Volcanoes and a Very Deep Lake

Day 21 ~ Lake Tahoe to Mt. Shasta, CA

It was time to move onto the next leg of our road trip.  Our goal for the day was to get as far as Mt. Shasta, CA but we intended to take our time and enjoy the drive.  Driving along the eastern rim of Lake Tahoe was just as beautiful as a couple days earlier.  This time we really paid attention to the ambience of Zephyr Cove, Incline Village, Crystal Bay and King’s Beach before turning north toward Truckee, CA.  On the “back” side of Lake Tahoe, we noticed a Ritz Carlton resort sign that might be interesting to check out on a different trip.  It appeared to be an all-year resort with lots of golfing and nearby skiing.

I had always wanted to drive over Donner Pass and maybe visit the museum acknowledging the tragic history of the Donner Party  (wikipedia.org/?title=Donner_Pass)  The scenery along I-80 was very pretty and we missed the signage for Donner Lake and Soda Springs and before we knew it we were getting to our exit for CA-20 toward Grass Valley, CA.  This was a very pretty mountain route, following the path of the 1850 Emigrant Trail, with expansive views of the Sierras.  We stopped at the Omega Overlook and took a walk out to view the old hydraulic mine works in the valley below. 

Omega Mine Works

Although we didn’t have a tight schedule, we regretted that we did not stop at the town of Downieville, which apparently has a nice historic district documenting its rich gold mining history.  Continuing onward we drove through Grass Valley, also looking like a pleasant community.  Lunchtime found us in Yuba City and one of the great temptations of CA finally got the better of us.  We had seen In & Out drive-in restaurants throughout CA but hadn’t eaten at one.  Bob tries to not eat beef so it didn’t seem a priority until we were hungry and there it was!  I have to say it is probably a good thing we don’t live in CA or we would become frequent patrons of this chain.  Yummy!

Bougainvillea

Lunch @ In & Out

We headed north on US-99 and were impressed by the stunning rows of beautiful white and red bougainvillea along the highway.  We were also noticing the beautiful orchards of walnut and almond trees.  Curiosity got the better of us and we stopped alongside a grove and picked one of the nuts trying to decide if it was an almond or walnut.  Later that evening we did some “googling” and decided we had stolen a walnut; my apologies to the orchardist!

Walnut Grove

Walnuts on the tree

Walnut cut open

 The road continued toward Chico and joined I-5 at Red Bluffs, going north toward Shasta Lake.  Once again we were struck by the extent and severity of the drought conditions in CA.  Shasta Lake is the largest CA reservoir but the water level is extememly low.  The situation is serious indeed.

Shasta Lake

Mt. Shasta viewpoint

Mt. Shasta

Mt. Shasta

 We began seeing views of beautiful Mt. Shasta, one of California’s most impressive mountains.  It is a compilation of four separate volcanic cones, the last eruption being nearly 240 years ago in 1786.  I hoped it wouldn’t choose tonight to blow again as we were staying at the charming village of Mt. Shasta at the base of the mountain.  The Best Western Tree House motel had a very pleasant mountain lodge atmosphere and we enjoyed our restful evening there. 

Day 22 ~ Mt. Shasta, CA – Crater Lake National Park, OR

Starting our fourth week of the road trip our last stop in CA was at Weed.  The town of Weed has a long history of logging and forestry but just a few months ago in Sept. 2014 it was the site of the massive “Boles Fire” a wildfire that damaged over 200 structures within four hours and resulted in an evacuation of the town.

Leaving Weed on US-97, we continued to enjoy lovely views of Mt. Shasta and also the lovely meadows of Grass Lake as we traveled toward Klamath Falls, OR.  Seeing the Klamath River had new meaning to us having been to the Klamath Overlook in the CA Redwoods area where the river flows into the Pacific Ocean. 

