Getting out of Grand Canyon is easier said than done, they haven't bothered to put up signs labelled exit and the roads have changed since my GPS was loaded.
On the way to the washroom saw ravens picking apart someone's carelessly abandoned garbage and a deer wandering about. Met two more crossing the road on my way and saw at least 4 more browsing alongside the highway in two groups. Sort of concentrates one's attention.
Rejoining I-40 in Williams I drove west into the Mojave. Stopped at a Loves Truck Stop and should have filled up there; rather had a sub at Subway. Surrendered my one orange at Agricultural Inspection—welcome to California. Needles lived up to its rep—hotter than hell and a 40 mph gale blowing. The Campground was a wasteland of blowing dust and the office staff person kept me waiting while she railed away to someone on the phone. This was one of those parks where campers are a nuisance. Campsites were at a considerable distance from the washrooms and the pool beyond that. Temperature approached 100. My A/C worked overtime.
Shook off the dust of the place and headed west on I-40 after getting gas at $4.50/gal. Continued West on I-40 to Barstow. Drove on thirteen miles into town and shopped at a brand new Wal-Mart where staff were present throughout the store and went out of their way to be helpful! Claimed my reservation at KOA and got my onboard propane tank filled. Wagon Wheel Campsite configurations assume the campers like one another and maximize the number of sites. After working on my E-mail and writing more exited my van to find a truck and trailer parked in my site inches from my door. The same yahoo drove a doon buggy past my window at 11:30. Well it was Saturday Night on Memorial Day Weekend—what did I expect?
Driving North on HWY 395 after paying cash to gas up at $3.34 I watched the gauge drop rapidly as I climbed mountains. Entered the High Sierras where the road tracks between two ranges with snow-capped mountains to the west and ridges of lava looking like burnt chunks of coal. Surprising to encounter a small town with green lawns and trees along the highway.
Stopped at the East Sierra Visitors Centre at Lone Pine where the road to Death Valley led to the East. Got some pix while I had lunch and picked up some info and some water.
Finally made the left-hand turn into Mammoth Lake and looking for a gas station missed the Mammoth Mountain Campground on the edge of town. Gas was 4.15/Gal. If Napa had been open I'd have replaced my windshield wipers. Drove up to Mammoth Mountain Resort and found hundreds skiing on several runs with chair lifts and gondolas in motion. The road up was winding and lined with cars that wouldn't fit in the resort parking lot. Stopped to talk to a concierge at the Resort Inn and got set straight.
Mammoth Mountain Campground has campsites packed in a Bristle Pine Forest amid gigantic erratic rocks landscapers would charge thousands to supply. My campsite was on a parking lot with services lining the rear of each hash-marked site.
Went for a walk to get above the trees and catch some pix of snow-capped mountains. Brief spot of hale while I was setting up. Quiet night and slow Wi-Fi as shared by a packed campground.
Packed up and returned to HWY 395 and drove up to Lee Vining and turned left for Tioga Pass Road. The Yosemite Gatehouse is at the top of the pass at nearly 10,000 ft. Getting there made the gauge drop again. Yosemite Valley is at 4000 ft and despite the elevation change there are a remarkable number of uphill grades along the way. The road is narrow and guardrails are non-existent so watch the road or become a permanent part of the scenery. Most of the pullouts were on the opposite side of the road and faced the rising sun. I made good use of second gear. I saw only one rock wall memorable of CCC Work along the Blue Ridge. I would not want to attempt the drive in the dark when there would be the additional hazard of wandering wildlife. Getting there seemed to take forever and as always the most spectacular scenery occurred in locations where stopping was not possible.
By the time I reached the visitors centre in the valley the parking lot was filled. I drove on until I found a spot. Walked back to the centre and found the Theatre. In the main the program covered material I'd already seen in the Ken Burns National Parks Series, Americas Best Idea and was in fact produced by Ken Burns. One of the speakers was Sheldon Johnson used extensively in Burn's mini-series, apparently a Park Ranger still working in the system. Toured the bookstore and found a Ranger unattended in the Centre. Toured the art gallery dedicated to Ansell Adams and the museum where an elder was explaining the use of stone and basket weaving with willow and bracken fern roots as well as Redbud tree bark. Black Oak acorns were formerly prime native food.
