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Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

roadhound

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  1. One of the main roads through Death Valley National Park is California Highway 190 running from Olancha and US 395 on the west to Death Valley Junction to the east. Along its 131 mile route it passes the constantly irrigated dry lakebed of Owens Lake, over the southern tip of the Inyo Mountains, descends the Argus Range into and across the Panamint Valley, veers northeast over the Panamint Range and into Death Valley before turning southeast and passing through Furnace Creek and exiting Death Valley. In addition to having the distinction of being the lowest road in North America at 282 feet below sea level as it passes through Badwater in Death Valley it also could be the hottest road in North America. As CA 190 enters the western side of Death Valley National Park there is a geographic feature identified on the topo maps as "Rainbow Canyon". The three mile long canyon is a mere 1500 feet wide at the top with 1000 foot tall walls of reds, greys, and pinks that some compare to the Star Wars planet of Tatooine. Pilots that fly through the canyon compare it to the trench that Luke flew on the Death Star in his X-Wing fighter with one difference being that the canyon isn't surrounded by laser cannons but rather Nikons and Canons. The Father Crowley Vista Point (36°21'6.92"N 117°33'2.05"W) sits on the south side of the canyon towards its western end and is a good place to stop, take a comfort break, and get a good view of the canyon. If your lucky you will be standing near someone with a scanner set to a frequency of 315.9 and you will hear the call of a pilot at the Olancha waypoint requesting clearance to the Jedi Transition heading east to Star Wars Canyon. As you look along the canyon to both sides you notice small groups gathered on the hillsides, all excitedly looking west. Soon you notice a small dot pop up over the hillside and quickly descend, growing larger, and heading toward the canyon's western end. As it continues descending into the canyon, its form now readily apparent, the small groups gathered on the hillside raise their telephoto lenses and follow the object, capturing pixels by the gigabyte, as the aircraft passes below them with the sound of afterburners echoing off the canyon's wall. Military pilots know the route between Olancha and a location east of Panamint Springs as the "Jedi Transition". The area around Rainbow Canyon, and Death Valley in general, is known to be the most dense flight-test complex in the world, with aircraft from Edwards AFB, NAWS China Lake, Plant 42, Mojave airport, Nellis AFB, NAS Lemoore, MCAS Miramar and the Fresno Air National Guard Base all using the restricted air space for training and testing. Aircraft as diverse as F-16 & F-18 fighters to B-1 bombers to C-17 Globemaster transports have all been spotted making runs through the canyon. As target rich of an environment as it might sound for the aviation enthusiast it can also be frustrating, and possibly dangerous if you venture outside the parking area. Rattlesnakes are not uncommon in the dry rocky terrain and between the months of April and September temperatures well above 100 degrees, and sometimes close to 120, are common. The best time of year, from a temperature perspective, is between October and March. It's also possible that you could find yourself hiking out to a prime location and sitting all day with no aircraft flying by no matter what time of year you go. A VX-9 Vampire F/A-18F Super Hornet out of China Lake NWS in low level flight through Star Wars Canyon. Royal Danish Air Force F-16 in low level flight through Star Wars Canyon Royal Danish Air Force F-16 crew gives a wave as they exit Star Wars Canyon. Air crews from the Denmark Air Force were based at Nellis AFB as they transitioned to the F-35 Lightning II. Roadhound
  2. Dave, The location of the abandoned inspection station is a section of Route 66 between Dagget and Newberry Springs that was in use between 1928 and 1972. I have read that the inspection station was closed in 1967 but would have been closed for sure in 1972 when I-40 bypassed that section of Route 66. This is the third and final Inspection Station that was built in Daggett. Its predecessor operated from 1930 until 1953 and was the one featured in the 1940 film version of The Grapes of Wrath. The Joad's traveled this section of roadway at night in order avoid the heat. Today the agriculture inspection station along I-40 is 140 miles further east between Needles and the Colorado River\Arizona border. The photos actually posted on the forum in the reverse order of what I wanted them to be. The second photo was composed to emphasize the