We began to feel we were on the homestretch of the road trip, being familiar with the Southern Cascades.  Today’s destination was Crater Lake, the third National Park we had the pleasure of visiting on this trip.  (www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm)  We’d seen it from the air but never up close.  The scenic byway mountain drive above Klamath Lake was pretty and we knew we were climbing in elevation.  We stopped for a picnic at a pullout overlooking Annie’s Creek and were surprised by the canyon below.   

We parked at the visitor center for Crater Lake National Park and got our bearings.  The eastern rim road was partially closed a few miles ahead but we decided to go to the Sun Notch trail for a short hike for our first view of Crater Lake.  Stunning is an understatement. 

Sun Notch Trail

 

View from Sun Notch

The lake is the deepest blue water and actually the deepest lake (1945’) in the US.  It was formed by the eruption of the ancient Mt. Mazama, about 7700 years ago, and the collapse of nearly 5000’ of the mountain forming the caldera, which is about 5 mi by 6 mi.  The rim drive is a 33-mile loop with lots of scenic pullouts providing many opportunities for photos.  On average, the Lake gets nearly 44’ of snow a year but the Park is open year-around.

Returning to the Rim Village area we took a walk along the rim, enjoying the view.  There were lots of tourists and it was disturbing to see some of them blatantly ignore the “danger” signs and cross the barriers in order to take “selfies”.  The Park has done an excellent job of trying to ensure the safety of 482,000 visitors annually.  I don’t know why some people feel they don’t need to follow the rules; this is the rim of a volcano for goodness sakes!

Tourists behaving badly

Lodge Fireplace

Our big indulgence for this road trip was to stay a night at the historic Crater Lake Lodge, overlooking the beautiful lake.  (www.craterlakelodges.com/)  We loved the Lodge.  It is very basic with no TV, no phone, poor cell service, no spa, etc.  The Lodge offers first- rate service and an incredible view.  We enjoyed drinks on the patio and a wonderful meal.  It was fun sitting in the lobby and meeting different people as we waited for a table and especially meeting one of the chefs who was off for the evening.  He suggested we order our salmon cooked “medium rare” which was something we’d never known to do when ordering fish as an entrée. Following his advice, the salmon was perfect!  By the way, the meal portions are very large and you won’t go hungry at dinner or breakfast.

Day 23 ~ Crater Lake National Park – Bend, OR

Bob rose early to catch the sunrise over Crater Lake and some beautiful photos.  Visiting this Park is all about the view, any time of day or night, and anywhere around the Lake.

We continued the drive around the west rim of the lake, stopping at the Watchmen Overlook (superb!), and further around at the  Cleetwood Cove Trailhead where the trail leads down to the lake’s surface.  In the summer there are boat tours from the cove and fisherman can access the lake, which was stocked back in the 1880’s with Rainbow trout and Kokanee salmon.  Fish are not native to the lake so fishing is actually encouraged, if you want to walk down the long, steep, strenuous trail to the lake.

Culturally and historically, the Klamath Tribe of Native Americans believes Crater Lake is a sacred spiritual place.  One of the things I noticed while at the many overlooks was that tourists (exception already noted) were behaving reverently, speaking in hushed tones, and being respectful.  Remember, the Lake is a volcanic crater and the floor of the Lake continues to rumble.  What a blessing to be able to view it now.  Now that our retirement is not only insight but we are living it we need to remember to take time to enjoy our life and appreciate the blessings we have been given.  Our insight is taking moments to reflect.
 

