Hwy 395, Mammoth Lakes, Hot Springs, Tioga Pass

Mammoth Lakes....you climb and climb to each lake. The first lakes, Twin Lakes, have a canal connecting them. The wind was fierce! You could barely stand up! Screaming down the canyon. It was wonderful. On up to Lake Mamie and Lake Mary. There was a large area of dead trees at one end of Lake Mary. The water level had dropped 75' which is supposedly natural. The trees were killed by co2 emmissions from the lake. Not natural. Eerie to see. Mammoth Creek begins around Lake Mamie and travels down the mountain, across 395 and there is a section of Hot Springs. The springs are no longer accessible because the temperature has risen, geysers have begun, and are unpredictable. But we were able to get to them and take pictures. Owens Valley is truly amazing. Mammoth Creek continues on and empties into the Owens River which then feeds Crowley Lake. A fantastic visual lesson in geology. You stand there and look up at the Sierras which loom above you. Turn around and it is wide open valley. Back on the road north. Heading to Mono Lake. Mono Lake is a nesting area for seagulls! Imagine all those seagulls from the Pacific flying over the Sierras to nest! The road across Tioga Pass (Hwy 120), through Yosemite, turns off 395 at Mono Lake. We stopped and bought a loaf of Sheepherders bread....yummmm and headed up. Tioga Pass is only open in the summer. You could still see some snow up high. The pass at the summit is 9,4oo feet. The lakes are crystal clear and blue as the sky. There is a place where you can see Half Dome in the distance.

The rock formations look like someone took a trowel and smoothed them out. Then there are boulders just sitting here and there, as if someone said, oh, that rock would look nice there! The trees and formations thru the pass are spectacular. We emerged on the west side and took a fun, winding, switchback road down. Spent the night in Oakdale and up early the next morning heading for San Francisco! We stopped at one of our favorite tourist shops on Fisherman's Wharf and bought 2 for $24 fleece jackets! Had nary a jacket with us and figured we needed them. We did! Hallelujah!!!! Had a great lunch, went to another favorite stop, The Buena Vista, for famous Irish Coffees to go! On to 101 north, over the fabulous Golden Gate Bridge, heading to Sonoma County, to see friends, the redwoods, music, the river, bay leaf trees, the mouth of the Russian River at Jenner, Goat Rock. We arrived at Terri & Keith's in Healdsburg, about 2:30 and the communing with friends began! Keith greeted us, Terri was still in LA at that time, Ron & Marilyn came over. We were home! The next day was hanging out with the above, music in the town square in Healdsburg, dancing, food and fun! On Thursday we all gathered at the Windsor Town Green for music and dancing! Lou and his friend, Colleen, came up from San Francisco to join all of us! The band, The Heartbeats, was fantastic! If you ever have a chance to see them...go! They are a cover band, complete with costumes! Very danceable and fun! We all went back to Terri & Keith's for swimming and the hot tub! Not a lot of sleep that night! On Saturday we headed for Guerneville via Eastside Road. I lived in Guerneville and on the Russian River for 10 years. It was great to be back home. It's a place which touches my soul. We went to Monte Rio to see if the Pink Elephant bar was still there. It was! Then up Bohemian Highway to THE Bohemian Grove. The "spook" place. Spook as in "those people". If you don't know about the Bohemian Grove....google it. Your skin will crawl. We drove into the parking lot and turned around. Don't want to have to answer any questions to those people. Back on Hwy 116/River road out to the coast. We ventured out to Goat Rock first, drove down the dirt road to Marilyn's old house. It was part of a radar station during WWII. Then down to the beach. It was a bright, clear, windy, beautiful day! The Russian River empties there. In the winter, when it rains 50-75 inches the river floods, and widens the opening. All kinds of driftwood piles up. Back in the day people would build makeshift dwellings out of the huge pieces of trees. Can't do that anymore....like so many other things. One of the highlights of our visit was all the political talk! Each of us supporting the other and offering any new information! Very energizing! The spiritual and political climate of the River area is so comforting! Like minded people everywhere...even the air! We went out to Jenner for a drink at the River's End. And a look at the mouth of the River from the north side. Big ole fat seals sunning on the beach. We stopped at the Blue Heron, in Duncan's Mills, where I used to work. Absolutely the most wonderful job I ever had. Bartending is still my favorite thing to do. She is closed right now, but I met the new owner and we had a great talk. I was able to share about the good ole days. He remembers it and wants to bring it back. Wahoooo! Should reopen in September...or so. He is committed!A mention of the weather-foggy first thing and cool,60 or so.Fog burns off around 10 leaving crystal clear blue skies,warming to 80 or so.cooling in the evening to the mid 50's with a bazillion stars.Perfect.Drove up to the top of Fitch Mt. in Healdsburg for the meteor shower with Ron & keith-took wine and medicinal Mary Jane,laid on our backs in the parking lot with our heads on the curb to avoid neck strain.Fabulous show till we got actually cold,also mightily stoned.Rest of the week passed with the return of Pat(remember her?),trips to Cazadero and Guerneville,picking blackberries and plums and making jam,generally hanging out and wine and more wine plus cheese.GOOD cheese,Ron.Enough for now.