M to M

Last nights heavy fog meant the fireworks were pretty much just big bangs in the dark, i'm sure they would have been good as there were 20 minutes of banging but speaking to locals wonder just how many fog free nights there are here. At least we got a local 3 piece blues band "The Deakins" as entertainment, can't complain as they did a great "Little Red Rooster" as well as many other classics. Having come here worried all i'd hear was rap have been very happy to have been proved wrong (car radio reception is rubbish so my solitary cd is getting hit hard - yep yet another album i know backwards - but when i do fluke a station its pretty much a Gold clone so good while it lasts). Interestingly the main radio ads are for the California State Fair in a fortnight with Bob Dylan, Aerosmith & Stevie Nicks as the main acts (just how much would that be worth for a ticket back home?), the other main ones being for Kevin Costner singing (i'm serious it is the actor his career must have made a bad wrong turn) at the local Indian Casino. Anyway that's me wandered off subject, really needed that heater last night (summer by the bay ??) and again when i awoke the mist had rolled back in (doubt it actually left). By the time i left -10:30 - the temperature had climbed to 60 (15) and visibility still terrible a shame as this next part would be the US answer to the Great Ocean Road. San Simeon i couldnt resist my first chance to get out the car and walk along the beach, wild, windswept and too misty for a decent picture. Next stop had to be the 124 roomed Randolph Hearst castle of the same (until now say San Simeon to me and my first thought is the WA pacer of the early 80's winner of his first 31? starts, my second thought would be an expensive block of apartments of similar vintage in Golden Four Drive Tugun) . Considering the number of houses i had inspected of late it was easy to resist paying $24 to inspect one not in my price range so was happy to view at a distance and watch the film of it. Back on hwy 1 and more sea glimpses through the mist and then a "must see" the Elephant Seal colony, massive beasts moulting, fighting and generally being seals (apparently not quite as big as ours). From then on awesome scenery as we approached Big Sur but a combination of that damn mist, insufficient places to turn off and view and heavy tourist traffic meant i didnt quite get satisfaction. By Monterey my back had had enough of my drivers seat (the Corolla isn't a bad car to drive but the last 3 days 100 to 200 miles is all the back could comfortably handle), so simply followed the traffic off the freeway till eventually i stumbled upon a cheapish motel. Spent the next 5 hours walking around the place north to the imagitively named town of Seaside and then all the way into the centre of town via the beach. Great surf, good wide sand but still struggling to hit 60 temperaturewise or a metre visibilitywise !. Heaps of historic buildings but of course the one that attracts my attention has the sign "Chinese All you can eat $6.99" .

Summer by the bay?

Having left Bakersfield with the temperature over 80 at 8.30 the thought of a day somewhere by the ocean was one of the major thoughts on my mind. Guess the other thought should have been "How do i get out of here?", easily found the cheap petrol i'd spotted yesterday ($2.959 per gallon) but from there simply had to drive around till i found a sign pointing to Hwy 158 West (my map not being quite detailed enough). Eventually stumbled upon it, very much an ordinary road going through farms (first fruit trees then cattle then apparently rice). Crossed under the major freeway to LA (The I5) and then it was like being back in Australia (think Benalla or somewhere out on the Newell), according to the sign no services for 70 miles at the next town Santa Margaqita. Could've sworn i was back in Australia, hot weather, dry plains and rough winding roads and only two cars (both flew past me doing the limit) in that hour or so. According to my map i was near the sea but surrounding undulating hills gave no hints. A short stint on the freeway to San Bernadino and then off as soon as i see the sea mentioned. A place called Morro Bay, for quite a while all i could see was a misty, fog covered outcrop i was to learn later that this was Morro Rock a volcanic 500 foot high rock at the entrance to the bay seperating it from the Pacific Ocean. But where had the warm, sunny seaside weather gone?, the car was showing 60 degrees now and it was now blowing a cool wind as well as that mist. Beautiful little beach village but hard to imagine it's ever that warm as all the hotels advertise fireplaces. Shame there is such a great beach, big waves and wide stretch of sand but no beach weather. Have never seen such big seagulls (at least 3 times as big as ours) or big (fat i guess) squirrels (they hang around the eateries helping themselves to food with a cuteness a rat could never match). Undoubted highlight are the sea otters playing in family groups off the shore (how well photos of them will come up is another matter). Great fish and chips but mystified why they come as pieces rather than as a fillet. July 4th fireworks tonight over the bay should be worth seeing tonight (no matter what i may think of over the top US patriotism this will be my second for the week, there was a great display half way through Sunday nights gig although at the time i remember wondering whether it'd be Howie or David to break out into a Jimi Hendrix style Star Spangled Banner - disappointingly neither did). Possibly there were fireworks last night but wasn't confident enough they weren't gunshots to go and look. Finally the cold is gone, unfortunately replaced by hideously chafed lips from too much sun and wind on the high mountains.