approach to the station where you reduce your speed, move off the highway, follow the signs into an open lane, and do a mental inventory of any fruits or vegatables you have with you while you work your way up the queue. When in operation I would think that there would have been cones to help guide you in addition to the painted roadway signage. The first photo was composed to show the point where you would be greeted by the agricultural inspector with the highway waiting on the other side. There was some extra processing work in Lightroom and Photoshop necessary to balance the exposure due to the difference of the light levels in the shadows and the desert in the background. Both photos were shot looking west in the early afternoon and you can see by the shadows that the sun was in front of me, creating an additional exposure challenge for the background and a challenge to adjust the contrast to my liking (which I wasn't able to do). Roadhound
  3. Great story Dave! Whenever I see a California Ag Inspection Station it serves as a reminder that I'm a day's drive or less from home and that my journey is nearly over. I've never had any hassles though and have always been waived right through. At one inspection station in the Mojave Desert I didn't even get a waive and by the looks of it I would bet it's been a long time since anybody has been pulled to the side there for a Peruvian plum. Rick
  4. Dave, I appreciate your discretion in not revealing the location of this gem of a time capsule. Too many times I have traveled to what I hope is an intact ghost town only to find that it has already been ransacked and tagged by vandals, especially true in California. Places like this are disappearing fast. Rick
  5. I recently returned from camping trip with my daughter and son near Florence and during one of our day trips we ventured north on 101 to the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area. While we where there we checked out the tidepools at low tide and then waited until later in the afternoon to view the spectacle of Thor's Well and other features that become active as the tide comes in. Cape Perpetua is a few miles south of Yachats and easy to miss if you're in a hurry. It's fantastic views from the visitors center and paved trails are worth a stop if you are passing through the area. The ocean's water rushing back into Thor's Well. Churning tidal action as the sea makes it's way down a chasm on the shoreline. US 101 passes over Cooks Chasm
  6. That is a trip I hope to make someday. Thanks for sharing that usroadman.
  7. Dave, Since you asked... The road trip east to Santa Fe was a good one even if much of the 1100 miles driven was on the Interstates. We left the Bay Area and headed down I-5, cutover to 99 at Shafter, made a left at Bakersfield before heading over the Tehachapis to Barstow and I-40. We ended the first day in Kingman with dinner at the El Palacio on Andy Devine Drive, a favorite of ours. Day 2 started with the news that a large earthquake had occurred in Napa overnight, which is 30 miles from our home, and after checking with my son to confirm that our house was still standing we continued east on I-40 to Flagstaff were picked up picnic supplies at the Fry's grocery story before continuing east to Two Guns where we ate our lunch poolside. When traveling I take my family to the nicest places. After lunch we proceeded to Winslow, drove past the corner of West 2nd and North Kinsley and stopped at the La Posada Hotel to look around. The architecture and gardens are worth the time. We stopped in Holbrook for the day but I wasn't done yet. Leaving my wife and daughter at the Motel I proceeded to find my way to the Painted Desert Trading Post, another of the "must see" items on my list. That story is HERE. On Day 3 we only went as far as Gallup but we did take a side trip onto the Navajo Reservation and did some hiking in Canyon de Chelly. On Day 4 we drove a lot of Route 66 blacktop between Gallup and Albuquerque before making a left at Albuquerque and north to Santa Fe. While in Santa Fe we were busy setting my daughter up in her dorm and all the other things freshmen parents have to do but in addition to La Bajada we did make it north to Taos and stopped at the Rio Grande Bridge on US 64. On the return trip west we followed US 550 (with a stop at Chaco Canyon), US 64, and US 160 finally rejoining I-40 at Flagstaff and then back the way we had come. Ancient Doorway in Chaco Canyon Much of what this particular trip was about was getting my daughter to college, which was an emotional ordeal for us all. All along the way I kept hearing the voice of OPP (Over-Protective-Parent) screaming "DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOUR DOING?", "YOU CAN"T JUST LEAVE HER THERE!!!", and "YOU HAVE DUCT TAPE IN YOUR TOOL KIT, YOU CAN JUST TAKE HER BACK HOME!!!". Fortunately I took enough side trips and stopped at enough places that I was interested in to keep OPP from getting out of control. Roadhound http://rick-pisio.fineartamerica.com