Walked on to see Yosemite Falls walking up to the base of the falls. Met a park ranger on horseback. Wandered around and got views from various viewpoints in my search for my van. Even took the Shuttle at one point. Drove up to the campground and waited in a lineup that barely moved. Got the bear talk. Found my site and backed in after someone moved a car that made swinging in nearly impossible. Sitting in front of an open window with the roof fan working overtime in 80ยบ heat. No facilies beyond a restroom with sinks and flushing waterclosets, water fill station plus waste water disposal site. Apparently bears are regular visitors here though so far no sign.
Walked over for the evening program touring Half-Dome Village. Saw nothing I needed more than the money in my pocket. A Ranger was giving an animated children's talk that won him my admiration. Talked with him after. In walking about the grounds ran into one of the maintenance staff in his beat up park truck and stopped for a long talk that provided his perspective on the park. He's a member of the teamster's union. The custodial workers are unionized in this park.
Missed the beginning of the hour-long movie that constituted the evening program. As it ended a Full Moon was rising and Jupiter was visible among the trees. Getting back to my van saw me take a long exhausting hike about the park. I got night time views of the falls and wandered in circles it seemed until I used my tablet to navigate home. Enjoyed a couple beers and some ice cream.
Quiet night undisturbed by ursines or other creatures until the garbage compactor truck struck at 7:30 AM. After that my running my generator to make breakfast was immaterial. Even so I took my nearest neighbours camped in a tent a hot coffee.
Walked out to the campground kiosk and got my second campground pass and permission to occupy if the site was vacant, plus an official complaint form. Drove over to the new site and backed in, filled out the form and walked it back to the man. After the long walks I've had in the last few days putting my feet up feels good. This second site is deeper into the campground and well-shaded.
After some writing and some rest walked down to the so-called Nature Centre to discover it
was a volunteer, folding table and an umbrella stand. Oh Well. After communing with the rapids nearby caught the bus up to the Visitors Centre and toured the "Indian Village". Picked up a book on the Sierra Nevada and went to see the Spirit of Yosemite which proved to be far superior to the Park Video by Burns.
Yosemite got rain while I was in the area. By the time I made it home it was time to make supper and go to bed with my reading.
Wednesday Morning decided waiting to operate my generator was moot after hearing the local adolescent female population hoot and holler. Took my time driving out of the park stopping often to admire the vistas and take photographs.
When I reached Lee Vining Mono Vista Campground was willing to take my cash but not let me move in until 1:00 PM. Accordingly I drove up to the Mono Lakes Visitor's Centre where the staff were more accommodating. Got to use free Wi-Fi though I barely skimmed the surface of Four day's E-mail. The building is architecturally beautiful and has a plaza overlooking the lake plus a path through the desert plantings. Water greedy cities to the west have stolen water from the streams supplying the lake causing its level to drop 45 feet. Originally formed by volcanic action the lake has no outlet and its water is 9% salt supporting only brine shrimp and fly larva.
The bookstore had a copy of James Kaizer's Yosemite not available in the park one suspects in support of sales of their own inferior guide. The theatre presented a movie that provided an excellent overview. The service area canopy was covered with solar panels.
Driving back into town Shell Gas was $4.59 in competition with $4.99 at Chevron. After hooking up in camp walked down toward town and at a motel ran into a biker from Half Moon Lane in Oakville. His buddy was from Mount Forest. Talked for quite a while before giving up and coming back home.
My next door neighbour here has a small white airstream like trailer and being of suspicious minds have a Denver Boot attached to one of its tires and use both an electrical and water filter. For the record this may be Mono Vista Campground but from my vantage point there is no view of the lake. Another first for me in eleven years of travels it's the first time I've used a pay shower, though for the record I was supplied with two free tokens. Five minutes was more than I needed so I have a souvenir, the cold water continues here after the hot shuts off. After wandering around Yosemite for three days I needed that.
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