Interlude/Mono Lake

11/25/08
After two nights in a Fresno Motel I spent eight days at my sister's house in Santa Cruz, where I slept in a bed, ate meat, and watched crime and medical dramas on TV. I was soon able to recognize House, Bones, and many of the people involved with Law & Order. I also walked along the beach and went downtown, which features a real bookstore. I’m a little embarrassed to admit I helped a bookseller out in a section she wasn’t so knowledgeable about. I had planned on going to San Francisco but I since I found Santa Cruz too overwhelming I figured the Bay Area would be well beyond the limits of my central nervous system. It would have to be another trip.

On my way out of civilization I spent an afternoon at the Haggin Museum in Stockton and another at the Crocker Museum in Sacramento to see some Bierstadts, Hills and Keiths, among other things. The museums entailed two more nights in motels, making 12 straight nights in a bed. I was starting to fear bedsores. But soon enough I was back over Luther and Monitor passes and revisiting the endlessly fascinating Mono Lake in gorgeous temperatures. The afternoon was spectacular but the sun was low by 2:30 PM. Got a good camping tip from the Visitors Center and headed to the South Tufa area for dinner and outlandish sunset skies. Then out to the campsite, free and quiet and dark. Temperatures that night dropped into the teens, just at the limit of my sleeping bag and the coldest night I would sleep in the entire trip. Up early taking pictures at South Beach, winter snow appearing on the high peaks.

tufa

Then down to Bishop where I camped for $2 at BLM’s Pit CG, once a gravel pit and now a gravel-pit-looking place with tents. I spent a thoroughly lovely afternoon amid backpack tents but no people. In late afternoon dusk they straggled back in, climbers. Still pretty quiet. Many, like me, remained in their vehicles reading by headlamp. Morning again was clear and cold. I stopped at the bookstore café in Bishop and said hi to Cat. She let me use her laptop. I got her email and said I would send her updates but I never did. I do seem to be missing a vital networking gene. Down to Lone Pine and east on Highway 136, new territory now., toward Death Valley.