Ridgecrest, CA
Here we are at China Lake Naval Air Warfare Center in the California desert. As we drove south yesterday, the temperature dropped as we drove up in the Eastern Sierra and then gradually went back up again as we entered the Owens River Valley. It continued to rise until we arrived in Ridgecrest where the temperature was 60 degrees - Mission Accomplished!
It was a beautiful drive down 395 with the mountains glistening in the sunshine. Although the CALTRANS warning signs warned of Ice-Snow - Carry Chains, we didn't encounter any of those conditions. We have chains in the Red Baron, but so far we have been lucky enough not to have used them.
One of the most beautiful views on the drive is from the road overlooking Mono Lake - you can see the mountains in all their glory and Lake Mono and the valley beyond. There were few tourists at Lake Mono and when we got to the Visitors Center, we could see why. It was closed - one of the victims of the the government shut-down which started the day before. Bummer, because that was a rest stop we had been counting on :-). As we drove through Lee Vining, it was virtually traffic free. LV is the start of the back road into Yosemite, but 120 is closed in the winter because of the high snow pack. There was a service station/convenience store right off 395 which was closed because of the lack of business during the winter. As a very thoughtful gesture, they had left the outside restroom open.
As we approached Mammoth Mountain ski area, it got a little busier as the ski area was in full swing with very high snow levels. As an indication of the skiers who come there, the local airport was loaded with private jets! Kids were enjoying the slopes with their sleds.
Driving down through Independence, Lone Pine and Big Pine, it's fun seeing the various ways they try to entice people to stop. The area used to be used for filming westerns and they capitalize on that with old movie theaters and museums. We stopped at a rest area (do you see a pattern here?) and I noticed a beautiful kayak on top of a car. I went over and talked to the owner who was from Texas heading to Tahoe area to visit his parents. He built the kayak with wood from an old power boat and it was a beautiful piece of work - 23' long and a dual cockpit (see photo). He said it took him fifteen years off and on, but it was awesome workmanship.
Took some photos of the Sierra Nevada where Mt Whitney is located. There is a Mt Whitney Portal Road which you can drive very close to the summit (within 2000'). Needless to say, there wasn't much activity on that road at this time of the year, but in the summer, you need a permit to drive up and attempt to summit Mt Whitney. Some of my friends - younger and in better shape - have made that trek and they say it's awesome. Funny how the mountains just seem to rise out of the valley.
Arrived at China Lake and checked into the Gateway Inn where we planned to stay for just one night, but we may extend that if we want. Checked out the golf course and made a tee time for Monday at noon. For some reason, it's closed on Tuesday (might have something to do with Christmas, you think?
Went to beautiful downtown Ridgecrest for dinner at Schooners (so named because of the glasses in which they serve their beer. Good dinner while watching the football game on multiple screens. Back home to rest up for the day before Christmas and some golf.
Random thought. There is nothing quite as quiet as a military installation during the holiday season. Most of the offices are shut down and a lot of the military go home for Christmas. It's always nice to hear the various bugle calls broadcast over the public address system. From reveille in the morning to the National Anthem played as they raise the flag to Colors when they take the flag down and then finally Taps at the end of the day.
It was a beautiful drive down 395 with the mountains glistening in the sunshine. Although the CALTRANS warning signs warned of Ice-Snow - Carry Chains, we didn't encounter any of those conditions. We have chains in the Red Baron, but so far we have been lucky enough not to have used them.
One of the most beautiful views on the drive is from the road overlooking Mono Lake - you can see the mountains in all their glory and Lake Mono and the valley beyond. There were few tourists at Lake Mono and when we got to the Visitors Center, we could see why. It was closed - one of the victims of the the government shut-down which started the day before. Bummer, because that was a rest stop we had been counting on :-). As we drove through Lee Vining, it was virtually traffic free. LV is the start of the back road into Yosemite, but 120 is closed in the winter because of the high snow pack. There was a service station/convenience store right off 395 which was closed because of the lack of business during the winter. As a very thoughtful gesture, they had left the outside restroom open.
As we approached Mammoth Mountain ski area, it got a little busier as the ski area was in full swing with very high snow levels. As an indication of the skiers who come there, the local airport was loaded with private jets! Kids were enjoying the slopes with their sleds.
Driving down through Independence, Lone Pine and Big Pine, it's fun seeing the various ways they try to entice people to stop. The area used to be used for filming westerns and they capitalize on that with old movie theaters and museums. We stopped at a rest area (do you see a pattern here?) and I noticed a beautiful kayak on top of a car. I went over and talked to the owner who was from Texas heading to Tahoe area to visit his parents. He built the kayak with wood from an old power boat and it was a beautiful piece of work - 23' long and a dual cockpit (see photo). He said it took him fifteen years off and on, but it was awesome workmanship.
Took some photos of the Sierra Nevada where Mt Whitney is located. There is a Mt Whitney Portal Road which you can drive very close to the summit (within 2000'). Needless to say, there wasn't much activity on that road at this time of the year, but in the summer, you need a permit to drive up and attempt to summit Mt Whitney. Some of my friends - younger and in better shape - have made that trek and they say it's awesome. Funny how the mountains just seem to rise out of the valley.
Arrived at China Lake and checked into the Gateway Inn where we planned to stay for just one night, but we may extend that if we want. Checked out the golf course and made a tee time for Monday at noon. For some reason, it's closed on Tuesday (might have something to do with Christmas, you think?
Went to beautiful downtown Ridgecrest for dinner at Schooners (so named because of the glasses in which they serve their beer. Good dinner while watching the football game on multiple screens. Back home to rest up for the day before Christmas and some golf.
Random thought. There is nothing quite as quiet as a military installation during the holiday season. Most of the offices are shut down and a lot of the military go home for Christmas. It's always nice to hear the various bugle calls broadcast over the public address system. From reveille in the morning to the National Anthem played as they raise the flag to Colors when they take the flag down and then finally Taps at the end of the day.
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