May Trip #16 - Highway 108, Twisted Oak Winery and Lockeford

 

We're starting to feel that we are getting closer to home. Back in the Sierras, on Highway 108. We camped at Baker Camp, near Kennedy Meadows. Nice campground along the river. Seeing the familiar wildflowers. 

Hard to imagine how long this tree has been here,
rooted in the rock. Quite Amazing!

 

It is always a treat to see the Snow Plant.
I don't know how long it has been since I've found one.

Our last night on the road we stayed at Twisted Oak Winery in Vallecito (Harvest Host). We enjoyed the wine tasting and visited with the other Harvest Host guests. This is the view from our "campsite". (We'll be on the road one more night, stopping back in Atwater to see the family)

There were plenty of good walking areas and lots of pretty wildflowers.

I appreciate a winery with a bit of an attitude and a sense of humor! Twisted Oak had those in spades. They had funny road signs, a "fricken" (combo frog and chicken) and gave us a key chain with a rubber chicken on it as a gift.

Had to stop at the Lockeford Meat Service for sausages! Line wrapped the building and it was a long wait. Totally worth the stop. And another stop at the Fruit Stand for peaches and cherries! We'll eat well!

May Trip #15 Across Nevada to the Sierras

Flat, flat, flat, flat, mountains, flat, flat, flat, flat, mountains.
Okay, I really don't look forward to the drive across Nevada. Yes, some of it is pretty and I am always surprised at how many mountain ranges there are but it's mostly just getting across Nevada. We did it though. Up ahead are the "Pancake Mountains" (at least the names are imaginative).

We see windmills fairly often in our travels. It is interesting to see how they are aligned (or not). Here they were lined up in straight lines. I am used to seeing them in sort of a random pattern on the hills. I played with trying to line up a photo to get a star. Only took a few tries.

Bigger Mountains up ahead!

We made it to the base of the Sierras! Back in California! Our campsite was at the Crowley Lake BLM Campground. Pretty basic but serviceable. Right on 395.
Lots of pretty wildflowers.

Sunset at Crowley Lake Campground

From here we are headed home and are "winging it'. No clue where we are staying when we head out. This is our campsite on the banks of Sardine Creek. Boondocking! Lovely, peaceful and free. (also quite cold)

Someone is being a sluggabed so he got ALL of the blankets piled on top of him. One of my morning chores is to stuff all the blankets, pillows and pads.  

Gourmet Breakfast! Coffee (from Moab, fresh ground, espresso) and a bear claw from Schatt's Bakery (in Mammoth Lakes). YUM!
No Bears were sighted on this trip.

Heading over the Sierras on 108. Back to 10,000 foot elevation
and snow at road level.

It's a bit of a roller coaster ride! 

 

May Trip #14 - Great Basin National Park

Our travel today was flat and dry
with snow capped mountains beckoning us at the end.

Destination today was Great Basin National Park, Nevada. We visited it a number of years ago and have been trying to get back ever since.

There are some caves that are worth taking a tour (we did it on our previous trip so not this time). Wheeler Peek Road is pretty amazing. Up and up and up and up some more with the requisite curves. Great views.

Camping at Great Basin is magical! Probably our favorite campsite of all time. We were in Site 24. There were streams on both sides of our campsite (bridge to get to it). Lots of trees and wildflowers. Upper Lehman Campground.

We put the tent up and slept  in the tent. Real camping!

The temperature was cold (probably about freezing) but we were just fine in the tent. Small tent with 2 people and a big dog warms up quite well. We have down sleeping bags (would have needed them in the van too)

There was a pile of firewood left at the campsite and fires were allowed. Felt good both evening and morning. We didn't have s'more supplies. Don't get to have fires very often so out of practice.

We took the drive up Wheeler Peek (as far as allowed). Great views!

Watson loved the snow at the top!

10,000 foot elevation (and we had cell service)