Fall Trip North - Day 12 (added)

I do not know what happened last night when I was finishing up my blog.  Here is the picture that I was trying to include at the end of the next (Day 12) blog.  The way this truck was covered with snow around the top was neat plus a little on the hood and grill.  It looked very festive.

I guess that I am just barely able to function on this crazy electronic medium but I keep trying.  It seems like I thrive on frustration.  Anyway, this is the end of this trip, as is got really cold. 
I stopped in an RV park in Beaver, Utah and happened to ask what the temp. was going to be that night.  The answer was "about 17 degrees" and I thought well that is not to bad.  Well, it was 24 degrees in my camper the next morning and it was COLD.........
After thawling out and scraping the ice off my windshield, I decided to try a few more days.  My plan was to see Bryce Canyon & Zion National Parks in the southwestern corner of Utah. 
As I headed down Interstate 15, the passes over which I would have to travel to reach these parks were closed due to snow.  That took care of my plans so....... I headed home.
After a 10 hour drive I was back in Santa Barbara and glad to be in warmer country.  It was a great 2,100 miles and beautiful sights.  I hope you enjoyed sharing it with me through this blog.
I will be home through at least spring, so no more blog (that I know of) until then.
Ah, winter in Southern California, break out the warm clothes!!!!!
Adios

Fall Trip North - Day 12

The next day while I was still in Great Basin National Park I found out that there is an underground cave system.  Of course I planned  to check it out.  But first thing in the morning I woke up to what I thought was the sound of rain.  It was not rain but hail which shortly turned to wet snow!  Since I was going to be on the cave tour (underground), I figured that the weather would not effect my day.  A few pictures of the hail / snow at my camp spot.

This all built up in about 30 minutes while I was getting ready to leave the campground.

This was the spot where I parked - a perfect outline of my truck as I was leaving!
I had about an hour until the tour of the caves started, so I decided to take a drive up the hill in the park.

As I got up to 7,500` elevation, the snow got a little heavier but the road was still clear (for a while).  This sign is warning about 10 miles of 8% up hill grade.

Soon the road was covered and only one brave sole had been up before me.  But I kept on going, of course!

When I got up to this sign (8,500` elevation) the snow was below me and the clouds were starting to break.  Very soon after I turned around and headed back to the visitor`s center to take the cave tour. 

Back at the visitor`s center I found this perfect "Christmas tree" all decorated with real snow!
It was now time to take the cave tour.  They are not big but very interesting.

This had about 30` high ceiling and all sorts of formations.  The one above was taken without a flash.

This one was taken with a flash and it brings out a lot of the true colors.  I was supprised to find out that they allowed people to take falsh pictures.

Some of the passage ways were rather tight.  This one was only 3` wide and about 6`6" tall.
OK enough of the cave pictures.  Back outside the temperature had dropped some and as I was getting gas, I noticed this ice on the front of my camper!

Back down in the valleys it cleared some but the hills around still had a good bit of snow as you can see below.  This is headed southeast toward Utah.

There are some long, straight roads out there.  A little later the weather started to close in again and the snow returned (see below).

This would not be a good place to have vehicle trouble - I drove for about an hour without seeing anyone.
When I got into the small town of Beaver, Utah (about 150 miles north of St. George, Utah) I stopped at a market to get some more supplies.  I the parking lot was this delivery truck that cought my eye.  It almost looked like it was intensionally deaigned with snow around the

Fall Trip North - Day 11

I headed south and then east through Nevada passing through Ely (near the eastern border of the state).  My objective was Great Basin National Park (just below Hwy. 50 near the Utah state line).  It is an interesting park that was established in 1986.  It`s high point is Wheeler Peak (elev. 13,063`) and there is a hiking trail to the summit.  Of course I had to try to summit but due to a heavy snow pack, I only got to about 12,000`. Since I did not have all the proper equipment (crampons for my boots & heavier clothing), I decided to try it again in a warmer time of year.

The peak on the left is Wheeler Peak and the one on the right is Bald Mountain (elevation 11,562`).  The valley is about 5,300` elevation so that is a great difference in the climates.  The road goes up to 10,000` elevation and from the view from up there you can see quite aways. 

Looking east with pine trees and junipers up on the hill and desert down below.  Those hills in the distance are in Utah and are about 50 miles away. 

A little closer view of the peaks with a heavy blanket of snow on top.  Wheeler Peak is the one on the right with a dark face. 

A closer look at Wheeler Peak (center of shot) across a ice covered Teresa Lake (elevation 10,230`).  This was on the start of my hike and a clue of the temperatures farther up the climb!!!!

Did I mention that it was COLD!  Here is a small stream off to the side of the trail and it was all but frozen over.  It is beautiful though.

This log had a sheet of ice hanging from it due to the water splashing up & freezing.

As my hike approched the tree line (usually about 10,000`, over which there is not enough oxygen for trees to grow) I found myself hiking through a grove of Aspen trees who had already lost their leaves. 

Farther up, the snow fields started to be more the "rule" rather than the exception.  Note the set of foot prints in the upper left of this shot.  That was were I was headed since I had no idea where the trail was so I had to follow other peoples tracks.  This was still about the 11,000` level.

The trail (marked mostly by other hikers foot prints) headed up and the angle of the hill was getting a little steep! 

