Another full day, today roughly 7 hours on the road with many stops along the way being in awe of my surroundings. Not to many others on the road, just me and the critters, no music, just alone with my thoughts.
The day started with a diner American breakfast which was rather tasty … Mel’s Diner, worth a stop for anyone passing through Beatty. I was joined by Simone and her adorable 5 month old daughter, Eveangeline.
With the goodbyes and hugs, with a promise to keep in touch, it was time to hit the road.
Words definitely cannot describe the beauty of my travels so here are just some pics of what I captured along the way.
Here, some ruins in the middle of nowhere. I stopped to understand what on earth was here at this place, a long way from anywhere. This is Palametto, it took a couple of go’s to get it up and running in early 1900s, but there is very little of anything to keep it going so the town died a natural death!
Crossing the border, and soon realised a few miles down the road, after a wee tiny town in the boonies, that I was back in Nevada. The next border I crossed, it was manned where I had to stop, first time and of course I stopped on the wrong lane. I was asked of I was allergic to bees which I thought a little odd, only to find out that there were bees everywhere. It was a truck transporting bees, and there were a ton of them that had hitched a ride. Bazaar to say the least.
The views stunning
A tank with the words “we miss you already” which at the time we I was talking with my CSC Family and thought it fitting.
On the way to Lee Vinings via Benton. A gasoline stop with the slowest filling pump ever. And the steak sandwich took forever, so this is slow town!
Lost in thought, I started to imagine how it would have been without cars, just cowboys and Indians, the Calvary, how long it would have taken them to get around with the landscape at times beautiful, but I can imagine harsh in Winter and Summer times. Kind of hard to imagine when I’m traveling around 130km an hour, on very good roads, well maintained considering there is not a lot around except space.
Dinner tonight with my hosts from the AirB&B place that I am staying at tonight, ready for my adventures of Yosemite National Park. I decided on Mammoth Tavern, and bumped into Kristen and Cliff. They very kindly shared a Salmon Potato Skin (bloody beautiful), I ordered the Shepherds Pie being something that wasn’t bread, finished off with a couple of mouthfuls of Pumpkin Cheesecake, deliciousness!
Highly recommend Kristen and Cliff’s B&B place if you are ever in the Mammoth Lakes area. A very cosy, clean, funky place, and Kristen and Cliff make sure that you are all comfortable!
Thanks Kristen and Cliff for making my stay a pleasant one in this part of the world! Keep in touch!
That’s all from Me today. Tomorrow Yosemite National Park and back into San Francisco.
Sharon Tunley 