Last week Kent and I traveled 1400 miles through Nevada and parts of the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. The rain followed us everywhere we went and at times we got caught in it, but it didn't stop us. We enjoyed a few of the small towns along the way, especially Lee Vining and Bridgeport in California and Eureka in Nevada. It was fun to see Mono Lake for the first time and revisit Lake Tahoe and Virginia City, places I had been to as a child. We didn't get in the hikes we had hoped due to the rain, but we found other places to explore. Who knows, we just might come back again someday, when the rain doesn't fall in California.
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| We started out at the Shady Motel in Caliente, Nevada; it's located across from the old train station and it isn't "shady" at all |
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| Rachel, Nevada's claim to fame is Area 51 |
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| Extraterrestrial Highway sign loaded with stickers |
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| Are those Jet Streams or UFO trails.....? |
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| "T" for Tonopah, Nevada |
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| Boundary Peak is Nevada's highest peak at 13,143 feet |
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| The beginning of the Mammoth Lakes Basin |
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| Lake George......closed for the season |
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| Did I mention it rained......it didn't stop us from having fun |
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| We were the only ones at the Fish Hatchery......imagine that ! |
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| Steamy Hot Creek Gorge |
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| Danger means danger! Many people have been seriously burned or lost their lives here |
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| Hot Creek Geologic Site |
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| On the 'rainy' road again ! |
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| Mammoth Mountain Ski Area has 28 lifts |
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| The sun came out in the afternoon....woohoo ! |
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| We decided to hike to Rainbow Falls |
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| Hiking above the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River |
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| Rainbow Falls has a 101 ft. drop |
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| This way to the bottom of the Falls |
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| Kent looking for fish.....no doubt |
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| Sotcher Lake in Reds Meadow Valley |
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| A beautiful Fall day |
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| Devil's Postpile is not far from Rianbow Falls |
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| 60 ft. high Columnar Basalt |
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| Symmetrical, vertical, hexagonal columns |
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| Perfectly shaped |
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| Mono Lake |
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| South Tufa Reserve boardwalk |
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| Before today, I've only seen Mono Lake from the window of an airplane |
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| Little Arch |
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| Tufa formations |
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| Kent said it didn't taste very good |
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| Looking towards the north side of Mono Lake |
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| View of Mono Lake on our way to Lee Vining |
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| Fall colors along HWY 395 south of Bridgeport |
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| We came to see the Sierra Nevada Mountains ! |
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| So happy it isn't raining ! |
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| Lake Tahoe ! |
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| Emerald Bay and Fannette Island |
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| What a neat place for a castle |
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| I'd love a tour.....maybe next time ? |
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| A boat circling Fannette Island, do you see the Tea House ? |
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| Closeup of the Tea House |
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| Storm brewing on the other side of the lake |
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| Here we are ! |
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| A beautiful spot on the Nevada side |
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| Stormy sunset at Lake Tahoe |
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| Fourth Ward School opened in 1876 and closed in 1936 |
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| Does the map look familiar? Do you remember the TV show Bonanza? |
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| Little church, Big church |
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| Ceiling and lights in the Visitor Center |
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| Cute shop |
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| We walked the entire downtown before the rain started |
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| Watch your footing on the boardwalk |
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| Wild horses roam freely around town |
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| Interesting rain gutters |
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| They actually work.....I don't think I'k park under one ! |
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| Alkali flats along HWY 50 looked like snow |
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| High up on a hill in Austin sits Stokes Castle. It was built in 1897 to be used as a summer home |
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| Austin, Nevada |
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| Old building along HWY 50, known as the Loneliest Road in America and the Lincoln Highway |
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| We were treated to this rainbow for several miles between Austin and Eureka |
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| The sun is shining as we drive through Eureka, Nevada |
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| We followed another rainbow on our way to Ely, Nevada |
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| We saw more cows than cars along State Route 21 in Utah, no kidding ! |
