California Hwy 120 has become my new favorite. The road that took me across the higher altitude of Yosemite National Park was sparsely populated and incredibly gorgeous with the mountains, snow, rivers, trees and meadows. It was like all good things wrapped up in one package. The Tuolumne River and Meadow were breath-takingly beautiful and simply a delightful place to take a walk. Even though snow covered the ground in many spots (should have taken a pic of the wee snowman I built!) it was spring sweater weather.

 

Here I am at Dana Creek standing on Dana Meadows with Mt Dana on the left and Mt Gibbs in the center…what a glorious place!

After staying on the northern side of Yosemite for a while, I headed to the valley early in the morning to make a day of it. The price of camping in the Valley was more than I budget for sleeping, and besides it was quite crowded…okay, very crowded! But understandably so because the beauty of Half Dome, Lower and Upper Yosemite Falls, Bridal Falls, El Capitan, Sentinel, Merced River, the lodge, etc is all so captivating. But I only spent a very long day there and headed to the Sierra National Forest just south of Yosemite.

The Tuolumne Visitor Center’s parking lot with Cathedral Peak in the background…ahhh!

Yosemite Valley’s road (which looks like a parking lot) with Half Dome in the background. Very crowded in the summer!

The not-so-crowded side of Half Dome! But there was a family up there who were willing to take a photo for me. Gorgeous weather matched with a gorgeous view!

Next on tap, was King’s Canyon, which has merited my favorite park so far. I suspect it may have to do with the solitude one feels as it doesn’t have even a fraction of the numbers that Yosemite has (though I don’t understand why not, because it is gorgeous as well and has a lodge). But the feeling of solitude I got without having to hike deep into the woods was such a blessing. (because sometimes I can talk myself out of a long hike by one of two excuses…1) there maybe a bear, or 2) I may not be worth it! (I think that is really just a fancy way of saying, I’m lazy!)

Kings canyon overlook — it is after going deep into the depths that I was really able to enjoy the meadows, falls, picnic areas, and trails. A jewel to be sure!

But at King’s Canyon it didn’t matter. As long as I was willing to drive highway 189 down to the road’s end (I would name the road Gillette Corridor with all the close shaves between BigBlue and the bluff face nearly jutting out over the road–they do recommend the rv’s abstain from driving the 30 mile road!) I was met with rivers, waterfalls, meadows, flowers, forests, mountains, fire rings and campsites.

A lone fisherman enjoying the solitude of Roaring River falls at the bottom of Kings Canyon

It was hotter in King’s than it was in Yosemite, so that may keep a few of the tourists away. Not all of King’s Canyon is in the national park. Some of it goes through Sierra National Forest and some through Giant Sequoia National Forest. But whatever the case, before the preparations for this trip, I had never heard of King’s Canyon at all, and boy was I pleasantly surprised!

Flight of the Bumblebee, King’s Canyon style! Sacs of pollen having been gathered from the plentiful and beautiful purple lupines!

King’s Canyon also plays host to the largest Sequoia tree by girth…that would be the General Grant! I would later keep company with the largest Sequoia tree by volume in the next park with General Sherman.

Named after General Ulysses Grant, but preceded him 1500 years! It is the widest known Sequoia with a 40′ girth! (and the 3rd largest tree in the world by volume!)

Speaking of the next park, King’s Canyon Park and Sequoia National Park are very closely intertwined (as well as several national forests). You really shouldn’t see the one without visiting the other. The full length of the Generals’ Highway is well worth the cost of gas! (Though 120 still remains my favorite for now!) While King’s Canyon’s road (hwy 180) was a close shave, Sequoia’s General Highway was a plate of wet spaghetti, twisting and turning every which way.

Now how is that for some civil engineering?! This is General’s Highway at the south end as it is heading out of Sequoia National Park. A real test for a transmission, and passengers stomach strength!

There was even one SUV full of young men go-pro-ing the whole trip down. They thought for sure it would make any and all of their viewers sick, themselves included! 10-25mph was the speed limit for most of the trip in the southernn part of the park. Even Earnhardt wouldn’t be able to make it much faster than that! The aroma of the trees, the vistas of the forests, the height and size of the trees…the enchanted forest…or as they call it “Giant Forest Grove”!

The southern entrance sign for Sequoia National Park reflected in BigBlue’s window, with your’s truly!

Generals’ Highway then dumped me right off onto hwy 198 near Lake Kaweah and into the heated central valley. I stayed a couple of days in Paso Robles, which at the time were trying to clean up the city of the marginalized folks as a wine tasting festival was coming to town. As it turns out, they and I, ended up in the same part of town (or should I say “same part of outside-of-town!) A totally different homeless culture than I had encountered so far (urban and vehicle-dwellers). They actually set up camp, kind of like they did during the depression as depicted in “Kit Kittredge: American Girl Movie” out in the rural area. Very interesting culture and people there.