So much like Australia

Ended up having a hard decision just which way i'd head but finally decided a circular trip was the way to go. The thought of a couple more days in Yosemite was so tempting but after Saturday's experience of the valley being 'shut' was a bit wary still no idea of the reason but if to do with crowds was likely to be even busier with Independence Day holiday and if to do with backburn forecast was for even hotter conditions. So after 5 nights at my Mammoth Lakes home away from home (www.sierralodge.com) it was off down Hwy 395 heading South, first big town Bishop and then worryingly next little town appeared to have all accommodation booked out (was assuming the reason being that the town was called Independence and seeing that the next day was July 4). By then more magnificent mountains were looming more precisely Mount Whitney (at 14,494 feet highest in continental USA), damn next visitor centre i'd have to stop and see what chance of getting up there (those people out there who know me well realise i'm a man of addictions - love the surge of adrenalin i get when racing, love the buzz of a good live concert, love being out in the bush just man and nature and with that last addiction an insatiable urge to reach the top of every big mountain i see - best explains why i'd enjoyed so much the previous 2 days between Mammoth Mountain, The Devils Postpiles, Ansel Adams Wilderness and Shari's gigs i'd found 2 out of 3 ingredients for my idea of bliss all now i needed was a race to compete in). Lone Pine visitor centre (at the end of Death Valley Rd - all that gave me an urge to come back some time and the Badwater Ultra even now it was 110 degrees), gave me the info i needed not good unfortunately only a certain number of hikers per day given a permit and that booked out months in advance. Possibly wondered whether i'd been out in the sun too long when he said it was an 8 to 10 hour walk (which i immediately countered with 'so i'd knock it off in 5 going by estimates of hike times i've done here so far'), nevertheless despite my inability to get what i wanted it was a fascinating Visitor Centre (you get this feeling one day i'd be back). Back on the road again, mountains to my right desert plains to my left felt just like i was back home but with better roads. One jet fighter overhead (just like Top Gun) was the most notable thing for the rest of this highway. Turn off to hwy 178 and different scenery big cactus type plants growing on steepsided mountainous desert (pictures explain better) then off into the Kern Valley (reminded me of Bright). Lunch at Mesa Creek (smaller the town the better the coffee and even stranger cheaper ?). From then on simply followed the narrow winding road (which follows the mighty Kern River) to Bakersfield. Town with a population of 300,000 (shame i didn't note that when drooling over all the $40 motel listings. Still very easy to find my way around with streets numbered 1 to 24 one way being crossed by streets lettered A to Z (okay i'm not sure how my motel is in Union St). Very cheap (and big) supermarket nearby (this may be explained by the fact it appears to be the Mexican area most signs are in Spanish ?, though at least the plethora of 'Bail bond places' have English signs as well. Looks like another hot day coming up so i'd be guessing the next stage of this trip will be seawards (even if it means dearer hotels).

Where's Kelvin

After 5 great days at Mammoth Lakes i'm off tomorrow, not really sure where next (have to be in SF on the 6th for the race on the 7th so inclined to go back through Yosemite and stay somewhere near the valley there but with July 4 holiday may be easier said than done). So not being confident of email access i should summarise the last two days. Couldn't think of a better way to spend my time, two brilliant days exploring the wilderness near Mammoth Mountain (elevation 11,053 feet well and truly at home at altitude now). By night i've been Number 1 Aussie fan (okay probably the only Aussie to have seen them - beware i now have a personally autographed CD) for the R & B band 'Shari Puorto & the Rhythm Addicts' www.bluesrockmusic.com a couple of great gigs at the ski village (5 minutes walk away - only sad note the Stones tribute band Hot Rocks are there in 2 weeks - do i really need to head back ?). Thankfully tonight was an early gig (finishing at 8 as there was also a kids talent contest) so after a yarn with the band (heading back to LA) and the local fill in guitarist Howie (would you believe an Ultra runner doing Leadville?) an early night and a good chance to update my blog (just how can there be 40 tv channels and nothing to watch ??).