  8. Hey Dave, It was on my list for a long time too and when my daughter got accepted to a college in Santa Fe one of the first things I did was figure out how to get to La Bajada. I am still trying to figure out how to pay for her education but that is a discussion for a different forum. It is fairly easy to get to the base of the hill but approaching the road from the top is a bit of a challenge and not something I would recommend in a sedan. There are a few sections of the dirt road on the upper plateau that are deeply rutted where high clearance is needed. If you happen to be there in monsoon season a 4x4 is almost a necessity. I approached from the top and hiked down and back up the hill. Although the temptation to drive down the road was there I was by myself and did not feel like shredding my new tires on the basalt. When I go out there in the spring I plan on exploring the Route 66 alignment down the hill. Hope you get to make it out there someday. Rick
  9. A few months ago while on a road trip through Santa Fe I took the time to walk the pre-1924 alignment of the the La Bajada Grade. The challenges of the La Bajada escarpment date back to the Spanish settlement of New Mexico and the Camino Real and posed a formidable challenge to transportation along the Rio Grande Valley. In 1909 work started on the roadbed and cuts were made into the solid basalt caprock. Retaining walls built of dry masonry where built to stabilize the roadbed. The project was heralded as an engineering wonder along New Mexico’s Scenic Highway that soon became a part of the National Old Trails Road Ocean-to-Ocean Highway. In 1924 the road was realigned along the upper slopes of the escarpment. With the creation of the federal highway system in 1926, this improved roadway became a part of the U.S. 66 and U.S. 85 alignment. The alignment remained a part of the highway system until 1931 when a new alignment was completed along a gentler slope three miles to the south. Roadhound
  10. In August I took a trip across Arizona and into New Mexico to drop my daughter off in Santa Fe to start her freshman year of college. Along the way I was able to do a little bit of road exploration and reached a destination that had been on my radar for a number of years. Full story is on my blog page HERE Roadhound
  11. This is as close as I was able to get and I took the picture from 150 feet away from inside the cab of my truck and my father leaning forward in the passenger seat while I discreetly held my telephoto lens behind his back. No, not paranoid at all. Rick
  12. Looks like it was a worthwhile road trip. That was too bad about the Goodyear Cutoff. That is on my bucket list of roads to drive that I will probably never have the chance to do, especially if the Air Force is there to muck things up.
  13. Last posting from this trip. Mobius Arch is probably the most well known of the arches in the Alabama Hills. I found it to be very photogenic so photographed it at sunset, at midnight under the full moon, and sunrise. Blog posting is HERE Roadhound out
  14. Nearly at the end of this journey. Last stop, Alabama Hills. How often do you get to use the words "biotite monzogranite"? Full blog posting is HERE Roadhound
  15. Denny, the log in requirement was not intentional but a consequence of trying to stop spam. Thanks for letting me know. I made a change and it should work in the future.
  16. Back on 395 now and heading south just past the small town of Independence. Ironically, 6 miles south of Independence is a place that is testament to how fragile our civil liberties are. Complete blog posting is HERE Roadhound
  17. On the way back to 395 from the Eureka Dunes I took a side trip and climbed up into the White Mountains to see the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. The road was closed 2 miles from the grove so I left my truck at the gate and hoofed it up the rest of the way. To get to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine forest you follow CA 168 to White Mountain Road. Total driving distance is 23 miles but from the top of the mountain you can see 395 in the valley below. The trees in this grove are old. One tree in particular, The Hatch Tree, has been confirmed to be 5063 years old and is the oldest known non-clonal organism. Link to BLOG Roadhound
  18. The Eureka Dunes are indeed at the very north end of the park. The first time that I went to the Eureka Dunes we went out the north end of Death Valley near where Ubehebe Crater and Scotty's Castle is. This time around, coming in from Big Pine, was a much easier drive.