I didn’t get any pics of the camps erected for those folks without homes or the people living there, but it has been etched on my memory, and I regret having left only after a few days. Perhaps I shall discover more such camps along the rest of this sojourn.

Within a couple of days, while the wine tasting festival was taking place, I headed for the coast via William Hearst Castle. The rolling golden hills of the valley have their own majestic beauty as well...I can definitely see why California (as well as the Warriors) is called the Golden State!

I haven’t read anything by John Muir yet other than the quotes at all the visitor centers, but I’m looking forward to getting more acquainted with him. Here is one I shall borrow having just finished the Sierra Nevada stretch of California! Dogwood and Sequoias intertwined to created a glorious glow!

Well, I probably still have another 3 or 4 blogs to write before I even get out of California! On tap for next time, is the coastal drive through Big Sur, Pinnacles, Casa de Fruita (loved that place!) and San Fran and family! Thanks for taking the time to read the sojourns of BigBlue!

Chipmunks and Squirrels…should be the mascot for nearly every national park…they are abundant! This guy is quite tamed, as he shares this bench at Yosemite Valley with a lady eating a peanut butter sandwich!

Los Angeles with Friends and Family

Driving between Joshua Tree and Los Angeles was the first time I noticed my lack of A/C on the van! I feared that what I felt in the desert was the way it was going to be my whole time in L.A. And then throw in the traffic to boot, and I’m thinking, “only the love of family and friends would bring me this deep into this city!”

A momma duck with her 6 or 7 baby ducklings…only the love of family and friends could compel a person to face L.A. traffic!

But once I was able to pull up to my friend Cristy’s house, and get out of the driver’s seat for a while, I began to enjoy the beautiful weather of southern California! My three-week stay in LA began in La Mirada visiting with Cris and her friends. For the weekend we packed up and headed to Angeles National Forest and set up camp with the most beautiful weather accompanying us the whole time.

Camping at Sycamore Flats in Angeles National Forest free of charge! Great weather, great company and great camp food!
*I haven’t gotten permission to post a pic with her in it yet–hence the empty chair!

Most campsites were still closed as they were recovering from the ski season, but after a “Sunday drive” through the San Bernardino Mountains and Angeles National Forest, we found the site just for us. Time with her was a great mix of suburban hanging out and relaxing camping.

Surrounded by fields of flowers and trees with birds and just all round glorious sunshiny day!

Staying in La Mirada, I was able to catch up with my cousin Tooks who I haven’t seen in at least a decade! He’s such a busy fellow that I was thankful to even get a couple of hours with him and find out how he is doing.

Yellow bird atop a cactus…I haven’t been able to look up exactly who he is yet, but since I didn’t have a pic of my cousin Tooks, I thought I’d use him in stead!

I then headed just a few minute’s drive away to my uncle Steve and aunt Joan’s house in Buena Vista. I did a lot of “firsts” with them!

• Met Skip and Sue! (and I even got to meet some of their family too!)
• Played dice! (but I didn’t really have a chance with Sue being on her incredible hot streak…really no one had a chance with the way she was rolling those dice!)
• Enjoyed stuffed Jalapenos! (I only enjoy my uncle’s cause he knows how to clean ’em and how to stuff ’em!)
• Watched Naked and Afraid (I first thought, “Oh, I could do that!” But after a few episodes my tune changed, “Those people are craaaaazy!! Why on earth!?”)
• C’Est Si Bon Pub! (potluck from the customers and all you can eat popcorn) while we
• played electronic golf! (I’m better at it than real golf, but that really isn’t saying much!)

Uncle Steve filled up my tank (a number of times!) and Aunt Joan threw together front-window-mosquito-net-screens for me as the warmer weather comes on…and the Ducks and Clippers were winning when I was there. All in all, it was a great to be able to spend time with them and hear all the good stories!

I stayed nearly a week with my uncle and aunt and I don’t have a single photo of them! I guess I was just enjoying them too much to remember the need for them! Next time! So in stead we have the beautiful display of a peacock’s plumage!

And then I got to spend time with an old friend (no! she’s not old, but our friendship is!) in San Bernardino. I told her I’d like to come see her, but really that was all just a ploy to get to meet her daughter Chloe! I had an incredible dining experience at Rok N Fondu in Redlands with Lynne and Rod and Chloe.

No pic of Lynne, Rod or Chloe either! I’d be a terrible recorder! But I certainly enjoyed my visit, and they brought a lot of vibrancy and fun to the whole time together…hence this hummingbird photo!

What a fantabulous outing that was! Very relaxing, low-key, great conversation, no rush…just a great place to visit and treat your taste buds! We got home late and spent even more time sharing…so much to catch up on! I’m so glad both they and I had time to make that renewal happen!

A hummingbird in blue heaven! It was a feast for me as well to spend time with Lynne Rod and Chloe at RokNFondue in the Redlands!

