There were several long days drive from Mono Lake in eastern California. Over an 8500 foot pass in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, with our brakes smoking all the way downhill; around the west side of Lake Tahoe, (gorgeous, Whistler-like homes) then on to the lower plains of central California, to an altitude of only 113 feet! No wonder it was tough on Mike’s shoulders, without power steering. This is farming country, with mostly almonds and walnut trees in the fields; unfortunately we’re too late for the almond crop yet too early for walnuts. One of the final days drive north was 795 kms; amazingly with no traffic slow down in Seattle; only five minutes at the border then home within minutes! 7741 kms total in 4 weeks!
What have been the highlights of this trip?
The rolling hills in The Palouse area of Southeast Washington
The rolling hills in The Palouse area of Southeast Washington
The festive ambiance of Santa Fe, New Mexico
The Taos Pueblo in New Mexico as well
Antelope Slot Canyon in Page, Arizona
Finally seeing the Tufa's at Mono Lake, California
Our interaction with the Native Americans
The disappointments?
Mediocre South Western food
Seeing guns for sale in Walmart
The crowds in Moab, Utah, in particular at Arches National Park
The ATV’s that spoil the pristine lines of the Coral Pink Sand Dunes in southern Utah
The no-see-um's that come out at dusk . . . . they see-me and I-feel-um!
What have we learned?
All buildings in Santa Fe must be brown; any one of 27 shades of brown
That we still enjoy our extended time in Westie.
That it's amazing how quickly one can adapt to living in a small space.
That we still enjoy our extended time in Westie.
That it's amazing how quickly one can adapt to living in a small space.
Vitamin E gel capsules melt in their bottle at these high temperatures.
Mercury in a thermometer breaks up when it goes over 50*C.
When it’s hot in the desert, even at an altitude of over 8500 feet, it’s still VERY HOT!
Hope you have enjoyed my blog, folks. There are a few glitches in laying out the photos that I need to learn how to correct and if you have any suggestions I’d love to hear them.
Cheers for now,
Heather & Mike
The Rambling Wanderers
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| Bison Still Roam The Range |
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| Former Mode of Travel |
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| Current Mode of Travel |
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| And Nary a Vehicle in Sight |
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| An Area Everyone Should Try to Get to See |
Glad you made it home. Donna and I enjoyed our chat with you in Page. David.
ReplyDeleteAll the best.
So glad you are home safe and sound. It sounds like a great adventure, too bad you had to cut it short. Talk to you soon.
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