Fall Colors are Really Happenin’

Thursday (Oct 12)

In my peculiar way of doing things, I am not super sure I’m going to leave today, so I just start getting ready and see how it goes. With my usual dawdling I start the van around 3 pm, by the time I return books and get my sandwich, I am really starting around 3:30. Maps tells me I should get to Buckeye around 5:30.

Driving past Topaz Lake (no time for steak & eggs special today ): I noticed more than last time the miles of charred hills from the fire last month. As I write this the nightmare is still happening in Sonoma/Napa, so the recently burned-out hills down to the lake from the casino all the way to the Monitor Pass road (Route 104) are upsetting.

Whatever they were halting traffic for in Antelope Valley two weeks ago isn’t done yet, and they don’t stop work at 4:30. A little after than I found myself in the middle of a 40-car backup waiting to go, then in the middle of a 40-car moving traffic jam after. Crafty veteran that I am, I stopped for a pee break to let them all go away and had a much more pleasant drive thereafter.

This morning I called Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest to find out if Chris Flat is open. It is not. I know they have a lot of responsibilities and a ridiculous budget. but IMO, it’s National Forest malpractice to close that campground right before the three-ish weeks of peak fall colors and peak fall fishing. It’s run by a fucking concessionaire, but the forest service could take it over for winter operation. grrrrr! What that means this particular night is another 40 minutes of highway and six miles of narrow gravel road to Buckeye.

I opted for the more direct but much bumpier and dustier gravel road offf 395 a few miles north of town. My lovely van is not great on rough roads, but it made me feel good to cut off the miles, and the panoramas of the Bridgeport Valley were awesome enough to stop me dead in my tracks 4-5 times. I saw not a single car until the hot springs pull-off, so I could stop in the road wherever I wanted!

This area on the bluffs above the creek is so excellent. A little more crowded that usual, but I find a spot on the edge with privacy and quiet, so I am very content. Sit in my chair and watch the sunset through the trees and freeze my ass off a little. [This will be a theme over the next few days.]

Friday

This is quite a busier place when I emerge (late) in the morning than it was last night. A mini-schoolbus arrived around dark, and from the hubbub and headlights in the trees, another car or two arrived later. It all seems to be one large party, the three cars and many tents at the other end of the mesa that were there when I got here, plus two more cars and the bus, in-filling the space between me and the original folks with tents and cars and a bus and even a couple of people. Very few people actually, making me think the hot springs are a very busy place! Whatever, I’m outta here.

Sportsman Bar & Grill: wifi and my now-traditional mushroom-Swiss burger. Burger+fries with coffee is a perfectly good substitute for my usual breakfast of something like sausage+eggs and coffee. This place has kind of a “restaurant at the end of the universe” vibe to it, all manner of 395 weirdos wash up here if you stay a while … Kind of like Nicely’s in Lee Vining, but I find this place less aesthetically degrading than Nicely’s. Nicely’s is pretty awful, IMO.

After brunching I took my time heading south. I took lots pf pictures in the ever-so-photogenic valley at the Virginia Lakes turnoff. That’s what I’m here for, right?

I’m feeling very leisurely, so next stop was to make the short drive over to Mono Lake County Park. I did not walk the boardwalk this time. It really only takes you to a half-mile mile from the edge of the lake. I know that walk and it’s kind of meh. What I deeply love about the park is the little tree-lined brook running through deep, green grass at the edge of the playground. I had a little epiphany (that I’ve had before), that these little year-round glorified ditches that exist here in the Eastern Sierra are like balm to my soul.

No stop in Lee Vining today, straight on to the June Lake Loop. Did not stop to admire leaves, or for anything. If I am to get a spot at Silver Lake tonight, better go straight there and nail it down.

As luck would have it, I got the last or second to last place! It is close to the road and not very private, but it’s got a great view of the mountains and is pretty close to the lake. As mentioned last time, I am not a fan of the new June Lake regime of having to sign in with the camp host. This camp host and I did not hit it off. I think because she was a stressed-out biatch. I’m sure she would have a different reason … but that’s over now and I am registered and can get on with my hike!

I had a very nice walk: first dawdle around the lake shore, then follow another one of those little year-round creeks up from the lake, across the road, into the trailer park. Then back to the lake shore to the far east end of the campground, where I discovered a horse trail that parallels the road going east, then crosses it down into one of the super-photogenic aspen groves one sees from the road. A nice little walk that got me to darkness, and no moon this seem so sunset = really dark.

Saturday

Another very cold one: temperatures at dawn: 39° inside, 16° outside. 16°! By the time I got myself moving the temp was about 50° It’s hard to leave, so I sit in my chair and soak up the sun and the excellent alpine vista till noon, checkout time. Then hop in the van and head for coffee. All the usual aspen-color spots were swarming with camera-clicking tourists. I kinda felt above all the hubbub, so I just kept going.

At Looney Beans I got the last bear claw! It’s gonna be a great day! Thence to Salsa! for a chile verde burrito. Very good, but they’re meals are huge. I had that too-full feeling for the next few hours.

Thence to Von’s for what turned out to be a liquids-only shopping trip:a gallon of water, a liter of water, three pints of milk, and three twelve-packs of Sierra Nevada beer!!! On sale for $11.99 is a mighty good price, so I got my usual Torpedo, plus Oktoberfest, which is very good this year, plus a bonus twelve-pack of Hop Hunter, which I like very much but haven’t seen for a few months – since last winter I guess. That’s a lot of beer, but it gives me a feeling of abundance :). and I certainly will drink every last one eventually. My work is done here, so off to:

A minute after I pulled into a spot that looked pretty good, I realized I’ve stayed here before! It is close to Convict Creek and has a lovely view across the little canyon. You can hear the burbling creek very well. The downside of the spot eventually becomes apparent, namely that the RV dump station is right across the canyon, and basically at eye level with me. So even though the dump station is a two mile drive to up the canyon, across the dam, over and down, it is right there, 200 unobstructed yards away. I didn’t like it in the evening, but it’s a little entertaining in the morning, to lay in bed and watch the never-ending line of retired couples stretching their legs, looking around, then emptying their poop.

On my stay last month I circumambulated the lake wearing myself out pretty thoroughly. Nothing so strenuous this time, but I had a great little walk down to the creek, up the road to the marina, all the way down the south side of the lake to the end of the picnic area and back. The leaves are maybe 4-5 days past prime.

There was a wedding earlier. Two clues: the rows of chairs by the lake (and a couple of stray programs left there) and the fact that young folks in suits and gowns were walking down the road to the Resort. That’s pretty hard core on their part. I’m surprised they didn’t work out some kind of shuttle, but I commend them for it!

Also, there are tons of Chinese. Also some other kinds of Asians, and some Nordic/Teutonic folks, and even a few Americans! But well over half of all the scenery admirers up at the lake were Chinese. Twenty years ago they would have been Japanese. I commend all of them for wanting to come see the fall foliage.

Cold again, but not cold enough to form ice in my water bottle, as it was the first night.