Speaking of renewal…the rest of the folks I hung out with, I don’t think I’ve met most of them before. At least I don’t remember, nor do they! I was able to spend the weekend with my aunt Lynn and uncle Wade (the latter of whom, we both agreed, I have never met before). What an enchanting time with them!

A delicious and dazzling time was had with my aunt Lynn and uncle Wade! Most of these photos on this post came from my time with them at the Huntington and the Arboretum. So glad they had the time to take me there! (btw: Wade really is a sweet man, [even forgave me for running into his garage door!] but this quick photo didn’t capture his smile!)

Beautiful Pasadena–the home of the Rose Bowl parade! They took me to the Huntington which was full of so much to see, especially flora and fauna, as well as peacocks! And then the next day we were able to browse through the Arboretum, both of which were simply dazzling! Talk about taking in a fire hydrant full of beauty and eye candy! Wade then treated us to a homemade camp dinner (though we all agreed the complexity of the dish really negates that “camping” description!).

Most of the time this hummingbird’s bib looked black, but when the sun hit it just right…it was vibrant, saturated magenta/purple! Absolutely striking colors!

My uncle Mark surprised us and joined us for the scrumptious dinner before he had to head back to work. Next time, I’m going to plan for a longer stay, so I can savor all the experiences with them more fully!

My reaction when Mark showed up for dinner! What a surprise!
(Actually, this is a fellow in the middle of cat-calling to his gal-pal!)

The last week was spent with my mother’s side (Davenports). I stayed at my cousin Michael’s first, whom I met for the first time (though we have stalked each other on facebook for a couple of years!) Boy did he show me a good time down at Port ‘O Calls and San Pedro! He just got back from a trip to Costa Rica so we watched his pics from that…definitely adding that place to my itinerary!

My cousin Michael hanging out at San Pedro…gorgeous views, good company and tasty food! (seems to be my theme for my time in LA!)

I went to church with him at First Lutheran church with him and enjoyed the sermon very much…much different than the Missouri Synod Lutheran I grew up with. The preacher had so much more emphasis and inflections and out right theatrics than I ever remember! But a lovely group of folks.

Fascinating black succulent as seen at the Huntington. So shiny black that it almost looks grey or polished nickel.

I then stayed with his sister and her husband for a couple of nights. And I got to see all the pictures from her mom and her’s month-long trip around the USA! It was when they were on that trip that they stopped by Frisco and I was able to meet them (for the first time in my memory, but not in theirs!).

Hummingbird in flight…using it here instead of a pic of Alisa and Rob because…that’s right…I didn’t get my camera out to snap them when i was with them!

It was great to hear how the Lord has worked in her and her husband’s lives. And then to enjoy bible study at their house studying the book of James. What a delightful couple join them, Jeff and Alita, and make for a challenging and helpful discussion group.

An odd looking flower…kind of alienish, but captivating, as were so many of the flowers at the Huntington and the Pasadena Arboretum!

Lastly, I stayed with their momma, my aunt Madonna! What a precious time I had with her as she took me to the church my parents were married 57 years ago!

Madonna at the entrance to the Wayside Chapel where my parents got married! The trees have grown a lot since then, according to the pictures!

It is an absolutely stunning chapel in Palos Verdes. Not just the Lloyd Wright (Frank’s son) architecture, nor the mature gardens surrounding it, but the breathtaking view of the ocean from it! Ay yi yi!

Found the brick in the Wayside Chapel walkway that commemorates the uniting of mom and dad together 57 years ago! What a testament!

She also took me to her Bible study with the Morning Glories at Christ the King Lutheran church. It was a good community of ladies and very warm in their reception.

My beautiful aunt Madonna with the magnificent view behind her from the Wayside Chapel in Palos Verde!

Another highlight that Madonna arranged, was me getting to meet my artistic aunt Darlene and my cousin Faye and Jim out in Yucaipa. We had only planned a lunch together, but next thing you know the hours passed so quickly it was time for dinner as well. So after hooking up with Faye and Jim and getting to hear all their stories of growing up “Davenport” it was time to head back to Torrance, and bring my time in LA to a close.

Nope! No pic of my aunt Darlene and cousin Faye either…I need to have a GoPro on me perpetually in order to remember to capture all these moments. So instead of my aunt Darlene and some of her lovely paintings, you get a purple flower!

I know I’ve written a lot, but that is the best I can do at restricting myself to mere snippets of my precious time with each person. And for all those visits I have nary a photo. I never once, save the camping trip, took out my camera to snap a person. Caught lots of flowers and animals in Pasadena, but none of my beloved relatives. Makes me all the more thankful for facebook!

One last photo of that hummingbird having a most enthralling time at the banquet of flowers…he just kind of reminds me of my time here in Los Angeles…just so many sweet morsels to partake of!

Next on tap, is my journey through the Sierra Nevadas by way of the lowest point in the USA to the highest auto pass in the USA!

Oops! I interrupted an intimate moment between Mr. and Mrs. Lizard and didn’t know where else to put the pic…so here you have it!