  19. The next chapter in my journey took me off of 395 for a day, through the Inyo Mountains, and into the Eureka Valley. Although it's a 46 mile drive from 395 I feel that the Eureka Eureka Dunes are part of the landscape that makes the US 395 corridor unique. Getting there was not as challenging as I had remembered although the last few miles just before arriving at the dunes was a bit rough. Blog posting is HERE Western side of the Eureka Dunes. Wildflowers, Eureka Dunes, and the Last Chance Range Amazing what can survive in the desert. Roadhound
  20. Thanks MGA, I wouldn't go so far as to say that Mono Lake has recovered. It's definitely better than it has been in the past but a complete recovery will be measured in geologic time. I compared the water level in some of the photos that I took 7 years ago and the water is now 2 to 3 feet lower than it was back then and there will be minimal runoff from the mountains this year with lots of evaporation between now the next chance for snowfall. The marsh areas have been severely damaged because of both the low water level and the diversion of the creek runoff that should flow through them. Also, the forested areas that once existed are now completely gone. The more I read about it the more I realize that it's not just the level of the water that's important but also the areas around the lake that feed into it, the entire ecosystem. The whole basin that the lake sits in needs to be healthy for the lake itself to be healthy. I think Bodie is a neat place as well but didn't go there on this trip because it was still closed for the winter even though there was no snow to be seen. Roadhound
  21. Next installment takes us further south on 395 past June Lake and Mammoth Lakes to a small body of water known as Convict Lake. The lake is nestled in the mountains about 3 miles east of 395 and known for its fishing. The name really doesn't match the lakes scenic beauty but there is an interesting story behind the name. Ready the full story HERE. Roadhound
  22. Dave, The good news is that I think we are talking about different stores along the main drag in Bridgeport. The store I was referring to was on the west side of the courthouse. The bad news is that I cannot confirm that the sporting goods and grocery store that was there for you 50+ years ago still exists. I would have been a toddler at that time and I can tell you for certain that things do change. Rick
  23. Dave, Was the Sport Shop and Grocery on the north side of town just before you leave Bridgeport? I was in there a couple of years ago while we were passing through on our way to Utah but I noticed this time around that it was closed. Mono Lake does look like it is healthy. At least its not Owens Lake. The water level is roughly 12 feet lower than it should be but the last two years with a low snowpack hasn't helped things. The land bridge to Negit Island has not yet reappeared but I suspect that it may by the end of the summer or next year for sure if the Sierra's have another dry winter. Below are the next set of photos to finish of the Mono Lake part of the journey. As always they can also be found on my blog. Blue Moonrise. This was taken from the north shore of the lake not far from where I camped for the night. The lava dome in the center is Negit Island. Night time on Mono Lake. The moon was full and woke me up at around 3:30 in the morning. Instead of moving to the other side of my truck bed and back to sleep I instead drove around to the south side of the lake and shot the tufas using nothing but moonlight. Sunrise. A great way to start the day. Next stop: the site of the 1871 incident where a Wells Fargo agent was shot while rounding up a group of escaped prisoners. Roadhound
  24. Dave, I do remember your history with the area and it was something that crossed my mind while I was out there. I recall some of the old black and white photos that you have previously posted. The area continues to change and it surprised me how much of 395 south of Lee Vining is now a 4 lane highway. On this trip my route to Mono Lake was from the north having passed over the Sierra's on CA 88 and CA 89. The descent on CA 89 down onto 395 was pretty spectacular and nerve wracking at the same time. The one thing that may have been scarier than the descent onto 395 was the lack of snow in the Sierra's in mid April. I chose the route because I didn't think snow would be a problem but I was amazed at how dry the mountains were, it looked like summer. I did make one stop before getting to Mono Lake which was in Bridgeport and paid $4.92 a gallon for gas, highest I have ever paid for a gallon of gas. I did venture further south on 395 and will be posting some of those photos in the coming days\weeks. Rick
  25. In April I took a short, 4 day, road trip to the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Range to photograph some of the natural beauty that spring can bring to that part of the world. My first stop was at Mono Lake where I explored the northern shore and camped at the end of a dirt road. The night was cold, the moon was full, and the coyote's howled, it was all good. In any event, I thought I would create a thread to share some of the photos taken on that short journey. U.S. 395 was the road I followed through the area but many, make that almost all, of the photos required getting off of the highway for a short time. Mono Lake can be seen from the highway and for many it's just a place to pull out on the side of the road and enjoy the view for a few minutes. To really get a feel for how unique the lake is you need to walk the shoreline with the alkali flies scattering in the sand before you and hear the coyotes howling at the full moon. These photos and more can be found on my blog page. More to come. Roadhound
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