Reflection

We departed Crater Lake National Park via the north entrance route, traveling through the alpine meadows and the forests back out to US-97.  Our destination for the night was Bend, OR, an area we hadn’t been to for many years.  Just outside Bend we stopped at Lava Lands, the interpretive center for Newberry National Volcanic Monument.  Mt. Shasta, Crater Lake, Newberry, and the volcanoes that continue up through OR, WA and British Columbia are all part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc.  It’s impressive geologically and scenically. (https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascade_Volcanic_Arc)

We did a quick run through Sun River, outside Bend.  It is a planned resort community of golf courses and homes, and a year around resort with skiing at nearby Mt. Bachelor.  We had visited many years ago and it is still lovely.  The community of Bend is located on a high desert plateau in central OR on the eastern edge of the Cascades.  Bend is an active community, enticing outdoor enthusiasts year around and in recent years it has become known for its brewpubs.  Tourism is its mainstay and it was obvious to us that the town has invested a lot of money into revival of older areas and providing trails, parks, restaurants, and hotels to facilitate tourism.  Our home for the next two days would be at the Hilton Garden Inn located in the Old Mill district, along the Deschutes River. (www.theoldmill.com)

Day 24 ~ Bend & Sisters, OR

We looked forward to driving around Bend and reacquainting ourselves with the community; it’s now grown to over 81,000, which was surprising.  It’s a lively place and is one of those places that feel good to be there!  In the afternoon we took off toward the mountains to one of our favorite places, Sisters, OR. 

 It’s a beautiful drive along the Deschutes River with expansive views of range land reaching right up to the mountains.  The volcanoes dominate the landscape with views of Bachelor, Broken Top, the three Sisters (aka Faith, Hope & Charity), and Mt. Jefferson.  We enjoyed a walk around Sisters (it has also been revitalized) and a drive up to the mountain residential areas of Black Butte and Camp Sherman.  We returned to Bend via the northern community of Redmond and decided to drive up toward Mt. Bachelor.  Many years ago Bob and the kids had gone skiing at Mt. Bachelor on what had to be one of the coldest ski trips ever.  We shared a lot of good memories of raising our family during those years and exploring the greater NW together.

Broken Top & Three Sisters

Mt. Bachelor

Mt. Jefferson

Dinner was at 10 Barrel Brewing Co. and totally delightful!  (www.10barrel.com)  We followed the lead of the folks at the table next to us and shared salads and an entrée.  The food was excellent, Bob enjoyed the brew, and the service could not have been better.  It was a perfect way to end our travels, as tomorrow we would head home.   We are ready.

A Lake for All Seasons

Week 3, Days 15 - 20 ~ Lake Tahoe, CA

Having arrived in South Lake Tahoe (SLT) late yesterday afternoon we were exhausted from long days of driving, lots of sightseeing, and too much packing and unpacking.  If you have followed the posts on this trip you will know that we have camped a total of six nights in four different locations, stayed in a houseboat for 4 nights, and have had four nights of motels in three locations.  We are tired!  But now we are looking forward to staying in a nice timeshare condo for a week, hopefully to rest and relax. 

Beautiful Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe

One of the things we have learned from this trip (call it our insight into our retirement) is that we can go camping or we can go on vacation.  But doing both on the same trip doesn’t work for us.  We have to bring too much stuff, starting with the rooftop carrier!  We packed both camping stuff and normal vacation stuff; we brought all sorts of gear, coolers, bags of food, clothing for all sorts of weather (except I was cold in San Francisco), and we had our books, camera, laptop, iPads, iPhones, and all the chargers, etc.  Just too much stuff!

So we decided to spend our first day in SLT reorganizing and shipping some things home in boxes that we no longer needed.  We easily filled two boxes for shipping and felt much better having lightened our load.  The rooftop carrier is still with us, filled with the large camping gear, but at least all the rest of our belongings will fit more easily in the back of the car.  My mood improved immediately.

We had booked a timeshare through RCI at the Lake Tahoe Vacation Resort.  (www.diamondresorts.com/Lake-Tahoe-Vacation-Resort)  My brother and sister-in-law (L&D, I'll protect their names) who live in CO will join us for the week.  They have a smaller unit on the same floor while our unit is a 1 bedroom with a full kitchen.  Our unit will become the gathering place for family time.  The resort is right on the Lake and conveniently located for walking to restaurants and to Nevada (translation, the casinos) along the main drag.