Looking to the right, the view back down to the valley was great & a little intimidating.  You can see some foot prints at the bottom of this picture going straight up the hill.

 I walked over to the edge of the ice field and got a nice picture of Wheeler Peak in the distance.  This is when I decided to turn around since it was blowing and cold.  This is about at the 12,000` elevation level and that was it for me!!!!!

Anyway my feet were getting COLD and that was not going to be a good thing.  All in all I covered about 6 miles and gained about 2,000` elevation (most of it in the last couple of miles going up).

One last look back at the mountain, trying to see where my hike had taken me.  I was on the right side of this shot, just below what looks like a level area (it was not) next to the edge of that snow face.  Whatever.

 Home sweet home.  This Baker campground (elevation 7,530`) it has 36 sites and I was the only one there.  It was very quiet that evening and a little cold.  But in the morning I was in for a supprise. 
All is well - Good night.

Fall Trip North - Day 10/11

I spent a few days with my brother and got to see a little of the surrounding country.  He actually lives a little east of Winnemucca, out from a town named Golconda.  It is an agriculture and mining area.  There are some hills in the area as you will see.

Lots of sage brush and wide open land.  That is a plastic pipe plant in the distance which is near the farm where my brother Bill lives.

Every town has some claim to fame and Winnemucca`s is this "Gateway to the Pacific Northwest".  This is right downtown and is front of the "convention center".

On a drive around the country I saw this sign that has been a "target" for some time by the looks of it.  If it moves (or doesn`t) shoot first and ask questions later!

The land owner of the property where Bill lives, buys and sells old vehicles (including tractors) and they are all over the place.  I will include a few of the roughly 50-75 vehicles around the "farm" which is 100 + acres.

This is a real gem - a 1940s panel van that has had parts removed and will likely rust right where it sits.

Yes, there are also two fire engines that are right in the front "yard".  If you are interested in a nice fire engine, let me know and I can supply you with the address!!!!

I had to include one of the pictures were we set up a tripod and recorded getting together, which does not happen that often. 

Bill has his motor home inside a large metal building due to the extreme cold of the winters.  He cleared a place for me to pull my truck inside right beside his and most of the piles of "stuff" belong to the land owner.  At least there is a path to walk to the front door (behind me) but it is a dirt floor. 
Life on the "farm" is different that living in a city. 
After my visit it was time to get on the road and head southeast.
"On the road again"

Fall Trip North - Day 9

This was a travel day going from the Lee Vining area to my brother`s near Winnemucca, Nevada (extreme north, central Nevada).  It is a long rather nondescript drive unless you like a lot of flat, open land.  I headed east from just above Mono Lake on a highway that is "arrow" straight until it reaches the Nevada border - a least 35 miles.

This is looking back west to the Sierra Nevada Mt. range with Mono Lake just barely visible at the end of the road.

The sign at the border with Nevada and evidence that there are a lot of gun toting folks out here - notice the bullet holes that have been patched / also paint ball marks on the sign.

This is some of the really straight road out here, looking east into Nevada.

Here I am approaching Walker Lake which is just past the town of Hawthorne, Nv. (the town is the green patch just in front & to the right of the lake) with more of that straight road.

It is not much of a town which is typical  of the high desert area.  I know this was a light day picture wise but there is not much that warrant picking up the camera. 
It is wide open country......
So much for now.

Fall Trip North - Day 8

I woke up beautiful day here in Lundy Canyon.  The area was so quite last night that I was not disturbed until the birds started in around 7:00.  This campground is a jewel and this time of year nearly deserted.

 

For $12.00 a day (no discounts for seniors) it is a great place and it has bathrooms.  The evening before I spent some time visiting with a couple from Germany who were camper near the campground entrance.  Very enjoyable since they had a fire and had invited me for drinks (I brought my own, a bicycle water bottle).  They were traveling around the states  for a month in a small (rented) motor home and the husband spoke good English (that was nice since I do not speak any German). 
I spent a hour taking more pictures in the canyon before heading to the Mono Lake visitor`s center parking lot near Lee Vining to catch up on my blog.

This was my camp spot which is in from the gravel road through the cmpground.  Shaded, which would be great in the summer but meant it was cold in this "fall" morning.  I could see my breath inside the camper before I turned on the heater.  Great sleeping weather though.

The ground is covered with Aspen leaves and they make a beautifully colored carpet.

At about 8:00 it was still cool enough to have on several layers.  All of these Aspen trees had already dropped their leaves but are beautiful in their way.  I had my own path into the trees which lead to a nice creek that lulled me to sleep.

And there it is, my own little creek with a collection of fall leaves in the middle.

Above is some more of the great Aspen trees getting ready for winter.  Below is the same shot but with my glasses clip-on in front of the lense.  As I was driving, this what I would see but when I went to take the picture it was different, now I know why......... No brains, no headackes.

While parked in the visitors lot, catching up on my blog, another "Four Wheel Pop Up" camper came by and we compared note on the rigs.  His is about 3-4 years old and it was interesting to see the changes since then.  His is a little shorter due to a full crew cab truck but it is wider since his is a full size vehicle. 

Well, I think that is enough blogging for one day.  At least I am cought up, so I can remember where I have been. 
Tomorrow I might be headed to my brother`s place in northern Neveda and might take a few days off  from blogging.  After that, I am planning to visit Great Basin National Park in east central Nevada.

For now I will say goodby and good luck.