Yosemite

A great nights sleep and another glorious day awaits. I'd sort of got used to the Sierra's cereal free continental breakfast narrowing my menu down to two toasted apple & cinnamon bagels with jam, two danish pastries, three glasses of orange juice and one cup of uniformly tasteless coffee pretty much a big meal early on simply because all being well come lunchtime i'd be in the middle of nowhere (well out in the wilderness of Yosemite). Unfortunately the day started off with a wrong turn, found Hwy 395 easy enough but first road sign i saw showed Bishop was 20 miles closer than when i started (so i was heading to LA instead of Yosemite). One detour and i was back on track, was shocked to be told Yosemite Valley was shut for 3.5 hours (still no idea whether this was Saturday overcrowding or some backburn issues), not really an issue as Tuolumme Meadows was todays destination. First stop Lembert Dome a massive exposed rock (9,450 feet), awesome views on the way up and then simply do it yourself trail to the rather suicidal top (who knows how Australia with its public liability woes would handle places like this!). Back to the bottom and in awe of rock climbers tackling the sheer 900 foot cliff face. Realised i was only a mile down the road from the campgrounds and, more importantly canvas restaurant. Best cappucino on the trip so far and a very good Chili as well as a yarn with a family travelling to Vegas for volleyball championships. Back to the dome car park and off to beautiful Dog Lake, after an idyllic paddle (and a lie down) decided i'd follow the Pacific Crest trail through some incredible scenery for an hour before turning back (forgive the gushing writing but only pictures - and i have heaps! - can express the beauty). Personal highlight foot long trout encountered on rather 'hairy' river crossing coming back via Pacific Crest trail, closely followed by seeing the rock climbers finally reaching the dome summit just before i left. Days don't get much better than this (well maybe they do if the next two days are anything to go by - explaining the lateness of this post).

Big day at Mammoth

As you'd expect from a town called Mammoth Lakes everything about this town is big being at 7,554 feet (at least 200 metres higher than Mt Kosi) thought i was best to adjust to the altitude by wandering around the town and picking up some maps. After lunch decided to head up to Inyo National Forest where the ski resort is (at 8,909 feet), couldn't resist a walk starting at Minaret Vista (9,240 feet) the most incredible views (so many pictures from so many angles) and then virtually a vertical, windswept climb to Deadman Pass (not exactly a hopeful name!) and then onto the delightfully named 'Unnamed Peak' at 10,225 feet, well worth the effort but between my cold and the altitude one of the hardest 10K walks i've ever done, hard to believe it's possible to do by mountain bike. After returning to the start found a much easier track to the ski village (where i was dying to take a picture of the lifesize mammoth). Had a chat with the Ranger on the way (reckoned she had never heard of an Aussie up that high before), unfortunately i learnt i needed a different pass to my Yosemite one to get into other parts of Inyo. Finally back to my lodge surely tonight a good deep sleep awaits me (and with an overnight low of 40 ideal weather for it). Have to admit my blog is at the moment more for my sake (so i have a diary of where i've been and also match my photos), and am now only one day behind where i actually am (hard work typing via phone whilst watching 'Dodgeball' and cooking pasta while drinking a couple of Budweisers obviously both the cold and the trip are on the improve :-) )

Yosemite

Original plan, after discussions with the locals on Tuesday, had been to stay at Groveland (nearest town to the national park) but the weekend and Independence Day meant places were twice as dear as listed so i'd booked at Mammoth Lakes on the other side. $20 for a 7 day park pass was good value, and then i felt even more at home - bushfires !. They were doing a backburn in one section meaning they were directing us around fires. Glorious scenery everywhere the only downside being the number of tourists the main parking area being full. Ended up parking along the road and walking back to the info centre, an hour or so there and i thought a short bushwalk was in order. Track lead to the base of Yosemite Falls an incredible drop of 2,425 feet. Long climb in the car out along Tioga Rd will post pictures on my return as words can't do it justice simply 3,000 metre mountains with lakes ! . Eventually hit Hwy I 395 meaning 30 miles to my destination, great view of Lake Mono (around 120 miles north to Reno & 350 south to LA). Get to Mammoth Lakes (at 8,500 feet a very large ski village with a population of 7,000) just in time for the petrol indicator to come on but still its only 352.9 per gallon as opposed to 450 in the park. Notice that all California servos are prepay !. Check in at Sierra Lodge great room with an incredible view now to find something to cook in the microwave.