After settling into the condos and getting caught up with L&D, we all headed over to McDuff’s for dinner, an Irish pub not far from the resort.  After a great meal, it was early to bed for all of us. (www.macduffspub.com/tahoe/index)

The next morning we invited L&D to join us in our condo for breakfast since we had quite a bit of food left from our camping days.  This became the routine for the week, and one of the more enjoyable parts of the time together.  L is my younger brother (another brother and sister between us in age) and we hadn’t seen them in nearly a year since our father’s passing.  There seemed a lot to get caught up on.

After visiting we walked up the street to check out the casinos.  There are four majors in town, Harrah’s, Mont Bleu, Harvey’s, and the Hard Rock.  None of us are very big gamblers but it’s interesting to people watch and once in awhile follow our son’s advice and “put it all on red.”  Actually, L & Bob enjoy playing craps so they did try their luck for a few hours over the week but there were no big winners at the end of the week.  D and I enjoyed shopping; what else are two girls to do?

Lunch was on the patio at the Hard Rock and we decided to walk back to the resort and drive the southwest shore of the Lake.  It’s beautiful!  The water is multi-colors of blue and green, the mountains circle the Lake providing stunning views in every direction.  There are a few turnouts, and in particular a very nice viewpoint at Emerald Bay.  We drove up to Tahoe City on the west side of the lake, walked on the beach, and returned to SLT.  It was a nice afternoon.  

Emerald Bay

Emerald Bay

The next day D suggested a drive to Squaw Valley, about an hour away.  Squaw Valley was the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics.  (squawalpine.com/events-things-do/olympic-museum) The tram was open so we decided to take a ride to the top.  The views were beautiful from the top of the mountain and we enjoyed visiting the Squaw Valley museum; Bob and I are both old enough to remember those Olympics so it was meaningful.  The village had several shops and we enjoyed lunch at Fireside Pizza - wonderful!

Village view from Tram

Looking up to midway of tram

 

Flags @ Olympic Museum

Olympic Rings

Sierra View

Squaw Valley Peaks

Lake Tahoe View from Squaw Valley Tram

The day had been long and we called it an early evening.  I thing we are all getting old; our routine seems to be early to bed and early to rise.  No wild nights on the town for us!

The next morning at breakfast, the phone rang and it was my Mom and my sister with news about a death in the family.  They had gone to Denver to support my aunt whose 37-year old son had passed unexpectedly, and there were a number of details to tend to.  They needed some emotional support and reached out to us.  A couple hours of phone calls and text messaging consumed our morning and put a damper on the day.  We did head to the casinos that afternoon, and hoped to win some money to send to my aunt for funeral expenses.  That didn’t work out but I’m sure we will all support her however we can.

Dinner was simple; across the street was one of Tahoe’s long-standing, family-owned restaurants, The Red Hut.  Their specialty is all American burgers, dogs, fries, and malts.  Yummy!

The next day was all about exploring the Lake.  We booked a scenic lake cruise on the Tahoe Queen, a sternwheeler that departs from Zephyr Cove.  (www.zephyrcove.com/cruises.aspx) The two+ hour cruise provided some limited narration about the geography, geology, history and culture of the Lake.  The cruise was very interesting and we enjoyed a beautiful afternoon of scenery, sunshine and clear blue water.  Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the US behind Crater Lake, and the colors of the water are brilliant blues, greens and turquoise.  The water is cold, but the lake never freezes over completely in the winter.  Because of the cold water it has some nice lake trout and kokanee salmon.

Everyone was in the mood for pasta so we sought out Primo’s, which was highly recommended by TripAdvisor.com.  (www.primositalianbistro.com/) Wonderful!  Every detail of the meal was enjoyable starting with the excellent service provided by the personable waiter and very good food.  Among us we had Marsala, Picatta, and lasagna; all of it a meal to remember.

