Eastern California The high plains of the siErra nEvadas
This is such a beautiful
area of the country. It isn't an area that gets as much attention as others but it is stunning. Of course, Yosemite National Park is a huge attraction but most people don't have the area around the east entrance on their radar and Bridgeport, CA is just 30 minutes from that entrance.
We arrived by way of Reno, Nevada and headed to Bridgeport. It is a small town of just 500-600 residents. It's a tiny western town which makes you realize that the towns you saw in Western movies really do exist and they look essentially the same, with a little less dirt and a little more paint.
Bodie Ghost Town
There are a lot of areas to see. One of those places was Bodie.
It was a 13 mile drive off the highway on a nicely paved curving road with the last 3 miles being a dirt road. I would really like to know why they stopped paving 3 miles from the end. Was it to give visitors the full affect of 1880? Bodie, California was a gold mining boom town from 1877 to 1880. In 1880, it was the second largest city in California. From then on the city was in decline until a boy started a fire and burned down 90% of the town. That pretty much finished it. We were told that so many possessions were left behind because there was a tax on the weight of all cargo leaving the town so it was cheaper to leave their things behind and rebuy them rather than to pay tax and move them.
A drive through the country, on the way to Virginia Lake, ended when we encountered a snow drift covering the road. It was still great to get off the highway and see the beautiful country side.
We met one of the family members of the Hunewill Ranch. She was the head cook and said they prepared meals for 100 every day. Great gal. Really enjoyed meeting her. They have a beautiful ranch.
Mono Lake
Another area attraction,Mono Lake. Dinner at the Mona Lake Inn had great views over the saline lake. The only life in the lake is said to be brine shrimp. We were also told that the lake was deeper at one time but when water was diverted for Los Angeles, the lake revealed the tufa formations.
Mono Lake Tufas
Yosemite National Park
A couple of days driving into Yosemite National Park. When you enter from the east, you go up to 10,000 feet in altitude and the scenery if so striking. Before even entering the park.
Sunset at Tuolome Meadows
