Postcard from Inyo National Forest

The Journey Continues:

After my morning in Lassen, I arrived in Reno in the late afternoon. I had booked a hotel on the Internet, using one of those discount travel Web sites. It was only going to be a one-night stopover before I started camping further south in the Sierras. My last regular bed for a few days.

Well, the Internet gods were smiling on me that day. Instead of an ordinary room in a swanky casino/resort, I had a suite of rooms high up near the top floor, looking out at Reno and the Sierra mountains. Holy Cow! This was too good to pass up. So I immediately booked the place for a second night. The tent and sleeping bag can wait!

I noodled around Reno for a day and a half, taking in the sites and restaurants. I even bought a new tripod for one of my cameras. Although I used to live only a couple hours away, I spent very little time here so it was almost like exploring a new city. Those two days and nights were just what the doctor ordered. As I don’t gamble, two days and nights were just fine.

After the last night, I headed out early, this time heading south of Highway 395 and back into California. My destination was Highway 120, aka: the Tioga Pass Road. This is the road that goes high into the Sierras and is the back entrance to Yosemite.

But Yosemite was not my destination on this day. I had other things to see and do before I headed into the high country.

When driving south on 395 from Reno, you pass through Nevada’s Capitol, Carson City. I think I was married there once. Eventually you come back into California at Topaz Lake, then continue south through some very small communities, the largest being Bridgeport. On and on and on, along the back side of the Sierras, eventually passing the west shore of Mono Lake, then Lee Vining and Highway 120.

It was time to find a campsite for night, which I did at one of the campgrounds in Inyo National Forest. I was only partway up 120, but high enough to enjoy the Autumn colors in full glory. It was absolutely stunning! After setting up camp, I had time to wander through part of the forest and enjoy.

The tree were a blaze of yellow. I ran into a few people who travelled long distances to take in these colors. Can’t blame them.  This photo was taken along Lee Vining Creek near my campsite. The leaves were not arranged by me…it is just the way I found them.

As the sun sets in the west and I was on the east side of the Sierras, it got dark early. I made my first dinner of the trip on the camp stove and read my book using light from my two lanterns. Eventually I headed into my tent and into the sleeping bag on top of the air mattress. It wasn’t that cold, so I was warm enough. Snug as a bug in a rug.

I then proceeded to have one of the worst nights of my adult life. More to come.