All of us were feeling a bit lazy and in need of some exercise the next day.  So off we go golfing at the community nine-hole, par-three/four course.  Everything at SLT is beautiful and this course is very pretty and also challenging, especially since neither L or D, or myself, are not really “golfers.”  Bob can hold his own at golf.  It was fun and easy to spend a couple hours enjoying being outside and occasionally making a good shot. (www.tahoeactivities.com/bijou-municipal-golf-course/)

Bijou Golf Course

I think the week and “family” were catching up with us, or at least with me.  I decided to hang out at the condo and take it easy.  It was nice to get caught up on some personal business, do some blogging, write postcards and relax.  D did some of the same, and L and Bob walked over to the marina and enjoyed looking at boats and having a beer.  A relaxing afternoon!  We continued the "keep it simple and relaxed" attitudes by having dinner at the resort restaurant and called it an early evening.

Our last full day in SLT and the weather changed to a drizzly, overcast day.  Knowing we still needed to get some exercise we all took a walk on the shore and enjoyed frequent stops to admire lakeside homes.  All of us agreed that Tahoe would be a good place to own a property; it is a year around resort with boating and golf in the summer, skiing and other snow sports in the winter.  If only . . . that was the mantra for the morning!

Having done all the sightseeing and gambling we wanted to do, and since the weather was rainy, it seemed like a good afternoon for a movie matinee followed by delivery pizza and cards at the condo.  It was our last evening together and we would each go separate ways tomorrow. 

Take Me to your El Capitan!

Day 12 ~ Yosemite National Park

From Redwood City we had crossed the bay and driven through miles of farmland in the Central Valley, stopping at Manteca for some groceries and gas.  Leaving the valley floor we started climbing and came to an overlook above Don Pedro Reservoir. 

Don Pedro Reservoir

Again, the extent of the CA drought was obvious.  We met a local who said the reservoir is so low the original town site of Jacksonville, which had been flooded for the reservoir, was now visible.  

CA-120 climbs steeply and is one hairpin turn after another, no guardrails, and quite frankly it was scary.  Reaching the top and entering the trees, we enjoyed a picnic lunch in the charming village of Groveland – Big Oak Flat.  A short time later we arrived at the entrance of Yosemite National Park. www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm

Our campground for the next three nights was Hodgdon Meadows, just inside the park entrance.  The entrance was posted that all the campgrounds were full so we were feeling happy that we had made reservations (back in January) for our campsite.  It was early afternoon and we decided to drive on into Yosemite Village and get our bearings before check-in time at the campground.

The views of the park as we drove were beautiful; I don’t think we knew what to expect being only familiar with the major sites from postcards and photos.  Yosemite National Park is worthy of the designation, and far more beautiful than we had expected. With all the spectacular rock formations and waterfalls within a few miles, it was like it was designed by Walt Disney.

Our first view; Half Dome & El Capitan

It took about 45 minutes to drive into the Village.  Yosemite had about 4 million visitors in 2014; it employs 1200 people in the summer but is open year around, and has a 2015 budget of $29 million.  The Village itself is central to all the major landmarks and the NPS has done a wonderful job of providing shuttles and excellent signage to enable people to move around easily. www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/publictransportation.htm

During the drive we admired the territorial views of the Sierra Nevada wilderness and then Yosemite Valley opened in front of us ~ El Capitan, Half Dome, waterfalls, and meadows.  All of the familiar sites of Yosemite are visible within this small valley only about 7 miles long.  Our first stop was the Ansel Adams gallery where we admired his beautiful photographs of Yosemite and other areas.  The Village also houses a post office, NPS visitor center, a gift shop, restaurants, and the historic Ahwanee Hotel and Yosemite Lodge, as well as park headquarters.  The visitor center offers lots of information on camping, trails, climbing, road and weather conditions, history, tours and other useful information. 

