“USA Road Trip ~From California to Nevada and Oregon “

• July 29, 2021
• By Daryl
• 2 Comments

We traveled down the twisted desert road of memories. We passed Victorville to a must-stop at the best Carnitas this side of the Pacos. Two tacos please, for breakfast.

Down 395 we drive, past old gold mining towns. I could imagine hard-working, wild-eyed men dragging themselves into the bar after a long day, with whiskey and gambling draining their pockets and dulling their minds.

The desert has been so dry, the tumble weeds are dead at half their normal growth. Joshua trees dot the desert with coyotes hiding in the shade. Heading up the road, we come to the Rift Valley with black sulfurous rocks spewed from the bowels of earth. A large wall of the volcanic rocks form a ridge on the east side of the canyon.

Lone Pine shares the tallest mountain in the Continental US, as a background. Mt. Witney is a jagged peak like no other.  We stop in Bishop for the night, only one restaurant open that we had to choose from. All others were closed on Tuesday, or the one other choice. Our hotel stay had everything they promised, except WiFi. So I got a $25 discount after a long discussion. Who wants to move to another hotel  in this triple digit weather.

We got up early, with a mission to make it to the Bodie Ghost Town at opening. We drove a great road until the asphalt ended and a washboard gravel began. Soon we saw miniature chipmunks scurrying across the road. By the third one we thought it must be a game for them, to see how close they could get. A coyote crossed the road diagonally, glancing at us as we drove past. We saw a wild lizard next as a tiny bird flitted across our view. On the next turn, a bunny sat in the road, we stopped till it decided to hop off. After, it seems like forever we made  it to Bodie with the ghosts  peaking out of the mine shafts, shaking their head no and pointing to the existing roadway.

The road was a toll road in the olden days, so when the town died out, nobody took anything with them, except essentials. This kept the tables set and machines left as they moved out. One family stayed until 1961; guardians from souvenir snatchers till it became a State Park. Many of the original buildings and China Town burned down in the many fires over time

As we traveled out of the ghost town, a tiny chipmunk ran halfway across the road and stopped to watch us pass by, bunny said it waved  goodbye. As we travel up 395, we see a hawk flying low and alight itself on a barbed-wire fence post, something hanging from his beak. Cattle grazed on green grass in the valleys. The pine trees smell so clean and pure in the mountain air.  As we traveled past the mountains, the jagged peaks seem to all point toward heaven, reminding me of my Mom.

The Walker River runs next to the road, racing us down the mountain. Topaz Lake is always a pleasure to see and a chance to save on a gas fill-up, in Nevada.  The fires had started to flood the sky and senses with smoke. To keep from smelling like a camp fire, the recirculate button was pushed on the air conditioner. Fire fighters stand ready with heavy equipment next to the road, as the fire is just over one hill. Soon after we passed, the fire jumped the

Highway, and of course it was closed, and residents evacuated, soon after we passed.

We took another side trip, making a left onto Kingsbury Grade, up to South Lake Tahoe. This secret route takes just minutes to get to paradise. We took a right and followed Lake Tahoe on the East side and took pictures. The drive through was short, and soon, we were driving down the Sierra Nevada to Virginia City. We walked the boardwalk back and forth. Next, to the 160 year-old building, where Mark Twain started his writing career.

We headed back out the Comstock Highway, on to what I thought was 395, but we drove out 80 through the most desolate land in Nevada. Nice road but scary nothingness. Oregon was not much better. A full tank of gas gave us confidence, but lack of cell service and full hotels worried us.

Burns is a delightful little town with Cowboys and few workers. My brother, Jim lives there and Bunny’s sister does too. Oregon is home for the Bunny and a lot of Family. I mentioned we had entered Oregon and Bunnyheart wanted a picture.  The Oregon Roads are made with small shoulders and steep drop offs, easy to tell we entered the Oregon Trail.

The most interesting thing in Oregon, so far, are the pivot irrigation systems that are close to Burns. My nephew, Mike, installs and sells them. I talked a little too much about them until I was irritating the Bun, so I just started pointing like a 5-year-old. I have never seen them so long and the specialized, with a 180-degree pivot. There I go again, just pointing now, not talking. Bun is smiling.

Driving into Burns was interesting, but I did not recognize it much, even though I lived there for six months, many years ago. We ended up staying in a half burned hotel. The Days Inn said it was $120 for two night stay. We were shocked when we were charged $255. No amount of negotiations would change their charges. I had two days of visiting with my COPD-challenged brother. We talked about the past and our family, “his” Mother was central to most discussions.  As we we left town,  we stopped to have breakfast and great visit with Pens’ sister and Louie, her bro-in-law.

Our next stay was with Pens friends from many years back in Amity, Oregon. Now, living in LaPine, we spent the night with another great visit, with tales from our pasts, travel stories, and common interest of ours and their retirement accomplishments. Their home was so welcoming and interesting in the middle of the woods.

A family BBQ was next up, in Redmond, with my niece and nephews and their families. What fun, boisterous conversation and travel lore was shared, again. Somehow, they thought we were vegetarian. Not sure how that rumor got started! Thank goodness for chicken, and no veggie burgers!