After getting an understanding of the layout of the Park, it was time to go back to Hodgdon Meadow and set up camp.  We stopped at Crane Flat to buy some ice and firewood, and check-in at the campground.  Hodgdon Meadow is a tent and RV site campground with limited facilities.  There are no showers or utility hookups, but all the basics are provided.  It is imperative to use the bear-proof food lockers at the campsite, and we actually had to sign and display on our car dashboard a document stating we were aware bears had frequented the campground.  Our campsite was conveniently located equal distance from two restroom facilities but we agreed that neither of us would walk alone to the restrooms during the night.  Flashlights and bear whistles would be mandatory accessories!  www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hodgdoncamp.html

Hodgdon Meadows

Bear Box

Bob established camp and we enjoyed a family favorite camp dinner of Potato Grande – potatoes, carrots, broccoli, onion, and cauliflower stir-fried and topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream and salsa.  Yum!  It had been a long day and we turned in early.  No sign of bears and we slept well.  The next morning we headed back into the Village to explore and admire the valley wonders.

We signed up for a valley floor tour later that afternoon. 

Valley Floor Tour

In the meantime we went to the museum, an interesting display of Native-American culture of the valley.  It was especially nice to watch an elderly Milwok woman making baskets.  Later we learned that she had begun working at the Park at age 18; now she is 83 and will retire within a couple days!  What a treasure of history she must be!

Niwot  Basketweaver

Basketry

 

The Ahwanee Hotel (www.yosemitepark.com/the-ahwahnee.aspx) is classic old national park lodge, and was perfect for lunch.  Afterward we enjoyed walking around the beautiful lobby and public areas.  The hotel was completed in 1927 and blends Native American with Art Deco and Arts & Crafts design elements.  Beautiful! 

The Ahwanee Hotel

Arts & Crafts/Art Deco styling

 













The Ahwanee and Yosemite Lodge (www.yosemitepark.com/yosemite-lodge.aspx) are very different in style with the Lodge (recently remodeled) blending into the natural landscape and convenient to the Yosemite Falls trails.

It was time for our valley floor tour and this turned out to be the perfect way to learn about the Park and enjoy stunning views of the major sites.  The ranger who narrated the tour was informative, entertaining, and the tour provided ample opportunity for photo stops.  One by one, the landmarks came alive as we learned about the history and geography of the Park, the geology of the land, and culture of the Native Americans.  Several groups of climbers were on the 3000 ft. high face of El Capitan, and even after seeing them we couldn’t quite believe what we’d seen!  They appeared as no more than specks on the cliff, even using binoculars.  The massive granite monolith of Half Dome dominated the eastern end of the valley.  Bridalveil Falls on one side of the valley and Yosemite Falls on the other provide magical views from every angle.  The Merced River winds its way through the valley.  The granite cliffs dominate the landscape.  All of this carved by glaciers thousands of years ago.  The overlook at Tunnel View presents the classic post card image of Yosemite National Park; the one we will remember forever.   Thank goodness Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir shared a campsite in 1903 and were inspired to save this wilderness!

El Capitan

 

Half Dome

 

 

 

Bridalveil Falls

Upper Yosemite Falls

Tunnel View

 

Where it all began

Day 13 ~ Yosemite National Park – South Lake Tahoe, CA

After having spent a day and a half admiring Yosemite Valley’s sites, history, geology, and culture it was time to explore more of the wilderness.  Tioga Road (continuation of CA-120) runs across the entire Park, from west to east, and is normally closed until late June due to snowfall.  However, there had been so little snow this winter that the road was open which was to our advantage.  We decided to break camp a day early and begin our drive eastward, viewing and exploring the vast Yosemite wilderness.  Let’s keep in mind that “exploring” actually means drive through the area, admire the views, and maybe take a reasonable hike on a well-marked trail.  We are roadside tourists on this trip, not wilderness backpackers. 

Be sure to buy gas, maybe some food at Crane Flat before taking off on Tioga Road.  It’s not a long distance but it takes a long time to drive, and if you are going over the pass and back again to the Valley it’s a long day with only one place at Lee Vining to top off your fuel.  Tioga Road is breathtaking!  It climbs in elevation, reaching nearly 10,000’ and every curve presents another vista of alpine country, lakes, wildflowers, snow-capped peaks, and a few remaining fields of snow.  There are plenty of pullouts, lots of opportunity for photos, and many hiking trail heads including one that is part of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail.  The road was undergoing some construction so there were a few delays but they provided more opportunity for appreciating greater Yosemite.

View from Tioga Road

A word about geology, and my traveling partner Bob . . . he is a mining engineer (ourretirementinsight.blogspot.com/2015/03/flexibility-key-to-multiple-careers.html) by education and half of his career.  Along with that comes a strong knowledge and keen interest in geology.  I feel so blessed to view the Park with Bob because he was able to explain the geology of what physically happened in this region, making it Yosemite!  I think an understanding of the geology truly enhances the view and splendor of the experience.

Spalling layers of Granite

About halfway along Tioga road, we reached Olmsted Point, named after Frederick Law Olmsted the famed landscape architect who had served as a Commissioner over the original land grant protecting Yosemite.  The views are stunning, and a special surprise is seeing the soaring backside of Half Dome.  Along Tioga Road the expanses of bare granite cliffs and exposed domes dominate the landscape.  

Back of Half Dome

Soaring Granite Cliffs

View from Olmsted Point

Leaving Olmsted Point you soon encounter Tuolumne Meadows, left behind from the ice age and now a sea of wildflowers and if you are lucky grazing wildlife.  Bear are frequently seen in this area; be careful and respectful.

Tuolumne Meadows

Insight into retirement . . . no matter how beautiful your surroundings life sometimes chooses to insert itself into your experiences.  I think we may have mentioned this concept in an earlier post.  But here we are in beautiful Yosemite, amid grandeur we cannot adequately describe, and I swear the only place in the Park where suddenly a slew of text messages drops in on the cell phone.  FYI, cell coverage had only been available in the Village and several hours had elapsed since we'd been able to check messages.  We rounded a curve on Tioga Road, came into a high elevation clearing, and ping, ping, ping!  Our neighbors who had generously been keeping an eye on our house in WA had called and texted several times.  We have a koi pond in the back yard and apparently the pump gave out.  The neighbors' fear was that the koi were dying and algae was growing rampant.  No sooner than the messages coming in, the cell coverage was gone.  It would be a few hours before we could deal with this crisis.  It was hard to not let real life put a damper on the rest of our time in Yosemite, but there wasn't anything we could do except keep driving and enjoy the view.

Tioga Road continues to climb until you cross Tioga Pass, the highest driving road in CA.  The views of the Sierras and the memories of Yosemite will stay with you as you leave the Park at the east gates and drive down toward Mono Basin Lake.   Reaching US-395 at Lee Vining, there is an interesting USFS visitor center, which provides a convenient spot for a rest and also to learn about the basin and the importance it plays in the long battle over water rights to lower CA. www.monolake.org/visit/vc

Mono Lake

We turned north on highway 395, and would briefly enter Nevada for the remaining drive to South Lake Tahoe, CA.  We were arriving a day early and needed to find a room, but were successful in getting lodging at a very nice Holiday Inn Express.  It was a pleasant respite, allowing us to do laundry, wash the car, and get organized again for the coming week.  Our camping days are over on this trip so now the rooftop carrier will not be unpacked and reloaded with every stop.  Dinner was a pub meal at McP’s Taphouse & Grill, and we made an early night of it.  

As soon as we had reliable cell service Bob was able to make some calls and line up pond service.  We called the neighbors and thanked them profusely.  Yes, we had had a good trip so far . . . tomorrow will be two weeks on the road.  We've enjoyed wonderful weather and seen so many beautiful sites.  And tomorrow, some of Le Anna's family will join us for a week in beautiful South Lake Tahoe.  The adventure continues!